Great topic. This sort of thing happens to me all the time. My family and friends are used to it, no big deal. I come from generations of pioneers and practical people; my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather carried a sharp tool always, and I take it as a badge of honour to do the same. A tool, mind you, not a weapon. Still, in urban and professional situations, such items can be misunderstood. I'm not responsible for reforming everyone's ill-considered attitudes (thank heaven). Discretion is the way to go.
A few things I have observed:
- the sharp "snick" of a locking blade makes some people goofy; dampen the sound as you open it
- if you hand somebody a knife, let them open the blade; somehow that ritual makes things less awkward
- small, blackened blades can be opened and used very discreetly
- if you have a full-sized SWAK, use the mini blade
- anything small on a keychain is generally okay; that's where my Vic Classic lives; sometimes I switch it for an ultra-mini Gerber
- nobody freaks out over scissors unless you make a big show of it; cheap, sharp, disposable scissors are best for briefcase and office; folding scissors like the Leathermans are mostly okay too
- finally, there's a body language aspect that I can't quite figure out; the way you present the tool for use is apparently more important than the tool itself; weird but true