Sgian Dubh question

[Tobus]

Err.... Wow! Didn't think that the U.S. was such a dangerous country yet, where you wake up every morning in fear of getting stabbed or shot!

Surely you are aware that the entire country is not homogenous? In some places, people never have to worry about such things. In others, it is an everyday concern. Depends on where you live, what areas you need to travel through or work in, etc.

And crime can happen anywhere, at any time, regardless of where you are. Some of us carry deadly weapons (legally, and with state permits) all the time because they are tools just like anything else. I carry a spare tire, jack, and lugnut wrench in my vehicle, even though I don't anticipate getting a flat tire. But if it happens, I have the tools to handle it. I also have a fire extinguisher in my home. Not because I expect my house to catch on fire on any given day, but because if it happens, I'll be prepared.

An article of defense is no different. The only difference is in your mind. People spring to the idea that one is "paranoid" or "fearful" if they carry a simple tool for defense. And that is not so. If you choose not to (or are unable to legally) carry such a tool, that's fine. It's your choice. But there's no reason to be melodramatic about those who do, as I feel you were doing in your post.

To those of us who do carry real tools of defense, a sgian dubh is no big deal. I'm always a bit surprised that people make it such a big deal, as if carrying a tiny blade in one's sock is akin to walking around with a weapon of mass destruction.

*edited to add:

As usual, I have re-read my post and found that it seems more belligerent than I intended. Hope you don't think I'm trying to start a heated argument; I'm not. I was just trying to point out that carrying a weapon has nothing to do with being fearful of being stabbed or shot on a daily basis. For me, I'm actually more likely to use my defensive weapons to humanely kill a deer after hitting it with my car than for actual defense, since I seem to hit a lot of deer on the highway every year.

Also, I don't want to hijack the thread into a discussion of concealed weapons or self-defense. I hope it doesn't go that direction. But a sgian dubh is really nothing to be concerned about for a lot of folks. I've never had anyone be taken aback at it, nor have I ever felt it should be left at home when I'm going to be around children or anything. I guess I just live in a different environment than some folks do, where a wee knife doesn't cause any alarm.