Best self defense knife in NYC?

michinyuja said:
sheez, nothing is legal in new york! i'm visiting this weekend, so i was reading through the penal code. any "dangerous knife" is illegal, and so are stun guns and pepper spray. i carry all of the above concealed, legally, in california. now i'm racking my brains trying to figure out what the heck i can legally carry for self-protection during my visit.

the multitool is a good idea, but the leatherman is way out of my price range. anyone else have any ideas for legal self-protection weapons in nyc?
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Go for the Leatherman. You'll use it a million and one times after your trip and it has a 25 year warranty.
 
auspx, all of Assited Openers walk a thin line of the law in how they work. Since you push a thumb stud or flipper on the blade you are not "pushing a button in the handle" and since you have to overcome some resistance when opening the they are not "automatic". That all said, the Flash 1 and 2 models can be flicked open and therefore are gravity knives in NY wheter or not they are designed to open any other way. The Blink is hard to flick open, but the "right" officer could still charge you with a "dangerous" knife......A NYC judge will not look at a A/O as a nice friendly knife to cut strings with.....
 
Hi I am new here, but not to knives and certainly not to NYC.
I am an NYC native.

the carry laws here are tough and vague.
I work in the entertainment business, I work with stage hand types all day.
Most of us use and carry multitools, knives, matt-knives ect. We use them all day. In fact for many of us it might be the only tool needed.

Most of us have switched to foldable razors with replaceable blades. More on that later.
( ease of use and longevity, inexpnsive etc, )

Recently I have had a number of coworkers get arrested.
Not fined, ticketed
but arrested.
for carrying a knife. Police are now looking for pocket clips
the clip sticking out of people jeans or pockets.
This has happened to a few people I know and or work with.
Not to put down police, its their job. Largely without thanks.


part of the reason I came here was to see if anyone knew more about this.


I have to agree with some of the earlier responses..
the City is not that dangerous, any more its a very dated notion to think that you need a knife to protect yourself.
If you think you want to visit here and you need one, then you might need to rethink what you are doing here.


thank
kmc
 
In NYC, a folding knife must be carried concealed. So if the pocket clip is showing, it is not concealed and you are subject to arrest, even with a perfectly legal knife.

David
 
If you must carry a knife clipped in NYC, the safest way to do so (ie, to attract the least attention) is to clip it to the inside of the waistband on your belt. Experiment to find the most comfortable position, but I find about 1 o'clock to be pretty comfortable.
 
kmcnyc said:
the City is not that dangerous, any more its a very dated notion to think that you need a knife to protect yourself
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I lived here for 7 years now and I don't agree with this statement at all. And I live in a "good" neighborhood.
Sure we have a lot less murders now. But in any city that has 8+ million people there are always a few thousand individuals who will prey on the weak and/or the defenseless whenever they get the chance. The risk of being robbed or assaulted in NYC is much lower now than it was in 1990 or 1995 but it's not so low that you can ignore it entirely, and it never will be.

I don't know about you but I have to use the bus and subway five days a week. When I see two guys get on the bus through the back door without paying the fare who knows what else they might try. I was glad I had my knife in my pocket. When I take a train and overhear three guys talking about "running from the police" I'm glad I had a knife in my pocket.

Sure these were isolated incidents. But I still believe its better to be safe than sorry.
 
auspx said:
I lived here for 7 years now and I don't agree with this statement at all. And I live in a "good" neighborhood.
Sure we have a lot less murders now. But in any city that has 8+ million people there are always a few thousand individuals who will prey on the weak and/or the defenseless whenever they get the chance. The risk of being robbed or assaulted in NYC is much lower now than it was in 1990 or 1995 but it's not so low that you can ignore it entirely, and it never will be.

I don't know about you but I have to use the bus and subway five days a week. When I see two guys get on the bus through the back door without paying the fare who knows what else they might try. I was glad I had my knife in my pocket. When I take a train and overhear three guys talking about "running from the police" I'm glad I had a knife in my pocket.

Sure these were isolated incidents. But I still believe its better to be safe than sorry.
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And just what would you have done if they "tried something?" My advice is to keep your head low but not to look like an easy target either and you'll never have to be glad you have a knife in your pocket. It is not a magic talisman, only a tool. As a New Yorker you should know better than anyone that the safest thing to do is "mind your own business." I don't know about you but I never want to get in a knife fight, ninja fantasies aside. It's just bad news all around.
 
carrot said:
And just what would you have done if they "tried something?" My advice is to keep your head low but not to look like an easy target either and you'll never have to be glad you have a knife in your pocket. It is not a magic talisman, only a tool. As a New Yorker you should know better than anyone that the safest thing to do is "mind your own business." I don't know about you but I never want to get in a knife fight, ninja fantasies aside. It's just bad news all around.
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Well my point was you don't have to go looking for trouble to have trouble find you. That's the harsh reality of living in a big city. Weren't the Central Park jogger and Bernie Goetz "minding their own business" too when they got jumped?
I don't know what you mean by "don't look like an easy target". Thanks to our gun control laws almost every civilian in NYC is an easy target. I don't look rich that's for sure and in fact I don't even carry cash. Still since when does some whacked out crackhead or a wolfpack of teenage thugs ever care? I mean two years ago a guy was stabbed to death for his iPod and that happened with many eyewitnesses around. WTF?!

