Pocket knives in public

I carry a knife because my late Grandfather taught me to carry one when I was about 10 years old. I am very grateful to grow up around an old school guy like my Grandpa. People have changed a lot from just a couple generations ago. Without my Grandpa I would have missed out on a lot great teaching.. I think everyone should carry a knife, I get asked to share my knife all the time by people who would never carry a knife. Why they don't carry one I don't know, but people who know me always ask to use my knife, because they know I have it on me. Yet they wont carry one them selves. It's like with other tools, how often you use them varies, but when really need it, it is priceless. I have tools in my tool box that have been used only a couple times, but man is it nice when your car is all taken apart, and you have the right tool at the right time for the job. I prefer to be prepared, I don't like to rely on someone else to have what I need, and a pocket knife is so easy to carry, with the right one, you don't even notice it is there.
 
OP, if you aren't sure if you really need to carry a pocket knife, try going without it for a few weeks. If you find that life is better when you dont have it on you then there's your answer :) If you do decide to keep carrying, make sure you are aware of your local knife laws and follow them.

Dont worry about the cops too much. If a cop is willing to give you grief over a pocket folder then he was just looking for an excuse to harass you anyways. A very large percentage of cops are arrogant, ignorant and completely full of beans, dont let that scare you away from carrying your trusty folder.

And speaking of ignorance, looks like you got a couple really foolish and pointless responses to your simple question. Try not to let that bother you too much either, it's the internet!
 
jackknife said:
Any modest size pocket knife is not going to excite a police officer unless there's some circumstances about how it is discovered. I happen to live near one of the most security conscious areas in the nation, Washington D.C. I pass through security checkpoints on a regular basis in both federal buildings, the Smithsonian, the National Gallery Of Art, the D.C Metro system, and more. Of course, I carry a inconspicuous slip joint or a small SAK when I go "downtown" but nobody has ever said a thing about my knife.
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Jackknife,
I live not far from you, northern VA, and my experience has been a bit different. Once I had a Leatherman Charge in a backpack and a Style CS in my pocket when I went to a building in DC. Not a Federal facility, just one with overzealous rent-a-cops. I had to hide the Charge in a planter down the block and upon my return, wound up tossing the Style in the trash can when the guard got all snotty with me. I'm sure that d!ck took it afterward. He took offense when I suggested that there were already plenty of full-size scissors in the place. I worked in a Federal facility and they allowed blades less than 2.5" in length. Never got searched, and I often had much more than a 2.5" folder along with a larger Leatherman tool. I also had a guard at the Udvar-Hazy Center give me a hard time when he saw the pocket clip of a small Benchmade folder. I told him that I wasn't going to hijack anything in there. His attitude went Dirty Harry on me and threatened to confiscate it, so I laughed at him and took it back to my car. And I laughed at him again on the way back in.
 
Runawayemu said:
Okay, so I had this thought a minute ago, why do I carry knives in public. My usual answer is cuz what if i need to cut something? But I think about it, and how often do i need to open boxes or something going to the store?
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The few times I actually forgot to bring a knife, that's when something needed to be cut...and I felt like a true idiot for not having one with me (especially when around people who knew I always had a knife on me).

I'll put it this way: I find much more use for a knife than a cellphone on just about any given day.:)
 
DougB2 said:
Jackknife,
I live not far from you, northern VA, and my experience has been a bit different. Once I had a Leatherman Charge in a backpack and a Style CS in my pocket when I went to a building in DC. Not a Federal facility, just one with overzealous rent-a-cops. I had to hide the Charge in a planter down the block and upon my return, wound up tossing the Style in the trash can when the guard got all snotty with me. I'm sure that d!ck took it afterward. He took offense when I suggested that there were already plenty of full-size scissors in the place. I worked in a Federal facility and they allowed blades less than 2.5" in length. Never got searched, and I often had much more than a 2.5" folder along with a larger Leatherman tool. I also had a guard at the Udvar-Hazy Center give me a hard time when he saw the pocket clip of a small Benchmade folder. I told him that I wasn't going to hijack anything in there. His attitude went Dirty Harry on me and threatened to confiscate it, so I laughed at him and took it back to my car. And I laughed at him again on the way back in.
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Never let the rent-a-cops get away with that. Only once did I have a problem, it was at the old Post Office Pavillion trying to enter the eatery. The idiot in charge of the gate gave me grief over a SAK. Said it was over the limit. I asked him if he had a ruler to measure it, and he didn't. So I asked him how can he say it's over the limit if he can't prove it. I demanded to see his supervisor and let it be known right them he was wrong and I was going to make a case of it. The SAK in question was a 84mm recruit with a 2 1/2 inch blade and the guard was claiming it was over the 3 inch limit. He didn't even know what the limit was, he was just blowing smoke buildiing himself up with his over perceived authority. It took a few minutes for someone over him to show up and he kept singing the same tune. I took a small 6 inch ruler out of my bag and showed the supervisor. The super apologized and let me pass, and as I was going in, I could hear the super chewing the butt of the legend in his own mind guard.

