Using large folder in public?

S

stillshot2

Joined
Jun 6, 2014
Messages
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So I've been enjoying a Spyderco Police 4 lightweight recently as an EDC, it's been great for cutting sandwiches or hamburgers for my little kids when out and about. But it being a little on the large side (a little over 4 inch blade) got me wondering if I were using it in public and say someone from law enforcement saw me using it to cut something is there a high probability it could have them approach me for questioning? I live in Arizona so not many knife restrictions, and obviously I'm not going to be doing anything illegal but just curious what any of you on this forum that may be active law enforcement or even a retired officer would have to say on the matter? I don't care what the average person thinks of me carrying it unless they are going to freak out enough to call the cops and possibly get me searched or cause me headache even though it's legal for me to carry this knife. It is a crazy world we live in after all.. thoughts?
 
I never ceased to be amazed when I was at work and I'd pull out my pocket knife to open a box, an envelope or cut up part of my lunch, and a co-worker would walk by and say something like "Ooohhh, what do you need that knife for? It looks dangerous."

I wanted to respond and tell them I brought it to work so I could PRETEND to be opening a box or peeling an apple or slicing an orange, while all the time I was really planning to go berserk and slit somebody's throat. But I didn't. I'd usually say "to open a box, like this" or "to slice this fruit" and end with my own question: "Why do you think that's dangerous?"

If I'm opening a package or peeling an orange, it is really such a mystery "what I need that knife for?" It's not like I had it out playing with it, like a fidget spinner. Maybe the correct response would have been: "Ooohhhh, what do you need that brain for? Obviously not to think with!"

For what it's worth, all of the pocket knives I carried to work had less than 4-inch blade length - not that it should matter.
 
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If you say discretion is the better part of valour, you mean that avoiding a dangerous or unpleasant situation is sometimes the most sensible thing to do. I’m an old guy, born in the 50’s. Sure you can say f’em if people are uncomfortable with me pulling out a four inch blade or you can carry something like a SAK that’s cool with anyone to use in certain situations. I carry a Spyderco Military 100% of the time, and some other small SAK, traditional etc. 100% of the time. It’s not rocket science to figure out when and where to use which knife.
 
mobilerd said:
I carry a Spyderco Military 100% of the time, and some other small SAK, traditional etc. 100% of the time.
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This may be the best solution. I got my wife a little Spyderco Ladybug in S30V for her keys I will be gifting her soon. Never really leaned towards being a two knife guy but maybe I can make her be the one to carry the second smaller one for the smaller tasks? I wondered if a Spyderco Military 2 would be any less large looking than the Police 4 to the average Joe but probably not huh?
 
Regarding your concern that an LEO might approach you and question you for pulling out a knife, no one on this forum, or for that matter, no one on earth can tell you with any degree of certainty what any given LEO will do on any given day.

The fact is, even if it's perfectly legal to take out a knife with a 4" blade, that's no guarantee an LEO won't take an interest and want to talk to you about it. Just as there is no law against you carrying and using such a knife, there is no law against an LEO approaching you and asking you about it. So it's entirely possible that they might.

I remember when I was considering openly carrying a fixed-blade (San Diego, California), and I had concerns that LEO's might take an undesirable interest in me and my knife. I just had to get over that concern and not worry about it. Part of what helped me get over my concern was making sure I knew my legal rights, that I knew the law, and that I could recite from memory the exact statute in the CA penal code that made it legal to openly carry a fixed-blade. I then carried a fixed-blade for many years, and without a single LEO ever hassling me about it. Many LEO's saw my knife, but none ever stopped me because of it.
 
