Fixed blades in suburbia

Johnny11758

Johnny11758

Joined
Aug 17, 2004
Messages
465
I live in densely populated Nassau County on Long Island, an area as typically suburban as you will find. Up until now, I usually carry folding knives in the pocket (no belt sheaths except when carrying an occasional SAK). I sure would love to buy one of Bob Dozier's wonderful small fixed blades with Kydex belt sheath at the upcoming NYCCKS in November--3-inch blade with 4-inch handle. Anyone carry a simiilar EDC on a belt sheath in suburbia without feeling self-conscious about it? Folks here at times seem uncomfortable when I use my jigged brown bone A.G. Russell Premium Scout Knife to open a bottle of beer. ;) I certainly would use a fixed blade as little as possible in the company of outsiders. It would be concealed under a shirt or sweatshirt and be used, for instance, to open toy packaging for my son in the car in the parking lot of Toys R Us and to cut bait at fishing sites.
 
I've carried a Helle Nying on my belt a few times while in the metro Atlanta area with no problem and with a shirt untucked it would practically go unnoticed. Then again, things down South are a bit different than in Yankee soil. Most folks down here don't react negatively to a small sheath knife worn on the belt or a folder clipped to the pocket.
 
I think the best way to avoid weary-eyed sheeple freaking out over your knife is to look like you're not worried about showing that you have a knife. I don't mean be cocky and show it off and be confrontational, I mean just don't act like you even have it on you. Like you've lived with it on your hip every day of your life. It's the same kind of mentality behind sheeple and open-carry firearms. People automatically assume that if you've got a gun on your hip, that there's a reason you have it there. Not necessarily for self-defense, but that your profession or daily life requires it. Same thing with a knife.

I've found that being casual works better than actively attempting to not scare the sheeple. Personal example: Despite the fact that autos and balisongs are perfectly legal here in AZ, the general population doesn't know this, and automatically assume they're illegal. If you try to hide the fact that you're carrying a "dubious" tool (ie: weapon), people are more likely to think that you're using an illegal weapon. So no more covert, behind the back openings of my autos. No more slow, unassuming balisong flipping. Just whip it out, cut what you need to cut, and don't pretend like you're trying to hide the fact.

Yeah, you'll still inevitably freak some people out, but I find that you get better results this way. At least, that's the way it is here in AZ. And even though Tucson is a farily large town (or small city), there's still a lot of "frontier" mentality, at least with the natives.
 
Johny,

I stopped paying attention long time ago to what folks have to say as far as my EDC goes. I would worry more about what LEOs got to say about you carrying a fixed blade. If they are not going to give you a hard time than it's all good...

I still remember when right after I was discharged from the army I was questioned on the train about my Buck knife on my belt. That had to do with my looks a lot since I was nicely shaved, wearing parts of my uninform mixed with civilian clothing that gave me "skinheadish" appearance. But now when I'm "older" and look little different cop doesn't think twice about my belt carry or what is cliped to my pocket.

Matt
 
My $0.02 for what its worth. I don't see anything wrong with discretely carrying a small fixed blade. Gotta admit though even I did a little double take when I saw two different guys openly wearing sheathed fixed bladed knives on their belts. As long as carrying it doesn't put you at odds with the law, why not wear one if that's your inclination? You'll get used to people's reactions and if they have a problem with it, then they have a problem.
 
I carry a fixed blade most of the time on my belt with my shirt tucked in.

Wanna know the secret to shamelessly carry a fixed blade in the suburbs or :eek: in town? :eek:
I think the best way to avoid weary-eyed sheeple freaking out over your knife is to look like you're not worried about showing that you have a knife. I don't mean be cocky and show it off and be confrontational, I mean just don't act like you even have it on you. Like you've lived with it on your hip every day of your life.
Click to expand...

That's it. In a nutshell and concisely written. Well said Planterz!

OH! BTW, make sure your following all the laws in your neck of the woods pertaining to blade size and so forth. Do that and your golden.


All the best,
Mike U.
 
I live in densely populated Nassau County on Long Island
Click to expand...


Where in Nassau is it densely populated????

Personally i shy away from fixed carry around here unless im wearing a neck knife...yes, there are a lot of sheepies in New york. if your legal in carrying it?? they can keep their strange looks to themselves...

Thats my 2 cents...
 
I have carried a fixed blade around without any problems. It was a Dozier Companion in a horizontal belt shetah. Never noticed any funny looks or people running in the opposite direction.

I carried it such that it was concealed, but didn't obsess about keeping it that way. Basically had a shirt pulled over it for the most part, sometimes it would be noticable and others not. I never really worried about it much. I just stopped carrying it mostly because I found it less comfortable than a folder. It also threw off my cell phone carry as I usually have it on the same spot on my belt.

BTW, I live in NY too. Been through Nassau with that blade on my belt too.
 
I had Lifter make me a nice small of the back rig for a Raker that I have.
Works great, little print if any. Needs to be a thin handled knife though.

You may want to see it he can make a sheath the will hide it better for you.
 
I'm with the "just do it" crowd. Except at work, where there are rules against it, I carry a fixed blade on my belt all the time. I like horizontal sheaths because they get in the way less and, at least for me, make for a faster draw.

Once you get used to having it there all the time you'll stop noticing it...and so will everyone else.

If enough of us take up the practice it will eventually become normal. ;)

--Bob Q
 
I'd like to thank everyone for your replies. I so much admire Bob Dozier's folding and fixed blades, and I'd love to carry one of his fixed blades (I often carry a Dozier folding hunter). Because of your replies, I now feel that I can carry one of Bob's fixed blades, as long as I do so responsibly and socially correctly.
 
If it's legal then being skeered is their own problem. I say exercise your legal rights and let the fearful tremble as they may.
 
I carry a SRKW Howler everyday, and it is over 9" total length. I just remove the belt loop from the kydex sheath, and stich the whole thing in my pocket. I bet with a small Dozier it would disapear in your pocket.
 
Dr Thor, I think he wants to remain within the bounds of law while carrying a FB, and (as far as my reading of the law goes) in Canada, you have to have it openly carried for that to be the case.

I'm planning on getting a Busse Active Duty for open carry in Canada specifically because I'm worried that the folders I like could be seen as "gravity knives" if I got a LEO who was having a bad day.
 
fixed blades have to be carried openly "suspended from the waist". And I really don't like to tuck in my tee shirts so I've carried a couple of neck knives clipped to a belt loop with a carabiner. The Arclite got a few looks but the Prairie Fox was so small that it seemed to escape notice. Here, a leather sheath would stand out but I see quite a few people wearing nylon belt pouches these days (mainly for phones, cameras & palm pilots). But a knife in a nylon sheath would probably go unnoticed as long as it's modest sized. Good luck.

Frank
 
I've been carrying my BRKT Mini Canadian as an EDC since I got it last month in a horizontal cross draw sheath. I've basicaly been doing what Planterz wrote (He stole the thought from outa my head :mad:, I'm outa tin foil :grumpy: ). Mosty people have actually admired the knife when I use it. It is an awful purty knife though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top