If laws and public perception were no issue, would you carry a different knife?

[Jim Malone]

Well in Belgium there is no true "legal" way to carry a knife. You need to be able to prove that you had a lawfull reason to carry the knife to the judge. A butcher next to his chopping block has a valid reason to have a knife but if they find the knives in his car is already a problem. Carrying a folding pocket knife as a civilian is never a 100% lawfull act here because you need to prove you have it for a lawfull reason.

[jdw]

I have essentially no public knife laws where I live, carry and use are based on public perception. I will carry a large knife and I will use whatever blade size I need for the job but I won’t go brandishing a Military in public without an obvious need for that size of knife. I am very aware if someone opens a blade around me without a clear reason and I am decidedly not knife squeamish.

[vilePossum]

Yes, but that is because one handed opening and locking blades are illegal to carry publicly in Germany. I would however also carry a larger fixed blade for easy access in or on my bag.

[JSumm]

i saw that. the language is inconsistent, which is dangerous when talking about law. it shouldn't say illegal to own and carry if it's only illegal to carry. this is the same language you see used for some states where it is illegal to own a butterfly knife or auto, etc.

Probably written by comittitee and definitely written to swing towards the state.

I actually believe Knife Rights fought to strike that ban and won. I believe they have removed the 12 inch limit except for government buildings and places of worship. Doug Ritter is a national treasure.

[RamZar]

Well in Belgium there is no true "legal" way to carry a knife. You need to be able to prove that you had a lawfull reason to carry the knife to the judge. A butcher next to his chopping block has a valid reason to have a knife but if they find the knives in his car is already a problem. Carrying a folding pocket knife as a civilian is never a 100% lawfull act here because you need to prove you have it for a lawfull reason.

A butcher or chef can transport the work knife to and from work. Also, if anyone buys a kitchen knife from a store you can transport it home. Definitely, lawful reasons. In these cases you’re not really carrying the knives but transporting them.

[anycal]

I suppose that laws and persceptions have shaped my knife using habbits into what they are today. But at this point, I don't even think about it.

Perhaps the only time would be travel.

[chronovore]

I'm lucky to live in a place with no legal restrictions. However, I'm still mindful of social norms, presenting well at meetings, not melting snowflakes at the grocery store, etc.

So for instance, it would be more comfortable to carry a firearm OWB without concern but I take the hit in going concealed. The same is true for knives and while I sometimes carry a small EDC fixed blade, I take care in how I do it. Most of the time, the extra work just means defaulting to a folder with a deep-carry clip.

[Bolster]

Yes, but that is because one handed opening and locking blades are illegal to carry publicly in Germany. I would however also carry a larger fixed blade for easy access in or on my bag.

When did this happen? When I was young, trips to Germany were always chances to buy quality Hubertus switchblades. I thought Germany had liberal knife laws.

[thojan]

Yes, but that is because one handed opening and locking blades are illegal to carry publicly in Germany. I would however also carry a larger fixed blade for easy access in or on my bag.

When did this happen? When I was young, trips to Germany were always chances to buy quality Hubertus switchblades. I thought Germany had liberal knife laws.

You can carry a one hand opening knife, but then it must be a slipjoint OR a locking knife, but then it has to be a two hand opener.


Here in Austria only automatics are illegal to carry, but you can own anything you want. But because this is such a peaceful country, public perception is a whole other animal. You open a knife with one hand in public and you are a threat to humanity, but using your red swiss army knife makes you the hero of the day (thanks to MacGuyver). So I always carry next to my modern locking knife a smaller Victorinox. I really like it that way anyway, because when someone asks for a knife I can hand them the vic and be sure that they won’t ruin my expensive knives.

[Damalife]

Where I’m from in Canada we have no size limits so I can carry whatever I want. As long as it’s a tool not a weapon for self defence. However if I was able to carry a otf I would buy one in a second just to try one out. My ideal size is generally my pm2 or manix

[zuludelta]

So it got me thinking - would you guys carry a different sized knife if there were no blade length laws and no potential issues with public perception?

