Dale, your question is one I have pondered often. It truely has affected my choices in some matters regarding my work. I'm not too worried about what die hard anti-everything people think but I want to make sure that my own concience is free of guilt, if you will. That would involve more than changing the name of a style of knife, of course. I'm interested in the potential discussion on this subject.

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Dale, your question is one I have pondered often. It truely has affected my choices in some matters regarding my work. I'm not too worried about what die hard anti-everything people think but I want to make sure that my own concience is free of guilt, if you will. That would involve more than changing the name of a style of knife, of course. I'm interested in the potential discussion on this subject.

I can understand your concerns as I have pondered them myself from time to time. I think that we need to remember that we are creating inanimate objects and should feel no guilt or remorse in doing so.

In this new world of "political correctness" it's important to remember that terminology has been pushed to the current limits by political factions in order to gain their objectives. That doesn't mean that there is (or was) any wrong doing. It's simply a political "spin". Sad but true.

Gary

I realize that we have on control over the end use of the knives we make. I can not feel responsible for what someone else does. I'm more concerned about adding lables that can be used to demonize those inanimate objects. "Tactical folder" or "9 inch fighter", like "assault rifle", just gives the impression that it is a weapon instead of a tool. We all know that it is the person using the tool that is resposible for the outcome. However, there are those who only look at the name to judge an object.

Dale

I live in a country that has some of the most stringent laws about weapons that I know of. In some states and teritories you are not permitted to own a dagger or anything with 2 sharp edges ( sharp clips are out )swords, flippers any folder that can be opened one handed. In the Australian Capitol Teritory you can't even drive through it if you have a double edged blade! In South Australia you have to keep a photographic record of a dagger you have sold and to who you sold it to! At the Australian Knifemakers Guild show it was deemed that TACTICAL was a no no. Also if you are displaying a sword it must be secured by means of a cable tie to secure it in its scabbard, hmmm nice scabbard you got there. You are all probably thinking ( what the ) as we all are as well. Its insane, but we do live in a pc world. What a shame. Over here ( or is that under here <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//blink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':blink:' /> ) some people look at you like you are deranged or worse, if you tell them that you are a knifemaker. I hope that it does not happen in your country! I call a dagger,tactical, fighter just that. What else do you call them to appease the paranoid do gooders? Just have to keep educating the art as art as far as I can see. Okay rant over and have a knife day!

Cheers Keith

I'm just beginning in the knife making world, but already I've fielded questions about this. My pastor asked me about the making of weapons, and I've told him that I make my knives to serve a useful purpose, up to and including self defense. If someone wants a weapon they need look no farther than the nearest tree, or on the ground for a rock. I also wondered about the names as I have a tactical line, but I am also a hard line supporter of the right of all American citizens to defend themselves, whether with one of my quality blades or any other weapon of their choice. If they want to outlaw my knives because of the names they are welcome to show up and try.

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I can understand your concerns as I have pondered them myself from time to time. I think that we need to remember that we are creating inanimate objects and should feel no guilt or remorse in doing so.

In this new world of "political correctness" it's important to remember that terminology has been pushed to the current limits by political factions in order to gain their objectives. That doesn't mean that there is (or was) any wrong doing. It's simply a political "spin". Sad but true.

Gary

Not to disparage your sentiment Gary, but here's a quote from the "Antique Bowie Knife Book" page 108:

"In 1838 the Tennessee legislature came out with an act to "suppress the sale and use of Bowie knives and Arkansas Toothpicks in the state.... That if any person shall wear any Bowie knife... Arkansas Toothpick... or keep the same concealed about his person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and imprisoned in the county jail not less than three months"".

From my understanding, it wasn't limited to TN, and the Bowie knife was widely vilified, and subsequently vaguely legislated, before many of us were born.

In fact in many cases, the laws concerning knives all over the country, are old, most are extremely vague, and use the sort of esoteric nomenclature we ourselves (as knifemakers) are responsible for proliferating.

All I'm saying is, it's not a "New world of "political correctness"", as we'd all prefer to think. It's the same old world of dirty politics, grandstanding, and gaining position. It may ebb and flow, but the battle we're losing, is the same one that's been going on for at least a century. Educating the public, and not becoming tools for short term political gains, by unscrupulous self servants. We may not be doing much to help our cause.

I think the OP has a very good point to consider, we bandy around the term "Bowie" too much as an organization, and it's a word that's probably as ubiquitous in ethereal state's knife laws as "switchblade". It is, even our use, a very vague descriptor, as evidenced by the huge variety of knife styles in the aforementioned book, and one day, one of us might get bitten by this.

Something I think we all need to ponder.