Never let them bully you, and be ready to make a scene. I now make it a point to carry a small tape measure in my bag to prove my point and make them back down. If you know the law, there's nothing they can do. Never let them win.

Carl.
 
Runawayemu said:
What if i get pulled over? I have to disclose the fact that i have a knife in my pocket when he or she asks me. I am not a bad driver but nobody's perfect. Only an idiot would brandish it and your response was obviously not meant to help answer my question. Thanks.
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This happened to me once.
I was out of state and got pulled over for speeding.
Had a 4 inch bali with me, which is illegal in most states.
He suspected I may have drugs ( long story ) in the car and asked me to step out so he could search the car.
I was honest with him and handed over the knife.
After he searched my car, he thanked me for my honesty and sent me on my way with my knife.
 
I never ask myself that. As a Scout I always believe in being prepared, part of that is having a knife. Rule #9 as mentioned. And the wisdom of better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it, rules my thinking.
 
The examples I gave haven't happened to me and I know it's against the law, but it still happens to people.
 
The only time I really went any length of time with out a knife was for a girl... She had this phobia of them, it was bad enough that all food prep was done by me... I'd cut what ever needed to be cut at meals and what not... very hard to explain to my parents why she would excuse herself while I cut dinner on her plate.

Almost every day of that relationship I felt something was wrong... turns out it was just me missing the feel of my knife in my pocket.
 
JSMcustoms said:
First off, I see no reason not to carry a pocket knife. I don't know of any state that considers a folding knife with a blade length of three inches or less to be a concealed weapon. I know that it's not here in North Carolina where it's illegal to carry a concealed weapon (other than a firearm with a permit). Folding knives are fine here as long as they're around three inches or so (no actual stated blade length limit). Second of all, know your rights when it comes to dealing with law enforcement.

  • You have the right to remain silent. If you wish to exercise that right, say so out loud.
  • You have the right to refuse to consent to a search of yourself, your car or your home.
  • If you are not under arrest, you have the right to calmly leave.

In short, even if they ask you if you have a knife on you, you do not have to answer the question. Also, if they use the term 'weapon' even if I felt like answering, I would answer 'no' even if I had a knife on me. The reason being, my pocket knife is not a weapon, but a tool.
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:thumbup:

In australia we need a reasonable excuse if I was ever asked by a copper if I had a weapon I would say no but I have a pocket knife.
 
Runawayemu said:
it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon in my state but a knife isn't a weapon to me.
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What state? Assuming you're talking about the USA, there's no state where knives are completely banned. Obviously, laws vary, and often contradict the laws of other states, but there's always something you can legally carry. You might not be allowed to carry what you would like, but there's always something sharp you can keep on your person, even if it's a humble Case Peanut or Swiss Army knife.
 
I'm at my niece's gymnastics invitational today, and one girl was asking a security guard if he had a pair of scissors but nobody had anything. I walked up to her and whispered if she wanted to borrow my knife, and she lit up as I handed her my Spyderco PPT. The security guard saw this and said "that's a nice knife, better make sure you get it back!". I stayed with her until she was done.
 
JSMcustoms said:
First off, I see no reason not to carry a pocket knife. I don't know of any state that considers a folding knife with a blade length of three inches or less to be a concealed weapon. I know that it's not here in North Carolina where it's illegal to carry a concealed weapon (other than a firearm with a permit). Folding knives are fine here as long as they're around three inches or so (no actual stated blade length limit). Second of all, know your rights when it comes to dealing with law enforcement.

  • You have the right to remain silent. If you wish to exercise that right, say so out loud.
  • You have the right to refuse to consent to a search of yourself, your car or your home.
  • If you are not under arrest, you have the right to calmly leave.