Or would you carry the same size you normally do?

Very interesting question, and one I hadn't really considered before.

Strictly speaking, there is no legally defined size limit to folding knives where I currently live, but the law does restrict the carry of folding knives to work/utility purposes only (one cannot carry a folding knife for self-defence purposes), so I guess in theory, any size folding knife can be considered illegal where I live if the investigating authority determines that the knife a person is carrying is intended to be a weapon instead of a tool. So I try to keep my carry to around 3", which seems to me to be a reasonable blade length for a workaday cutting tool.

And I'm okay with that length. I've found over the years that a blade length of anywhere between 2.25" to 3.25" is about ideal for my purposes. Any longer than 3.25" & it can get unwieldy in certain work circumstances (I sometimes have to deploy & use a knife in cramped, confined spaces or while in an awkward, contorted position).

There is a prohibition against automatic knives & "gravity knives" where I live, though. And if that prohibition didn't exist, I would definitely have a ~3" balisong in my work knife rotation. I used to daily a balisong when I was younger & lived in a country that had no prohibitions against their carry, & I miss using one... it really puts the "fun" in "functional".

[Jim Malone]

Another law in Belgium..."Objects and substances that weren't designed to be used as weapons, which have been transformed, modified or mixed to be used as a weapon and which, given the concrete circumstances, are likely to be used by the person carrying or transporting them to inflict bodily harm...." so if you carry anything the police thinks is a weapon they will confiscate the object and send it to the D.A.
I'm a former police officer myself from Belgium. A butcher knife in the package is considered a weapon if the circumstances aren't "right".
They made the laws so broad here there is no lawfull way to carry anything because if they suspect you are carrying the object as a weapon it becomes a weapon.
Self defense is not a valid reason. They do have a lot of knives that are forbidden but it doesn't make the other ones legal to carry in public. You can have them in your home, and carry them inside.
But i carried a Spyderco for over 35 years now and nobody ever stopped me.

[vivi]

i forgot where i was once and opened a 5.5" folder without thinking about it. all conversations stopped and all eyes went straight to the knife. fortunately, they were just shocked and not afraid. that's not the kind of attention i want, and i don't really need the extra size for anything in my day-to-day.

Dang. Where I work I've been carrying my XL Voyager and XL Recon here and there the past few weeks, experimenting with 5.5" blades and seeing how they work for daily carry. No reaction at all when I open one up and use it for something. Not even from customers, and we're an open kitchen.

Gotta admit there's a small part of me that's a tiny bit annoyed, lol. I hear these horror stories from people pulling out a PM2 or Endura and no ones cares about my XL 5.5" blade folders. Makes me want to carry something completely over the tip like the two handed Espada and see what happens

Absolutely. I would carry an autonomy in my pocket and a ~6inch fixed blade on my belt. I’m constantly having to compromise functionality with legality - it’s very frustrating.

@Vivi - well played on the new signature

I'd probably still mostly rock folders. Fixed blades get a little cumbersome when I'm getting in and out of my car. I do like keeping a 6-7" fixed blade in my EDC backpack, along with a 10" chefs knife.

I wouldn't drop anything but I would add switchblades and balis to the rotation.

Not worried about perception but they are classed as prohibited here so kinda big trouble if you get found out.

I might do the same. I avoid them because I think they'd draw more attention and are more likely to be illegal when visiting other states. Then again a little 5'3 girl I work with rocks a balisong and no one seems to care, lol.

[vivi]

From the thread title, I thought it meant ANY knife if laws and public perceptions were different. In that case, I would have said a good balisong.

If we're only talking about a blade's length, then no, I would still carry 3" to 4"-bladed folders. I do own 5" and 6"-bladed folders, but when folders get that large, I'd rather carry a fixed blade.

Jim

Maybe I could have worded it better.

