Eugene:

You are so right about that. I never thought of it, but from now on whenever someone mentions the silliness of my fondness for knives, or even guns, I am going to use your example. I'm glad you didn't copyright it as with the amount of argueing I do concerning my beliefs, I'd probably go broke paying you.

Bountyhunter

Im 16 and I carry a knife. I wouldn't dream of leaving my house without my Swisscard (lite) and Benchmite. What is funny is how everyone shuns the fact that you carry a knife, yet when they need it your the first one they come too.

I, too am 16 and always carry a knife. Unfortunately (for my wallet and under payed casual worker student budget) I am becomeing a 'knife knut'.
I loath these laws and luckily I live in the countryside where I can carry knives to my hearts content <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.
College is another matter, and when I am not with my friends I have taken to listening to 'Ray Mears, Real Heroes of Telemark' on minidisk, so I am whisked off to the Norweigien mountains <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.

Up the revolution.

Wow, I said something useful for once. I had to go back and read my post to see what it was <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I hate these stupid laws too. You shouldn't have to walk in fear of your tools getting confiscated any more than you should have to walk in fear of getting robbed, murdered, whatever. Pre-9-11 I was pretty brave. I used to do warranty repair on HP printers, the big 5si/8000/8100 that you can't take into a shop you have to repair onsite. I used to go into .gov buildings and had to empty my pockets for the metal detector. I filled three trays once and backed up the line. Once a security guard picked up my leatherman and said something about a knife and a lady security guard said "its a leatherman, its OK". One time they started to say I would have to leave it and I then asked if they were going to provide me with pliers to do my job so they let me through. I had to go into a prison once where they had a library with a few pc's connected to the internet and a printer for the inmates to use. I emptied my pockets into the bins and was told I would have to take that back to my car. This was before I had my leatherman, just a little knife. I picked up the knife and started to go back out and they said no the cell phone, not the knife! I had a good laugh after that, why allow a knife and not a cell phone? It just goes to show the people who make the rules/laws are so out of touch with reality.

Paul810:

I had a similar experience in the sixties during some civil disturbances (politically correct nomenclature for "RIOTS") here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Mayor put a lock on all gas stations, liquor stores, and gun shops.

I used to work at the Falk Corporation which made a lot of gear drives for the Military. When I went to work after the Mayor locked down the gun stores, I was surrounded at my lathe station by all kinds of co-workers who knew I was a weapons owner and offered to buy guns from me at any price I quoted. A lot of them were the very people who considered me weird for owning so many different weapons. I didn't sell anything to anyone for two reasons; 1) I would have violated laws concerning dealing in weapons without a dealers license, and 2), and more important, I didn't want to sell any guns to knee-jerk reactionaries that might hurt others or themselves by buying out of immediate fear and not personal interest in guns.

A lot of people quit considering me weird after that and came by for advice and help after the Mayor lifted the orders three days later, and people could buy through gun shops.

Bountyhunter

All i can really add is that i agree with everyone's opinions in this thread.

The laws and views of most people i come across day to day has become absolutely ridiculous...which leads me to ask
why we are sometimes viewed as "terrorists" or criminals because we carry a knife and/or multitool?...it makes no sense

thanx

We terrorize the small minds of those that are uneducated.

Reading these posts puts chills up my spines. I live in Louisiana, where knife laws are relatively lax. I am a college student (knives with blades up to 5 inches are allowed at my school) and I never leave the house without my Leatherman Wave and Benchmade AFCK. I bring both because they are so important as tools. Even though the AFCK is equipped with a pocket-clip, I still carry it in a sheath. I figure if its in a sheath, next to my Leatherman, on my belt--then its not a "concealed weapon". What a cop thinks of this---I'm not sure. But I'm really not trying to hide it. No one can even tell I'm carrying knives, my t-shirt covers the pouches up. Most people probably think its my cell phone or something.
I am still choosy about where I bring my knives because discretion is 90% of knife users' problems. I know where I can get away with it and where I can't. Also, only take a knife out when you need it, don't play around and don't open it up really quickly for a mundane task like cutting jute twine or opening a box. There's nothing quite like the "click" of a tactical folder to make people nervous. You'll be labeled as a "Rambo" in a minute. I sometimes carry a little Victorinox Recruit; if someone needs to borrow a knife. Its less intimidating and if they run off with it or lose it, its not a big deal.

It's a cool sunday morning here in Oregon and I'm sitting at the computer holding my "Tactical Caffiene Transfer Unit" up in the air in a toast to you guys on this topic of knives. Like many normal folks I grew up using knives and axes (good thinking Presumed Lost) as a matter of normal day to day living. I had to attend a University to learn some people didn't just not shoot firearms but actually disliked them. You think these people would be understanding about knives? You know the answer. Now I see the entire school system devoted to teaching kids that they are above getting their hands dirty to make a living. The wood, metal and auto shops are being eliminated in this state at a high rate of speed. Funny but as I look around there is still a whole lot of hard physical work that needs to get done to keep us fed, clothed and sheltered. It's the edged tool that makes this world useful to us humans and I'm talking about drill bits, saw blades and milling cutters too. Those for whom everything is provided have the luxury to condemn those who provide. This may be the source of some of our problems with perceptions about knives. Also someone in this thread said something about not flicking knives open in public. RIGHT ON! At the shows I attend as a knifemaker we have a lot of folks that are not knife nuts too. I always open any folder slowly and with the blade pointed towards me when showing a knife. I've seen too many "stupid knife tricks" and the effect they have on other people watching. Keep up the great thinkng here. One last thing, I work with my hands fairly hard (this doesn't make me unique) and am at least half strong. There are soft packaged food bags that I can't get open without a knife, am I the only one with this problem?