You would think that the name is supposed to say it all, but that is not the case with gentlemen’s knives. Also known as gentlemen pocket knives, what are they – and why should you care in the first place?
A gentleman’s knife is an uncomplicated, sleek blade that can be discreetly carried as an EDC while pairing well with the general outfit of the classic gentleman. This means that they are a brand of folding knives/ everyday carry knives that do not come with all the bells and whistles, yet functional enough and still not looking out of place with a dressy outfit.
I’ll dive more into these gentlemen’s knives below so that you have a better grasp of what they bring to the table.
Why do you need a gentleman’s knife?
As a man, there are several reasons why you might want to get one of these for yourself.
Seeing as they are also an EDC, it is easy to believe that you can get away with using the rest of the folding knives in your collection as a gentleman’s knife instead. That could not be farther from the truth.
For most pocket knives, you will find extra features that make them functional for multiple operations but also introduces extra complications that we could have done away with.
That is the same reason why your swiss army knives won’t fit into this category. After all, they come with all of those extra fittings and tools that make them bulky – so they tend to stand out when you bring them out.
Still, every man should have their pocket knife handy – not only when they are going hiking or on some other outdoor trip.
So that you can wear your suits and still carry a handy knife for trimming fruits, cutting those fabric threads that stick out, or simply opening a package that arrives while you are at the office, the gentleman’s knife comes into the mix.
That said, allow me to define them even better if the initial definition had been even a little unclear:
A true gentleman’s knife is a functional blade designed to not draw any serious attention to itself while staying handy in otherwise formal situations. With a gentleman’s pocket knife, you can continue your EDC habit well into the conference room without having to look odd.
What makes a gentleman’s knife?
Now that we are here, I figured that we should do a little more digging into just what makes a gentleman’s knife.
The definitions are all great, but you would agree with me that they are still vague as to what you should truly expect on those knives.
So, having checked some gentlemen pocket knives out myself, I believe that the following pointers should be strongly considered here:
- The blade length should be around 3 inches
- Must be a folding knife. I can’t consider anyone recklessly carrying a fixed blade around to be a gentleman.
- A thin blade. Not something that draws too much attention to itself
- Wicked sharp. What’s a dull knife good for anyway?
- Should either be a manual opening or assisted opening knife. Autos are off the list.
- For knife points, a clip point or drop point is best here. Wharncliffe might make the cut, but never a tanto knife.
- Made with premium materials that look good on the outside
What a gentleman’s knife is not
I see some mistakes made by certain users and knife debaters on what these kinds of knives are.
Going by the name and some parts of the definition, some people believe that these are just dress knives and nothing more. That does not sit down well with me.
For starters, no knife should be made for decoration. Knives are functional tools that could either be deployed in the kitchen or tactically. I don’t see a reason why someone would wear them for the fashion part of it.
If anything, that is an abuse of a fine tool like the knife.
Of course, the gentleman knife should have a dressy appeal such that it can go into the church and even a meeting with a CEO with you. But it should not be carried with you just because you thought it looked like another accessory to better your dressing.
If you have been wearing your gentleman’s knife for the fashion, it is high time you put it away till you discover the real purpose for such a blade. Otherwise, you could also choose a better gentleman knife that would drive you to use the knife for more than just completing your outfit.
Can you use a gentleman’s knife for self-defense?
If you are good with knives and you are caught in a situation where you have to, then, maybe.
In an ideal situation, though, these knives are not built for such.
The gentleman’s knife is best suited for trimming off the edge of your cigars, spreading caviar on toast, and doing such seemingly random tasks. Whipping out your knife with style in such settings surely adds to the class and appeal that you bring to the table – both literally and figuratively.
If you’d carry a knife for self-defense at all, go here to find out everything on that.
Final Thoughts
If you used to believe that the gentleman knife naming system was just another ploy to get you to buy another knife, now you know better.
The gentleman’s pocket knife can easily be the sharpest part of your outfit without drawing too much attention to yourself.
Of course, as usual, I would always recommend that you stay within the confines of the open and concealed carry laws of your locale so that you don’t get in trouble. With the configuration that these knives offer, though, you are most likely far away from trouble of any kind.
After all, what kind of gentleman goes around seeking trouble, right?
