LEOS: Would You Arrest Someone With This Knife?

[BigRich315]

2 guns, a knife, and something chemical or electrical.

 

[Nygma]

Outstanding product!
I'm no hard core knife guy, but I recieved a 'First Production Run', 'Covert Folder', version as a gift years ago. The blade got the top edge treatment the first afternoon I had a few hours to kill, and took an edge that has to be seen to be believed (I lapped the edges all the way to 1200 grit). That first knife was liberated by someone a few years later, and I immediately replaced it. While I don't carry it on my person every day, it does see every day use in my brief case or notebook computer bag, and despite it being pure evil sharp, I have never cut myself with it. The blade opens even easier than shown in the video, faster than a switchblade with a little practice, and (double) locks solid as a rock. It's also small and thin enough to hide in places that a NAA 22 mini revolver couldn't go.
My only quibble is that the belt clip screws should to be Loc-Tited in at the factory. I lost several before I had the motivation to do it myself.
Highly endorsed!

 

[Phillips7609]

Lawful, concealed carry is never the problem. It's when the carrier does something to bring negative attention to themselves, i.e., DUI, disorderly conduct, etc., that the carrying of a concealed weapon becomes an issue. The legal description of a knife as a weapon is intentionally vague, such as, "switchblade, dirk, dagger." Nowhere in Mississippi law is the length of a blade defined, therefore, depending on the circumstances, I could charge someone with a 2 1/2 inch blade pocketknife with carrying a concealed deadly weapon. So as I write this, I could conceivably be in violation because I have a knife in my pocket. If you start the music, you better be ready to dance.

Everything so far has been about the legality of carrying; but what if you had to open somebody up in self defense? Would that be a completely different situation?

We've got some pretty laid back laws in Alabama. Heck, all you have to do to get a cc permit is fill out a form, put down 3 references and hand 'um 5 bucks! In my county anyway.
Not sure about knives though.

 

[Onomea]

"Under California state law.... Switchblades may be owned privately in the home, but not street-carried;....."

Check this out, a tiny switchblade that is under 2" blade length and supposedly CA legal. I am trying to figger out if I can get away with carrying one in Japan: ProTech Knives - Custom Stinger

(I'm getting conflicting info, but I think switchblades less than 2.2" or so are legal here.)

Then again, there's a point of view as expressed in a song by the Traveling Wilburys, "In Jersey everythings legal, as long as you don't get caught..."

There's also company called Microtech that makes a very cool tiny out-the-front switchblade, too, that is supposed to be CA legal. (Both of these companies make nice big ones also!)

If you go to youtube and plug in knife model names you can see video reviews, BTW, which are helpful for deciding sight unseen.

 

[Muley Gil]

"Lawful, concealed carry is never the problem. It's when the carrier does something to bring negative attention to themselves, i.e., DUI, disorderly conduct, etc., that the carrying of a concealed weapon becomes an issue. The legal description of a knife as a weapon is intentionally vague, such as, "switchblade, dirk, dagger." Nowhere in Mississippi law is the length of a blade defined, therefore, depending on the circumstances, I could charge someone with a 2 1/2 inch blade pocketknife with carrying a concealed deadly weapon. So as I write this, I could conceivably be in violation because I have a knife in my pocket. If you start the music, you better be ready to dance."

That is pretty much the way I looked at weapons back during my badge totin' days in Alabama, guns and knives alike.

Law abiding folks didn't need to worry about me putting them in jail, but the bad ones did!

An arrest is supposed to be the last resort of a police officer, not the first.

BTW, I used to carry a Gerber just like that in the left breast pocket of my uniform shirt.

 

[Wheelgunner840]

In RI, you can carry a loaded 1911 with a carry permit, but if your pocket knife has a blade more than a few inches, you are in for big trouble buster!

That's what the knife law used to be. I would have to research it to find out what the law is these days.

 

[Texas Star]

Its legal here in Ohio. You DO know the old saw about bringing a knife to a gun fight?

I try to avoid fighting with either. Sometimes, there's no choice. But I never said to use a knife in lieu of a gun should deadly force be required. Frankly, I think a grand jury will usually go easier on a man who uses a gun to protect himelf than if he uses a knife.

But if one can't get a carry license (some places just don't issue them) or hasn't a gun on him when needed...

In spite of what the narrator in the video said, I find that both of my A-F folders, full-size and Covert, make pretty good utility knives about town. But if I get attacked by a dog on the jogging trails where I live, I'm not defenseless with the knife. Actually, I've twice drawn knives on big dogs that seemed to realize danger, and withdrew after being aggressive.

I measured the blade of my larger A-F folder, and through the middle of the blade, all the way back at the handle to the point, it 4.5-inches. Texas allows a 5.25-inch blade, and does not specify if the blade is on a folder or on a sheath knife. That is the legal length.

BUT...some cops of the sort who like to make the law as they go may just look at the knife, declare that it "looks illegal" and file a case. That takes money to fight, and you have to hope for an open-minded judge.

In Texas, a "dirk, poniard, dagger, stiletto, or Bowie knife " is illegal. A dagger classically has two sharp edges. It has been so recognized down through the ages. But legally, it may be what some judge decides that it is, or some overbearing, knife-hating cop thinks it is.

I'll tell you what started me worrying. My daughter married into a family of sheeple. One night, her husband and his dad saw my larger A-F folder as I opened a package and told me that it is probably illegal, or should be. Juries are often composed of sheeple, especially if the DA cherry -picks a jury. In the absence of any certainty that the knife is legal, and knowing that some cops dislike ANY "tactical" looking knives, I decided to rely on a Buck-style lockblade or simple drop-point styles, like Fallkniven's U-2. That one was designed to be legal even in the UK and Denmark, knife-phobic zones. But it is very sharp, and it does lock open. The German Army utility folder, many made by Victorinox, doesen't lock, but has a strong enough spring that it won't close too readily. It occurs to me that these knives are less likely to upset the law if they ever have occasion to examine my knife, however unlikely that is, given my lifestyle and appearance.

