Open carry of knives

[Eastex]

I was eating lunch with a friend the other day here in east Texas and we both noticed how many people were openly carrying knives on their belts. Most of the people would have fit into the rancher/working guy category. I’m pretty sure this is related to where I live and the fact that there aren’t a lot of suit and tie types where we were eating but I’m just curious about other areas of the country.
Also wondering if the new knife laws here in Texas will affect what types of knives people carry. Most of the ones I saw looked like 4 inch blades and I don’t know that double edge or big Bowie styles will show up since most of these looked to be working knives. It wouldn’t surprise me if a big Bowie went unnoticed compared to a pen carried pistol though, those still stand out in the crowd.

[BillSWPA]

In southwest Pennsylvania, I do not see many knives on belts, but folding knives clipped into pockets are very common. I will not go as far as to say that they go unnoticed, but they certainly don’t raise any concern, and unnoticed would not be far from the truth. I carry at least one even in business casual attire or in a suit. Those who carry fixed blades (not many) tend to conceal them.



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[Clusterfrack]

Here in Portland, carrying an expensive custom fixed blade is the new hipster thing.

There's also a lot of open carry of very large fixed blades among the vagrant community.

[SunTzu]

We have new knife laws here in TN, as well. I've seen a small uptick in people carrying fixed blades but most of them are just belt knives not big eff off kukris or swords, lol.

[Totem Polar]

In east side WA state (opposite side from Seattle, in more ways than just geography), I’d say that openly carried belt-born fixed blades are fairly uncommon, and "relegated" to people doing labor and maintenance jobs (and street people). But clipped folders in pockets? Get outta here... unless you’re artificially inflating white collar colors (suit and tie bank/finance, academia, etc) a clipped folder is de rigeur. Even the docs I know carry them regularly around here. Nobody conceals those thimgs, and security at places like the courthouse will hold them for you if you ask.

I’m more discrete, but that’s partially because I travel in artificial white collar circles. Partially.

[ReverendMeat]

Here in Portland, carrying an expensive custom fixed blade is the new hipster thing.


Wat. I've never seen this, is that really a thing?

ETA: The only time I've ever seen a preponderance of OC fixed blades has been biker bars in Reno.

[Totem Polar]

^^^Go to rural Canada. It’s like game of thrones.

[Willard]

I was eating lunch with a friend the other day here in east Texas and we both noticed how many people were openly carrying knives on their belts. Most of the people would have fit into the rancher/working guy category. I’m pretty sure this is related to where I live and the fact that there aren’t a lot of suit and tie types where we were eating but I’m just curious about other areas of the country.

This seems more pervasive in TX than anywhere else I've lived. Also, noticed during my daughter's FFA live stock shows, folding knives in some type of fancy embossed holster (usually center of back) seem to be part of the costume for juvenile males. I like to see boys can still have a knife at a school related function, so no issues there. I grew up in the south, and it was perfectly normal even in school (and no one ever pulled one on someone else during a verbal or physical altercation. But I bet it wouldn't be permitted today.

As a side note, I saw my first, in town, real life, "open carry" handgun fellow last weekend. Gazing into jewelry/accessory case with female companion, while in condition white, and posturing himself so as to make his pistol very easy to snatch. Based on his physical conditioning / situational awareness / carry decisions / posture, anyone so inclined could have received him of what appeared to be a Filipino 1911 clones & accompanying open carry dual mags. I kept an eye on him during our time in that establishment, not because he seemed a threat, but because he was providing any deranged individual who might pass through easy access to his armament.

[Eastex]

Those yellow handled Case Sod Buster folding knives in leather sheaths are seen with nearly every blue FFA jacket around here.


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[NickA]

Side note about the FFA/farmer/rancher types: we were at a county fair in rural Iowa a few years back. There were some knives on belts, but EVERYbody had a pair of pliers/wire cutters in a belt sheath. I haven't noticed it as much here in TX but I'm not usually around that crowd either. Plus it's technically illegal to carry wire cutters here due to archaic cowboy laws [emoji41]

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[Zincwarrior]

I was eating lunch with a friend the other day here in east Texas and we both noticed how many people were openly carrying knives on their belts. Most of the people would have fit into the rancher/working guy category. I’m pretty sure this is related to where I live and the fact that there aren’t a lot of suit and tie types where we were eating but I’m just curious about other areas of the country.
Also wondering if the new knife laws here in Texas will affect what types of knives people carry. Most of the ones I saw looked like 4 inch blades and I don’t know that double edge or big Bowie styles will show up since most of these looked to be working knives. It wouldn’t surprise me if a big Bowie went unnoticed compared to a pen carried pistol though, those still stand out in the crowd.

Interestingly, the law changed and theoretically we can carry swords. I'd carry my tulwar, but its a real pain to get into the car. :)

[Clusterfrack]

Wat. I've never seen this, is that really a thing?

ETA: The only time I've ever seen a preponderance of OC fixed blades has been biker bars in Reno.

Yup. Hand tooled sheaths, Pukkos, etc. Plus lots of oiled beards.

[Eastex]

I’d kind of like to slam them because, well, they’re hipsters, but if they’re putting money into some craftsman’s hands I guess that’s okay.


