Carrying a fixed blade openly in public

Status
Not open for further replies.
People don’t seem to raise an eyebrow in Alabama assuming it’s a reasonably sized blade. The line may be drawn somewhere between a large Bowie and a machete. 👀
I carry a small fixed blade, but my shirt is usually concealing it. Often times my employees will have their small fixed blades on their sides. It’s never been mentioned other than curiosity, positive comments etc. They are work knives and are not flashed around, although we do appreciate them.🤓
 
Chronovore said:
I carry fixed blades sometimes but not openly. Of course, I don't live in California. It might be worth exploring exactly what the law says and how it generally gets interpreted. For instance, does it have to be "visible" or just "not concealed"? For instance, can you carry OWB on your belt and have a shirt casually draped over it?

I ask because I come at this from both the knife and gun communities. The latter is under constant assault from misinformed--often purposefully misinformed--would-be do-gooders who are trying to outlaw this or that, infringe upon the rights of others, or even punish people for daring to carry. There is a lot on the table, from the individual risk of getting "swatted" to the collective risk of how fellow citizens vote, etc.. While it shouldn't ever be up for question, and the Constitution exists, gun and knife rights are still routinely infringed in many states. So there is an extent to which we need to consider ourselves EDC ambassadors. As such, this is the best standing advice from the gun community:

For all the people who aren't bothered, some will be. Sure, it can be tempting to dismiss those people or their fragile worldview, complain that such a worldview is "part of the problem", etc.. However, the right approach to people with a wrong worldview generally isn't to bother, agitate, or scare them unnecessarily at the grocery store. If anything, that can act to entrench their position and push them towards anti-gun anti-knife activism. So if you carry openly, do what you can to not make it obvious or draw attention to it.
Click to expand...
A valid concern, and definitely something to be researched. As Charlie Mike has been referenced in this thread a few times, I can tell you that I recall from some of his videos that he spoke to this (at least as far as it concerned the law where he was). He would wear his knives handle pointed downwards and the belt attachment was such that about an inch of the handle poked out under his jacket or shirt, and according to the laws where he was, this meant the knife was officially "Open carry", since it wasn't concealed, and thus he wasn't breaking any laws. That might be another angle of research. "What do your local LEOs consider legal, does the entirety of the knife in its sheath need to be on full display, or only does only part of the knife being immediately visible pass muster?" Something to consider.
 
I prefer a folder unless I am doing certain outdoor activities or yard work but I never bother to take off my Carothers if I have to stop in town for something on the way. If anyone has an issue with it, their ill-informed opinion is of no interest to me.

I saw an old guy open carrying a fairly large, very nicely made tomahawk in town last year and was impressed.
 
Im in Connecticut, a state that would ring the alarm if a butterfly started acting too aggressively. I carry a well used SwampRat Ratmandu everyday since I got it a little while back. It’s 5 1/4” blade, well over CT’s 4” limit. I’m a construction worker and use this knife and a Buck 110 slim as essential tools for my job. I forget I have it on when I’m not using it, and surprisingly never gotten a strange look.
 
rlewpolar said:
I live in California and strangely enough, the knife laws are fairly liberal here. I can carry any sized folder in my pocket and any sized fixed blade as long as it’s visible.

I own a fair amount of fixed blades and have contemplated running daily errands with one hanging from a dangler. In the end, I’ve always decided why bother? I’ll just carry a folder.

Well today, I saw a guy at a gas station carrying a very large knife dangling from his belt. It looked like a Buck 120 but with a custom made sheath. Now, he was odd looking, wearing what looked like wading boots (even though there was no water around), matted hair and beard and kind of gave off a meth vibe but the sight of that knife at his side was jarring. The way he was swaggering, with that knife at his side made me finally see what non-knife people see when they see a large knife in town. Not good.

Now, if he was a clean cut, normal looking guy with a normal affect, I might not have had the same reaction. Or maybe it would have looked even more odd, not sure. But it reaffirmed for me that carrying a fixed blade in town is not a great idea. If a knife nut like me did a double take, I can only image how most people in the street might react.
Click to expand...

Here, full auto knives are legal. I am a big, bald dude with a ropy looking hairy face. Non from meth lol, cancer, COVID and a rupturing Achilles tendon did it. So when my little buck comes out, I Alway get asked "is that a switch blade"? "why yes, it is" I'm asked if it's legal, I say "yes it is". The guy may just be a ropy looking dude tending livestock? But in my opinion, I figure it's best not to judge a book by its cover, or smell really, lol. Not being preachy, just saying. We have a neighborhood who walks in the evening with a machete in his hands.
 
I carry fixed blades sometimes. mostly a Buck 119, but sometimes other knives and brands. I'm in florida. I've noticed most people don't pay attention to you unless you're asking for attention somehow or they are busy bodies and don't know how to mind their own business. There are always a few of those kinds around. regardless if im within the law, I really don't care what they think. course I mind my own business and don't ask for attention. so its never an issue.
 
Quiet said:
A valid concern, and definitely something to be researched. As Charlie Mike has been referenced in this thread a few times, I can tell you that I recall from some of his videos that he spoke to this (at least as far as it concerned the law where he was). He would wear his knives handle pointed downwards and the belt attachment was such that about an inch of the handle poked out under his jacket or shirt, and according to the laws where he was, this meant the knife was officially "Open carry", since it wasn't concealed, and thus he wasn't breaking any laws. That might be another angle of research. "What do your local LEOs consider legal, does the entirety of the knife in its sheath need to be on full display, or only does only part of the knife being immediately visible pass muster?" Something to consider.
Click to expand...
That’s a good question. I need to find out from my local Sheriff’s dept. I have a number of fixed blades that I would love to carry horizontally and have just a bit of the handle poke out from under a shirt to comply with the law if that’s possible. Or a vertical carry where the shirt covers most of it but only the bottom part of the sheath is showing.

