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Observation about carrying a knife

10808 Views 95 Replies 55 Participants Last post by  usmc0311
I know this has been discussed a zillion times before, but it just came up during my day to day and i figured i would share.

I have been carrying a knife every day for a little over a year and was amazed how many weird looks i got when people notice i have a knife. I guess i shouldn't be surprised... anything more dangerous than a toothpick generally gets a funny look in the city.

Anyhow over Christmas, through 3 gift opening gatherings with various parts of the family, every single person looked to me when they needed a knife to open their present. "Ohh, "sQuid" has a knife!"

I guess this is just a little mini example of how people will react if the SHTF. they will look at you weird and make comments if they know you stock items to prepare, but when they need something you know where they are going to go. :rolleyes:
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in NY City you must carry your knife,, absolutely concealed .
it must have a blade no longer than 3 7/8 inches,,
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further proof NY is effing stupid.
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I'm actually amazed at how many people don't carry knifes. I got my first knife (Not really a knife but one of those old school grooming tools) when I was 3, after I liberated my sister from her pack n' play I was grounded from sharp things till I turned 4. That was when I got my first pen knife. I've been carrying one ever since.
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I didnt carry one for the longest time unless i was camping... now i cant imagine not having one on me! i cant even count the number of times ive used it just in the last year.
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Well i hope this doesnt turn out weird... thread posted with 0 content in it?

Anyhow:



I have been carrying a knife every day for a little over a year and was amazed how many weird looks i got when people notice i have a knife. I guess i shouldn't be surprised... anything more dangerous than a toothpick generally gets a funny look in the city.


:rolleyes:
i find that it helps,in urban situations to have a knife that looks as little like a weapon as possible.

very tactical,black,tanto,or even severe clip points are often suspect by non-knife peeps and police.same with any kind of assisted opener.

however,you can go almost anywhere with a smallish swiss army knife.

i have actually had federal police let me keep my swiss army knife through checkpoints when visiting important places.but,i'm a nice guy who would willingly discard such a knife :)

i also often have a stockman,or other non-threatening knife.
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O/P -- define knife --- 10" bowie on your belt -- 6" folding with the clip on the edge of your pocket ?
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I'm actually amazed at how many people don't carry knifes. I got my first knife (Not really a knife but one of those old school grooming tools) when I was 3, after I liberated my sister from her pack n' play I was grounded from sharp things till I turned 4. That was when I got my first pen knife. I've been carrying one ever since.
awesome.

....
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I carry two on me 90% of the time. I have a Kershaw folding pocket clip knife but I noticed it gets some odd looks at times. so I started carrying a smaller 3 blade buck knife that looks a lot safer... it has become my utility knife and has allowed me to keep my bigger knife in better condition.
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O/P -- define knife --- 10" bowie on your belt -- 6" folding with the clip on the edge of your pocket ?
This is what i have been carrying... across my back actually:



ok its actually a Rat2 folder tucked into my pocket :p
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Well i hope this doesnt turn out weird... thread posted with 0 content in it?

Anyhow:

I know this has been discussed a zillion times before, but it just came up during my day to day and i figured i would share.

I have been carrying a knife every day for a little over a year and was amazed how many weird looks i got when people notice i have a knife. I guess i shouldn't be surprised... anything more dangerous than a toothpick generally gets a funny look in the city.

Anyhow over Christmas, through 3 gift opening gatherings with various parts of the family, every single person looked to me when they needed a knife to open their present. "Ohh, "sQuid" has a knife!"




I guess this is just a little mini example of how people will react if the SHTF. they will look at you weird and make comments if they know you stock items to prepare, but when they need something you know where they are going to go. :rolleyes:
I sometimes carry the Glock 26 with a 33rd. Mag. Someone once said "Nice Magazine" but other than that nobody seemed to notice or give me any weird looks.
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I have been carrying a knife every day for a little over a year and was amazed how many weird looks i got when people notice i have a knife. I guess i shouldn't be surprised... anything more dangerous than a toothpick generally gets a funny look in the city.
Hate to say it but then you're carrying the knife wrong; where everyone can see it and therefor be frightened of it...If that isn't the case then your flashing the blade.

If a folder then don't use the clip and if a fixed blade then stick part of it into one of your back pockets to lessen the exposure...Depending on your local weapons and/or concealed carry laws covering it with a jacket or shirt may get you arrested.

I've carried a Boker Camper's knife in my front pocket for over 40 years and I'll switch out any of a number of other classic pocket knives--Stockman, Moose, Sunfish etc. in the other pocket...On my belt when I'm in the city, I have a multitool of one brand or another as well as a Trout & Bird sized knife--usually a Grohmann Russell Nbr. 2..