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[okie john]

In east side WA state (opposite side from Seattle, in more ways than just geography), I’d say that openly carried belt-born fixed blades are fairly uncommon, and "relegated" to people doing labor and maintenance jobs (and street people). But clipped folders in pockets? Get outta here... unless you’re artificially inflating white collar colors (suit and tie bank/finance, academia, etc) a clipped folder is de rigeur. Even the docs I know carry them regularly around here. Nobody conceals those thimgs, and security at places like the courthouse will hold them for you if you ask.

I’m more discrete, but that’s partially because I travel in artificial white collar circles. Partially.

I'm in Seattle and I work in advertising and technology. Clipped folders are pretty common in offices, but you'd better be sure of your audience if you take it out of your pocket. Haven't seen anything like a Buck 110 in a sheath in town, but I don't think you'd have to get very far out of town for that to be a lot more common.


Okie John

[OnionsAndDragons]

I’d kind of like to slam them because, well, they’re hipsters, but if they’re putting money into some craftsman’s hands I guess that’s okay.


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This is the one thing I can commend real hipsters, and not just fashion goobers, on. They will spend money on quality stuff far more than the average American.


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[Kukuforguns]

In Los Angeles County I'm not sure I've ever noticed anyone (other than a performing actor) openly carrying a fixed blade knife. In the past 5 years, I have started to notice people carrying folders to the point where it is no longer remarkable. Most of my co-workers think I'm paranoid for carrying a pocket knife - despite the fact they have only seen me use it on avocados and packaging. I'm also the person they visit when they need a screwdriver or flashlight.

Deputies in courthouses located in L.A., Riverside, San Diego, and San Bernardino won't hold your knife (or your medical shears) for you. They have be thrown away or returned to vehicle.

[camsdaddy]

Deputies in courthouses located in L.A., Riverside, San Diego, and San Bernardino won't hold your knife (or your medical shears) for you. They have be thrown away or returned to vehicle.
That's the same as in South Georgia.

[Cypher]

I remember when everyone carried a Buck 110 and no one really thought twice about it.

As long as I'm talking about this a Bianchi Accumold double stack magazine pouch makes a perfect replacement sheath for a Buck 110 ora Gerber Multitool

[blues]

I remember when everyone carried a Buck 110 and no one really thought twice about it.

As long as I'm talking about this a Bianchi Accumold double stack magazine pouch makes a perfect replacement sheath for a Buck 110 ora Gerber Multitool

Whippersnapper...!!!

This is what the well accoutered elementary school student (and future (dare I say it?) juvenile delinquent) carried in his pocket back in the late 50's. early 60's...


https://youtu.be/mEsU-_MpytE

[Shotgun]

Whippersnapper...!!!

This is what the well accoutered elementary school student (and future (dare I say it?) juvenile delinquent) carried in his pocket back in the late 50's. early 60's...


https://youtu.be/mEsU-_MpytE

And into the 70s. I grew up in a farming and ranching community in West Texas. No one ever thought twice about carrying a small folding knife in school in my hometown. Today, it’s not unusual to see fixed blade knives in the 3 to 4 inch range on belts, at least among the rancher/cowboy group out west. Not much longer than that and the knife doesn’t ride well in the pickup truck or the Polaris.

I’m still waiting to see a Bowie knife wearing, open carry person in Dallas. I must not be at Wal-Mart at the right time.

[blues]

And into the 70s. I grew up in a farming and ranching community in West Texas. No one ever thought twice about carrying a small folding knife in school in my hometown. Today, it’s not unusual to see fixed blade knives in the 3 to 4 inch range on belts, at least among the rancher/cowboy group out west. Not much longer than that and the knife doesn’t ride well in the pickup truck or the Polaris.

I’m still waiting to see a Bowie knife wearing, open carry person in Dallas. I must not be at Wal-Mart at the right time.

From an old volume in my bookcase, "On Your Own In The Wilderness" by Colonel Townsend Whelen and Bradford Angier (1958):


"The most indispensable tool for a hunter or fisherman or camper, and in fact for any outdoor man and boy anywhere, is the knife-a businesslike knife, sharp and keen. Mrs. Whelen's aunt, who taught high school Latin for thirty years in Nebraska, had the right idea. She asked every class, "Which boys have a jackknife in their pocket?" The ones who had none did not rate very high with her.

Her philosophy was that if a boy did not have a knife and know how to use it, he was not likely to grow up able to do many things for himself...I have had a knife like this in my back pants pocket ever since I was knee-high to a chopping block."

Too bad such common sense has become so uncommon.

[Darth_Uno]

Whippersnapper...!!!

This is what the well accoutered elementary school student (and future (dare I say it?) juvenile delinquent) carried in his pocket back in the late 50's. early 60's...


https://youtu.be/mEsU-_MpytE

Holy smokes, I've got one of those. It was my great-grandfather's. And it cleaned a lot of fish when I was a boy.

[blues]

They were pretty ubiquitous back in the day. I don't think I still have any of mine...probably lost in some box somewhere or just gone the way of all things over the years. As a kid I'd spend hours trying to put an edge on by sharpening on a concrete step, curb or a brick. Those were the days.

[Redhat]

These days the cops are going to come and hall the kid off for having a knife.

[Mark D]

I see fixed blade knives carried on the belt ocassionaly here in Central California. Believe it or not, I see it most often in Walmart. And typically their owners appear oblivious to possible retention issues. Some homeless folks also carry large knives, presumably as a deterent .

Under California law you can carry any fixed blade as long as it's not concealed. However many municipalities, including mine, have stricter laws.