Friendly folder for VERY liberal academic office?

Bob6794 said:
Sebenza may be classy by our standards on this forum but by the general population standards it's still just a knife and can be opened fast and may appear intimidating by others. Even now I don't consider it classy, it's just another one handed folding knife and it's only classy in a sense that it's not a stupidly overbuilt tactical folding knife.

If you want to walk away from that view go with a slip joint, old school slip joints bring back the whole "It's just like what my grandpa carried" kind of view or a swiss army knife as people think closer to MacGyver and that you fix stuff with it too. Your still going to encounter people who are afraid of it, but far less and a lot less people commenting on why you carry a weapon and all those fun remarks. A leatherman also would also fall into this category in my experience too as your viewed as someone who will more than likely be fixing things things with the tools than a guy with a knife.
Click to expand...
Well said. Often I find that a Vic solider is plenty of knife, and doesn't draw looks. In an office one hand open might be a bit flashy.
 
waterford said:
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!
Click to expand...

You're the one who posed the question looking for knives to carry in a sensitive environment. Nothing was stated about wanting/needing the "cool factor" while doing it. Since that seems to be the case, I say it's your job, your skin, your bed to make, so do your own reading and make your own selection.

You worded your question in a way that looked as though you genuinely needed help finding a knife to fit a specific need, as it turns out its just another "what knife should I get" thread like any other.

You got appropriate answers to your question.
 
Last edited:
Moki also makes a fine gentleman's type folder...

mobenza02_zps10e6a371.jpg

CRK Small Sebenza 21 Insingo and Moki Serapis

Just throwing another option out there; excellent suggestions so far! :thumbup: Good luck, OP! :)

-Brett
 
I travel a lot for work and work in a lot of law offices, etc. The safest/most non-threatening choice is a traditional slip joint. If you ever pull it out to use it, everyone gets to talking about thier fathers and grandfathers.

Next is a victorinox multi.

Then a modern multitool like a Leatherman.

Then a modern style folding tac, but avoid DLC coated blades.
 
I'm pretty liberal and I love knives. :)

Follow the law and your employee code of conduct and you should be fine.
 
It's actually a pretty interesting story as to how l got their permission to carry that knife. I joined the college about 2 years back. About 1 month after l joined there was a barbecue party. The staff needed some way to open some tins of food. I used my Imperial ireland Camper slip joint to punch holes into the tins. Every one ( including the principal) was rather shocked. They asked me why l had it. I told them that as a boy l used to camp a lot ; so the habit stayed with me. I.also said that l was a wood carved. The next question they asked was" Is it legal ?" I said its within 3 inches so yeah. The principal said that l could keep it but to make sure it stays in my pocket when visitors come to the college. Now what happens is ; whenever there is large pile of boxes or packages and I'm nearby; they always call me to cut them open.
I think the looks of the knife were an important factor here. Red handle; 3 inch blade ; and the fact that the knife has a fork and spoon.
Another important factor is psychology . Don't go around waving it. But if you need to do some work involving a knife then casually take it out as if you're least bothered. To make them stop looking at it as a weapon ; you must make them think that you see it as nothing more than a tool. In fact ; twelve other students also started carrying Swiss army knives. And a polite behavior always helps so that people know you're peaceful.
 
I think the looks of the knife were an important factor here
Click to expand...

Perhaps so but I suspect the feeling of control they got after the question and answer then setting ground rules is what made it more acceptable. You and your knife then became another school asset to call on when needed, but kept safely tucked away until then. :)

From the administrators perspective anyway. That might be the key. Give others some feeling of control, or, like me, keep the thing hid. :)
 
expwmbat said:
The more people that see knives being used and respected as tools, the better.
Click to expand...

ASBOB said:
The absolute safest is a slipjoint. I think the larger world divides knives into two categories: the two handed kind used by grandad, and the modern ones, always used by punks and dangerous people.
Click to expand...

One reason people push slipjoints in their answers to these threads is that they can actually raise consciousness in the public a bit as people see knives used as tools more. This is ultimately good for using all types of knives.

They have a different "image", yeah, that's the word.

I wouldn't "ask" myself. Administrators will always give the safest answer. I would just go carefully.

Heck, sorry to beat a dead horse but I would carry the tiniest little watch pocket slipjoint I could and use it as much as I could for quite a while. Let as many people see it as I could. If you were called on the carpet over it, it would ultimately not be a huge issue. Then maybe try a different one.
 
Perhaps a knife with red or pink handles, but then again, maybe not as these colors were originally associated with Mars the Roman god of war. Oh - never mind... :D
 
I teach at a small college and I think it you pulled out a small Sebenza in front of the wrong person, it wouldn't go over very well. Academics can be a little odd sometimes (myself included :) ) and I would use something smaller if I were you. I don't know what your job is but some faculty and administrators, especially at a school like your's, can have a bit of an ego. If you whip out what they see as a big, scary knife and they don't like it, they might bring it up with someone up the chain.

