Do You Carry "Regardless?"

[marcinek]

I carry irregardless.

MaestroGustav wins the thread. :thumbup:

I carry all the time outside the house, except for Gubmint buildings.

 

[RedLynx]

If you break a knife carry law, its only a misdemeaner. Punishable by fine, usually less than a traffic ticket. Also punishable by one year in jail, just like littering. Second offence in my state, the fine goes up about a hundred dollars.

A fine isn't so bad, but I certainly don't want to spend a year in jail, for any reason... even local lockup or some minimum security thing. Yikes.

 

[RedLynx]

MaestroGustav wins the thread. :thumbup:

I carry all the time outside the house, except for Gubmint buildings.

If I recall correctly you also work in education, like myself... but then I think your preferred carry is a SAK, and even most modern day admins don't see that as very threatening. I usually carried a Cold Steel Kudu during my student teaching, and I only used it for opening/preparing my lunch, mostly. It's a longer folder for sure but also very inexpensive and if anyone was going to give me trouble, I was planning to let them have it without putting up a fuss. That was my logic at the time anyway, although a SAK probably would have been wiser.

No one really cared though, and since it didn't have a clip I didn't even have to explain what was clipped to my pocket... Granted, I wasn't whipping it out in front of people either, but still.

I think a large part of it was, I wasn't using it irresponsibly in the school environment. I used it mostly like your average food preparation tool, and I think people saw it as one.

 

[marcinek]

No one really cared though, and since it didn't have a clip I didn't even have to explain what was clipped to my pocket... Granted, I wasn't whipping it out in front of people either, but still.

I think a large part of it was, I wasn't using it irresponsibly ....

All of those eliminate knife carry legal hassles. Unless you are going through a metal detector. But if you are not, if one follows what you have been doing...one is good to go anywhere. Office, bus, church, school, grandma's house, Applebees, etc etc etc.

It's kinda hard to run afoul of the "sheeple" either law-enforcement or not, unless one is acting like a knucklehead. In my opinion, of course.

 

[RedLynx]

All of those eliminate knife carry legal hassles. Unless you are going through a metal detector. But if you are not, if one follows what you have been doing...one is good to go anywhere. Office, bus, church, school, grandma's house, Applebees, etc etc etc.

It's kinda hard to run afoul of the "sheeple" either law-enforcement or not, unless one is acting like a knucklehead. In my opinion, of course.

Despite all of the stories here (which I have no doubt are true) I don't have any good "sheeple" stories... even when I first got into knives as a young kid (which I think are more likely to get "should you be carrying that" comments) and I carried a fixed knife on my belt in public, still no one cared. Granted, I think a small part of it was my physical disability. Big knife or no big knife, people just didn't see anything to really be afraid of in my case. Which is good.

 

[killgar]

I base my decision to carry on my own perceived need, not the law.

Fortunately for me I live in California (specifically San Diego) where the knife laws are very permissive (yes, I said California ).

I openly carry a fixed-blade everyday in public because it's legal here. In some cases, when I want to patronize a business that might not allow the open carry of fixed-blades (bank, movie theater), I will carry my knife concealed because I don't want to be asked to leave and I don't want to leave it in my motorcycle or car.

Of course, I don't try to get any knife past any metal detectors. And if I were in a state/county/city that did not allow the open carry of a knife, I certainly would not openly carry a knife. I think it unwise to openly break the law.

Although I have often advised others on this forum to obey the letter of their local knife laws, I do so because a "weapons" arrest/conviction can cause all sorts of problems that they might not want to face (even a misdemeanor). Like for example- being arrested, going to jail, spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on bail (if they can afford it), possibly losing their jobs, or missing school, or being evicted from their rental home because they were in jail. If you can't make bail, you can sit in jail for months, even on a minor offense.

And then there is the cost of an attorney (again, if you can afford one). And if you can't afford one, you get a public defender (some are good, some are your worst nightmare).

And then there is all the work/school you will miss by attending your various court dates (arraignment, readiness hearing, discovery hearing), which can always get rescheduled at the last minute after you show up at the courthouse, and then you have to go back all over again. And if you go to trial, again, more days in court.

And if you are convicted of a "weapons" offense (even a misdemeanor), even if you avoid jail time, you will be required to pay thousands of dollars in fines AND court fees.

If you are placed on probation for a "weapons" conviction (count on it), aside from having to pay probation fees (more money), you will be forbidden to possess ANY guns, or knives that your PO might regard as a potential weapon, for the duration of your probation. And that means any gun or knife you own would have to be removed from your home (this does not include kitchen knives, which as long as they remain in the kitchen will not be regarded as "weapons"). Such probation generally lasts for three years (as long as you don't have any violations, then it can last longer).

Furthermore, if you are convicted of a "weapons" offense, that conviction will appear in any background check conducted by perspective employers. A "weapons" conviction might very well prevent you from getting that job you want, or getting into the military.

