Looking for a (legal) knife recommendation

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KalkiKrosah

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May 2, 2018
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The laws in my state (New York) are that the knife cannot exceed 3 inches and cannot be a gravity knife. I have been carrying a Benchmade mini-griptilian for the past few months but found out that the axis lock can be mislabeled as a gravity knife. I would like to own a knife that I can carry with me that I know is legal just for peace of mind.

On my list I came up with the Spyderco Para 3, Spyderco Lil Native, Spyderco Chaparral, Kershaw Atmos, Boker mini Kwaiken, CRKT pilar, Ontario Rat 2, Gerber Fastball and the Steel Will mini Cutjack. Is there any knife on my list you would recommend I buy? Or any knife I may have passed over which meets my specifications?

I don't want a fixed blade, I can't use an axis lock (sorry Benchmade) and am unsure if the triad lock, back lock or compression lock constitute as gravity knives, so if anyone can clarify whether they can be labeled as a gravity knife that would be much appreciated.
 
Do not get a liner lock, compression lock, CBBL, or axis lock. They can all be manipulated to fall free. The safest is a slip joint that does not lock and keeps spring tension on the blade so it cannot be flicked open (Spyderco UKPK, for example and now available in BD1N or the Urban LW). A good back lock might be the next best choice. Buck has the new 112 Slim Pro, 3" blade, pocket clip, and S30V blade (they also make a cheaper version). Spyderco has the Delica (love it) and other back locks that will not weigh you down. In that hostile environment, I would not carry the knife where the clip shows. That is how a lot of people get stopped, from what I hear. Even a Spyderco Dragonfly would be a good choice.
 
KalkiKrosah said:
I don't want a fixed blade, I can't use an axis lock (sorry Benchmade) and am unsure if the triad lock, back lock or compression lock constitute as gravity knives, so if anyone can clarify whether they can be labeled as a gravity knife that would be much appreciated.
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Carry a multi-tool like the LM Wingman, or perhaps something smaller like the Leap.

You've really limited your knife choices, so a multi-tool is probably the only safe and sane choice.

Or a SAK of some sort... the "Saint-Bernard-with-a-brandy-keg-around-its-neck" of knives.

Or a new state to live in.
 
Velitrius said:
Carry a multi-tool like the LM Wingman, or perhaps something smaller like the Leap.

You've really limited your knife choices, so a multi-tool is probably the only safe and sane choice.

Or a SAK of some sort... the "Saint-Bernard-with-a-brandy-keg-around-its-neck" of knives.

Or a new state to live in.
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Yeah, I intend to leave the New York at some point. Having the beach less than half an hour away is lovely but not worth the price of living out in my area. That's more of the driving force for me to leave the area. Looser knife laws are just an added bonus.

I do own a Leatherman rebar. I don't use it all that often. It weighs my pants down too much. It sits in my tool box most of the time. But that would probably be my safest bet out of everything I have in my collection at the moment...
 
Unless there has been a very recent change, you are mistaken about the 3" max for the State... heck, it's 4" in The City. I don't know about your specific locality, which may have more restrictive laws.
If you aren't doing something to bring you (and your knife) under scrutiny, you shouldn't have to worry about overzealous gravity knife prosecution outside of NYC (though, technically, many modern folders can be considered gravity knives)
 
Do you live in New York City or just in the state of NY? I'm not familiar with a statewide length restriction. There also seems to be some recent movement on that ridiculous "gravity knife" restriction:

Federal Judges Rules Gravity Knife Law Unconstitutionally Vague:
https://reason.com/2019/03/28/federal-judge-rules-new-yorks-insane-gra/

Legislation Approved and Waiting for Governor:
https://www.law.com/newyorklawjourn...y-knife-prosecutions/?slreturn=20190422234329

New York Attorney General Supports Ending Gravity Knife Law:
https://queenseagle.com/all/letitia-james-end-gravity-knives
 
KalkiKrosah said:
I do own a Leatherman rebar. I don't use it all that often. It weighs my pants down too much. It sits in my tool box most of the time. But that would probably be my safest bet out of everything I have in my collection at the moment...
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I understand. I don't carry the Wingman in a pocket either.

The Juice or the Squirt or even the Style offer a good batch of tools in a very law-friendly package, without that boat-anchor weight.

