I need a smaller folder, help me decide.

[rage]

hello people, today when i bumped into one of my Police Officer friends, in Manhattan, NY, we where talking about guns and knives etc, guy talk, and he showed me his new Microtech auto-SOCOM, great knife, then i showed him i was carrying a Spyderco Civilian, he told me, as a friend, and not as a officer, don't carry that, he said to me it is way to big for a civilian. Well, he said that could get you in some trouble, even if carried in the open, he told me i should carry a blade no longer than 3 inches, i thanked him. So, me being a civilian, im trying to decide what good smaller folder i should get, in my whole collection, all the blades are 3 1/2 inches, the smallest being my Spy. Endura. Im looking for a liner-lock, or maybe lock back, but if a liner lock, the liner must be stainless, not titanium, i'll be using an old Delica for utility, but i want another knife for self-defense. My favorite picks are below, help me decide on one.
BM812s mini-afck
Maybe a BM905s-i dont like titanium liners.
2 Delicas, 1 serrated, other plain.
small cold steel voyagers, tanto serrated.
i personaly like the 812 mini afck, but the blade is a little over 3 inches, what do you think, does this have steel liners, and do they wear like titanium. I wish i can get a Military w/full serrated, cpm-440v, but w/ a 3 1/4in. blade, that would be awesome.

 

[TimmyTheTalkingToilet]

well you could get a benchmade mel pardue double edge (I still don't get the fact that the swedge is too big for the handle so it is not a double) it is just under 3 inches

 

[Yekim]

Before you do anything rash, check and see what the actual laws are...Cops have a long history of not knowing jack **** about laws....

YeK

 

[stjames]

A 3" blade for self defense? Don't get the BM350, not much more than a letter opener. Buy a small Sebenza if you can afford one (there are a couple up for sale right now, http://www.knifeforums.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/001908.html & http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001281.html .

Or try a Boker/Klotzli, http://store.knifecenter.com/pgi-Product%20Spec?BOKL200c a very nice knife, 440c blade and liner lock, G-10 scales, just under 3" long. It was my dress folder before I got my small Sebenza. Similar materials to the Spydie Military, but in the size you are looking for. I have the clipless version ( http://store.knifecenter.com/pgi-Product%20Spec?BOKL200 and there is also a partially serrated version ( http://store.knifecenter.com/pgi-Product%20Spec?BOKL200CS ) if that floats your boat.

Good luck.

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James

 

[FullerH]

Help me here, somebody. Wasn't there a thread not long ago where somebody said that their martial atrs teacher favored carrying 2 Delicas? I carry a Delica98 when I am in DC, which apparently has a 3" law. I work there. I had carried bigger knives, up to and including an Al Mar SERE Attack folder and a Gerber Parabellum. My favorite was a Spydie Police until my prosecutor friend told me that it was illegal.

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Walk in the Light,
Hugh

 

[Stompy]

Small knife huh? Definately go for the Spydy Calypso Jr. It is light, has a 2&1/2 inch blade, and comes in a choice of ss or micarta handle material

 

[David Rock]

rage,

The Benchmade 812 has steel liners. I don't think the liner lock will wear out particularly fast.

Have you considered the BladeForums Spyderco Blue Native?

David Rock

 

[Eagle]

Have you considered the Spyderco Rookie...basically a 3-inch police model. Even has the distinctive swedge on the blade.
ATS-55 steel...G10 handles...reeeaalll nice.Just got one thanks to Danelle and Sal...rekindled my admiration for this knife. A true sleeper in the line.

 

[slowjocrow]

I second Eagle. Rookie is a sweet knife. It looks much smaller than it really is. You'll be surprised that this tiny ergonimically shaped handle contains the very sharp 3" blade. I have the G10 plain edge version. I believe there are many Rookie fans in this forum.

slowjocrow

 

[Jackal]

All I have to say is: Mini-SOCOM MA, silver coat, plain edge.

