College blows...

Sonnydaze said:
My grandkid is at Penn State. "Ordinary" folding knives are allowed. No blade-length restriction, but I know he can carry a Paramilitary 2, blade-length of 3.3". He won't need anything else, and has been eyeing my 204P green long enough....
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I am certain if your grandkid is anything like you he's gonna do just fine with the rules and the knives, friend. :)
 
brownshoe said:
This country was founded on civil disobedience. All you CA folks are willing to break federal law for your pot, but not willing to subversively carry your illegal knife at school. That's a trip!
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You clearly don't know CA.
Well, actually it sounds like you know it pretty well, you just haven't come to terms with the ridiculousness, so it still trips you out.
 
Rasco said:
Signs like "No drugs or guns" or "weapon free zone" are the most pointless signs possible.

My grandpa used to use the example of a pointless sign from his day, one that said "No Spitting On The Bus".
Most people don't WANT to spit on the bus, and the people who do, they're not gonna give a damn about a sign, so the sign accomplishes NOTHING.

Weapon free zones signs are the same thing. The only people who are gonna obey the sign are the people nobody is worried about. So it achieves nothing.
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Exactly^
 
I don't frequent weapons free zones except for the courthouse. My first thought when reading this thread was "Define Weapon". GA for example allows knives under a particular blade length in their public universities. I have found that a SAK fits just about any occasion except going to airport security or the courthouse.
 
brownshoe said:
Ignore stupid rules unless there is a metal detector. Civil disobience to unjust laws is an American tradition.
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I'll second that. Im not gonna follow stupid rules from stupid people, and I dont care if somebody's panties get wadded about it. You should carry a small sak like a classic or something if you want a blade though, if somebody labeled that as a weapon then they would have to be so unreasonable that nothing they say matters.
 
Considering there are many college aged students who regularly conceal carry firearms even though they're gun free zones, I think you'd be alright with a small knife.
 
EDIT. Got on my soapbox, so I got off it. If you want, just carry a SAK, though consider that some people might view that in a negative light too.
 
harkamus said:
EDIT. Got on my soapbox, so I got off it. If you want, just carry a SAK, though consider that some people might view that in a negative light too.
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Those other people probably couldn't make it to class because the trip is too scary.
 
No such thing as weapons free zones in my country
The police just take whatever you carry if they feel like it, if somehow you get stopped by one
 
If you haven't done so, ask your campus PD for clarification. For example, I go to UW-Madison, and our campus PD has an online Q&A tool:

What is the campus policy on carrying knives? Are small blades allowed, if so, what size is considered a small blade? I often see people carrying around “small” knives for work and am curious.

Yes and no — it depends on the circumstance and what type of knife you’re carrying. First and foremost, switchblades and butterfly knifes are illegal to carry, according to state statute. If you’re carrying a knife as a tool (that’s not a switchblade or butterfly knife), it’s perfectly legal to carry.
If you’re caring a knife (that’s not a switchblade or butterfly knife) for personal protection, it falls under the Wisconsin Concealed Carry law. Under the law, and under UW-Madison policy, the knife would not be allowed in any UW buildings, at athletic events, at campus events, and where signage has been posted.
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Keep in mind that our school buildings are weapon-free zones, and have this sign posted on every door:
Firearms-Dangerous-Weapons-Prohibited-Sign-SE-5088.png


Police officers can be quite understanding in the idea of carrying a knife for utility. I think it's worth it to ask for a clarification.
 
Just carry a SAK, anyone who is actually scared of a knife like that is probably too scared to leave their house anyway and are attending an online college.
 
Well I tried to search their definition of a "weapon", but kept getting sent to other sights. I finally found something of a definition, but I just cant seem to grasp all that legal talk. Tried calling the school but no answer. (Seems like the money I'm shelling out should at least pay for someone to man the phones...) I'm in the process of refurbishing a SAK that I've had for what's seemed like ages, and I have a feeling it will be in my pocket come next semester.
It just irritates me. We're supposed to all be adults, yet we can't be trusted with LEGAL weapons. Don't even get me started on the smoking ban.
I must say, I didn't expect to get all this feedback, but I am quite pleased. Thanks for all the input.
 
nopyo said:
If you haven't done so, ask your campus PD for clarification. For example, I go to UW-Madison, and our campus PD has an online Q&A tool:



Keep in mind that our school buildings are weapon-free zones, and have this sign posted on every door:
Firearms-Dangerous-Weapons-Prohibited-Sign-SE-5088.png


Police officers can be quite understanding in the idea of carrying a knife for utility. I think it's worth it to ask for a clarification.
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This is the dumbest rationale I've ever seen.
They might as well say "It's ok to carry a knife, unless you plan to use it for harming someone, then it's not ok."
So basically it's completely subjective to someone else's (?) interpretation of your motives. Nice >_>
"anyone can carry a knife, except for people who are SO STUPID that they actually tell the truth when asked why they carry a knife." That's pretty much the policy right there.
 