As previously stated, if it looks intimidating--big, black/camo, tanto--it will intimidate those who fear them...So don't carry one if you're always amongst them...The bastards may well call the police on you...A 3" main bladed Stockman or a Congress would cover all that you'd ever need to do with a knife, including defense.
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years and years ago,, I had made myself a sheath knife out of 1/4 acrylic,, lost it a long time ago,, but that one would go thru a metal detector,,

you would not whittle a bow with it,, but it was a viable weapon and did take an edge, not a durable one, but a sharp one
gotta get around to making another ...
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I was in Best Buy the other day (here in Missoula, MT). I don't even think anybody else noticed (or at least didn't care, not even staff)...but there was a (late 20's?) guy with bright red sneakers, a 70's looking pearl snap shirt, skinny jeans, a trilby hat, and what had to be a 10 or 12 inch blade bowie knife swinging on his belt. It was an odd looking combo in my opinion but hey this is a college town. I don't think anybody out here even notices much of anything...I am guessing you might be in one of the bigger cities with people noticing/caring.
On another note:
A few months ago I was in the taco joint with my girlfriend and a regular looking (50 year old?) dude strolls in, orders something to go and strolls back out. He had a black belt holster with bright chrome revolver in it (38 or short 357). I was gonna talk to him but figured my girlfriend would get ****ed if I started talking to him because we had somewhere to be. I have worked for the taco place before and knew the staff. I asked if they had any thoughts or concerns about the guy carrying a gun. They said they didn't even notice...
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Hate to say it but then you're carrying the knife wrong; where everyone can see it and therefor be frightened of it...If that isn't the case then your flashing the blade.
Looks like this but pushed all the way in. I usually wear black, green or grey work pants and have a couple knives to match.


I refuse to put the knife loose in my pocket because i hate the feeling of it bouncing around all the time. It doesn't bother me that people comment from time to time, I find it more comical that i catch crap for it until someone needs to borrow it... which is all the time.
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I have always had a knife on me for 60 years now
only ever had to use one in self defense once, over 50 years back

nowadaze I carry either a Wenger or Victorinox Swiss army
and a NYC legal 3 7/8 blade lock back folder
and a little 2 inch pearl handle Gentlemans lockback folder in my wallet

pain in the butt when I go to the courthouse= Beep beep beep

I used to often, unless dressed for business , wear a Cold Steel Recon II OR a KBar type Pilots survival knife

but sometimes i would hop the train to NY City on the spur of the moment either forgetting I had it, or with no place to stash it til I got back ( I would be in my little "downtown" on foot.. no car) and get to Grand Central Station and realize I could get in a legal hassle

So I got a $10 "JobSmart" chinese made stainless sheath knife with the NYCiry lega max 3 7/8 blade.. from Tractor Supply (also available at Home Depot etc),, I got 2 and beat on one , and it held up, even batoning maple etc

so I removed the handle halves by taking out the screws and now it is a flat piece of metal only 1/8 inch thick, and in its cheap thin cordura sheath hangs from a lanyard on my neck, or fits in a jacket chest pocket or blazer side pocket or in my waistband at the small of my back without printing at all,,
in my back waistband I can sit to drive or on a train and not even feel it

and , being so thin,, It slips unnoticed in a book or magazine,, real handy on a subway if I needed it
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I carry around a Gerber Auto most days.

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Gerber-06-Automatic-Knife--1471

I've never had any one say any thing about and I've had the knife since 09 or so it was a gift from a supply guy after I got back Iraq.

I don't see a reason to have to conceal a knife they're legal to have and carry.
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This is what i have been carrying... across my back actually:



ok its actually a Rat2 folder tucked into my pocket :p
Un-written rule # 167 --

"No item posted -- firearm / knife / dog / anything -- will not be photographed without a kitchen utensil and calculator near by for scale" :mad:

Did that used to belong to Warf?
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I carry around a Gerber Auto most days.

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Gerber-06-Automatic-Knife--1471

I've never had any one say any thing about and I've had the knife since 09 or so it was a gift from a supply guy after I got back Iraq.

I don't see a reason to have to conceal a knife they're legal to have and carry.
NYC regs, Must be totally concealed,, I guess they might scare people,, me, I would rather they had to be visible,, that would make more sense if you have to have some kinda rule about them

Check the laws in London,, good grief,, My son lived there awhile,, he told me the guys renovating his apartment had to lock their sheetrock knives in the tool box and leave them there before going out on the street or home..,, and then when they moved to another job site, the foreman had the authority to transport the knives to there..
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