-AR

If that's too much, a Mini-Stryker or an 812.

Or a G10 Police. -AR

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- Intelligent men, unfortunately, learn from fools, more often than fools learn from intelligent men.

 

[Alan]

If you can wait, take a look at the BM Mini-Axis coming out sometime in the next few months (hopefully). It's supposed to have a 3 inch blade, stainless steel liners, and that strong Axis lock.

I have the Mini-AFCK in ATS-34 and M-2, and I like these knives. The handle is a little big compared to the blade, but otherwise, a great knife.

Alan

 

[Corduroy]

The Rookie and the mini-AFCK are both great; my girlfriend has them to match my full-size models. I especially like the 812, and, yes, its liners are steel.

Knowing the letter of the law is good, but it may not help you out with an officer; I carry a copy of the MA laws in my wallet but doubt any officer asking me about my knives would care to see them. The real way to be safe is just to look harmless and law-abiding and not get caught doing anything dumb; if you look like Ward Cleaver you can carry a HALO all day, but if you're wearing a leather jacket and driving a motorcycle through a red light you don't even want to have a Swiss Army knife.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Merlin or Harpy. If you want to replace a Civilian in under 3", those are the knives you should check out.

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-Corduroy
(Why else would a bear want a pocket?)

 

[AJ]

There are some really great smaller knives out there:
* Spyderco Calypso Jr.
* Spyderco Delica
* several other small Syderco's
* Chris Reeve small Sebenza & Umfaan
* Newt Livesay's neck knives

Some wonderful options!

AJ

 

[David Rock]

And the Benchmade Leopard Cub! Remember that gem? Used to be everybody's favorite. Maybe it still is. Anyway, I have one and like it quite a bit.

David Rock

 

[Corduroy]

Great knife! My sweetie has four!

It's a real splinter-picker, though, not sure I'd recommend it for defense or even heavy utility use. She's retired the only one of the set that she used in favor of beefier blades like the Rookie and Mini-AFCK (and if I call those "beefy" in comparison, that tells ya something). Still, these are some of the finest Benchmade folders from "back in the day."

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-Corduroy
(Why else would a bear want a pocket?)

 

[William Johnson]

Rage,

Many have asked for a smaller Military and I think Sal is looking into it. I believe the suggested name was "The Cadet" As for blade size....only he knows.

If you have the $$$ I would say go for the small Sebenza. If not Spyderco makes quite a few itty bitty blades.

The mini AFCK does have stainless liners and my wife carries it on occasion and loves it.

Either way, good luck.

 

[rage]

hello people, i want to say thanks very much to all of you who responded to my question, the knife i put on order is the Spyderco Harpy w/G-10 handle, and full serrated. It is an experimental model, and im glad i got to order one of these, i dont think spyderco will be making these anymore, it should be at my house by tuesday. Oh, also, i do own a WOO neck knife by newt livesay, great knife w/3in. blade, but the only place i ever wore a neck knife is under my shirt-highly illegal. I wont be wearing that.

 

[prn]

Not to knock any of the knives mentioned or your friend, but someone posted the actual New York City knife law here a couple of months ago. You should be able to find it with a search. The thread title did have "New York" in it.

As a summary, the law presumes that a locking folder with blades of 4 inches or more is a weapon. A 3 - 3 1/2 inch blade is definitely not illegal. I don't recall offhand what, if anything, it said about fixed blades, so you might want to check that before going with the neck knives that have been mentioned.

I will agree, though, with the poster who pointed out that it may not matter, at least as far as the cop is concerned, what the law actually says, but knowing and being in compliance with the law is likely to be better for you if the question of charges ever comes up. I notice that your friend did not say (or at least you did not report that he said) that the blade you were carrying was "illegal", just that it might get you into trouble. Even if you avoid breaking the actual law, you would still find it desirable to avoid trouble.

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Paul Neubauer
prn@bsu.edu