How do I know all this, personal experience. I know the risks of carrying a concealed fixed-blade in violation of the law. I know what I personally have to lose, and what the hardships might be if I get caught (which are minimal in my case). And I regard the risk of detection as highly unlikely. So I make this decision FOR MYSELF. But by no means do I advise others to follow suit.

 

[Suomalainen]

To broaden the perspectice a bit. This is how it is up north, in Sweden. I answered "The Lone Gunmen" in another thread when he asked if I legally could carry a RAT 1.

"No Gunmen, I can't. Basically it's illegal to carry any knife of any size whatsoever in Sweden if you can't prove you need it for work or are on your way to hunt, fish, hike, camping or similar activities. So all firefighters, police, military, carpenters, plumbers or any other proffesions that might use knives in there line of work are home free. And to that you can add that there is an extremely large portion of the population over here that is hunters and/or fishermen in some shape or form.
/ John

I live in Finland and we have the same laws regarding the knife carry. Finland just happens to be notorious with all those "saturday manslaughters" (which are done mainly by Moras when people get drunk) so nobody in Finland seems to carry knives around. We also have history as a nation that has used knives in generations so i think myself as a proud finn when im carrying a knife on a daily basis.

I carry at least one knife anywhere i go, even at police stations, banks, shopping malls and nightclubs because i know im not going to use it on someone until my health is at great danger. I carry any kind of knives, mostly that kind that fit my pockets well. Few times a week i carry in addition to my edc (rat-1, izula etc) a glock knife and 50cm skrama because of my hobbies. Im just very concealable when it comes to carrying or using my knives.

One time i was riding a bus with my headphones on when my rat-1 hit the floor, but i didnt notice it until an lady with her kids tapped on my shoulder and said "excuse me mister, is this yours?" and pointed at the floor. Needless to say the shiny blade had opened halfway open and the bus was full of people. I just muttered something about "my worknife" and put the headphones back on as i picked the knife up. Nobody cared that time and usually nobody cares because we finns like to mind our own things and that goes for everything in this country

 

[aquaman67]

I was told by the Bailiff to un-clip my knife and put it down in my pocket the last time I had Jury Duty.

 

[Akapennypincher]

I plead the 5th.... Seriously.

Whimp out answer, let say if I saw a sign saying NO KNIVES. WEAPONS, or GUNS with a picture of knife & gun and it was a Federal, State, County, City Building, or School. I would not enter with prohibited items.

Otherwise I would use common sense, and I always have my Swiss Army Pen Knife, as it is attached to my keys.

 

[Foilist]

If I recall correctly you also work in education, like myself... but then I think your preferred carry is a SAK, and even most modern day admins don't see that as very threatening. I usually carried a Cold Steel Kudu during my student teaching, and I only used it for opening/preparing my lunch, mostly. It's a longer folder for sure but also very inexpensive and if anyone was going to give me trouble, I was planning to let them have it without putting up a fuss. That was my logic at the time anyway, although a SAK probably would have been wiser.

No one really cared though, and since it didn't have a clip I didn't even have to explain what was clipped to my pocket... Granted, I wasn't whipping it out in front of people either, but still.

I think a large part of it was, I wasn't using it irresponsibly in the school environment. I used it mostly like your average food preparation tool, and I think people saw it as one.

I work in a school too. My workday edc is a Case Peanut, which is easy on dress pants, unscary looking, and still useful. There is also a multitool in my bag that has come in handy all sorts of times.

I've never had a real problem, although once there was this fussy lady in the break room a few years back who said I was like "Norman Bates from 'Psycho' " when I used my Peanut to open a package in my lunch. I pointed at the 8" chef's knife lying on the counter behind her and said that was more like Norman Bates' style, and wondered why my pinky finger-sized Peanut bothered her more.

In my current, new school I figure I'm okay since my principal has a SAK on his key ring.

 

[DeceptionStrike]

Never go anywhere without a knife.

Though, I had to un-clip my small Starbenza and drop it in the pocket when I saw "NO SHARP OBJECTS OR POTENTIAL WEAPONS" sign in the post office.

 

[Charlie Mike]

If you break a knife carry law, its only a misdemeaner. Punishable by fine, usually less than a traffic ticket. Also punishable by one year in jail, just like littering. Second offence in my state, the fine goes up about a hundred dollars.

In my state, concealed carry of a fixed blade can be prosecuted as a felony... and carrying a handgun without a permit is a misdemeanor.

 

[SCWillson]

Yes, I hear it all the time. Mostly from non-knife people. I have spoken with a few LEO in my area about it and have come to the conclusion that most of them do not have a solid grasp on local or state knife laws.

It is for that very reason that I keep a pdf copy of the Texas knife laws on my tablet.