On Sun, 07 Aug 2005 23:52:23 -0400, maxine in ri wrote:

> On a mailing list, folks are discussing the superstition or custom of
> never giving just a knife as a gift. One should always give it along
> with something else, not knife-related, so that the friendship or
> relationship will not be severed.
>
> Has anyone ever heard of this custom before? Does anyone know from
> whence it came?
>
> maxine in ri

I have, but how did you learn about this???

I've heard that when you give a knife the recipient should give you a
penny - otherwise the knife will "cut" your friendship. I'm unclear
on the concept of how money counteracts the "cutting" and why the gift
of a knife could end a friendship in the first place.

I thought it was just some weird Asian superstition before you brought
it up. Now I'm don't know where it comes from because I think most,
if not all, of the people participating in this thread are of European
extract.