Hey guys,

I am interested in hearing what some members of the community do to work around restrictions placed upon them by different atmospheres. Within reasonable guidelines, I could use some advice on how to improve my EDC to be able to stay as prepared for anything as possible. To skip that one post in every thread that asks for more specific situations to prepare for, let's say I want to prepare for bad weather typical of the midwest and east coast, and personal defense issues. Let's take it further and say in an urban or suburban environment.

Going to school and working a part time job means that I cannot CCW most of the time, not sure about restrictions of folding knives, but I generally keep them out of the workplace. I carry a Surefire LED in my pocket, and have spare batteries in the car. Wallet with identification and small paper cash always stays with me, as well as my key chain. I carry a lighter, though I do not smoke (have gotten some questions about that). I usually carry a backpack loaded with books/spare clothes, but I can always jam more crap into it. I have considered carrying OC spray, but decided against it as I have been sprayed with it before and Im not willing to trust my lifeon those effects stopping a baddie, therefore I won't even carry it.

I do have a vehicle where I can store stuff, such as food and water, but for the times when I am not able to get to my car, what else should I be carrying? Thanks!

Unless you are entering buildings with metal detectors or subject to search the key word is DISCRETE. Assemble gear you trust that is carry friendly and KEEP IT THERE. How did your coworkers observe your lighter?If you were gallant lighting somebodie's cigarette who did it help? Thats like providing pens to interviewing job candidates or telling the time to a coworker. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Absolutely. If you do nothing to draw attention to yourself, the fact that you are carrying an item that is not allowed in a particular situation or location will never be known by anyone else but yourself. And if by chance you needed to use that item to save you or someone else, there is an old adage, "Better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6".

How about carrying a cigar or two? That might keep people from assuming too much when you have a lighter and nothing to light.

I think you have a good start with what you mentioned; you might want to put a small whistle on your keychain, like a Fox 40 mini.

A small Swiss Army knife would be a good addition if you can't carry much else in the way of knives or tools. (Maybe even a Leatherman if you can swing it.)

Last but not least, a pre-paid phone card comes in handy when the cell phone networks don't work or are overloaded.

Discrete and LOW KEY are the watch words here.

For instance, don't use a Marine Ka-Bar to open your mail. That's quite an example, I know, but some guys will use any excuse to pull out a "dramatic" piece of their gear. Don't do it.

I carry more than one Swiss Army and more than one lockblade on my person, usually. I use the smallest blade that will get the job done, if I have to use a blade at all. If I can tear an envelope open with a pen, I will. I try to use scissors most of the time.

Once I was breaking down some very heavy cardboard boxes with my Spyderco Dragonfly. Of course, one of the guys sees it, gets all excited, and asks, from across the room, no less, "Hey, could you KILL someone with that?!"

Yep. A total idiot. And the boss was in the area, but fortunately preoccupied. Later on, the same guy asks me to show his buddy my knife. I said no. He said, very defensively, why not? "Because I'm not carrying it anymore, trying to lighten my load," I replied. I had it, but I was damned if I was going to parade it around the room. I totally punctured his balloon. I was very happy.

Now, when there's heavy breaking down to do, I don't plunge right in, and I don't volunteer, either. Other people do. Let them struggle with the dull kitchen knives. No, they don't carry pocket knives. I don't bother asking why anymore, either.

I have what I have and I keep mum about it.

-- Craig

I carry my swiss army knife (soon to be a leatherman), AA flashlight and whistle in my pocket. Noone has ever given me grief, and many of my coworkers carry knives, too.

I think someone made this point last year when the subject came up. A multi-tool is a TOOL, whereas a fixed knife is a WEAPON. Folding knives are in that grey area. That's the perception you're dealing with, and preparedness means being prepared for social bumps in the road as well.

My personal feeling is that in a typical office environment, a good multi-tool with a locking blade will be highly useful, without any social / legal risks at all.

Ask yourself what could happen to me today? Be reasonable, and then ask what can I do to prevent it, or deal with it.

If it is possible a handgun is a better soloution for self defence than a knife or spray, though each has their strong points. However a firearm is a "gentleman's" weapon but a knife is concidered a "thug's" weapon. Carrying a CONCEALED weapon isn't that hard if you don't insist on too big a weapon. If you are going into a school or area that you don't want to carry lock it in your car (unloaded) and you should be OK.