I meant if there were zero legal restrictions or public perception issues, how would you carry change?

Would you ditch a dragonfly snd rock a 6" blade balisong? EDC a Busse Battle Mistress? Rock a double edged OTF with a 4.5" blade?

Or would you stick with what you carry now?

Yes, absolutely. I live in a jurisdiction with a 2.5” limit so most of what I own is not legal for street carry.

For around the house use I gravitate toward 3”-4” blades like

• Endela

• Endura

• Police 4

• Native Chief

Local laws being as they are I end up leaving the house with

• Dragonfly 2

• Lil’ Native

• Urban

• Meerkat

Laws seem to shape perception. With few people carrying any knife around me given the laws, I’ve still gotten looks and the occasional question when taking out a <2.5” folder for EDC tasks.

Interesting. Living where there's no real restrictions, I do the opposite. I'm more likely to carry a smaller, lighter knife around the house, because I have easy access to my full collection. When on the go I like to be prepared for anything, so pick the largest folder I can comfortably carry. Something like a Police, Manix XL, Voyager or Recon XL, or 4 Max. Generally I keep the ssme knife in my pocket whether I'm home or not, but if I wake up on a day off and decide to do some cleaning and chores, often times I'll grab a Pacific Salt or American Lawman.

I would probably carry a Military or Police sized knife nearly all the time rather than just when I can get away with it. I would also throw away all my deep carry clips. Laws and particularly public perception are strong considerations in Australia.

Dan

I wonder how many deep carry clip users would switch back if this scenario were reality. I've always felt most deep carry clips compromise ergonomics, so if hiding my knife were an issue I'd rather keep the stock clip on and carry inside my pocket or IWB with an untucked shirt.

I live in Texas, so I can carry a sword if I'm so inclined.

The largest thing I carry is a Goddard or Endura. The largest fixed blades I'd wear are also in the 3-4in range. Anything larger just seems more than I'd ever need walking around

For day to day stuff I could get by with a 3" blade. I don't need a longer blade. But for most tasks I do with a pocket knife, I find 4" is more efficient than 3", and 5" is more efficient than 4". Took me a while to realize this. I've owned an XL Voyager since they were ran in BD1 pre-GSM but never carried it outside of niche situations until this winter. It surprised me at how practical it can feel for my uses.

[vivi]

Would you guys carry a different sized knife if there were no blade length laws and no potential issues with public perception?

I’d definitely carry a slim folder (narrow & thin when closed) with a 4”+ blade instead of 3” blades due to local restrictions. However, even without legal restrictions, there are many venues which prohibit knives of any size (concerts, stadiums, theme parks, etc.).

Added:

As for perceptions, I open folders slowly in public without noise because the noise of a fast opening alarms some people and I’m conscious of that.

The two large folders I’ve carried in the past are Spyderco Military (4”) and Zero Tolerance 0452CF (4.1”). I prefer the latter because of its slimness.

Pretend there are no restrictions anywhere :)

[TimButterfield]

For locations similar to Belgium, I wonder if it would work to carry something like a Yojimbo in a bag along with a small Camembert or Brie cheese to use it on. A small SAK might work, but I wouldn't want cheese to get into the pivot; it would be hard to clean out. I was thinking of doing something similar to this while visiting France.

[vivi]

A friend of mine who also likes what some think of as "big knives" hypothesized to me some years ago now; that people's perception of knife size has a lot to do with the hand size of the person holding/using the knife.
He's proportional 5'8"-ish and favors a Resilience (his a S35VN one). He has told me of many times when people react not so well to when he takes is out of his pocket, opens it, and uses it.
He noted though, that when the over 6'2" tall guys where he works have it in their hand and/or are using it, it never even gets a second glance - because [he hypothesisez] it looks like a much smaller knife in their hand.

u.w.

This is a good point. I'll never forget when I bought my Police 3 how it looked like a regular sized knife for my hand, but looked huge in my friends hand.

