Teens Carrying Knives

[Zendemic]

Personally i have carried a knife for at least 10 years. I've never had any real problems. As long as you don't do anything stupid, carry them in stupid places, use them in a bad location (overtly in a crowd for example), and most importantly obey the knife laws in your location you should be fine.

[wrdwrght]

People assuming you are trouble because you carry a knife is as disrespectful as you calling them "sheeple". They're sheep and you're not? What an arrogant point of view.

Less condemning is that they are NPK (non-knife people). They're legit. But should their discomfort with knives infringe on your right to carry? Of course not. So we must be vigilant against such infringement.

But I venture to say that such infringement would be less a worry if there was far less braggish talk about knives as weapons and more thoughtful talk about them as tools (one of whose obvious functions can be survival and self-defense).

I've carried a knife all my life without one hassle, and I'm getting long in the tooth.

I can also say that I have killed a person with a knife (during military combat) and that act revolts me to this day. Killing someone that intimately shows how easily life can end. Such easiness cheapens things. I want to value life. YMMV...

[v8r]

If you have checked all local and state laws, and they don't say you can't carry then yo should be fine. Never carry in a government building and you should be fine. It is up to you to know your rights, and what the law is.
I carried a Buck 110 all the way through high school, but that was in the early to mid 90s. Lots of things have changed unfortunately do to some people acting irresponsibly. This is the reason why laws and boundaries are made.

[razorsharp]

I'm almost 17 and have carried every day for about 2 years. Always had a cheap knife since I was 5.
I'm one of those students who knows all the teachers and get along with them. In all my practical classes, they let me use my Minichamp Swiss Army Knife cause they know its too small to severely injure someone and because I use it the way I should.
the knife on it is my SAK is 3rd most used tool, behind the pen and scissors. I carry a Spydercos clipped to my pocket when at home and around town and deep pocket in town center so I don't scare people---Act your age and you'll be fine

[Frapiscide]

Frapiscide, how old are you?

I'm 17. I've carried since I was 15 outside of school.

[Scottie3000]

I second all the "don't be an idiot" remarks. Act responsibly and people shouldnt even notice you have a knife. Brandish it around and draw a lot of attention to it and you are looking for problems.

[The Deacon]

Just as for those of us 20 and older, it depends. If you dress like a thug, decorate your body with tats and piercings, act like a thug, or are in the company of folks like that, you can expect people to assume the worst when they see you with a knife. It may not be fair, but it's going to happen.

Consciously or otherwise, most people do a threat assessment when they see a stranger. Few, if any, will start dialing 911, but almost all will give a wider berth to a 15 year old tricked out like a baby banger than to one who looks like he might ring their doorbell asking if they'd like to talk about Jesus.

FWIW, I'm 65 and have been carrying a pocket knife since I was 7.

[BAL]

Hey wrdwrght, I feel for the decisions that you have had to make in your life. You do what you have to do to defend yourself and your brothers. I hope that I never have to make a decision to that magnitude and I truly thank you for your service. Take care.

[Minibear453]

Just in case, would someone mind double checking for me? I live in Cupertino, California.

[basemodel]

Sheeple is a term nutnfancy uses in his philosophy videos. Sure watch his reviews on gear but take the opinions with a grain of salt. Feel free to form your own from time to time.

The other stuff has been covered already; essentially use common sense and discretion. You already know the legal requirements. Also when you go out to party with friends leave the Endura at home and just carry a SAK if you must. I do the same thing and I'm 22.

[wongKI]

It's not age; it's maturity. And to a large degree, appearance.

Is it OK? Certainly it is. If your concern is legality, make absolutely sure that you are right in the eyes of the law. This is something that cannot be compromised upon. With regard to the perceptions of other folk, it is often the case that people will freak upon sight of anything. (I have had loud reactions to opening a box package with an Opinel No. 8, which, at least in my eyes, doesn't rank highly as a threatening weapon.)

[wrdwrght]

Sheeple is a term nutnfancy uses in his philosophy videos. Sure watch his reviews on gear but take the opinions with a grain of salt.

I'm aware of nutnfancy's videos, and enjoy them, mostly. But the term "sheeple" has a longer and darker history (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheeple).

[TheDrumsist]

I'm 16 and as long as you strictly use it for a tool, you'll be fine. If someone does give you trouble, just explain that you use it to your advantage as a tool. : )

[basemodel]

I'm aware of nutnfancy's videos, and enjoy them, mostly. But the term "sheeple" has a longer and darker history (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheeple).

Look at that you learn something new every day, thanks for pointing that out. I probably should have quoted the OP on that one, as it was him I meant to address. I don't think it's a term to throw around lightly and agree that NKP is much more appropriate for the situation.

[Blerv]

I'm aware of nutnfancy's videos, and enjoy them, mostly. But the term "sheeple" has a longer and darker history (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheeple).

I'm quite sure the intent was merely towards people who don't think, follow authority blindly, and are easily swayed/frightened by perceived dangers.

I'm failing to see the darkness and depravity of the phrase. Even if done as an insult it's pretty tame in this day and age.

Many people see someone with a pocket knife and immediately think "that guy has a weapon! He's attacking an envelope!" Few people walk around and think, wow...that guy is twice my size and could snuff my life out with his bare hands. Glad he isn't feeling murderous.

The fact that we are jumping someone for something that he never mentioned saying to someone is pretty sad. I judge people daily but expressing it to them in words is a different thing. Believe it or not...not every teenager with a knife is a smarmy punk. Some just are asking for advice.