On pepper spray, if you are going to carry it, don't announce that you have it. If it is needed just use it and the supprise that you had anything will work in your favor. DO NOT THREATEN WITH PEPPER SPRAY OR IT WILL LOSE ONE OF IT'S MAJOR FACTORS, SUPPRISE.

A knife is the most usefull tool you can have and I'm not sure why you don't carry one even a small knife is better than no knife. In an urban environment a small swiss army knife other tools file, screwdriver, etc. that can more than explain it's usefullness.

If anyone asks about the lighter tell them it's your significant other's and no more questions should be asked.

"It's easier to push off a 6 month sentence, than 6 feet of dirt."

Take care and stay safe.

Hate to debunk your no social/legal risk for a multi-tool in an office environment, but I got in trouble and almost fired for having a swisstool in a pouch on my belt at work. The tool itself wasn't even seen, but human resources could not see a difference between a tool and a weapon. DISCRETE is now the watchword. What they can't see, they can't complain about.

Same here, I pulled out my leatherman in a .gov office and got the "thats a knife!". I said of course, would you prefer me to chew the box open. But I have become more careful about whom I pull it out in front of now.

Well, perhaps you can find a more suitable atmosphere. I don't like the idea of someone disarmingme. Yes, I don't routinely carry knives or weapons, but that's beside the point. Criminals don't obey the law. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I would also think "DUAL USE". Except in the case above, you might be able to have items that replicate the use of other "prohibited" devices. For example, think of a Kubaton. Why buy this OBVIOUS defensive weapon. Perhaps your <insert relative>, who died in a hiking accident, crafted you what looks like a long wooden whistle. You keep it for sentimental value. It just happens to function as a whistle AND Kubaton. You might even be able to have a long wooden dowel and think of some excuse if someone wants to know. Maybe you practice tying knots on it.

Edited to Add:
I did a google search of "whistle kubaton". Someone said they like to use a "Susato Kildare Tunable D". The main page is here
A image showing the "D" (its on the Soprano side...) is here. A "D" is recommended for beginners, and it's only $30. Just tell everyone you wanted to learn to play a whistle

A Sharpie marker is about the same size and weight as a kubaton, only much cheaper, isnt an outward weapon, and has multiple uses. I must admit that I do visit other communities where everyone is all hyped about their new little pointy sticks, but if I carried one, I would still probably rely on my knuckles over it in a fight.

The whistle idea is good, I am going to get one.

I am not the kind of guy to go waving around my equipment, but I still don't feel comfortable carrying a knife into school, when I have seen people kicked out for just as much. I doubt that in the eyes of the Dean, a small 3' folder from Microtech is any different from an 8' Bowie. And yeah, I have heard "Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6", but my goal should be to avoid that as much as possible.

Somehow I find it disingenuous packing a felt marker which is a de facto Kubotan. This thinking is like Hienkle building airliners in 1936 or allowing box cutters the morning of September 11th. Both were a subterfuge against the rule of law, however onerous and common sense. My knife is a tool. Society needs reminding that knives are not neccessarily dedicated weapons and have legitimate uses. Until we somehow manage this bit of social engineering I will discretely carry a knife, not step back from reallity like a dance partner to stupidity. A french artist titled a famous work ' this is not a pipe.' Look at it sometime <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I cant see a pipe .... only its depiction ... I must have missed something <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Well, I guess I must consider myself fortunate. I work as a Facilities Supv. and I get to walk around all day with a Supertool and a minimag in a Nite-ize case hanging off my belt, in plain sight. The President of the company asked me the other day what I had in "that thing" and I showed him. He told me not to leave it (the Leatherman) laying around. Why? " You know, I've been wanting one of those...." was his comment. Guess I better watch where I set it down.

Actually, until 9/11, a pocket knife with a blade less than 4" was legal. But no serrated or partially serrated blades were allowed, because someone thought that they looked "menacing."

