Friendly folder for VERY liberal academic office?

Guys, once again, small knives are NOT an issue with my employer and I confirmed this! I was only asking and looking for other's thoughts on the matter. I am seriously looking at the small Sebenza, Mnandi, Fallkniven TK Series or the Enzo Birk 75.
 
I've never owned one, but William Henry makes some knives that shouldn't scare anyone.
 
SAK knifes are OK, nothing special. I mean these knives can be purchased anywhere for 20 bucks! I am considering high end, TOP quality "grail" folders and you guys are suggesting SAK?! Come on!
 
I'd also suggest something pocketable, so there's no clip to show. So in my book, something like the drop point version of a Benchmade 530 would be a good option. Large enough to be usable, small and light enough to pocket.
 
I would keep it smaller, and I worked in higher Ed for 45 years. If it looks too much like a 3" blade, it could get you in trouble. Check the school handbook or student handbook for information, but they are likely to just ban weapons, and in some places, this may be 3" or longer.
The longest blade I would carry in a university office would be the Spyderco Chaparral, and I would recommend something that would be shorter...say a Fallkniven Blackhawk, Spycerco Michael Walker (if you can find one), the Mcusta Take or Gentlemen's knife, or something similar. It is better to have somehing smaller in your pocket than to lose a good job.
Keep it small, out of sight, and don't wave it around. If you ask your supervisor, you will get yourself in trouble. It should be in your pocket and other people don't need to know it is there, but keep it...

An administrator at a college in IL was fired for "threatening his secretary with a knife." No one knows what happened, and no one got to hear the story from the administrator. This happened perhaps a dozen years ago.
 
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Mnandi would be a great choice. I carry either a small sebenza with wood inlay or a GEC #92 Talon to work. I carry the sebenza in the leather pouch. Don't really use them that much but I like having them with me because I have the pocket space.
 
I surely appreciate the help and advice, but its odd that you are recommending SAK when I can considering folders in a whole other league!
 
Lots of good suggestions in the thread. The Mandi, a limited edition Cadet, Henry Williams, even a Sage 1 would be excellent.

My biggest issue with these threads is that everyone wants to focus on the knife and there is never enough discussion on creating an environment conducive to carrying knives. All of my coworkers that I see on a weekly basis know that I'm a knife nut and tolerate anything from my mini grip all the way up to my 4 in. ZT 600. They do so because I share my passion, excitement, knowledge and even the price of my knives with them. If someone were to question my ZT 600, they had better buckle up because I'm going to talk about RJ Martin, premium steels, secondary prices, market demand, titanium framelocks, carbon fiber, bearing systems versus washers, limited edition nature, functional art and draw comparisons to something they value. If I don't know what they value I generally draw comparisons to the car, fashion or wine industry. It's quite easy to draw comparisons between ZT and a LE Gucci purse if you think about it.

As soon as I get a new knife I tell them about that one and draw comparisons with the one I previously shared. Pretty soon they are coming up and asking me about any new acquisitions.

Just something to think about.
 
A CRK would be good around non-knife people, because it lets you emphasize how "pretty" it is, I have found this covers a multitude of perceived sins. The only thing better would be better is if you carried a CRK damascus.
 
I think SAK or classic slip joint ...

Agreed. Personally, I'd go with a Victorinox Executive, or a Case peanut.

since when did liberal=non-knife person? My wife is as liberal as they come and she thinks my knives...in her words..."are kick arse!":D

Good point.

Dig this quote from '60s radical Abbie Hoffman in the book "Woodstock: The Oral History" by Joel Makower (Doubleday, 1989).

"I remember watching Joan Baez and talking to her backstage. ... She's sort of not a hedonistic person, not a Dionysian person. She's kind of stiff. I said, 'Joan, I want you to hold my knife.' She said, 'You know I'm non-violent.' You know, like an instinctual response. And I was saying 'Who said I wasn't? What do you think -- this is for cutting food, this is for helping people at the hospital. I just want to give it to you for a present. Don't freak out.' It was just a gift. I had the hots for her."
 
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I've never owned one, but William Henry makes some knives that shouldn't scare anyone.

I'll second that. Very high quality, nicely embellished. Leather pouch for carry.

They used to make a friction folder, which I have.

Overall they're much more likely to be seen as man-jewelry than a CRK. They look too fancy to be weapons. Expensive though.
 
A Case Peanut or SAK will almost never be mistaken for a weapon, and is enough blade to get you through the day. To some folks, any kind of modern one handed folder, regardless of blade length, will be viewed as a weapon.
 
I suspect you at may be at Princeton, then.
As someone above mentioned, the Swiss Army Knife is a Boy Scout favorite...and for many of us readers also. Of course, not all libs approve of Boy Scouts either due to the Boy Scout Oath (God) and anti-gay accusations.
The first time you open up the scissors in order to cut a hanging thread from some old bitty teacher's sweater, you may have won the first battle. These libs don't give up easily, however. Look for a "teachable moment." You could have fun making this a casual research project, of sorts.
And...carrying a low profile is always a good idea. We want you to keep your job. At least one conservative per university is a good start.
 
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SAK knifes are OK, nothing special. I mean these knives can be purchased anywhere for 20 bucks! I am considering high end, TOP quality "grail" folders and you guys are suggesting SAK?! Come on!

They're inexpensive. So what? Do you think you have to spend X amount of dollars to get the perfect knife? I edc a sak because it's the best knife I've found to do the work I do. If you're carrying a knife for some other purpose than to do work than maybe the liberals at your place of business have cause to look at you funny when you have a knife.
 
SAK knifes are OK, nothing special. I mean these knives can be purchased anywhere for 20 bucks! I am considering high end, TOP quality "grail" folders and you guys are suggesting SAK?! Come on!

Different league as in higher price? Look at the David Yurman Collection of SAK, or the Charles Elsener limited edition damascus.
 
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