While waiting for my cold steel spartan to come in the mail I watched videos of it. Looked huge in a lot of peoples hands and there was plenty of extra space in the grip section. In my hand it looks a lot smaller and the fit is snug. Not a folder I'd reach for while wearing gloves. The U shaped pinky hook doesn't leave extra room like the Police or 4 Max handles do.

No. My location has no knife laws. In fact you can open carry knife/firearm legally.

I find that a 3-4" blade does everything I need for EDC tasks.

YMMV.

Same here. You can open carry with no license if you're over 21 and not a felon. Not super unusual to see someone with a glock on their hip at the grocery store or local BBQ joint.

In Idaho I can carry what I like, which is usually a native chief in 4V or s90v. It carries so well! Now that I got my military 2 delivered in s110v, I’ve been daily carrying it too. I’m happy it doesn’t feel any less comfortable. If y’all were to develop a native king or warlord 4.5” or 4.7, I would certainly carry that too!

When I worked retail, I kept to a manix or paramilitary, because I had to use it a lot and I didn’t want to impose on other employees. Those sizes seemed more like a tool to everybody else. Now that I’m self employed, though, it’s less of a concern.

Funny how when Naperville proposed a Chief XL it had a poor reception, but now some of us are warming up to the idea. I'd be in for one.

Think I’m good to go …actually I like carrying anything from the Dfly to the Stretch xl to my SRK-C but really nothing bigger.

not a bad set of laws! the srkc is a nice size for a fixed edc.

Pocket carry comfort is a big deal to me. Manix is max I can comfortably carry in RFP, without being annoyed by size. Often I'll size down to a Caly/Sage for more comfort.

The work pants I use have extra deep pockets so as far as size is concerned even a ReconXL or Voyager XL is comfortable, even with my phone in the same pocket.

[vivi]

Well in Belgium there is no true "legal" way to carry a knife. You need to be able to prove that you had a lawfull reason to carry the knife to the judge. A butcher next to his chopping block has a valid reason to have a knife but if they find the knives in his car is already a problem. Carrying a folding pocket knife as a civilian is never a 100% lawfull act here because you need to prove you have it for a lawfull reason.

A butcher or chef can transport the work knife to and from work. Also, if anyone buys a kitchen knife from a store you can transport it home. Definitely, lawful reasons. In these cases you’re not really carrying the knives but transporting them.

I was gonna say, how are you supposed to transport your knife roll? I carry one sometimes for work and have multiple 10" fixed blades in mine.

[James Y]

From the thread title, I thought it meant ANY knife if laws and public perceptions were different. In that case, I would have said a good balisong.

If we're only talking about a blade's length, then no, I would still carry 3" to 4"-bladed folders. I do own 5" and 6"-bladed folders, but when folders get that large, I'd rather carry a fixed blade.

Jim

Maybe I could have worded it better.

I meant if there were zero legal restrictions or public perception issues, how would you carry change?

Would you ditch a dragonfly snd rock a 6" blade balisong? EDC a Busse Battle Mistress? Rock a double edged OTF with a 4.5" blade?

Or would you stick with what you carry now?

I probably wouldn't change much in my carry, except I'd probably add a balisong, but not with much over a 4" blade. A 3.5" balisong would probably be fine. And I don't even think the bali would take the place of, say, my Military, PM2, Pac Salt, Manix 2, etc., and SAKs in terms of actual use.

As for the Dragonfly, I own 3 of them, but TBH, it's not one of my favorite models. It's never clicked with me like it does for so many others. Where I am.in CA, the knife carry laws are less restrictive than in places like the City of L.A., San Francisco, etc. Sometimes I drop a Ladybug down in my pocket as a supplement to a larger folder.

Jim

[wocket]

I'd switch to carrying folders in a belt pouch and fixed blades on the belt. I often carry a Military or Caribbean now, so I don't need more blade, it's more of a comfort thing. I'd get more into fixed blades too which would devastate my wallet.