What's Too Big for Office Carry?

J

JTurner

Joined
Jun 21, 2001
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I work in a fully suited up stuffy office. Could I get away with a 3.2inch blade on a 4.2inch handle or is this just too big? I know it may not seem much to you large Sebe, SERE 2000, 710, etc. carriers, but I am worried I might make some people nervous.

What do you guys think? Thanks...JT
 
Its more the LOOK rather than blade length to the stuffy politically correct people:)

If its got the "tactical folder" look to it, I'd say no go.

I'd recommend a BM gents folder, my grandpa carrys one and loves it.

As long as it looks harmless they shouldnt mind.


Darn P/C people these days:(;)
 
I would look into the Busse Battle Mistress.
With it's smallish 9.5" blade nobody should take a second look.:D
Seriously, I think if anyone has a problem with a large sebbie or anything in that size then they have a sad take on life. It's a cutting tool, not a weapon, unless it has to be.
The importiant thing is what your company policy states.
If you follow it and someone has a problem then you can show them the policy. Even if you do have to tone down what you carry, you shouldn't get too much grief over it.


--Jeff
 
If it has an edge it will make someone nervous. I'd start by carrying very large fixed blades for a few weeks then switch to the folder. Shouldn't bother them too much when put in perspective ;)
 
I have to agree with pedder2226 that the style of a knife matters more than the size. That is one reason why I really love non-black tacticals. The black Kershaw Boa is one of the meanest-looking knives out there, but the version in teal and purple seems kind of cheerful.

In a somewhat different vein the bright blue Benchmade 940 and the gem green Spyderco Lum Chinese are just too pretty to seem threatening. A decorated Sebenza has the same effect.

If you select a knife that doesn't look like it belongs on a sterile black covert ops uniform you can get away with a lot. :)

--Bob Q
 
I work in an office where the dress code is business/casual. I usually wear a button up shirt or sometimes a polo. Here lately I have been carrying 1 folder and 1 fixed blade at all times.

The folder is always either a spyderco wegner, a rekat pioneer, or a rekat sifu. The fixed blade is either a tops street scalpel, a greco companion, or a trace rinaldi sharktooth.

The shirt tail is always un-tucked, and always covers up both blades with no problems. I doubt anyone even knows I carry a knife up there. If I need to use a knife at work, I always use the folder. If some drug fueled psychopath attacked me though, it would be the fixed blade that did the dirty work. :rolleyes: :p

So, in other words - try to go *concealed*. What they don't know won't hurt 'em. It also depends on how much risk you're willing to take though. If you think you would get fired if someone spotted your blade, don't risk it unless you're willing to look for another job.

If you have to be a "suit and tie guy" every day, consider a folder that will fit all the way in your pocket. A clip sticking out is sure to draw comments... If you plan on USING the knife openly, I'd definitely go with something "non tactical".

whatever you decide - good luck!
 
JTurner: Although my office is at home, and therefore I can carry anything I want, I do spend a lot of time with customers and at trade shows (where the dress ranges from casual to full suits).

When dressed causual business or full suit any of the folders you mentioned (Sebe, SERE 2000 or BM 710) should be fine. They all fit well in the pocket and do not look odd. The key is how your office companions will view it when you open you knife at work. The key is to simply keep it in your pocket. Other than that, no one will care, unless your office has rules against knives being in the work place. That would be a seperate issue.
 
If you look around, you can still find a NIB Spyderco Calypso or Calypso Jr in black micarta. There are a number of makers who make very nice Gentlemen's knives in the 2"-4" blade range.
 
Bring a Spyderco Civilain for a day. ;)
After that anything will look tame

Seriously , even a longer blade like the Spyderco Viele in non serrated would or should be acceptable as it has a really classy look to it.

Otherwise any type of Warencliffe (sp) style should be a good choice as the blade is perfectly suited to general box opening, letter opening type of tasks and it doesn't look like an evil Tactical.
 
I work in a professional environment full of sheeple and tree huggers.

I have found that no matter what I carry I can't please everyone. I had one person freak out because of my Victorinox Swisstool :eek:

So what I carry is pretty simple.

I carry whatever I want clipped to my right front pocket. Today it's a Cold Steel El Lobo, yesterday it was my Large Classic Sebenza.

In my left pocket I carry my Leatherman Micra.

If I am alone or with knife friendly people (or people I don't like :D) I use whatever the EDC of choice that day is, otherwise I pull out the Leatherman.

Works well for me.
 
In my opinion you are looking for a william henry.
 

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I work in a design office. I carried in about 8 or 9 different production folders. Spyderco, Benchmade and Boker/Klozli.

Serrated = bad
Coated = bad
Wide (such as the fearsome Dragonfly!) = bad
Clipped in pocket = bad

So, I recently got a Benchmade 450 Park Avenue. It has the silver clip on three chain links. Clips at the bottom of the pocket opening, and keeps the knife above change and keys. It has a 2.7 inch boron-coated blade (not too evil looking). Matte finish charcoal anodized scales. The blade is about the shape of a SAK blade.

Never have had a mention since then.

Runner up = Kershaw Chive. The speed safe open has lots of toy attraction and the blade is so small it looks like a toy (but very sharp).

I carry either a Spyderco Native, BM Stryker or BM 940 in my left pocket on in the small of my back as so I always have a more hefty knife when I need it.
 
Fortunatly, I'm the "master" at MY office, so I can carry my Cold Steel Gurkha Kukri if I want to (I'm still trying to figure-out how to turn it into a "folder" :D.), so for now, I carry 2 REKATs...A Sifu, and a Carnivour Cub.:).
 
Heck, nothing should be ruled out of office carry. Right now I've got my Strider AR, and before that it was the Microtech SE. As long as the knife doesn't present itself often, anything can probably be carried.
 
I was working in a *very* liberal office in NYC, full of wannabe club kids & the very sight of a knife had them tripping over themselves...
After a couple of legitimate peaceful uses (opening the bulletproof cellophane wrapping on a basket of sandwiches & opening a Fed Ex box when the pull tab didn't work) of a Spyderco Wegner, I was actually "talked to" by the VP/GM. Pinheads, I let them chew, gnaw & poke w/ keys anything that needed to be cut/opened from that day forward. Beware the passive-aggressive little flower who needs something done... choose your knife carefully.
 
I don't seem to have any problems carrying tacticals at work. Spark would probably rib me all day if I came in one day with only a Chive.
 
I may be wrong, but I don't think a Sere 2000, lrg Sebenza, or Spyderco Police would be too large for office carry. Of course I am from Texas, and things like that are ok around these parts. However, I think it is how you carry your knife, and how you open it when you need it. If you carry it discretely, and open it without flicking it open tactical style,(the way most of us do when we are alone) it would be ok. Thats my opinion.
 
JTurner,

I second the Kershaw Chive. I am in a large accounting firm that is very PC and I carry a Chive everyday. I have managed to avoid people seeing it so far and it can easily handle opening boxes and other office chores. The problem is that almost any blade can seem threatening (with the exception of a keychain SAK that many people in my office carry) so I would try to keep anything out of site because you never know how someone would react. I know it sucks that it has to be that way but you have to decide whether you are willing to risk your job. If you are worried about defense to and from the office, you can keep a larger folder or fixed blade in your briefcase and wear them once you leave your office building to an from the parking lot.
 
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