My wife is counsel for a large university and she is used to me carrying/using knives all the time. I showed her my Techno when I got it, thinking she would think it was cool. She said, "That looks like an aggressive weapon." Not cool....and I wouldn't want to be the guy on campus known for that. Knives are cool, but sometimes they really aren't that important. Get a Sebenza if you want one, but if you really like your job I would carry something smaller, especially if you're going to be taking it out in front of people.

I carry a Peanut or other small traditional on campus, that's about all I own anymore. There are a lot of really nice traditionals and even customs if you're looking to splurge on something high end.
 
Last edited:
arty said:
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.
Click to expand...

...perhaps a dozen yrs ago, a "good" attorney would have been in order.
 
carbonsteelfan said:
I " Is it legal ?" I said its within 3 inches so yeah. The principal said that l could keep it but to make sure it stays in my pocket when visitors come to the college. Now what happens is ; whenever there is large pile of boxes or packages and I'm nearby; they always call me to cut them open.
Click to expand...

Libs or conservatives...I don't care. Not one of them ever served a day in the military, or spent any time outside of the city. They sound like a bunch of girls. No offense, but perhaps you can do some "teaching" of your own. I'm glad that you have positively influenced some other folks there...

and to Flint Hills...
perhaps bowing and scraping would be more acceptable... I am truly offended by the recommendations of some of you folks. Isn't a "well-considered and studied revision to a more logical standard" even considered? How many students/faculty are assaulted by pocket-knives?

I do know that my relative at Penn State has no such "restriction." Their weapons policy defines and restricts pocket-knives as follows:
"Any knife with a blade larger than that of a folding pocket knife; dagger; razor or other cutting instrument, the blade of which is exposed in an automatic way by switch, push-button, spring mechanism, or otherwise." I find that to be much more reasonable...

Yes, I have my own opinion. I apologize if I offend some of you.
 
Last edited:
You aren't offending me with your opinion. Anyone can carry any knife they want, as long as it's within legal limits. I'm just telling the guy what he might run into on a college campus. I grew up in the middle of nowhere and no one batted an eye if someone had a fixed blade on their belt because most people hunted, fished, farmed, etc. and I've been carrying a pocket knife of some kind every day since I was 8 years old. Most major universities aren't like that though. I don't think they'd kick you off campus for having a pocket knife and lots of folks may not care but using a large folder for something mundane in an office setting or classroom will draw attention from people who didn't grow up around knives. If he's working as a janitor, groundskeeper, maintenance, or some other job where there is lots of physical labor and things that need to be cut, I doubt people would think much of it.

Not that long ago, some crazy in Texas stabbed and cut a bunch of people on a college campus(14 to answer your question), so some people might be paranoid/hypersensitive about knives, though I'm not one of them.

Sonnydaze said:
Libs or conservatives...I don't care. Not one of them ever served a day in the military, or spent any time outside of the city. They sound like a bunch of girls. No offense, but perhaps you can do some "teaching" of your own. I'm glad that you have positively influenced some other folks there...

and to Flint Hills...
perhaps bowing and scraping would be more acceptable... I am truly offended by the recommendations of some of you folks. Isn't a "well-considered and studied revision to a more logical standard" even considered? How many students/faculty are assaulted by pocket-knives?

I do know that my relative at Penn State has no such "restriction." Their weapons policy defines and restricts pocket-knives as follows:
"Any knife with a blade larger than that of a folding pocket knife; dagger; razor or other cutting instrument, the blade of which is exposed in an automatic way by switch, push-button, spring mechanism, or otherwise." I find that to be much more reasonable...

Yes, I have my own opinion. I apologize if I offend some of you.
Click to expand...
 
I recently pulled out a Spyderco Dragonfly at my (corporate/office) workplace and heard, "Wow, that's a BIG knife!" If the environment is sensitive, I'd go with a SAK or a small traditional folder or maybe a small Opinel. Chances are you won't need anything bigger, so why risk it?
 
payton206 said:
Wait, why are you offended by people's recommendations here?
Click to expand...

It reads as though he's offended that people are offering choices that would conform to the OP's work environment mentality rather than take up the knife rights banner and change the environments mentality itself.

Seems a bit sensitive and self righteous to me, no offense.
 
straitr said:
It reads as though he's offended that people are offering choices that would conform to the OP's work environment mentality rather than take up the knife rights banner and change the environments mentality itself.

Seems a bit sensitive and self righteous to me, no offense.
Click to expand...

Did you NOT read this in my earlier post?
I am truly offended by the recommendations of some of you folks. Isn't a "well-considered and studied revision to a more logical standard" even considered? Isn't that what I said? And I quoted the rather decent knife policy of Penn State as an example. You missed all of this, sir?
I thanked the OP for helping to change the opinions of several students at his place of employment. Instead of jumping on the bandwagon...please read the posts FIRST.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top