Advice for knife carry in college?

M

medcommander

Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
188
Hey everybody I'm having an issue with what to carry/take with me when I go to college. I am attending North Carolina State University in the fall and find myself conflicted on what to do about knife carry.

I am getting my degree in Wildlife Conservation and Biology and I preferably would like to EDC a fixed blade. The only problem with this is that in North Carolina it's illegal to conceal a fixed blade, and I really don't wanna get arrested for carrying a knife. My parents and other people that I've talked to have reccomended leaving the knives at home, but yeah....thats not gonna happen.

Also I would like to point out that I like folders and I often carry one, but with my hobbies of backpacking, scuba diving, etc.. it just seems to make more sense to carry a sturdy fixed blade. Plus I always carry a SAK with me anyway for anything else that may pop up. I've been reviewing over policy and thinking about this for a while and I really wanted to get yalls opinion on the matter.

-MC
 
Follow the rules of your school to the letter. Wouldn't be worth it to be thrown out for some dumbass carry violation. If you get arrested for a weapons violation, this WILL ruin your chance to transfer into any other school or to get any jobs afterwards.

Don't let one bad decision ruin your life before it even begins.
 
CWL said:
Follow the rules of your school to the letter. Wouldn't be worth it to be thrown out for some dumbass carry violation. If you get arrested for a weapons violation, this WILL ruin your chance to transfer into any other school or to get any jobs afterwards.

Don't let one bad decision ruin your life before it even begins.
Click to expand...

+1

There is no reason to need a fixed blade while sitting in a lecture hall.
 
I went to school down the road at ECU.

I carried a folder everyday in college.

IIRC, the school prohibited weapons.

As a knife is not a weapon, I would suggest just carrying a folder.
 
Smachete!

Or, a small yet competent keychain folder like a dragonfly... They come in a few nice flavours too!
 
Thanks everybody for the tips. Like I said before I love my folders too but since I just finished a trade for a really nice fixed blade EDC I was really hoping I could keep it. :( I guess I will have to trade it off now a folder to carry with me.

Actually as long as I didn't conceal the knife it would be completely legal for me to carry the knife with me all over campus if I wanted too, but thanks guys for the moral support and answers. The only real issue would be disturbance of the peace but since it is not defined as a weapon and is legal to carry openly while I might get arrested they couldn't convict. That said I think I'm going to take your suggestions and get me a nice folder insteead.

Silver Lining: now I get to decide on a good folder to take with me :)

BTW Mitchell both my parents are ECU grads as well!

Any suggestions on folders that would be good to take (folding smachete?) would be very welcome? The knife I just traded for is worth about $130, but because all my other money is going to my "so I won't be too poor in college" fund thats all the wriggle room I got for any future knife purchases as well.

-MC
 
I carried a 3" folder my entire time at NC State. No one ever mentioned anything about it to me. Most of my friends carried something similar as did my brother a few years later. Knives in that size range are pretty popular on campus and I can't recall any situation where anyone that I knew got into trouble. Do not take them to the Football or Basketball games! That's one lesson I learned the hard way and it was a long walk back to the truck. I think you'll find a lot of like minded people on campus, which could be a big plus.

As for knife recommendations. I think a Spyderco Delica with the full flat ground blade is about as general purpose as it gets. VG-10 has been a great steel in my experience and the flat grind makes it a better slicer compared to its chisel ground sibling. Its run ~$55 and you may want to spend more and get something a bit nicer. I just have a soft spot for the Delica as that's what I carried all through college and even into my first few years of work, granted it was an older model than the FFG one.
 
Last edited:
Dont know the laws in your state/college rules, but my school says to not carry an illegal knife, meaning one illegal under the state law. I'm in Texas so I've carried anywhere from an esee-3 iwb to my 0561 on campus. No one has ever said a thing and I routinely pull out my knife whenever somebody needs one or any other task arises.
 
Looks like NC State says no dagger, dirk, bowie, or switchblade or any knife over 5". Given both the attitudes of most campus PD I've dealt with, (who have their hands full with drunken idiots on a regular basis and are perfectly willing to confiscate any 'weapon' and then make you jump through hoops to get it back), and the prevalence of theft from dorm rooms, backpacks, etc. I'd go with a quality budget folder that's easy to keep with you. Something like that Delica or a Tenacious, maybe. I usually carry a Byrd Meadowlark on campus if I'm just on during the day and a CRKT M16-14DSF if I have to be walking at night. The CRKT M16-12 or 13 ZE 'rescue' models with the orange handle, glass breaker and belt cutter have an Aus8 blade, a strong lock, and look far less mall ninja than their more tactical cousins. If I were getting that CRKT today I'd opt for that over the Desert Tan one that I have.
 
Several people have mentioned a Delica. That's a good choice because it's easily replaced if stolen or confiscated. Other choices would be a BM mini-Grip or small Bone collector, a Kabar Dozier folding hunter, one of A G Russell's less expensive folders, or a Kershaw Blur if you like AO. Those look more like tools than weapons and they won't break the bank if you have to replace them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top