Small Fixed Blade as an EDC?

I gotta tell you guys alot depends on where you live. For a while my EDC was a Kurt Meerdink bird and trout, kydex sheath black G-10 scales,2-2 1/2" blade. It was almost invisible. Now I live in a rural farming area that is becoming suburbia. I went to the local mall with my wife pushing a baby carriage and some self important mall rent-a-cop decided that a clean cut (polo shirt and blue jeans) family man within his rights in New York state (2" blade ?) shoulden't be carring a fixed blade because he would scare off all of the other paying costomers, and asked me to remove the knife or leave. Rather than make a scene with my family present I pulled my shirt over the offending knife now rendering it a concealed weapon which this s**t for brains rent a cop was ok with. Needless to say I don't frequent that mall anymore. Some things really make you wonder?:mad: My current EDC is a spyderco Terzuola which has not gotten me thrown out of anyplace yet.
 
tridad, please complain to the man's superior and also to the mall manager. We can't defeat the idiots if we don't fight them in their offices.
 
Originally posted by trldad
I gotta tell you guys alot depends on where you live. For a while my EDC was a Kurt Meerdink bird and trout, kydex sheath black G-10 scales,2-2 1/2" blade. It was almost invisible. Now I live in a rural farming area that is becoming suburbia. I went to the local mall with my wife pushing a baby carriage and some self important mall rent-a-cop decided that a clean cut (polo shirt and blue jeans) family man within his rights in New York state (2" blade ?) shoulden't be carring a fixed blade because he would scare off all of the other paying costomers, and asked me to remove the knife or leave. Rather than make a scene with my family present I pulled my shirt over the offending knife now rendering it a concealed weapon which this s**t for brains rent a cop was ok with. Needless to say I don't frequent that mall anymore. Some things really make you wonder?:mad: My current EDC is a spyderco Terzuola which has not gotten me thrown out of anyplace yet.
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I almost had a similar incident. I took my wife and daughter to Sea World in San Antonio. I was wearing a custom Barry Dawson neck knife (2"blade, 5"OAL) dangling from my belt loop in plain sight. While we were standing in line to get in, I noticed two police officers searching people's bags, coolers, etc. I thought "Oh no, my knife's going to be confiscated." I resigned myself to losing one of my favorite knives, but the cops just motioned me to go through the gate and didn't mention the knife. They did check our backpack for alcohol and explosives, but never asked about the knife.
 
Joe,
My forge is a stacked soft fire brick affair. It's lit up with a weed burning torch from Harbor Freight. My anvil is also from HF. It's the 110 lb. cast steel model. Not great, but not too bad to start out with either.;) It gets the job done till I can eventually afford to get a proper forge and anvil. My hammers are from hither and yon with a couple from HF thrown in for good measure.:D
I have other equipment(been stock removing since '93) but my set up cost to start forging was under $240.00 IIRC.

BTW,
I also recently did a forged chef's knife which I posted over at the Bladesmith's Forum here at BFC. There's also a hunter forged from 1084 on the foum here somewhere, I just can't remember where right now.:confused: Senior moment don'tchaknow.:rolleyes:


All the best,
Mike U.
 
Originally posted by misque
Joe,
My forge is a stacked soft fire brick affair. It's lit up with a weed burning torch from Harbor Freight. My anvil is also from HF. It's the 110 lb. cast steel model. Not great, but not too bad to start out with either.;) It gets the job done till I can eventually afford to get a proper forge and anvil. My hammers are from hither and yon with a couple from HF thrown in for good measure.:D
I have other equipment(been stock removing since '93) but my set up cost to start forging was under $240.00 IIRC.

BTW,
I also recently did a forged chef's knife which I posted over at the Bladesmith's Forum here at BFC. There's also a hunter forged from 1084 on the foum here somewhere, I just can't remember where right now.:confused: Senior moment don'tchaknow.:rolleyes:


All the best,
Mike U.
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Hi Mike,

Thanks for the info. I don't know if I'm ready to start forging right away, but I'm interested in stock removal on a budget. Any tips on what kind of equipment I'd need?

Regards,

Joe
 
Only one stranger has commented on it, and he had a small knife display in his store. It hangs on my keychain with my keys and a Princeton Tec Attitude. I don't think most people notice it. Allow me to give an example of how people don't notice things. My wife and I took our Ball Python with us for a walk down Main St. in Huntington Beach. Only a couple of people had any reaction at all. Most walked right on by without batting an eye. How do you not notice a four foot long snake wrapped around the head a six foot tall girl? People don't see things because they don't WANT to see things. If it's legal and you like it, carry it.

Frank
 
Originally posted by Steven Roos
I used to carry a small fixed blade very often, usually at work. It was never a problem.

One time, after work, I went to my bank with my Buck/Strider Solution in a kydex sheath on my belt. It drew a few funny looks, and the security guard asked me to leave it in the car next time. I'd been in there many times before with a smaller fixed blade too, go figure.
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Thanks to 9/11, if you carry a knife, you are basically seen a criminal or terrorist now.

It is, "Why would he need to carry a knife? He must be up to no good."
 
Originally posted by collecter
A smart folder can accomplish all your "city cutting needs".
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Be glad you don't live in the UK. Carrying ANY kind of knife, including an ordinary SAK, will now get you two years behind bars.
 
During the winter months when I'm wearing jeans and a belt my EDC is usually my Dozier Straight Personal. It has a slightly sub 3" blade. I carry it in a horizontal kydex sheath. It's usually concealed though as I rarely tuck in my shirts (college student who works at a bicycle shop....every day is casual day for me) On occasions where I have tucked in my shirt, I still wear the knife. Doesn't seem to attract much attention at all. It's a great knife and a great EDC, I'd highly recomend one.
 
