Knife Superstitions & Folklore

With a history as long as 2.6 million years, it’s no wonder superstitions about knives can be found all over the world. Here are a few of the more interesting ones we've come across:

• Never give a knife as a house-warming present; your new neighbor will become an enemy.
• A knife given as a gift from a lover means the love will end soon.
• Place a knife under the bed during childbirth to ease the pain of labor.
• If a friend gives you a knife, give him a penny. This turns the gift into a purchase and will prevent your friendship from soon being broken.
• Don’t let knives cross at the table, it will start a fight.
• It‘s bad luck to close a pocket knife unless you were the one who opened it.
• You should always cut bread with a knife rather than breaking it with your hands. It’s said that your life will be broken otherwise.
• Never hand a knife directly to another person. It’s said this will cause the two of you to get into a fight.
• A dull blade means you need a new sharpener.

Okay, that last one isn’t really a superstition. Just a little reminder from us here at Lansky to Stay Sharp!

Also see:

• 16 More Knife Superstitions