/rant on
It wasn't knives that caused 9/11, it was the attitude that "If we just do what they say, no one will get hurt." They acurately found the weak spot in security, and it was that aforementioned attitude. Now we should make sure the average person CAN carry a pocketknife.
/rant off

BTW, the word is spelled discreet. Another case of a spell checker not being able to pick the right homophone, perhaps? After watching my supervisor at work attempt to open a taped box with a steel ruler (!), I had just (gently) snapped open my RSK Griptilian and handed it to her when my new (to the company) manager walked up behind me. I think he visibly jumped, and said "Can you carry that at work?" I casually replied "Oh yeah, it's just a pocketknife," but I am being more discreet, and carrying an RSK Mini-Griptilian or my small Sebenza. Another excuse to add to my knife collection. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Now I'm also carrying a little Gerber Ultralight LST (~2" blade) in the left watch pocket on my jeans for opening boxes, etc. I didn't like getting tape adhesive on my good knife anyway. It probably helps that our Facilities people all carry Leathermans and/or Gerber multitools, folding knives in belt sheaths, pagers, radios, cell phones, flashlights, etc. on their belts.

Oh, I dunno, perhaps Chris really meant discrete, as in separate from everything else. Perhaps he should've said he'd carry it with "discretion", which would've bolluxed the whole argument.

I tend to carry my knives both discreetly and discretely. Saves the hassle of fumbling through a pocket full of stuff, and then explaining about all that fell on the floor while I was rummaging. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

A kid noticed the pocket clip on my 3" Gerber folder when I was subbing at a school a couple of weeks ago. His eyes got kind of big and he exclaimed, "Hey, that's a knife!" I looked him in the eye and calmly said, "yeah" like it was no big deal, and he didn't say anymore.

Glad he didn't notice the flame thrower in my other pocket. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I have to chime in here and I hope none of you men are offended, then again, if your MEN, then you shouldn't be. It completely sickens me to the point of real nausea when I read that a man visibly jumped at the sight of a Mini-Griptilian. Not that many years ago, every boy over about 6 years old had a knife even at school. No one cared, and it wasn't an issue. How have we come to the point where a grown man was visibly upset or shaken by the sight of a small, 3 inch bladed pocket knife? I guess I am highly fortunate that in my office (Air Force parts purchasing office) in Alaska, that knives are almost a mandatory piece of uniform gear. I am part of a Transportation unit and here even the civilians carry big bladed folders on clips, or in belt pouches and it's expected, not feared. When I retire in just under 4 years from the AF, I hope the state of things isn't so bad, for I will have to retire to the woods to hide from the sissy prissy men who jump at the sight of knives...they surely will fall right over of heart failure at the sight of my AR slung muzzle down, Kimber 45 1911 holstered, and the various knives arrayed about me... <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Yes, I agree. We carried knives to school when was younger and even would show our new one for show and tell. Now you mention the word knife or gun and you get sent home. When my grandfather was in school if he forgot to bring his knife or gun with him to school he was sent back home to get it.

The country has been Oprah-fied, what we have now are Alan Alda types that are sensitive, caring, fearful of knives, guns, tolerant of our enemies, trained in diversity and anger management. Where have you been? Wasn't this implemented in the military in the 90's? You need to be scheduled for retraining immediately! <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Enough please. The forum is niether Elmendorf AFB or the Soundset for Oprah. The reality is much of the world community is recoiling from the horrors of violence much like a pendulum. Extreme horror often produces extreme reactions. Puffing up our chests with Charles Bronson parameters of manhood will not change this. Thoughtfull and rational discourse with our fellow citizens will. Is someone upset by your knife? Hand it to them to examine like the ancient custom of shaking empty sword hands. Then gift that person with an inexpensive folder. I've made 3 friends and empathetic allies this way. How many minds have all those gaudy knife magazines with closet Rambos on the cover changed?

I guess I was sucking rubber in Saudi Arabia that day, month, year..crap, now it feel liks Monday all over again. Oprah...
I think I'm gonna hurl..

sorry sir, it's just belly-aching day I reckon.

Check the school bookstore. If they have the larger Xacto blades (1/2" dia. handle) some of the blades are of a similar size to the Victorinox 58mm (Classic size frame) or the Leatherman Squirt. I would think a valid argument would be that they are no larger than what is for SALE by the school. This will also depend on the situation that brought it to their attention.

When in high school in '90 &'91 I took 1 day a month to sharpen everyones knife in wood shop. They ranged from small folders to sheath knives. This included the teacher's knives. We never had one problem. We didn't show the entire school either.

It didn't offend me at all. It's your perspective from Alaska. Things have changed in recent years after 9/11 and many high school shooting incidents, not all of those changes for the better I am afraid. I personally think that some of the zero tolerance situations are idiotic.