SadSappySucker said:
Well I tried to search their definition of a "weapon", but kept getting sent to other sights. I finally found something of a definition, but I just cant seem to grasp all that legal talk. Tried calling the school but no answer. (Seems like the money I'm shelling out should at least pay for someone to man the phones...) I'm in the process of refurbishing a SAK that I've had for what's seemed like ages, and I have a feeling it will be in my pocket come next semester.
It just irritates me. We're supposed to all be adults, yet we can't be trusted with LEGAL weapons. Don't even get me started on the smoking ban.
I must say, I didn't expect to get all this feedback, but I am quite pleased. Thanks for all the input.
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My schools definition when it comes to knives are any knife over 5in in blade length is considered a deadly weapon, and I think that may be the legal standard in Ca as well. Don't quote me on that, or even assume I am right. Beyond that no dirks, daggers, switchblades, gravity knives, fixed blades, butterfly knives, so you're pretty much looking at your basic slip joints, friction folders, and locking folders that we can legally carry there.

Send us the link to your school weapons policy and we can probably explain it better to you than the school officials. I find most people, including cops/lawyers/attorneys don't know weapon laws in great detail.
 
Rasco said:
This is the dumbest rationale I've ever seen.
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I agree, but all I care about is that I can carry/use one without worrying about expulsion.

The reason they post those signs is to foster a false sense of security. We know that. The police knows that. I'm sure that's why this sign is enforced subjectively.
 
nopyo said:
I agree, but all I care about is that I can carry/use one without worrying about expulsion.

The reason they post those signs is to foster a false sense of security. We know that. The police knows that. I'm sure that's why this sign is enforced subjectively.
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Serves another purpose too. It makes it easier to expel someone as any reasonable person would have noticed such a sign and understood what it meant so there isn't any real argument that you can use against it if you break it and they expel you and you try to stay in.

If it were some obscure no knife rule which isn't what most colleges in the area have as a rule and isn't in line with local/state laws and is only written on the school website for example tucked away where most people won't see it (like my school, we never go over it and you have to use the search function to find that policy on knives) than the person breaking said rule may have a chance to fight it and win. And in this day and age it may end up going to court for said fight.

In short they try to make it common knowledge so you can't deny you didn't know about it. So you pretty much are left with you either A) broke the rule intentionally or B) broke it unintentionally. If you pulled out your knife to cut something than you knowingly knew you had a knife on you so good luck arguing you don't belong to group A).

This is why a lot of places will make you sign contracts, and then go over the rules (verbal, presentation, video, not just a piece of paper you can ignore) and ask if you have any questions before you're allowed to continue. This way you are made aware of what is expected and what rules/regulations are in place and it is now common knowledge to everyone who went through it and you have no leg to stand on to argue otherwise if something does happen.
 
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According to the university police's clarification, the user of a knife will have to declare it as a weapon in order to "break the rule." If you declare it as a tool, the sign does not apply.

I am just glad that most of my peers don't lose their minds when they see a knife. A lot of the guys in my classes carry one. Honestly, one of the reasons I designed my custom blade without a tip was to make it difficult to claim that it is a weapon by design.
 
Yeah, sounds like the policy is weak enough that you could simply say, "Oh no, this is merely a tool. I would never use it to defend myself."
And you're good.
 
I think this thread needs some pictures!

Perhaps these are low-key enough to not attract much attention and still be useful when you need them?
Spyderco Dragonfly 2 and SOG Bluto. Both under 2.5 inches.



I go to a private university in California. I've had victorinox Spartan 2 for a long time with me and the slip-joint knife always worked fine and nobody including school faculty gave me any problems or even looks. I'm planning to carry one of those two above with me now.

By the way THANK YOU CHRIS for these beautiful knives!
 
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