I carry either my first custom (check my profile for details) or my CRKT Ryan Plan B (the Teflon-coated version) on a fairly regular basis.
The former rides in a Kydex sheath specifically made for small of the back carry. The CRKT sits in its factory Zytel sheath IWB.
 
Joe,

I got started with a 1"x42" Craftsman belt sander, a cheapie drill press, small vise and a bench grinder(for roughing in the blade's profile and polishing). I now use a Sears Craftsman 2"x42" and am looking to step up to a 2x72" grinder. There is lot of equipment you'll find you "need" as you get further along in the knifemaking game. For example, along with the aforementioned drill press and bench grinder, now I have two band saws (one metal and one wood cutting), three belt grinders, a table saw, chop saw, large bench vise, router, drill bit sharpener, a flex shaft rotary tool, two kilns, various leather working tools and you already know about the forging set-up.

Once you get bitten by the knife making bug, it's a terminal disease, be careful.:eek:

BTW:
There are threads(at least one I know of) over in the Shop Talk forum asking about start-up equipment. Check it out.;)

Also, sorry about not getting back to you sooner. I'm active in about nine different forums and sometimes forget about where all I've posted.:)


All the best,
Mike U.
 
Originally posted by misque
Joe,

I got started with a 1"x42" Craftsman belt sander, a cheapie drill press, small vise and a bench grinder(for roughing in the blade's profile and polishing). I now use a Sears Craftsman 2"x42" and am looking to step up to a 2x72" grinder. There is lot of equipment you'll find you "need" as you get further along in the knifemaking game. For example, along with the aforementioned drill press and bench grinder, now I have two band saws (one metal and one wood cutting), three belt grinders, a table saw, chop saw, large bench vise, router, drill bit sharpener, a flex shaft rotary tool, two kilns, various leather working tools and you already know about the forging set-up.

Once you get bitten by the knife making bug, it's a terminal disease, be careful.:eek:

BTW:
There are threads(at least one I know of) over in the Shop Talk forum asking about start-up equipment. Check it out.;)

Also, sorry about not getting back to you sooner. I'm active in about nine different forums and sometimes forget about where all I've posted.:)


All the best,
Mike U.
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Thanks Mike. I think I'm going to look at getting a minimalist setup like you described next year and trying my hand at this. The only one I'm wondering about is the drill press. Someone posted a thread that the cheapie drill presses run too fast to be used for metal removal because they burn up the bits. What kind did you use to start out with and did you have the same problem?
 
I've just ordered a new EDC knife. You can see a pic at www.hideawayknife.com. I'm getting a standard single-edged straight blade. I figure it is the best choice to double as both a utility and self-defense knife. I hope I'll only need to use it as a utility knife. I guess you can use it in a fight, but I figure if I need to rely on a sub-2" blade to defend myself I'm in big trouble.
 
Originally posted by jggonzalez
I hope I'll only need to use it as a utility knife. I guess you can use it in a fight, but I figure if I need to rely on a sub-2" blade to defend myself I'm in big trouble.
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Don't act like it can't do some damage. Slice open someone's arm, slash their neck, or stab them a few times and whoever is attacking should be greatly discouraged from continuing their attack. Don't underestimate the usefulness of a small blade.
 
Originally posted by Steven Roos
Don't act like it can't do some damage. Slice open someone's arm, slash their neck, or stab them a few times and whoever is attacking should be greatly discouraged from continuing their attack. Don't underestimate the usefulness of a small blade.
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That's true. I'm just assuming that anyone who attacks me probably has a bigger blade in their hand. Training can overcome the disadvantage, but I still have to be careful. I just assume that I will be cut, but hopefully I can cut the other guy worse than he cuts me.
 
Hi Joe,
My drill press is a cheapie made by Chicago Power Tools in Taiwan. It's a 5 speed model that has speeds from 620 FPM(feet per minute) to 3100 FPM. To keep drill bits from burning up I use a spray bottle of water and keep the steel at the drill site wet and always use the lowest speed. Works quite well and I don't burn up bits.:D
Of course, I'm eyeing a 16 speed model, but the one I have does what I need it to do. It drills holes straight and even does yeoman duty as a slow speed buffer when I need it to. For fixed blade knife making, you really don't need a lot of high tech power tools, it's just that some of them make life a lot easier if you get heavier into hobby or part time knifemaking.:)


All the best,
Mike U.
 
Originally posted by misque
Hi Joe,
My drill press is a cheapie made by Chicago Power Tools in Taiwan. It's a 5 speed model that has speeds from 620 FPM(feet per minute) to 3100 FPM. To keep drill bits from burning up I use a spray bottle of water and keep the steel at the drill site wet and always use the lowest speed. Works quite well and I don't burn up bits.:D
Of course, I'm eyeing a 16 speed model, but the one I have does what I need it to do. It drills holes straight and even does yeoman duty as a slow speed buffer when I need it to. For fixed blade knife making, you really don't need a lot of high tech power tools, it's just that some of them make life a lot easier if you get heavier into hobby or part time knifemaking.:)


All the best,
Mike U.
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Thanks for the tip. I thought I was going to have to spend big $$$ to get a specialized model that ran at slow speeds. If your method works, then a cheap drill press, a cheap grinder, and a handful of files, a hacksaw, and some sandpaper should do it. Thanks!
 
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