Me too.
Folders are great, but if I could carry a FB all the time without legal and social issues, I probably would carry one of each. FB's are no fun to play with... but I love 'em anyway. I guess I would carry my Dozier K-7 and Sebenza as a pair.
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Would you go fixed-only if legal/social issues disappeared?
- Thread starter wutitiz
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Folders are great, but if I could carry a FB all the time without legal and social issues, I probably would carry one of each. FB's are no fun to play with... but I love 'em anyway. I guess I would carry my Dozier K-7 and Sebenza as a pair.
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i've experienced the opposite. i see more cheap folders than fixed blades. as far as fixed blades being awkward to draw, i guess it depends on the sheath. all my fixed blades are sitting in pouch type sheaths(form fitted for retention), and just need to be drawn(no snaps, or odd devices holding them in). typically a folder needs to be drawn, positioned in the hand correctly, and opened, as opposed to simply being pulled straight out ready to go.
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I carry both anyways, but like was said- in Canada FB are totally legal but folders are a grey area. Not like I plan on getting stopped by police often enough to care.
Luminous- could you provide exact examples of what knives you have experience with. Nothing is more simple to me than slipping my BRKT Lil' Bird and Trout into its sheath- no fumbling, no snaps, no problems.
Luminous- could you provide exact examples of what knives you have experience with. Nothing is more simple to me than slipping my BRKT Lil' Bird and Trout into its sheath- no fumbling, no snaps, no problems.
I have a Graham Brothers custom Utility Razel in my pocket right now that is made of S30V with beautiful desert ironwood scales that would like to challenge all of your above assertions.
It's quality matches or exceeds every other knife I own, I can have it drawn as fast, or faster, than I can draw my folders, and it has an awesome sheath designed specifically for pocket carry.
Doing some research is a good idea before making broad generalizations. ;-)
Do you have any information to support that? I would guess that the most commonly made non-kitchen knives are cheap folders made in China. Considering their greater manufacturing rate, that would mean that the proportion of low quality folders is probably significantly higher than the proportion of low quality fixed blade knives.
The only folding knives that can even come close to a fixed blade knife in easy of draw is one that sports a pocket clip. Anything else requires fishing around in a pocket to get it, and then only after retrieving it from the pocket can it be opened. When you add in pocket clips, along with some sort of quick opening mechanism (spyder whole, thumb stud, spring assist, etc), then it becomes more comparable to a fixed blade, depending on the sheath and style.
However, I would guess that the average person could draw a sheath knife much faster than they could retrieve and open a folding knife.
On the other hand, I think carrying a knife for self defense is remarkably silly, and for almost everyone who does it, more likely to get them in trouble than to be of any help. So the speed of accessing a knife is of little importance to me anyway.
Currently I'm carrying a Chris Reeve Mountaineer I in the pancake sheath for the CR Shadow III.
It is slightly less convenient to carry than the Benchmade 710 that I carried when I was working. But I use it a lot to slice vegetables and other food. It's MUCH easier to clean up than a folder.
When I'm out in public among the sheeple, I wear a loose shirt to cover the knife. I have a Florida concealed permit, which is a weapons license not just a firearm license. Of course I also carry a S&W model 642 revolver.
On occasion, I'll change over to my Bechmade Snoody Resistor or my Spyderco Kumo.
But I have to admit that I also carry a fully serrated Spyderco Endura for those times when a serrated blade is a better choice than a plain edge.
It is slightly less convenient to carry than the Benchmade 710 that I carried when I was working. But I use it a lot to slice vegetables and other food. It's MUCH easier to clean up than a folder.
When I'm out in public among the sheeple, I wear a loose shirt to cover the knife. I have a Florida concealed permit, which is a weapons license not just a firearm license. Of course I also carry a S&W model 642 revolver.
On occasion, I'll change over to my Bechmade Snoody Resistor or my Spyderco Kumo.
But I have to admit that I also carry a fully serrated Spyderco Endura for those times when a serrated blade is a better choice than a plain edge.
We've got the opposite problem here in Germany.
According to a new law, you're not allowed to carry folders in public, but fixed blades with a blade length of less than 12 cm (4.72 inch) are allowed as long as they're not classified as "weapons".
In theory, this means that carrying a CRKT P.E.C.K. might get you into trouble, but a Böker Rampage might be okay
I used to EDC a waved folder but had to switch to fixed blades due to the new law.
