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Penknife of Damocles

 Hang it proudly from your (very very thin) keychain
  (+6, -2)
(+6, -2) 		  [vote for,
against]

I have nothing more to add, except that I want one of these.
—dijontoothpaste, May 02 2003

About Damocles http://www.geocitie.../2549/damocles.html
[dijontoothpaste, Oct 06 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

About Penknives http://www.swisskni...co.uk/penknife.html
[dijontoothpaste, Oct 06 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

"To Be Someone" by Louise Voss http://www.fictionw...books/eBook7688.htm
"I'm better now, thank God. After a few months of having the Sword of Damocles hanging over me--well, the Penknife of Damocles, at least--I've finally been given the all-clear and both ears are once more fully functional." [waugsqueke, Oct 06 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

The Plastic Tableware of Damocles http://www.georgeha...pture/damocles.html
[waugsqueke, Oct 06 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

Sisyphus http://stripe.color...risto/sisyphus.html
[hippo, Oct 06 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

Use Responsibly http://www.crownpac...a_knife-in-head.jpg
[k_sra, Oct 17 2004]

Samurai Penknife http://www.halfbake.../Samurai_20Penknife
another penknife idea [FarmerJohn, Oct 17 2004]

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       What is this and how is it different from any other penknife?
—waugsqueke, May 02 2003
   

       It would say "Damocles" on the handle.
—dijontoothpaste, May 02 2003
   

       Well this is a pretty lame idea then.
—waugsqueke, May 02 2003
   

       it would say "stolen from Damocles" or "stolen from the late Damocles" or "stolen from the head of the late Damocles"
—po, May 02 2003
   

       [waug] "Well this is a pretty lame idea then."   

       This is an idea for a gimmicky novelty accessory. It's not suppose to cure hangnails or de-ice helicopter rotors. Although it could be used for either of those purposes.
—dijontoothpaste, May 02 2003
   

       it's bloody brilliant.
—ato_de, May 02 2003
   

       Read the links!
—k_sra, May 02 2003
   

       It's a penknife with the word "Damocles" written on the handle. That's it. That's all there is. There's nothing there to "get". As I said, pretty lame.   

       ato_de, you clearly have a totally different concept for what constitutes a quality idea than I do. Separated by lightyears.
—waugsqueke, May 02 2003
   

       I think this is funny because the juxtaposition of a world-ending event (sword of Damocles) with the relatively harmless penknife, appeals to my worldview. Marketing, Exaggeration, Portability and Ease of use are all combining to make even the most mundane of tasks completely out of the question. The Penknife of Damocles is an utterly useless invention that millions of visitors to the Greek History Museum would be proud to buy for their friends at home.
—ato_de, May 02 2003
   

       The idea of something hanging over your head that might drop down at any moment, producing a small irritating cut...well, I'm not going to name names...
—ldischler, May 02 2003
   

       I used to have a tiny sword on a keychain. Does that Bake this?
—DrCurry, May 02 2003
   

       Half-bakes it unless the sword was obviously labled as being associated with Damocles. But I still prefer the quasi-functional penknife to a decorative (but presumably not functional as such) sword, for much the same reason that ato_de presented above.
—dijontoothpaste, May 02 2003
   

       So the sword of Damocles was poised over his head, ready to drop and lop. I worry about what my pocket penknife of Damocles might be poised over.
—bungston, May 02 2003
   

       Because of building security concerns, we have had to change to the Pink Slip of Damocles.
—lurch, May 02 2003
   

       This would be attached, no doubt, to a Pebble of Sisyphus keyring.
I bet they also sell nice cosy gold-coloured fleeces with a little "Jason" motif.
—hippo, May 03 2003
   

       I heard they were seriously over-priced, [hippo]
—po, May 03 2003
   

       //The Belt Buckle of Damocles//
<Pooty Tang>wa da ta da mo cles</Pooty Tang>
I'm bunning - it's 'bakerish and all that good stuff. ato_de clarified all the necessary points well.
—thumbwax, May 03 2003
   

       [Klaatu], you forgot Spectacles of Damocles.
—bungston, May 04 2003
   

       the handbag of MrKlaatu
—po, May 04 2003
   

       [Ander] The link which you just added is redundant to Waugsqueke's posted back on 5/2/03.
—jurist, May 08 2003
   

       I am pondering the Grapefruit Spoon of Damocles. In fact, there might be a whole rack of weapons, shop tools and kitchen appliances poised over his head. Each would carry its own portent shouldit fall.
—bungston, May 11 2009
   


 

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