I have no illusions about a knife's usefulness (or uselessness) for self-defense in NYC. As I have said in this thread already, it's only good against attackers who are basically unarmed. Still something is better than nothing.
 
Of course keep in mind that "shady individuals" will carry whatever they want, and use whatever they want, so in a pratical sense so must you if you want to be in even grounds.

But that could be breaking the law.

Also, suspose you are to be in a confrountation, knife fights in reality are short and bloody, and can easiy end in death. Do you really want to be in a kill or be killed knife fight situation with knives drawn. Also considering knives under 4" (not specificy per say) in a combat perspective are used for quick stabs and slices to the gut or neck, resulting in a good chance of death.

All I'm saying is there is a good chance a fight can end in murder charges.
 
I'll give another nod to a good Leatherman, I carry a Wave with me almost everywhere here in Philly. Now this isn't a knife that was intentionally designed for defense or fighting, but by thinking outside the box and learning to use what you have effectively can compensate for most anything. I say that because a Wave (& most multi-tools) have some nice weight to them, don't deploy the blade, and you know have a weighted fist (just like a roll of quarters,) also a downward hammer strike to the skull with your Wave in hand (hitting with the tool) will probably make for some serious pain/damage. Remember the trick to survival wilderness or urban is to be aware of your surroundings, know what you have/how to use it, and always remember everything has multiple uses you just have to figure them out.
Cheers
 
Auspx:
Like you, I consider that there are irrational people that might respond better to something a little more visceral. But I disagree that the knife should come first in an SD situation especially in such a legalese loaded environment such as NYC. In my jacket I carry Fox Labs OC in one pocket and a Spyderco Manix in the other. First thing out will always be the OC. As it is I am already considering leaving the Manix behind, since I am downsizing my EDC. In almost any situation the Manix would apply legally, is a situation you want to be as far away as possible from.

I have had people size me up and decide I wasn't an easy target. There are just certain people you see on trains and think, "I don't think I want to mess with him." I probably look like one of those?
 
If Bloomberg gets his way, you'll see this kind of intolerance for self-defense across the country. He doesn't even have to run for president. His coalition of mayors is already trying to bring this crap to every city in the U.S. Be aware of whether or not your mayor is a member, because NYC laws may be coming to your town in the near future.

For a possible folder, try the Boker Subcom. Blade is under 2 inches, but be warned, it CAN be flicked open while holding the blade.
http://www.agrussell.com/knives/by_maker/a_through_d/boker/bkers_los_banos_subcom.html

Also, perhaps a Hideaway Knife is an option. Very concealable fixed blade. If you get the "straight" or "utility" version, it is much more a tool than a weapon in appearance. The other models may be too threatening and weapon-like.
http://www.hideawayknife.com/main.php

Enjoy your visit to The People's Republic of New-Yorkstan.
 
PV29 said:
For a possible folder, try the Boker Subcom. Blade is under 2 inches, but be warned, it CAN be flicked open while holding the blade.
http://www.agrussell.com/knives/by_maker/a_through_d/boker/bkers_los_banos_subcom.html

Also, perhaps a Hideaway Knife is an option. Very concealable fixed blade. If you get the "straight" or "utility" version, it is much more a tool than a weapon in appearance. The other models may be too threatening and weapon-like.
http://www.hideawayknife.com/main.php

Enjoy your visit to The People's Republic of New-Yorkstan.
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In NYC that hideaway knife will probably be considered a "push dagger" and that's illegal to carry. The Boker Subcom isn't necessarily a bad idea but I'd rather have the largest blade I can legally carry. The NYC authorities love to label every knife a "weapon" or "dangerous knife" so what do you think is better for self-defense?

A knife by itself?

or

A multitool?

I though about carrying a knife + SAK combo but decided against it. If I ever have to defend myself no NYC cop or judge will believe that "I only carry this knife to use it as a tool but I had no choice and had to defend myself with it". They will call it a "weapon" and the jury will most likely agree.

But they can't credibly say the same thing about a Leatherman Surge/Wave because these are tools. And so is the Victorinox Rescue Tool.
http://www.swissarmy.com/MultiTools/Pages/Product.aspx?category=lockblades&product=53900&

You won't find a more legitimate and sheeple-friendly knife that locks and has a one-hand opening 3" blade.
 
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