winks Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 My mum came from a long line of cutlers and used to tell me never give a knife away, always sell it, also never accept a knife for free but give a 1d for it. Could anyone tell me why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristian Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 This is something that always happened in my family too. I found this online about it: There is a folk lore superstition regarding the giving of a knife as a gift. If the knife is given to a friend, money must be exchanged as well. It is considered very bad luck to give someone a knife without exchanging money or the friendship will be cut by the knife. Because of this superstition, it is common that the gift of a knife will be given along with a penny, nickel or dime in the box with the knife so that the recipient can give back the coin, thereby saving the friendship from being severed by the giving of the sharp blade. The exact background of this superstition is unclear yet, even today most people will include a coin with the gift of a knife and request the coin be given back. The apparent view is that it is far better to be safe than sorry. Link here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie22 Posted November 29, 2008 Share Posted November 29, 2008 my nan would never let me pick a knife up off the floor if i had dropped it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buck Posted November 29, 2008 Share Posted November 29, 2008 My Dad considered it bad luck if you accidently crossed two knives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minimo Posted November 29, 2008 Share Posted November 29, 2008 The same rule applied to scissors, you had to pay a coin. If a knife was dropped you had to pick it up with the opposite hand to the one which dropped it. There are so many of these old superstitions that defy logic as to why they started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Posted November 29, 2008 Share Posted November 29, 2008 A good few years ago now, I was working with this guy who was a bit of an 'Hells Angel'. One day he showed me a couple of knives, brand new but illegal, and to my mind knocked off. Both of them were German made and really nice looking knives. So he's trying to sell them and I hadn't got any money on me. I said I couldn't buy them so he said to take them and pay him later. I had to go and borrow a couple of coins to give him, 20P. He looked at me like I was barmy. But he didn't come back for anymore money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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