It's unbelievable how hard a life long habit is to break. Except for my time in the army, I spent my whole life in and around the Washington D.C./Maryland suburban area. Habits formed based on what was legal in the Peoples Republik Of Maryland sometimes was, to put it bluntly, nuts. Like knives.
It was legal to carry an Opinel number 12 or a very large navaja with a 6 inch blade, as long as it was not a "switch blade" under Maryland law. Maryland was very strict with any knife with a spring activated blade. But, and here's the complete nuts part, a tiny Buck Hartsook was illegal to have on a pocket as was ANY fixed blade knife concealed. But...that four letter word again, you could hang a Bowie knife from your belt and be completely legal as long a it was completely open to view.
When I was an inmate of Maryland, I liked the idea of the un=folding pocket knife and even carried a small custom for a while. But after a narrow escape from arrest from a very zealous police officer, only diverted by my son being a police officer that out ranked him, I gave it away on this very forum.
But...that little word again, now I'm living in Texas, and it's taken a full two years to slowly relax from the Marylandistan paranoia and realize that the laws here are far more relaxed. Being an old fart with arthritic fingers, I've found myself very sloooowly wearing a small fixed blade on my belt. My old and well worn Buck 102 woodsman is a pretty regular passenger on my belt since I spend a lot of time fishing the San Gabrial river. On a hot Texas summer day it's fine to have a folding chair in a shady spot, a line in the water, a few cold ones in the Little Oscar cooler, and a loaded Peterson 314 on deck. The Buck woodsman cuts bait, cleans fish, and its easier to clean than a folding knife. I guess I've been using it like the old guys down on the Maryland eastern shore used their little Finn's.
At first I was careful to take it off before walking into the post office or Walmart. But I'd forget now and then and at first I'd kind of semi panic and think "Holly Crap, I forgot to take my knife off." But a strange thing happened. Mostly nobody even noticed. Then once in a while I see someone else carrying a small fixed blade. An old very weathered Schrade sharp finger, another Buck, and once in a while a local custom on a hip. So, to take advantage of my standing as a venerated old fart, I just started to keep the Buck 102 on my hip more and more.
I'd forgotten just how handy it was to take out knife, cut, put knife back in sheath. No opening, no folding up, just use. Way easier for old stiff fumble fingers to deal with. The knife is way easier to clean up after a messy job, just wash and wipe off and sheath. No joints to oil or hidden areas to worry about. I just may have to pick up a small puuko for edc carry. Or hunt the great bay and get an old Case little finn. I think Matt Rankin and Bill Harding would approve.
It was legal to carry an Opinel number 12 or a very large navaja with a 6 inch blade, as long as it was not a "switch blade" under Maryland law. Maryland was very strict with any knife with a spring activated blade. But, and here's the complete nuts part, a tiny Buck Hartsook was illegal to have on a pocket as was ANY fixed blade knife concealed. But...that four letter word again, you could hang a Bowie knife from your belt and be completely legal as long a it was completely open to view.
When I was an inmate of Maryland, I liked the idea of the un=folding pocket knife and even carried a small custom for a while. But after a narrow escape from arrest from a very zealous police officer, only diverted by my son being a police officer that out ranked him, I gave it away on this very forum.
But...that little word again, now I'm living in Texas, and it's taken a full two years to slowly relax from the Marylandistan paranoia and realize that the laws here are far more relaxed. Being an old fart with arthritic fingers, I've found myself very sloooowly wearing a small fixed blade on my belt. My old and well worn Buck 102 woodsman is a pretty regular passenger on my belt since I spend a lot of time fishing the San Gabrial river. On a hot Texas summer day it's fine to have a folding chair in a shady spot, a line in the water, a few cold ones in the Little Oscar cooler, and a loaded Peterson 314 on deck. The Buck woodsman cuts bait, cleans fish, and its easier to clean than a folding knife. I guess I've been using it like the old guys down on the Maryland eastern shore used their little Finn's.
At first I was careful to take it off before walking into the post office or Walmart. But I'd forget now and then and at first I'd kind of semi panic and think "Holly Crap, I forgot to take my knife off." But a strange thing happened. Mostly nobody even noticed. Then once in a while I see someone else carrying a small fixed blade. An old very weathered Schrade sharp finger, another Buck, and once in a while a local custom on a hip. So, to take advantage of my standing as a venerated old fart, I just started to keep the Buck 102 on my hip more and more.
I'd forgotten just how handy it was to take out knife, cut, put knife back in sheath. No opening, no folding up, just use. Way easier for old stiff fumble fingers to deal with. The knife is way easier to clean up after a messy job, just wash and wipe off and sheath. No joints to oil or hidden areas to worry about. I just may have to pick up a small puuko for edc carry. Or hunt the great bay and get an old Case little finn. I think Matt Rankin and Bill Harding would approve.
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. So I compromise and carry a pocket sized fixed blade every day, and a scout or SAK to keep it company.
I've gotten into the habit of pocket carrying a small fixed blade (<7") to work for lunch/apple duty. Belt carry has never really appealed to me, but I do have one fixed blade sheath with a pocket clip that I use from time to time.