I have a CCW which is not that easy to get here in CA and would hate jeopardize that by getting tangled up with a knife violation
 
I mentioned my experience carrying fixed-blades, but in regards to my reaction seeing others do it in an urban setting, all I've ever felt is- A. Curiosity about what knife it was (although I never ask, I'm not the type to strike up conversation with random strangers in public), and B, I always felt a bit impressed, for lack of a better word. Impressed that they were willing to carry despite it being against the norm, and despite the potential for issues. Impressed that they were doing their own thing, exercising their legal rights, and not worried about what others thought. I never once felt concerned in their presence, or thought to myself "They shouldn't do that", or, "They're going to cause trouble for other knife enthusiasts".

Off the top of my head, and with my failing memory, I can only remember seeing about a half dozen people open carrying a FB (I'm sure there have been several more). I don't hang out with outdoorsman, and I don't typically hang out with other bikers or any other types that might be inclined to open carry a FB.

The most memorable sighting I had was sitting at a table in a taco joint, a young guy walked in, maybe late teens, the very definition of "clean cut". He was wearing a sky blue polo shirt tucked into gleaming white pants, and was wearing deck shoes. I would describe him as "preppy". What really stood out was the CRKT Hammond ABC Operator hanging upside down from his belt, the black knife and sheath standing out against his white pants.

Like I said, more power to you, whatever you choose.
 
Last edited:
I live in Boise, Idaho, and around here it's not that uncommon to see fixed blades (or firearms for that matter) being carried openly. Usually, it's a smaller, more traditional pattern being carried vertically in a leather sheath.
 
I carry a large fixed blade vertically, on my belt, when I'm camping and out in the wilderness. I carry it this way for ease of access. I do the same in the city when I'm working on projects around my house, which involve frequent trips to supply stores and other public places. It's legal and I make no apologies for exercising my rights.

I've had some people eye it and one person even commented on it. To the commenter, I explained what I use it for and why. I also explained my reasons for carrying it on my belt (ease of access and physical comfort).

My opinion is that some people feel uncomfortable with it because they aren't accustomed to seeing it. They view a knife as a weapon instead of a tool. They're unfamiliar.

If I carried my large framing hammer on my belt, I don't think many people would be uncomfortable, at least not in the same way as if it were a knife. They view it differently. It's "just" a tool. However, I'd be willing to wager my hammer would cause significantly more bodily harm than my knife, if wielded with ill intent.

Personally, I believe we've gotten too soft and sensitive as a country. Sensitivities and feelings have been catered to far more often than they should have been. Maybe more exposure to responsible citizens carrying knives in public will help people realize it's the person, not the object, that matters. Maybe if more of us carried large fixed blades openly people would grow a thicker skin. Lots of maybes....on and on.

I don't give a damn if someone is uncomfortable, when I've done nothing illegal, malicious, or blatantly rude.

Rant over.

I don't typically carry my firearms openly, but that's for different reasons. No reason to go into that.
 
Here in my little area of East Tennessee if you see a guy carrying a fixed blade outside of hunting season it’s most likely a crack head. I notice if someone is wearing one but that’s about it. In this area the dope addicts all carry backpacks with SEVERAL flashlights in them and a fixed blade.

When I carry a fixed blade it’s because me and my kids are on our way hiking or hunting or both. I don’t think it alarms anyone because I’m way too fat to be on dope and if the knife sheathed on my left side scares them then they better not look at my right side! The six inch barreled Ruger GP100 .357 Magnum carried openly would cause much more alarm I reckon. I don’t carry either openly unless we’re headed to or from the mountains though. The gun is for protection mostly from two legged creeps more so than four legged ones and the Buck 119 makes me feel warm and cozy in the woods.

I’d like to see openly carrying a fixed blade become much more common just to stick it to socitial norms if nothing else. If I was older and more arthritic in my hands I’d have no qualms carrying a 3-4” fixed blade and I don’t know why more people don’t.
 
carnifex knifeworks said:
If I carried my large framing hammer on my belt, I don't think many people would be uncomfortable, at least not in the same way as if it were a knife. They view it differently. It's "just" a tool. However, I'd be willing to wager my hammer would cause significantly more bodily harm than my knife, if wielded with ill intent.
Click to expand...
Total agreement. I've always told people to walk down the hand tool isle in any hardware store and tell me what you see.

Snuggles 12.23.21.jpg
I'd love to carry this with me every day, it's SO GOOD at whatever you need it to do.
 
Small fixed blade carry with a knife just the right size to do basic tasks and not in your way to carry.
 
Here in Tucson, it's not terribly uncommon to see someone carrying a fixed blade. Shouldn't be a surprise in a state where open carry of firearms are also legal and relatively common, and has the most lax knife laws in the country. Occasionally it's someone in the "trades", once in a while it's an older gentleman with a small fixed blade (more commonly it's a Buck 110/112 in a belt sheath). Usually though it's a crappy flea market type, like a Rambo, Ka-bar style, or a Pakistani with those red/green laminated wood handles. Not tweakers - usually you don't see them with knives. But probably tweaker-adjacent. Like they live in a bad area and/or have a past or are frequently in contact with tweakers. A lot of people walk and/or take public transport and some of these streets aren't the best to walk down at night (I have the stab wound to prove it) and a bigass knife in plain view can be a method of preemptive defense. Heck, it's not incredibly uncommon to see someone with a machete. Good chance that person's a tweaker though.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top