Good excuse to carry a knife to a cop?

C

coldlocus

Joined
Nov 14, 2006
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I live in Sweden where you're not allowed to carry a knife regardless of size unless you have a good excuse (if you need it for work etc). I edc a Mini Pika, a fairly small knife, but really don't have a good excuse. I really don't need it daily either, but like to be prepared, the more I carry it, the more reasons I find to use it. I work with morning paper packaging on weekends where we cut up lots of plastic wraps and bundles of paper, but that's just on the weekends. What would you guys tell the cops if they asked you why you carry a knife and were in my situation?
 
well i am a cop, in the los angeles area.

if it is used for work and is otherwise in compliance with california laws, no problem. that is carry method, not an auto/bali, etc.

also if en route/coming home from hunting or fishing or some other outdoor activity, no problem.

remember, its a tool, not a weapon or for self defense. those terms raise the red flags, so to speak.
 
moving-van.jpg
 
MORIMOTOM said:
well i am a cop, in the los angeles area.

if it is used for work and is otherwise in compliance with california laws, no problem. that is carry method, not an auto/bali, etc.

also if en route/coming home from hunting or fishing or some other outdoor activity, no problem.

remember, its a tool, not a weapon or for self defense. those terms raise the red flags, so to speak.
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My opinion might differ from most people here, but I dont think a knife is a good self defence weapon, it might be good for killing, but for self defence, I would rather run or use my fists until I can get away.

I appreciate the input from a real cop, even though the laws in California and Sweden aint exactly same.
 
regardless of what you or i think, peoples responses to why they are carrying a knife tend to be the same everywhere. for that matter, cops everywhere, generally speaking, are of the same personality type, and, again generally, law enforcement everywhere is similar. that said i think my advice is sound. a good reason is not that your knife is a weapon, a good reason is that you just came from fishing, for example.

you might wait awhile for another swede to post a response here. :)
 
Heck, I carry a knife and a multi-tool all over the place. Sometimes it's a small Sebenza, sometimes it's my large Spyderco Manix or my Chris Reeve fixed blade Shadow III. If I am questioned about it, I would mention that I use it as a utility tool. My knives are not illegal and I don't conceal them (except the Shadow III which I drape my Hawaiian shirt over and is partially concealed).
 
You could say "I open a lot of packages, and my fingernails make poor box cutters"

I am glad I live in a place where I don't have to justify carrying anything.
 
Hi!

I´m a Swede! :-)

I also carry a knife on me almost every day. I can find several reasons to carry a knife on me every day, and the times I don´t have it on me I really regret it!
But as "coldlocus" say. what should one say to a police officer when and IF he catches you with a knife. I have heard several diffrent things you could say to make it "ok". Like I just been hunting or fishing, but that don´t stick if your not in huntig/fishing clothes. The time and place is decisive too, and the type of knife. I carry a Spyderco Ladybug because I think that it´s fairly innocent.
The fact that this knife opens with one hand is maybe not so good when he/she decides whether it´s ok or not.

when I forgot my cellular at home, it felt like I was naked. And now when I forget my knife at home, again it feels like I´m naked...
 
If an individual is carrying a knife for the purpose of commiting a crime that individual does not care if the very act of possessing the knife is against the law or not. This makes a "carry" law mostly useless as a crime preventive measure. When the police arrest people for carrying a knife and they are not committing some other crime then most of the arrests, I believe, will be of everyday working people like myself. If the laws of any nation (or state) make the general population as afraid of the police as they are of some one who might commit a crime against them then those laws should be changed. I would not feel any safer in Sweden by knowing that knives are not allowed to be carried there. I would not feel in danger in Sweden if they were allowed to be carried there. That goes for any state or county or city in the U. S. also. Do not blame the police, change the law.
WOOK
 
I don't give a damn where I live, if I want to carry a knife, or a gun, then I sure as heck will! In fact when I travel to other states where guns aren't allowed, I still carry one.
 
I carry a pocket knife all the time in case I need to cut something. I carry a 9mm lugar when I am going somewhere that I think that I may need protection from someone. as for the cop I would tell him that it is not any of his business what I have the knife for or the 9mm lugar also.
 
ckw346 said:
I carry a pocket knife all the time in case I need to cut something. I carry a 9mm lugar when I am going somewhere that I think that I may need protection from someone. as for the cop I would tell him that it is not any of his business what I have the knife for or the 9mm lugar also.
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then if you are in ca, plan on going to jail. whether you like it or not, it is the officer's business and prudence demands that he/she ask.

luger
 
john w said:
If an individual is carrying a knife for the purpose of commiting a crime that individual does not care if the very act of possessing the knife is against the law or not. This makes a "carry" law mostly useless as a crime preventive measure. When the police arrest people for carrying a knife and they are not committing some other crime then most of the arrests, I believe, will be of everyday working people like myself. If the laws of any nation (or state) make the general population as afraid of the police as they are of some one who might commit a crime against them then those laws should be changed. I would not feel any safer in Sweden by knowing that knives are not allowed to be carried there. I would not feel in danger in Sweden if they were allowed to be carried there. That goes for any state or county or city in the U. S. also. Do not blame the police, change the law.
WOOK
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point taken, but not necessarily true. many pretense stops of known criminals yield weapons upon search. who is to say that the arrest did not prevent a crime from happening? no one can say what the person with the weapon was going to do with it, we are not psychics.

nearly all weapons arrests i have made involved some other crime, ie burglary, robbery, vandalism, etc. an otherwise "law abiding" citizen who is carrying a weapon may have to be arrested, it is mandatory we arrest on all felonies. but it also may depend on the weapon, a folding knife isnt illegal in most circumstances when carried by an adult. a fixed blade may usually be carried as well, (in california)

but a gun? concealed? difficult to let that one go.
 
Don't plan on going to calif. And in Texas it is legal to carry in your vehicle and it is legal to carry concealed with a carry permit.
 
ckw346 said:
Don't plan on going to calif. And in Texas it is legal to carry in your vehicle and it is legal to carry concealed with a carry permit.
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ca is not very weapons friendly, "the independent republic" as we like to call it. i know texas and utah are more accomodating. i was recently in utah, and it was like heaven! cash/carry, open carry, it was awesome. but we also have a much higher knucklehead ratio, and given ca's history and population it would be difficult to reverse weapon laws.
 
I recently spent 3 months in California (Bay area) - I hail from South Africa - and I found the knife carry laws to be quite "fair" - any length folder provided it's clipped inside the pocket but with the clip in plain view or a fixed blade in a sheath worn openly. I bought a couple of folders while there and was able to legally carry them. I also noticed a young fellow at the dockside with a sheathed fixed blade which he made sure was not covered by his untucked t-shirt. I understand that laws in so-called progressive states will limit the carrier somewhat eg Texas allows a max 3" blade to be carried. I could carry my new mini Manix in CA.
 
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