What I'm trying to do here is to feel out how some of our member LEO's may feel about the knife mentioned. That may be a clue to how their berethen will react to it, although individuals will vary. And the same knife may cause a different reaction, depending on who has it and where and how it is discovered.

T-Star

 

[rm06]

I guess in Cal-e-fornia, you could legally carry one of these. Deep pockets, tho.

 

[LazarusLong]

Problem with a knife like that is that you or somebody else is sooner or later going to cut the snot out of themselves with it. I think a double edged folder is one of the dumbest things I have seen in a while. If I were a cop and stopped somebody with a kinfe like that, I'd probably let them keep it as sooner or later they would hurt themselves with it.

Not really. There were (still are) a legion of people with Gerber Mark 1's and 2's in the 70's-80's that didn't cut themselves. For a folder that might be used for "social purposes" it is unparalelled.

 

[BarbC]

I have three daily carry knives:

Leek

Hunter Scalpel

Boker

I added padded moleskin to the Boker and the Hunter Scalpel sheath clips to keep them from chafing because they are worn next to the skin.

I don't believe any one of them would get me arrested but they are safe for me to carry (I'm famous for cutting myself with knives) and could be very useful in an assortment of situations.

 

[flop-shank]

Problem with a knife like that is that you or somebody else is sooner or later going to cut the snot out of themselves with it. I think a double edged folder is one of the dumbest things I have seen in a while. If I were a cop and stopped somebody with a kinfe like that, I'd probably let them keep it as sooner or later they would hurt themselves with it.

Balisongs work great when double edged, as long as the user isn't a dub.

I use balisongs at work. They are, IMO, the best work knives. There are no springs to break, or locks to fail. They are completely one handed and ambidextrous. They can be opened in a forward, or icepick grip, with the cutting edge facing either way. I never sharpen the swedge on mine as they work great as a box opener blade or scraper.

 

[westkybanded]

I believe the length may make it illegal here in KY (I doubt you could pull it off as a "hunting" knife), but considering it's covered under our Concealed WEAPONS License, I kinda want one.

I think here in KY (aside from Northern Kentuckistan) you would be just fine. I gutted a deer with a much scarier looking knife just yesterday. Yes, the blade does go over the 4" limit, but I think the majority of officers here would look at it as a pocket knife. Nothing more.

 

[Lt JL]

I bring two or three guns, and reserve the knife for a move I learned in a wepons retention class. CAje is right: a double edged folder is really stupid. John

 

[Texas Star]

I bring two or three guns, and reserve the knife for a move I learned in a wepons retention class. CAje is right: a double edged folder is really stupid. John

Bear in nind that the original knife does NOT have the upper edge sharpened. The jerk in the video had that done on his own.

My question pertains only to the knife as delivered from Gerber. Honing the false edge makes it a dagger in many places.

T-Star

 

[flop-shank]

I bring two or three guns, and reserve the knife for a move I learned in a wepons retention class. CAje is right: a double edged folder is really stupid. John

No. Not necessarily.

 

[MrJT]

Pff.... that looks like a toy compared to my standard carry knives.

 

[LazarusLong]

I bring two or three guns, and reserve the knife for a move I learned in a wepons retention class. CAje is right: a double edged folder is really stupid. John

For someone who has neither the skill or inclination to use it, yes.

 

[Onomea]

I got around to watching the original video in T-Star's first post. The guy makes the point that when the knife is closed, the blade is completely concealed/buried in the handle, so you can't cut yourself on it when it's closed. While not a switchblade, the knife opens and locks into place via a small knob for the thumb. "Assisted opening," I assume.

The guy in the video also makes the point that the dagger design of the knife is for stabbing, and that it is not very good for anything other than self-defense, i.e., stabbing people.

So, if that is the knife's purpose, and given its design, why is it dumb to sharpen both sides of the blade of this particular knife?

Interestingly, the guy also says he has a company called Razor's Edge in Salt Lake City professionally give his knives a razor's edge. I believe he says he has them alter the bevel, although I guess that's easy enough for someone who knows what he's doing.

 

[RightWinger]

Here in TN, anything over 4 inches is considered illegal along with Switchblades unless you are active military, firefighter/paramedic, or LEO. I have never once arrested anyone soley for a knife not being in compliance with TN laws. I refuse to arrest someone for a law i disagree with, and as a LEO I do have that discretion.....Hence I have never written a speeding ticket in 5 years either!!! To me a switchblade is no more "evil" than a spring assisted knife, or an Emerson that has the hook that opens when you pull it from your pocket. Yes, a switchblade is illegal and when a person not authorized chooses to buy one, carry one or possess one he has to be ready to deal with the consequences because not all LEO's have the same views as me. Its interesting if one researches why "switchblades" are illegal, the original theory behind the laws banning switchblades were designed to curve gang members back in the 50's who use to have a fascination with automatic knives. This is not really the case anymore and obviously switchblades are something I rarely deal with in a negative situation. I own several Benchmade autos and they are great, and I bought them for their design more so than the fact they are an auto. I really don't see too many advantages to an auto being that most folders now can easily be opened with one had w/o any effort.

 

[MKT]

The knife in the original form should be no problem in CA, but in the modified form of being double edged it becomes illegal. IIRC, you'll find reference under PC12020, or is it 12025 (?? I should double check the book) to dirks, daggers and snees as well as double edged weapons. I would probably only make an issue of it if the holder was a dirtball.