The letter writer is confused about the social rules around handing someone sharp objects.
Similarly, when setting the table, the knife blade always pointed toward one’s own plate, never toward that of another, and when resting the knife on the plate after cutting one’s food, the knife blade pointed toward oneself and never toward any other diner. It was considered the height of rudeness to do otherwise.
We were taught this custom originated when utensils might be used in an aggressive manner against one’s dining companions, so pointing the blade toward oneself provided assurance that one did not intend to harm the company, at least not during dinner. In recent years, it seems as though this custom has largely disappeared.
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