Knives

In most of the world for thousands of years people haven't carried guns except into battle or for hunting. The weapon of choice still around the world for protection is something like about a 5 inch blade lock blade knife or a reasonable facsimile. So, almost everywhere on earth you will see people carrying knives (usually concealed in a pocket) or pocketbook depending upon where you are on earth. For example, even Geshela (Geshe Lobsang Gyatso) carried something like a lock blade Buck knife throughout India when he traveled.

Because he was a Tibetan Lama and a minority he had to protect himself because he was wearing monks clothes of a Tibetan Monk or Tibetan Lama in public. Like Catholic Priests they always wear their traditional monk or priestlike dress just like the Dalai Lama does too.

However, extrmists who might be Muslim or Hindu or whatever might accost him so he would need protection sometimes and also for eating most people carry a knife around the world too when traveling especially. Because most nations don't allow non-police or non-soldiers to carry Kalashnikov assault weapon around all the time.

I had taken my 4 to 5 inch lock blade Buck knife that I take on camping trips a lot for the many uses while you are camping out with me to my hot tub on the deck. When I opened the young coconut on the deck I realized I had waited too long to open it so I poured it out but also got coconut milk on the redwood deck. So, then I poured water over the knife and stuck it in the redwood deck to dry all around it. As it sat there  stuck in the deck it made me think about all this.

Because historically, both men and women have carried either knives or swords with them for protection for thousands of years especially traveling and this hasn't really changed today around the world except that less people carry swords now than 100 years ago or more.