In short, even if they ask you if you have a knife on you, you do not have to answer the question. Also, if they use the term 'weapon' even if I felt like answering, I would answer 'no' even if I had a knife on me. The reason being, my pocket knife is not a weapon, but a tool.
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Umm, a couple of things...

If you choose to remain silent, you will be arrested. Once you're under arrest, your possessions ( such as your car or bags ) and your person will be subject to a search--so essentially waiving your 4th Amendemnt right to refuse search. The right to remain silent is for after you've been arrested.

If you are not under arrest and are instead begin detained, and you attempt to "calmly walk away" they won't simply let you go and worse case scenario will charge you with attempting to flee. You must ask, "Am I under arrest?" If the answer is yes, THEN take your right to remain silent. If the answer is "No" then you ASK "May I leave," and you will be informed whether you're being detained or not.

You don't technically have to tell an officer if you have a pocket knife or a "weapon" but they will certainly not appreciate it if you say no and they conduct a Terry pat and find it. What you should say is, "No I don't have a weapon, but I have a knife." This emphasizes that you are not carrying your knife as a weapon, and also makes the police officer aware of it which they will appreciate. Anything less and they will consider you to be lying and might even be able to charge you for obstructing. Worse yet, if your knife happens to be legally considered a weapon, you can be charged with attempting to conceal.

Just be honest about what you use the knife for. Don't be coy or a smart aleck... Just say, "Well, if I ever have to cut open a box or something. Sometimes I use it to clean my fingernails. Is it okay to have a knife for that?" You don't really even need a good practical reason for it. "It's a lucky charm, my grandfather gave it to me. It's okay to carry right?"


There are cops out there that just want to put a charge over on you. That's what you remain silent for, exercise and know your rights for. There are also cops out there that are just trying to do their jobs and keep themselves, you and the public safe--best thing is to just work with those people.
 
^ thanks that post needed be adressed

following that advice is a sure way to catch the ol' billy club for 'resisting arrest'
 
I agree with both of the above posts.

There is more than one post in this thread were people sound as if they will go out of their way to make LEO life miserable.

Even if you want to exercise your "rights" to a rent-a-cop, when they call the real police, guess who's side they are going to take.
 
What type of knife do you carry? Even in the People's Republic of Maryland where I live a folding pocketknife isn't considered a weapon and believe me, this is one screwed up liberal state I live in. If you have a pocket clip exposed it isn't considered concealed. If I get pulled over, unless they tell me to get out of the car which will lead me to believe I will be searched, I don't tell them jack squat.:cool: What if you get in a car wreck and you are stuck and need to cut your seat belt?:eek: That knife would come in handy then wouldn't it?

Runawayemu said:
Okay, so I had this thought a minute ago, why do I carry knives in public. My usual answer is cuz what if i need to cut something? But I think about it, and how often do i need to open boxes or something going to the store? Can u guys help me out? I am starting to question my knife faith and posting on the forum usually turns it around :)

p.s. this kinda helps if a cop were to ask me "Why the heck do u have a knife on u?" seeing that it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon in my state but a knife isn't a weapon to me. It just looks better if i have multiple reasons to back it up.
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I find it difficult to understand the original question. If there was an original question there.

I've carried pocket knives since I was 8.
During my LE career I carried three knives on duty. In my state folders up to the size of a Buck 110 were & are commonly encountered on belts & as long as they stayed there if the owner remained calm & didn't appear to be a threat I couldn't care less.

I don't recall ever asking anybody why they carried a knife.
Did occasionally ask about any out-of-sight weapons & would remove knives at least temporarily if the person appeared to indicate it might be wise to do that. Would remove them, of course, as part of an arrest if discovered during a search.

Retired now, I carry four knives daily. If anybody ever asked why, I'd say "Because I occasionally need to cut things."
I carry those because I do occasionally need to cut things, and if I don't carry any of them I obviously can't cut things.

What's the problem?
Denis
 
Here just a few of them many things I use knives for when I'm out and about:

To cut cheese, salame, fruits, and various foods.
To cut open food packaging.
To snip loose threads.
General use for camera gear repairs in the field.
Preparation for defense against feral dogs, if necessary.
Picking flowers.
Examining things I find (plants, mushrooms, etc.).

The uses for a pocket knife are limited only by your imagination.
 
The next time I get stopped and searched by the police, I might give the 'hot chicks' excuse a try! :D
 
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