If you’re gift shopping for a practical person – the kind of person who seeks to have what they need and need what they have – let me save you some time: get him or her a knife. Knives make great gifts. Let me explain.
If you google “Gifts for Men,” you’ll be bombarded by a bunch of stuff that, frankly, nobody wants, needs, or has any intention of using. I’d bet the farm that if you asked, the man you are shopping for would not be especially excited about a mug that tracks his golf score, a Mars-themed zen garden, or friendship bracelets for him and his dog. Yes, these are all real products I found on the first result when I googled “Gifts for Men.”
It only gets worse when you google “Gifts for Women.” I’ll spare you the specifics…
But if there is one thing that every person who has lived since the dawn of civilization needs, it’s a knife. For thousands of years, knives have been invaluable tools for hunting and gathering, food preparation, self-defense, construction, and numerous other tasks in daily life. Even today, knives play an important role in modern life, and in some capacity, everyone needs one.
So here are a few reasons to consider gifting your loved one a knife this year!
They absolutely will use a knife.
Why are knives so useful? Let me show you with some statistics about Americans. The average American eats 220 pounds of meat and 282 pounds of fruit and vegetables in a year. There are more Amazon Prime memberships than households in America. 65% of Americans own a home. There are more annual visitors to national parks and forests than there are people in America. Americans spend about $200 billion on camping gear each year.
What is one thing that could be helpful for all that food, all those boxes, all those house chores, and all that outdoor adventure? A knife, that’s what!
There’s enough variety to personalize.
Knives come in so many shapes and sizes and are made for so many purposes that literally everyone can find a knife that complements not only their daily life but also their personal style. For example, my dad is a cardiologist who loves to travel the world and see old buildings, so I got him the Boker Castle Wood Barlow. It’s a non-locking slip joint that is legal in most of the world, it’s small and unobtrusive so he can carry it at the hospital, and the handle is made of old oak timbers from a castle in Germany. It’s a perfect match!
If you think that there isn’t a knife that could perfectly match the lifestyle of whomever you’re shopping for, think again!
They don’t impose a commitment.
Join me for a thought experiment: You invite your friend to a Christmas party, and he brings a gift for you. You open it, and find that he’s adopted you a puppy. How do you feel?
Yeah, I feel the same.
To a lesser extent, that feeling of dread can accompany many gifts like books, plants, DIY kits, and even those trendy “experiences.” These are all commitments of time and resources and impositions of a lifestyle. These can be good gifts, but they land better with some folks than others.
If you want to play it safer, get them a knife! As mentioned earlier, modern Americans have a need of knives. Getting them a knife doesn’t impose a lifestyle on them; rather, it complements the lifestyle they already have!
Knives fall within your budget
It’s surprisingly easy to find a knife that fits in whatever budget you’ve decided on for your gift. If you’re going frugal, there are tons of folders, autos, fixed blades, and more you can find for well under $20, sometimes less than $10. If you’re going all-out for a top-of-the-line cutting tool, you can spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on premium knives. Heck, I once saw a Medford knife sell for $100,000. Do I think the guy who bought it was a bit crazy? Yes. Yes I do.
I’d bet that your gift-giving budget falls somewhere between $10 and $100,000, and no matter where it falls, you can find a great knife for your loved one.
Knives are cool
I just pulled out the contents of my pockets, and here’s what I found: a wallet (boring), a phone (also boring), some headphones (still boring), keys (yawn), and a knife (ooh, interesting). It’s an undeniable fact that knives are cool. I carry one every single day, and no matter how drab my desk job sounds, putting my knife in my pocket makes me feel like I’m embarking on an adventure, which is always a good feeling. That cool factor, combined with the incredible utility they offer, makes knives great gifts!
Knives Are a Sign of Trust
As much as we try to beat around the bush, knives can be dangerous when misused. They have sharp edges and points, and when used improperly, they can cause damage and injuries. Responsible knife use is an absolute must. This means that you should only give someone you trust a knife.
But that’s a two-edged… no. I’m better than that.
But that’s both a burden and a boon. Yes, assessing one’s litmus to carry a knife is a bit of a chore, but when you give a person a knife, it sends a message. You’re telling the person “I trust you and I believe you are worthy of this responsibility.” Yes, that sounds a bit sappy, but remember – it’s just a knife. So, if you need to send a sappy message like this, but you are not a sappy person, then a knife is a great option!
A Word of Caution
I am many things, but I am not superstitious. Upon submitting this article for review, my team told me in worried tones that I needed to address the curses, scourges, and unavoidable demises associated with giving knives away. Some say you must give a knife with a penny or challenge coin, so the recipient can give you the coin in repayment, lest the knife “sever the reletionship” or something. There’s even a knifemaker who will first cut you with the knife he intends to give you, supposedly creating a blood bond or something. I will not tell you who that knifemaker is, you’ll have to find out the hard way.
For what it’s worth, I’ve given and been given many knives from friends and family, and I’ve never, not even once, had any relationship trouble thereafter. But if you’re still worried, throw a coin in the box and demand it back upon giving the knife. That should satisfy the fates and bring balance to the economy of the universe.
Get them a knife!
A knife has the capacity to make just about anyone’s life easier, and that makes them excellent gifts. As an added bonus, most knives come in neat, wrappable packaging. In fact, if you order from Blade HQ and request gift wrapping, we’ll wrap it for you! In no time at all, you can find a thoughtful gift that falls within your budget and will seriously improve the life of your loved one if you choose to get them mankind’s favorite tool – a knife.