Each offers a good assortment of tools, an unbeatable warranty, and a great price point in a very law-friendly package.
 
DocJD said:
New York CITY is the main problem . Some old threads : https://www.bladeforums.com/search/39864634/?q=New+York+City&o=date&c[title_only]=1

I concluded that the best bet was actually to carry a fixed blade . Up to 4" blade , IIRC . :cool::thumbsup::thumbsup:
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That part of the law still baffles my mind. Fixed blades are proven to be deadlier weapons than a folder and yet the laws on folders are stricter than on fixed blades. A majority of knife related crimes occur with a kitchen knife, which is a fixed blade. A folding knife is more of a liability in a fight because the lock can fail and injure the user. Which makes me wonder if the fear of folding knives is truly warranted and in need of being revision.

I do own a few fixed blades, namely a Scagel Osage Orange medium bowie and a couple Nepalese khukuris; but alas all of them are over 4 inches and thus illegal. I would still want a knife that can fit in my pocket and not weigh me down. My scagel can actually fit into the breast pocket of my leather jacket but its rigid shape wasn't all that comfortable.

Out of curiosity, is NYC the most knife unfriendly place in the nation? And if not, what place(s) are worse?
 
Cosmodragoon said:
Do you live in New York City or just in the state of NY? I'm not familiar with a statewide length restriction. There also seems to be some recent movement on that ridiculous "gravity knife" restriction:

Federal Judges Rules Gravity Knife Law Unconstitutionally Vague:
https://reason.com/2019/03/28/federal-judge-rules-new-yorks-insane-gra/

Legislation Approved and Waiting for Governor:
https://www.law.com/newyorklawjourn...y-knife-prosecutions/?slreturn=20190422234329

New York Attorney General Supports Ending Gravity Knife Law:
https://queenseagle.com/all/letitia-james-end-gravity-knives
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I live on Long Island, which is east of NYC. But because of how Long Island is shaped I need to go through NYC to go anywhere else. So I do have to abide by their rules sometimes.

That gravity knife law has always been vague, and because of how vague it was it was often being misused by the police to shakedown people who were otherwise abiding by the law with no issues. It isn't completely gone, but the added clarity to the law is a step in the right direction.
 
My advice is that if you want to be safe, go the traditional route: case, GEC, etc. There is a great selection of elegant and functional folders. But the general rule is don't do anything that draws attention to yourself.
 
KalkiKrosah said:
The laws in my state (New York) are that the knife cannot exceed 3 inches and cannot be a gravity knife. I have been carrying a Benchmade mini-griptilian for the past few months but found out that the axis lock can be mislabeled as a gravity knife. I would like to own a knife that I can carry with me that I know is legal just for peace of mind.

On my list I came up with the Spyderco Para 3, Spyderco Lil Native, Spyderco Chaparral, Kershaw Atmos, Boker mini Kwaiken, CRKT pilar, Ontario Rat 2, Gerber Fastball and the Steel Will mini Cutjack. Is there any knife on my list you would recommend I buy? Or any knife I may have passed over which meets my specifications?

I don't want a fixed blade, I can't use an axis lock (sorry Benchmade) and am unsure if the triad lock, back lock or compression lock constitute as gravity knives, so if anyone can clarify whether they can be labeled as a gravity knife that would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...

Of the group you mentioned I'd definitely go with the Chaparral. It's the least likely to be wrist flickable since it's a mid-lock and the blade has very little mass.

Personally, I'd carry a UKPK in NYC. USA made, s110v with great ergonomics and super lightweight. IMPOSSIBLE to misconstrue as a gravity knife. It dresses up nicely with some aftermarket scales too. :D

IMG-20190328-154922-127.jpg

IMG-20190421-111602-948.jpg
 
WHT said:
My advice is that if you want to be safe, go the traditional route: case, GEC, etc. There is a great selection of elegant and functional folders. But the general rule is don't do anything that draws attention to yourself.
Click to expand...

That is a good general rule. I've always been polite and respectful to those around me so there's rarely an instance where I find myself in a situation where the police need to get involved. The few times I do use my knife outside of the home I make sure to be quick and subtle with using it, where I put it away right after using it. If someone notices my knife I reassure them that I have no bad intentions with it. I don't show my knife off in person but I will show them pictures of it on my phone. I'd like to think I'm safe about it, but I'm just trying to be extra cautious with my next purchase.