stillshot2 said:
So I've been enjoying a Spyderco Police 4 lightweight recently as an EDC, it's been great for cutting sandwiches or hamburgers for my little kids when out and about. But it being a little on the large side (a little over 4 inch blade) got me wondering if I were using it in public and say someone from law enforcement saw me using it to cut something is there a high probability it could have them approach me for questioning? I live in Arizona so not many knife restrictions, and obviously I'm not going to be doing anything illegal but just curious what any of you on this forum that may be active law enforcement or even a retired officer would have to say on the matter? I don't care what the average person thinks of me carrying it unless they are going to freak out enough to call the cops and possibly get me searched or cause me headache even though it's legal for me to carry this knife. It is a crazy world we live in after all.. thoughts?
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Candidly, I enjoy carrying large knives, but I also always carry a smaller knife as well to use when around others. Also, if you are going to use a larger knife, I'll say this: body language, a calm demeanor, and a relaxed face are everything when doing so. If you have to cut something, if someone sees you and you're entirely relaxed and casual as you cut the thing, then close and pocket the knife, that nonverbally tells onlookers that what they are seeing is "Person using a tool in a nonthreatening way". Virtually ten times out of ten, it works for me.
 

Out in public , amongst strangers especially , at least some will be profiling and analyzing everything and everyone for threats .

Introducing a large folder into full view may be problematic , but blade length in only one factor of many .

Are you otherwise blending into the dinner crowd at a working class restaurant and obviously struggling to cut your tough steak ?

Or , are you lurking around a daycare or playground and already thought to look seedy and suspicious .

How you appear and act within the context of a particular environment and group of people is far more important than knife size alone .

Even so ...I generally don't display my 5.5" and over blade length folders inmost public settings .

~4" or so and under , is OK in a non-fighting type blade pattern , for me in my local area , when and where appropriate and needed .

Police models, especially full serrated, however are not the most low profile . :rolleyes:
 
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stillshot2 said:
So I've been enjoying a Spyderco Police 4 lightweight recently as an EDC, it's been great for cutting sandwiches or hamburgers for my little kids when out and about. But it being a little on the large side (a little over 4 inch blade) got me wondering if I were using it in public and say someone from law enforcement saw me using it to cut something is there a high probability it could have them approach me for questioning? I live in Arizona so not many knife restrictions, and obviously I'm not going to be doing anything illegal but just curious what any of you on this forum that may be active law enforcement or even a retired officer would have to say on the matter? I don't care what the average person thinks of me carrying it unless they are going to freak out enough to call the cops and possibly get me searched or cause me headache even though it's legal for me to carry this knife. It is a crazy world we live in after all.. thoughts?
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You don't have to answer questions or explain anything to the police. Just ask them if you're being detained. If they say no then politely walk away or ignore them. If they say yes, ask them if they have reasonable suspicion you have or are about to commit a crime. Only if they have such suspicion can they detain you and demand your ID. If they persist in detaining you with no reasonable suspicion, ask for their supervisor.
 
Twice in one week!

Ballpark security guard had no issues with my knife at the ballpark

On my way from work directly to a semipro baseball game I began thinking of dinner. A ballpark dog, "beefy nachos" or one of those fancy micro-pizzas didn't sound all that good so I pulled into a supermarket with a good deli. I grabbed a loaf of their house French bread, two nice Beefsteak...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com
 
Actually, that is about my limit to comfortably pull out and use around people. I love my serrated P4LW. Wave it out and cut a box when its just me and my homie working the back. If in gentler company, I can pull out my SAK or a smaller folder I have on me. I have choices.

If people will be iffy, they will, if they won't they won't I have noticed, and nothing about the knife changes that. For example, the coworkers of mine who said nothing about the SAK I used on my first day, also said nothing about my Microtech, or my AD20.5 or my Spydie Advocate.

My boss asked the floor for a flathead driver today and when I handed her my opener tool on my purp micarta Swisschamp, she says "Oh Lord my fingerprints are on this, don't kill anyone with this!!" Twice, even if it was a little kidding. I don't think an 81 or 74mm woulda made a huge difference.

I usually have a folder that is anywhere from 4-7.5in on me
 
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