when you give a pocket knife as a gift why do you put a dollar in the box?

Answer 1

they also put a penny in a purse as a present for luck too.

Answer 2

I thought it was a penny you put in, and yes it's for good luck. I'd never heard of the practice till someone sent me a pocket knife as a gift last Christmas.

Answer 3

It's considered unlucky to give someone a knife. You can sell it to them, though. The person who gets the knife is supposed to give you the money back so you "sold" it to them.

If you want the Hallmark movie "Foxfire", you'll see a real estate guy give a new sharp knife to the hillbilly woman (Jessica Tandy) he wanted to impress. She promptly dug out a penny and paid him for it. Good movie.

The superstition probably had more to do with the gift receiver cutting themselves with the knife, not someone else.

Answer 4

Oddly, the money is supposed to negate the bad luck potential of the knife. This also extends to gift giving of kitchen carving knives. In that this is a "tradition" much as is eating black eyed peas on New Years Day for good luck, you may want to explain it to the recipient so they aren't confused by the mixed gifts.

Answer 5

Some people think that a knife is unlucky. The dollar is to change the luck.

Answer 6

In many cultures, when a knife is given as a gift, a coin is given between the giver & receiver, so as not to cut any ties between each other.... usually it's just a penny that is exchanged.

Answer 7

People think a knife is unlucky, cos you could take a life with it, so the dollar is for good luck, that you dont have bad luck.

Answer 8

So the receiver can buy the box of bandaids they will soon need.

Answer 9

some think when you do that it assures safety and one will not be injured with the knife.

Answer 10

I've never heard of that... maybe its to test the sharpness of the blade?