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Post by Bradleee42 on Dec 3, 2010 2:15:23 GMT
Slayer, I got your back till the end you know that. lol
But yes, I too get the ....'huh, whaddya know's".
HAHA...I could so picture Slayer walking up to an little old lady , who is sitting peacefully readin the paper and popping his head over and onto her shoulder and whispering "I collect Swords".
She'd beat you to death with her purse! lmao!!!
This morning though, I was at UPS sending off a Raptor I traded, and the guy asked what I was sending, SO, I told him a sword. He says "really Ive got a few of those, and alot of pocket knives too." Turns out he was a Retired Marine. SO, after I thanked him for his service, we chatted a little while about blades, He got kinda quiet and looked around and asked what was really in the box ( I had told him a replica sword) So, I told him a 5160 Spring steel Katana with Rayskin and leather wrap on the handle, that I had worked and customized and that I was trading it to a friend for a Long sword, Also out of 5160 steel. He picked up the box again and felt the weight and looked at me and reached out and shook my hand and said " theres not many of us left that still believe in the old ways", asked my name, told me his, and said next time I need to ship something out, call ahead of time or stop by before I needed it done,and see if when he was gonna be there and he wouldnt charge me for the box and packing.
But other than that, yeah, it's " huh...whaddya know!"
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Taran
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Post by Taran on Dec 3, 2010 3:12:56 GMT
I always have a quick response for the "hated question."
Q: "What do you need it for? Maybe I can help you more."
A: "Yeah. Probably not."
But I'm not the sweetest guy in the world. And I normally have very little patience for retail employees.
However, at the Post Office, the guys are great. No problems shipping swords. I even brought one in and they helped me box it. "It's not concealable so USPS regs don't apply." And no issues with, "A weapon in the Post Office!! AAAA!!!"
They did recommend that if it has to go through customs, I should list it as a "length of finished steel."
I did just remember when I introduced my sword habit to my USAR unit. I had to make up a drill that I missed for one reason or another, so I was tasked with cutting up a very large cardboard box and throwing it away. I asked if I could bring in my sword to cut up the box and SFC Dutschman looked up for the first time and just stared at me with narrowed eyes like he was trying to figure out if I was joking. I guess he decided to call my bluff and told me to go ahead and bring it in. So I did.
I also brought some of my SCA gear to Family Day and the videos of my SCA fighting have been traveling around the unit. Everyone reacts differently. I've received the whole gamut from "..." to "I want to know more about it!" to people who act like I'm the unpredictable lunatic. Of course, my excitement when I play with explosives might have a little more to do with that last one.
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Post by SlayerofDarkness on Dec 3, 2010 3:41:37 GMT
I know, Brad, I know.. just joking.   And yes, I could totally see myself doing that, and getting beat up by a steel-lined purse. :shock: Oh, the horrors!  lol That's an awesome story, btw...  -Slayer |
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Post by johnapsega on Dec 3, 2010 5:14:29 GMT
Thank you slayer for the awesome comment that made my day even though it is like 12:00 in the morning lol and btw +1 2 U slayer. |
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Post by SlayerofDarkness on Dec 3, 2010 5:21:56 GMT
No prob, John. Thanks for the karma. -Slayer |
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Greg
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Post by Greg on Dec 3, 2010 20:36:41 GMT
I get tho's from time to time. Mainly when I'm picking up cases of water for a "Cut Out" (Like cook out... but with swords) When I get the water, people ask me if I'm thirsty or if I'm having a big party of sorts. I just tell them that I'm getting together with some friends to slice these in half with modern replicas of medieval swords.
"Seriously!?"
"Yeah!"
"That sounds like it would be fun."
"More then you know."
But now that I think about it, the place that I get my water is staffed by what I think are highschoolers for the most part. So it makes sense that little old "Fabric and Lace" really wouldn't be accustomed to the idea of using a weapon for a hobby, but highschoolers and younger kids just see the "dangerous and cool" side.
