Knives at college v. don't walk away!

Z

Zerileous

Joined
Dec 30, 2004
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267
well, shortly after cristmas, before really getting into knives, I explored the feesability of carrying at college. I have since decided that common sense and non flashy carry of legal folders is acceptable. The decision was based on replies here and personal experience (I saw a number of knives at colleges a visited including the one I chose, no fuss. I used and carried knives on campus visits, no fuss).

Here is the kicker though, dorm life. I dont want to be the one who always has the door locked out of paranoia, and I know that it is impossible to regulate and monitor the traffic in my room. One good thing is that I have a room mate who I know. He is also a knife user and carryer, but he usues more mainstream (buck schrade etc) multi-blade slipjoints. So I know he will respect my knives and wont flip out about them either.

So the only issue is the casual lifter. How do I prevent them from walking away? Assuming I dont have a locking drawer and am not allowed to modify furnature, what am I to do?

I am talking in the area of 100 ish bucks, so I am not too worried, but I still would like some security.

Thanks.
 
I would stretch the "don't modify the furniture rule" and create a knife hiding spot. What I liked to do back in my college days was to thumb tack a knife holder to the underside of a low bookshelf. This was a piece of cardboard from the back of a pad of paper which I trimmed and folded to form a U-shaped channel with flanges along the top of the U. I tacked the flanges to the underside of the shelf so that you couldn't see the holder unless you were lying on the floor. I would slip a knife into the holder with a loose fit. I arranged mine so that I could grab it from my desk or bed. You could also use tape instead of thumb tacks.
 
I would be the one who always locks my stuff up. Thieves are plentiful on every campus. I would be more worried about someone taking off with my computer or other valuables than going through a drawer and finding a knife. When I went to college, I carried knives at all times, a buck 110 was my pencil sharpener, no worries.

Of course, it should be mentioned that I lived off campus, as I would never have wanted to live in dorms.
 
That must be rough. In my dorm, we live in suites and we each get our own bedroom, and share everything else. Plus, with three people to a room, there's almost always someone in there (I guess that's good, if you trust your roommates--I was good friends with mine).

But for my fellow collegiates who don't live in prestigious KC, they usually have some sort of plastic chest with a lock on it. Usually something mid sized, a couple/few square feet of space in there, so you can put some larger stuff. But most of them use it because, apparently, the RAs here can't check the locked stuff. So they usually keep their alcohol in there (if they're underaged). Nonetheless, unless your neighbor is decent at lockpicking or amazingly strong and subtle, enough so to carry this large plastic box out of your room without anyone noticing (and to hide it?) it should work. Plus you can put all sorts of other stuff in there.
 
Why not look into one of those little security boxes that you sometimes see used as cash storage boxes. I think Staples should have a few of them and probably under $50 easily. Something a few inches wide and long by like 2 inches deep, plus you can store cash and other important things in there.

I carry knives on campus, but I always bring a SAK just incase.
 
I would advise you not to take anything you cannot replace. Those Bucks and Schrades are decent knives, but are also still replaceable should anything happen.

That said, in my 2 years in the dorms, I have never had anything stolen. Except for one thing, and that was stolen by my a-hole $hithead roommate, and I got that back.

MOST people are very honest, and if you keep your room locked when nobody is there (even in the community showers and whatnot) and box your valueables when lots of people are over, you should have no problems.

Good Luck
Ben
 
I would suggest a hiding spot (like the rigged knife holder) rather than a small lock box. Anyone looking to steal something will easily walk off with a lock box and break it open later to see what he got. Odds are if you keep it locked it must be valuable, right? Better to not draw attention to potential valuables. The only time a lock box would be recommended would be if it is well hidden and/or well secured to something (which would probably not be easy in a dorm).
 
Hide it in a pile of sh*t stained raggedy *ss underwear. They should leave that pile alone.
 
A safe deposit box can be the best rental of ones life. It's a great place to keep your passport-dress watch-extra cash-custom knife -whatever.
 
Why are you even taking 100ish knives to college (or am I misreading your post)? In a dorm, no less! I suggest you take 1 or 2 & switch them for 2 different ones when you go home for holidays, etc. Just my 2 cents. :)
 
Boy, could I tell some stories from my college days.

oldphil02.jpg


The unofficial boot knife of my alma mater was the United Cutley Black Widow (no accounting for taste). I knew at least four people who carried them.
 
Lock them in something that can't be carried off. If you choose a safe, find a way to prevent someone from just picking it up and walking away with it.

Rat Finkenstein said:
I would be the one who always locks my stuff up. Thieves are plentiful on every campus. I would be more worried about someone taking off with my computer or other valuables than going through a drawer and finding a knife.
Click to expand...

Ditto. I'd get a Kensington security system especially if I had a laptop. They're just too easy to steal and most laptops have a security slot already on them.
 
Funny thing, those little laptop locks dont do a whole lot. I managed to break into one in under 10 minutes with tape, knife and cardboard...god my dad rubbed off on me(locksmith for over 15 years.)

I found a video of it once too, if i come across it again i ll post. Sorry for this being off topic.
 
i don't see why there's a problem with locking your door when you're not in your room. it's YOUR room.

my roommate and I always lock our door when we're not in. I don't see any problem with that; it's your room, not the hallway lounge. You're entitled to your security and privacy. Anyone who complains about it otherwise is a douchebag.

Anyways, in my room I keep:

BM710
Cuda maxx stiletto
cs voyager xl
cs ti-lite
bm41

people in my building pretty much know I have knives, and lots of them. That in and of itself is a good enough deterrent to keep someone from stealing one ;)
 
I was into knives before I went to college (UC Santa Cruz-- go 'Slugs!).
A good portion of my collection went with me to the dorms.
Never had one stolen during my 5 years :o there.
I have had them taken away from me briefly by those concerned about their and my personal safety....

One time the campus police confinscated a home made sword that I had left on my bed over winter break. They let me have it back when I promised not to take it onto campus anymore. I moved off campus soon after that.

I ordered my first balisong my freshman year there. It was sent straight to my campus mailbox. :cool:

I did some crazy things on that campus in the middle of the night-- and the whole place is surrounded by forest which could get a little crazy, too. :D
I was carrying knives the whole time.
 
my roommate and I always lock our door when we're not in. I don't see any problem with that; it's your room, not the hallway lounge. You're entitled to your security and privacy. Anyone who complains about it otherwise is a douchebag.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Lock your door. It's a good habit to get into. Get a small footlocker and put it on the floor in your closet or under your bed. Stash what you like in it, items other people don't need to be playing with.

I had a great roommate my freshman year. We had a couple of games we played, since we were in an upperclass dorm with mostly jocks on our floor. We left the window open, even in winter, which got their attention. And we used to pick each other up and throw the other guy against the wall. This really got their attention. Nobody messed with our room. :p
 
Boy, things sure have changed over the years. In university I studied Forestry (4 s ter :D ) and a Buck 110 was in a sheath on almost every belt. A knife was part of the equipment you were expected to have with you, along with a compass.

Firearm restrictions were a little tighter, each of us were only allowed to have one 22 cal rifle, one larger caliber rifle and one shotgun in our dorm rooms - and no more than 50 rounds of ammunition for each :eek:

But that was Northern Arizona in the 60's

David
 
well, my collection will be well under 25 when i go (not counting a pile of SAKs). I have only been into this since xmas and i dont have a huge collection.
 
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