“Before I tell you about the Legend of Pai Mei, here’s a little ditty about giving pocket knives as gifts. Trust me, it’s a good one.”
“Before I tell you about the Legend of Pai Mei, here’s a little ditty about giving pocket knives as gifts. Trust me, it’s a good one.”- Bill (David Carradine), probably, Kill Bill
Superstitions and traditions around knives date back thousands of years – pretty much as long as folks have been cutting things. Some ancient myths, such as the Legend of Pai Mei, have a defined location and starting point (i.e., China, around the year one-double-aught-three), but when it comes to knife superstitions, they’re so old no one really remembers who came up with them.
At Gallantry, we’re huge proponents of the pocket knife, so we hear all kinds of wild superstitions. The one we come across the most is the belief that a knife should never be “given” as a free gift: instead, you’re supposed to exchange a coin along with the knife, so the recipient can “pay” you for it. If you don’t, the knife may “cut” the friendship.
Is this totally nuts, or is there a basis for this in human anthropology?
ANCIENT BLADES
Ever since humans started using tools, one of the first ones they conjured up was the knife. Long before super steels and particle metallurgy, our cave-dwelling Paleolithic Gallantry Men ancestors (we’re sure there were a few) had to craft these from available materials – first stone, then eventually copper and finally iron.
Given the extreme difficulty of crafting anything back in the day, only the strongest, toughest most alpha dudes carried a knife. Having a blade meant power – as a weapon it commanded respect, and as a tool it provided utility. For this reason, knives have long been a symbol of authority and leadership.
The superstition of giving a coin for a knife may date back to this period – it’s possible that back in the day, being given a knife could be seen as undermining your authority and power. Instead, knifemakers (and gift givers) came up with an honorable way around that: they would give a coin along with the knife, and then the coin would be given back to the gifter as “payment”. That way, nothing has been given freely, and everyone wins.
It can really be this simple; any coin will do.
It can really be this simple; any coin will do.Even though we don’t buy into all the superstitions, this is a tradition we’re cool with. After all, you don’t need to exchange an expensive coin, a penny will do. Some anthropologists believe this tradition arose around the same time that metal coins became commonly used in early settlements, and since there’s been quite a bit of inflation since then, we say go with a penny. It’s the luckiest coin after all.
If you’re planning to give a knife as a gift, our advice is to tape a penny to the box, and when your friend asks you why the heck you taped a penny to the box, now you’ve got an awesome story to share!
On the other hand, some knifemakers have caught on to this tradition, and instead of a penny, they include a special EDC coin with their own design. Here’s one of our favorite, most giftable heirloom knives, which includes a unique, limited-run coin along with it:
THE BARNES KNIFE FROM THE JAMES BRAND
The Barnes Knife, by The James Brand, is the ultimate titanium framelock knife. Not only that, it’s The James Brand’s first integral design, which means the whole thing (basically everything other than the blade) is milled from a single piece of 6AL4V titanium. They spared no expense on this. What’s more, this knife features a 3.5 inch Bohler M390 blade – one of the top all-around super steels money can buy. For the record, that’s a lot better than flint or copper.
All kidding aside, this knife is an heirloom, the kind of knife someone’s going to cherish and pass down to their kids. It’s an outstanding gift, not only because of the phenomenal materials and design, but because it comes with its own EDC coin.
The Barnes’ coin features an arrowhead design that symbolizes the roots of the Barnes Knife – and because it includes a coin, you’ve already given your recipient the means to ward off the superstition. All they have to do is give you that exquisite unique special-edition coin back. (So you may want to tape a penny on the side anyway, just to be safe.)
SPECIFICATIONS
- 3.5” drop point Bohler M390 blade
- Machined from a solid billet of 6AL4V titanium
- Stainless steel pivot and ceramic bearings
- CNC-machined titanium pocket clip
- Integral frame-lock with hardened steel lockface insert
- Overall length: 7.8"
- Blade length: 3.5”
- Weight: 4.6 oz
The Barnes Knife
$649.00
[tab-section data-sc-active-background="#ffffff" data-sc-other-background="#ffffff" data-sc-color="#555555"][tab title="Details"] The Barnes is the ultimate titanium framelock. This is The James Brand's first integral design, which means the entire handle is CNC-machined from one solid billet of 6AL4V titanium. Featuring a 3.5 inch Bohler M390… read more