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Post by Bradleee42 on Dec 4, 2010 0:14:03 GMT
yeah, my 10 yr old little cousin LOOOOVES hanging out in my room.
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Post by Federico on Dec 6, 2010 6:17:00 GMT
....hmmm, one thing I've learned not to do is to mention it to women that you're interested in. They'll invariably become flakey and mysteriously not return your calls Hoplophobia ahhh... |
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Post by Tendrax on Dec 6, 2010 7:17:14 GMT
Only non sworders I ever mention it too are friends, and they just kind of call me a nerd and make jokes about me going into work like a psycho and hacking the place up(all in good fun though, lol.).
The trick is to find one that also likes swords. Lol.
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Post by whitefeathers on Dec 6, 2010 14:03:03 GMT
I haven't had any odd situations in the sword world yet, but ive had a few with the gun world.
Yes If I meet a man who can't deal with the fact a lady has guns and swords we are gonna have problems. lol.
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Post by Federico on Dec 7, 2010 2:08:36 GMT
Yeah...maybe I should have mentionned that I live in Montreal. Here, admitting to be sword collector is akin to auto castration... :lol:
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ghost
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Post by ghost on Dec 7, 2010 2:25:28 GMT
Out of my collection they always point and touch the UC Anduril wallhanger the most and the longest. (My only SLO) My Anduril was worth every inch of it's stainless steel blade in saving my real blades from fingerprints -in addition to saving their fingers as well. lol, always reminds me of that Indiana Jones movie and the quest for the holy grail.  |
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Post by randomnobody on Dec 7, 2010 2:25:57 GMT
Why would you do that to your car?  ...Oh. You meant...oh. I haven't had any "experiences" with "non-sword" folk in ages. I've actually been out of the area for the most part, it's not so much "something I do, a lot" as "something I've done a bit." Last sharp thing I bought was...shoot, months ago, and not very big. Okay so a 15" kukri isn't really "small," either... Strangely enough, most of the time when I mention that I happen to have a few swords (and a bunch of knives), the answer I tend to get is "Oh yeah? I have a few, too." Nothing ever comes of this, though...since practically nobody can tell me WHAT they have...so I just leave it alone. I figure if they can't so much as name a brand...it's probably not worth talking about. The only time I ever bought anything for a sword-related project, though, was about six or seven years ago down in a small, rural town in southern Virginia. I wanted some leather banding...stuff...to use as ito for a mediocre katana-like thingy that I had decided I'd beaten enough and should probably fix up a bit. I walked into the local Wal Mart, where I worked at the time, and just started sifting through the craft section. Found some nice, 1/4", flat leather-ish "ribbon" or some such, and bought a few yards. Nobody asked what it was for, they just measured out, cut, and charged by yard. Off I went. Though I'm somehow put off of the idea of wandering into the local Home Depot and perusing the screws etc. section in the hope that some poor soul will offer to assist me only to have me whip out a fairly large folding knife I used to carry and ask where I can find new screws/bolts/whatever to hold the scale on, which has fallen off. They're pretty tiny...I might be better off asking at a jeweler...but again...pulling out a knife just strikes me as a bad thing to do in a store. Who knows, though? |
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ghost
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Post by ghost on Dec 7, 2010 2:34:58 GMT
You'd be fine random Actually carrying a folder into home depot is quite normal. I do it all the time and even pull it out to cut rope and packing on occasion. Employees don't even bat an eye. I am not a construction worker but I do know that a large percentage of them carry razor sharp folders or board cutters, carpet cutters... Pulling out a large fixed blade though would be a completely different story |
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Post by randomnobody on Dec 7, 2010 2:43:59 GMT
Yeah, that's the feeling I'm trying to convince myself to go with...but living in the town I do...also, going by the size I'd need, I'd likely need to see a jeweler, anyway. THAT would be a different story.