That being said, I haven't owned a slipjoint since my boy scout days. My first ever pocket knife was a boy scout knife from the scout shop. It may have even been a rebranded GEC or case knife. Wish I could verify what it was but I don't have it any more. I brought it fishing with me one day and left it in a bucket of salt water to wash off the crab guts. Bad idea. I kind of wish that they had the LC200N steel back then but oh well, lesson learned. Knife was corroded beyond repair once I retrieved it hours later. I never had a bad experience with a slip joint but the ease of use from modern folders makes slipjoints obsolete. But if that's the only option that is legal than its still pointing me in the right direction. Are there any knives from those makers you think I should look into specifically?
 
Velitrius said:
Carry a multi-tool like the LM Wingman, or perhaps something smaller like the Leap.

You've really limited your knife choices, so a multi-tool is probably the only safe and sane choice.

Or a SAK of some sort... the "Saint-Bernard-with-a-brandy-keg-around-its-neck" of knives.

Or a new state to live in.
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Never owned the particular model I'm about to mention,
a red SAK Cadet wouldn't be a bad choice in my opinion
I've read here that it's very easy to sharpen, and it should be familiar to the non-knife people....I've also read stories around here about guys using their knives and people not reacting too well about it..It has not happened me yet which is is a good thing to be honest. :)
 
T.L.E. Sharp said:
Of the group you mentioned I'd definitely go with the Chaparral. It's the least likely to be wrist flickable since it's a mid-lock and the blade has very little mass.

Personally, I'd carry a UKPK in NYC. USA made, s110v with great ergonomics and super lightweight. IMPOSSIBLE to misconstrue as a gravity knife. It dresses up nicely with some aftermarket scales too. :D

IMG-20190328-154922-127.jpg

IMG-20190421-111602-948.jpg
Click to expand...
I think I was leaning towards the Chaparral over all the other Spydercos I listed. The Raffir Noble model looked really nice to me. Most of my knives are G-10 or Carbon Fiber and there aren't many knives out there with resin handles. It's a cool look to it and meets my specifications, not to mention it has the Nick Shabazz endorsed gem of approval. I just wasn't sure if the locking mechanism could be labeled a gravity knife so thank you for clarifying that for me.

Also, I like the pictures you took. It reminds me a whole lot of the pictures that the KnivesShipFree crew likes to take of their knives.
 
KalkiKrosah said:
I think I was leaning towards the Chaparral over all the other Spydercos I listed. The Raffir Noble model looked really nice to me. Most of my knives are G-10 or Carbon Fiber and there aren't many knives out there with resin handles. It's a cool look to it and meets my specifications, not to mention it has the Nick Shabazz endorsed gem of approval. I just wasn't sure if the locking mechanism could be labeled a gravity knife so thank you for clarifying that for me.

Also, I like the pictures you took. It reminds me a whole lot of the pictures that the KnivesShipFree crew likes to take of their knives.
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You may have to tighten the pivot a tiny bit on the Chap. It's definitely difficult to flick open, but I've handled a couple that were so beautifully smooth that it might be possible. A little extra friction around the pivot should resolve that without making it any less pleasant to use though.

Definitely go for the Raffir version. They're really difficult to photograph and MUCH more attractive in person.
 
I travel to and work in NYC daily. I rotate through a few knives, but I carry the TRM Atlas most days. It is quite small, slip joint and light. A very legal carry. The other knives I will bring with me are a Manly Wasp, Opinel No. 7, Aitor Castor Pequeya, Svörd Peasant and mini Peasant and a Mora Eldris. I have a Chaparral with Rafir Noble scales, which is a very nice knife - one of my favorites - but it can be opened by grabbing the blade and swinging it. While not the way it is supposed to be opened, but a police officer can use this method to determine if it is a gravity knife. I avoid bringing my locking knives to the city at all, as most of them can be manipulated in this way and then its a problem. If you must have a locking knife, I'd just get a Mora Eldris and carry that.
 
Have you checked out a Spyderco Lil Temperance 3? It has a 3" FFG blade (Spyderco sharp), is rock solid with great fit/finish and the blade doesn't flip out easy. The two I own will not snap the blade open with a wrist flick. An all around great blade for EDC and SD.
 
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