[unit]

I'm quite sure the intent was merely towards people who don't think, follow authority blindly, and are easily swayed/frightened by perceived dangers.

I'm failing to see the darkness and depravity of the phrase. Even if done as an insult it's pretty tame in this day and age.

I have no idea what the OP meant or intended with the term...don't really care. I urge him and others to contemplate it.

I must disagree with any sentiment that it is tame or somehow to be taken lightly. No one cares what YOU (the one saying it) think when you say something. The only thing that matters is what THEY think when they hear you say it. AND if they are really incensed by it, you may not have time to explain what you really meant, and if you do...you are already working from behind.

If you are walking around in a world that you perceive is full of people already formulating judgements about you based on items on your person, you are giving them probably cause to assume you are unfriendly when you refer to them with a term that they do not understand...or worse yet, they DO understand it to have a different meaning than the one you intended.

I grew up hearing all sorts of labels thrown around for people and actions. They were so common place that I never gave thought to the idea that many were based in negative stereo-types and learned some powerful lessons when I moved north to a progressive Big 10 university.

My wife nearly got fired from her first job because she referred to one of her co-workers as "one of the other girls that works here". She was let off with probation and a scathing 45 minute lecture regarding how "women have worked way to hard to be labeled "girl"...." While she and I thought she worked with a bunch of crazy people...we came to realize we live in a world bigger than our understanding and it was easier to simply learn how to fit into it.

The fact that we are jumping someone for something that he never mentioned saying to someone is pretty sad. I judge people daily but expressing it to them in words is a different thing. Believe it or not...not every teenager with a knife is a smarmy punk. Some just are asking for advice.

I certainly do not intend to come off as jumping anyone here. I urge everyone to consider something...that is all.

Someone that uses labels for people he/she does not know may simply be ignorantly using a term that he/she may or may not know the meaning of...or perhaps they are cleverly using a degrading term to describe a person in a dim light. Honestly I have no idea what anyone intended...I just do not want any of my friends here to fall into a trap of ignorance that I have found myself in before.

Peace!

[Minibear453]

I'm quite sure the intent was merely towards people who don't think, follow authority blindly, and are easily swayed/frightened by perceived dangers.

While that was my original intention, to mean people who are easily frightened by a weapon, I can see from unit that this term is far more serious than in the way I misused it. Sorry, and I really didn't mean to use the term as it has came to.

But just asking, what do you do if someone sees your knife and gets scared? Last time someone pulled out a knife from my bike while looking through it, and he got pretty shocked... so what should I have done? At the time I said that it's okay, it's just a knife, but he looked as though he found someone's heart in there or something.

[jabba359]

I'm aware of nutnfancy's videos, and enjoy them, mostly. But the term "sheeple" has a longer and darker history (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheeple).

Thanks for the link, as it was interesting to see where the term originated. I'm not quite sure, however, what the "darker" aspect is you're referring to. Wikipedia merely supported what I had thought Sheeple meant and I believe that it is used in an accurate and light-hearted fashion here on the forums. I think it's a vastly better term than: kNife Nazis (the NN for short), Cutlery Communists Championing Prohibition [of knives] (let's call them the C.C.C.P), or Fascist Un-edge-ucated Knife Usurpers' Party (you can come up with the acronym for that ).

As for teen knife carry, it seems that a lot has changed since I was in high school back in the mid-90's. While I didn't carry to school, I was never without a pocket knife anywhere else. I guess part of it is how I grew up. I was a cub scout, then a boy scout, and I got my Eagle. As a scout, we always had pocket knives and knew they were tools meant to be used as such, and not weapons.

Despite what others may correctly or incorrectly believe about 3"+ carry in Los Angeles County, I always have my Orange Millie in my left pocket and some other knife in my right pocket. I'm just a t-shirt and jeans (or shorts in the summer!) kind of guy and don't have obnoxious hair, tattoos or anything, so I don't really stand out (other than maybe being a bit goofy looking :p ). I've passed police on the street/subway dozens of times and have never had a problem. Like many others have already noted, a lot of the problems arise from how you present yourself and your knife. If you're showy with them or try to draw attention, that is exactly what you'll get: attention. And there's no guarantee whether it will be positive or negative attention.

[Stasis]

I also didn't intend the jump on anyone. For me, it's about avoiding an "us and them" mentality between knife owners and people who have a fear of knives.

I understand the idea behind Minibear453's use of the term, and I have used the term myself, but in private conversation. I think all of us here try to make this as friendly and open a community as we can, and "sheeple" is not an overly friendly and open term.

Now, Unit, your wife did indeed work with crazy people! But that's beside the point. :D

[ac12]

@mini
You are WRONG in your statement about it being legal to carry knives in Calif.

You need to check the statues in EVERY city and county that you travel (and intend to carry) in, not just the city you live in.
- Sunnyvale, Cupertino, San Jose, Morgan Hill, Milpitas, Fremont, Hayward, San Leandro, Oakland, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Redwood City, San Carlos, Belmont, San Mateo, Foster City, etc
- Santa Clara county, San Mateo county, etc.

I can tell you that one city in the Bay Area has a limit at 3 inches, so your Endura would be illegal to carry in that city. 3-3/4" is clearly over the 3" limit.

Some times depending on the purpose the appropriate knife to carry is a "politically correct" knife, rather than a legally correct knife. A Swiss Army Knife (or similar) for its multitude of tools. A smaller less "visually disturbing" knife, like a pain edge Ladybug or Dragonfly rather than a combo edge Endura.