"Welcome to X Jeweler, how can I help you today?" *pulls out knife* *clerk disappears, alarm sounds*
Yeah...that sits on the same hip sooo... :x
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TomK
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Post by TomK on Dec 7, 2010 18:04:05 GMT
not too long ago I was going to my local grocery store for some snacks and on the way in I saw a young man (14-ish) walking in with his family. the boy had a gigantic fixed blade knife strapped to his leg. the blade had to be 10-12 inches long. out of curiosity I kept my eye on them the whole time in the store, and it just so happened that they were only getting a few things too and I left at the same time they did too so I got to see them the whole time they were in the store. not a single person in the store (other than me I guess) paid them any unusual attention. the young man kept the knife on his leg and never played with it which I thought spoke to his responsibility. so I guess it all depends on where you are, and I guess Astoria is enough of a fishing and logging town no one cares if you carry a Crocodile Dundee sized knife around.
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ChrisA
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Post by ChrisA on Dec 7, 2010 19:58:04 GMT
When I told each of my old friends (known each other for 40 of our 46 years) what my new hobby was I got the raised eyebrow. You know, the raised eyebrow that says.........."You collect what? You do what with them? You cut what with them? Why would you do that? And should I be calling the Funny Farm to come get you?"........all in one look. I told them to hold back on judgement until they try it. And they did. On each first successful cut the raised eyebrow went away, replaced by the smile that said...."that was SOOOOO cool." Unfortunately none of them joined me in collecting. They have no problem coming over to do some cutting, but none of them have the urge to buy any swords themselves like I do. And their interest is purely in cutting, not learning proper technique, etc. Some of them do save bottles for me though Other than that, I keep my hobby pretty quiet. Around here, people get nervous around weapons of any sort. Images of the villagers with their pitch forks and torches banging on my door to get rid of the "dangerous sword guy" come to mind. |
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Greg
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Post by Greg on Dec 10, 2010 8:25:56 GMT
Well Chris, I'd say that if ALL they came with was pitchforks, you'd be set to fend them off.
So, the other day I went to the grocery store and bought 4 cases of water. There was a younger girl working the register and she says, "That's a lot of water, what are you going to use it for?" Then this look of "Oh, that was a dumb question come across her face" because why would anyone buy bottled water if not to drink it.
Well, usually I just leave well enough alone, but she looked like she needed an "out."
"Not for drinking actually. I put them on a stand about 4 feet off the ground and cut through them with various types of swords."
She then does a look that I can't accurately describe. I'd imagine that it was somewhere in between "Wheew, I'm glad that I didn't ask a dumb question." and "Holy semprini, did he just say swords!?"
"...why?" she asked.
"Well, I always wanted a 'real' sword when I was a kid. Now that I have some, I need SOMETHING to cut with them."
I then push the cart away wishing she were older, and that I had a few lighter swords.
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Post by LittleJP on Dec 10, 2010 22:49:39 GMT
You see, I don't get that around here. In such a small town, everyone practically knows everyone, and most people already know me as the, "crazy asian kid with the weapons and stuff," That, or a cracking good musician. "What's this Jeff? Got another sword? Nice." "Oh, doing some cutting this afternoon? Sweet, mind if I come?" I feel so accepted and loved |
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Post by deejay on Dec 10, 2010 23:22:44 GMT
Where I live-(pop 1200)-the whole town pretty much knows that Im that crazy guy that KungFoos around his backyard wearing pajamas that for the past year or so has started raiding garbage cans for bottles to cut up in his backyard.When I mail something,a kat or blade or recieve something and the question arises-"What Is this!"So I tell them with a perfectly straight face-"A thermo nuclear device capable of wiping us all out."They smile and laugh and out the door I go-I use the same answer for any question pertaining to purchases for my toys.I always get the same result.Go figure-I should maybe mention that my favourite Tshirt has "F--- off,I have enough friends!"I wear it all the time.
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lol
