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I carry a large fixed blade hunting/fishing, but it does not go onto my belt until I get to the field. That way I do not raise any eyebrows.


Same here. I don't wear a fixed blade knife until the moment I'm to hit the trail.

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Wearing that in town, looks like a real good way to get free room and meals for at least one night (even in Texas).


How about an anecdote?

A few years ago, on one of my last backpacking trips, I happened to be waiting for a train in Ft. William, Scotland. One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen, though it was raining all day and all night. It's also the starting point for most trips into the Highlands, Ben Nevis itc. So all in all, a pretty popular place with backpackers looking for a taste of the Scottish outdoors.

As I was about to catch the train back, I noticed a bunch of Germans in their early 20's. Typical backpackers, only that one of them was proudly showing off a full-blown USMC Kabar, leather sheath, worn on his belt. In plain sight, in broad daylight. And in of the least knife-friendly countries on Earth!

I often wonder what happened to that guy. He was darn lucky insofar as the train station was pretty much deserted at that time of the day but I wonder what they did to him once his Kabar was spotted by some cop or security guy. At the very least I'm pretty sure he never brought that knife back to Germany...