The difference in comfort is huge. If I carry a folder in my pocket, I barely notice it's there, even if it's the size of a Chinook. Furthermore, it's always accessible.
Fixed blades - unless they're very small, such as the HAK - are much less comfortable to carry, especially if you carry them concealed (which is necessary if you live and work together with sheeple, as I do).
If you carry a knife in a MercHarness, you can't just take of your jacket without people noticing it. If you carry it IWB, the knife becomes less accessible as soon as you put on a pullover or a jacket. This gets even more of a problem if you carry a neck knife.
I am currently EDCing a 3-4" fixed IWB and/or a very small fixed in my pocket (IMHO, best place to carry any knife), but if it wasn't for the new law, there would definitely be some folders in my EDC rotation.
I am very confident I could deploy a waved folder just as quickly as an IWB fixed blade.
According to a new law, you're not allowed to carry folders in public, but fixed blades with a blade length of less than 12 cm (4.72 inch) are allowed as long as they're not classified as "weapons".
In theory, this means that carrying a CRKT P.E.C.K. might get you into trouble, but a Böker Rampage might be okay
I used to EDC a waved folder but had to switch to fixed blades due to the new law.
The difference in comfort is huge. If I carry a folder in my pocket, I barely notice it's there, even if it's the size of a Chinook. Furthermore, it's always accessible.
Fixed blades - unless they're very small, such as the HAK - are much less comfortable to carry, especially if you carry them concealed (which is necessary if you live and work together with sheeple, as I do).
If you carry a knife in a MercHarness, you can't just take of your jacket without people noticing it. If you carry it IWB, the knife becomes less accessible as soon as you put on a pullover or a jacket. This gets even more of a problem if you carry a neck knife.
I am currently EDCing a 3-4" fixed IWB and/or a very small fixed in my pocket (IMHO, best place to carry any knife), but if it wasn't for the new law, there would definitely be some folders in my EDC rotation.
I am very confident I could deploy a waved folder just as quickly as an IWB fixed blade.
I would not get rid of my folders since I can carry a folding knife with 2x the blade length of a comparable FB. ie my endura has a ~3" blade and the OAL closed is under 4" but a fb would be closer to 7". Given that I carry enough crap around, space is a big concern, more so than any advantage the fb would offer.
I'd probably carry a fixed blade a lot more. I never carry one when I'm not camping, fishing, hunting, etc. Folders just tend to be more convenient at some times and more acceptable in others. I think this would be mounted horizontal, small of the back if I had my way.
http://www.tadgear.com/edged tools/zt0121.htm
http://www.tadgear.com/edged tools/zt0121.htm
Ron from Bremerton: you are right--I thought had read that somewhere, but as far as I can find, it is not against WA state law to carry fixed. However, it definitely is against the law in the city of Seattle to carry any fixed blade. There is a 'dirk or dagger' prohibition in Bellevue, but not being a lawyer, it is unclear to me exactly what the law means. Plus, I like to edc the same thing all the time, so it's best for me to be legal in Seattle in case I need to cross the lake (which I try to avoid).
Thanks for all the replies, which have been surprising, and have altered my thinking. I would have guessed that nearly everyone would have said that 'fixed is better.' But then, I have never actually edc'ed a fixed blade. I was struck especially by Malak, the poster from Germany who wishes he could go back to carrying a folder instead of a fixed blade.
I guess if you don't abuse your folder to the point where the pivot fails, which personally, I never have had happen, the advantage of the fixed blade is negligible.
However, I would still like to try carrying my Simonich Crowfoot (3" blade, 7" overall, 3.6 oz. including sheath. I can't imagine that it would be much more inconvenient than carrying a cell phone around.
I guess if you don't abuse your folder to the point where the pivot fails, which personally, I never have had happen, the advantage of the fixed blade is negligible.
However, I would still like to try carrying my Simonich Crowfoot (3" blade, 7" overall, 3.6 oz. including sheath. I can't imagine that it would be much more inconvenient than carrying a cell phone around.
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I would. Right now I only own a Benchmade 220, the rest are folders. Due to local carry restrictions the 220 goes on hikes and camping. But if laws changed, I would go back to having fixed blades as my main carry. They're much easier to maintain, what's to wear out?