[OT] Carrying a knife

[jasper]

When I was in the Army I bought an aluminum samauri sword. I had to log it in to the MPs and then have lock up in the Armory with the M16s 45, 50 cals. The Top said I made get angry and use on some one. He got a funny look when I told why would a hit some one with fake sword which I paid for when I could just pick up this five pound chair which I didn't sign for and use it.

Yes it stupid but there are alot of stupids out there.

Another time my squire brother Iian and I were at an Sca event. We ran over to the nearby walmart to get supplies for the cook. We split up to get supplies. Iian is stopped by the manager who asks for Iian dagger. No weapons allow blah blah etc. Iian hands it over since the manager is going to return it. Now I don't know this. I about to turn a corner on an aisle. And lucky I see the bare blade. The manager is walking with dagger in his hand out, just above waist level, dagger at 45 degree angle. Think quick upward thrust to ribs. Now if I had been paying attention, or a kid had been running around the corner. Ouch hostipal visit. I talk to him and shown him to either carry flat against his arm or hold to his leg.

 

[alsih2o]

i was raised in central appalachia and have lived on farms a large part of my adult life. when i was very young my dad got me my first folding knife for my pocket and i have carried one since.

when travelling once, going through st. louis i was stopped for, esentially, driving a suburban late at night. he asked where i had been and i responded new mexico. when he asked how long i had been there i said "8 hours".

"OUT OF THE CAR!"

it seem the police had been tipped that soemone was smuggling weapons cross country and i was in a huge empty vehicle with light bagagge and had made an incredibly short visit so i met the profile. before the 8 other officers arrived he asked "do you have any weapons on your person"

i debated internally whether my knife could be considered a weapon, to me it is a tool, but i was sure he would see it differently. i informed him i had a knife in my pocket and he took one stepp back, placed his hand n his gun and asked me to put the knife on the hood of his car. i did so and he said

"that is one heck of a large knife to be carrying, are you expecting trouble?"

i stated in the least argumentative way i could that it wasn't a weapon to me, it was a tool. he opened it to find it had soil on the blade, and haystring fibers in the joint and lithium grease and the tip was broken off.

he just smiled and showed me his knife, same model as mine, almost as beat up and we had a nice conversation about soybeans and baling hay vs baling straw till his buddies showed up with mirrors and dogs to give the vehicle a once over.

all went well with the search and when it was over he told me that it was illegal to carry a knife broader than 4 fingers in MO. he then placed his fingers across it and the blade stuck out just a little from behind it. he then called over another, larger officer and had him do the same test. the second guys hands were HUGE and the knife didn't stick out at all. he returned my knife and i returned to driving.

8 days later i recieved a smaller missouri state police 2 blade folding knife in the mail, with a note from the officer wishing me luck with the soybeans and reminding me of that night.

more on topic, i had a friend with a lion, he argued essentially what you do, it isn't dangerous, it is a pet.

sometimes we have to give some to make others feel better.

 

[Rel]

Dwarf, considering the circumstances, this decision by the managers is pretty stupid. But, managers are allowed to make stupid rules if they want.

Don't think that you're doing anything cool and rebellious by trying to "fight the power" on this one. If you're offended enough to quit, then quit. If you're not, then don't.

There is no percentage in trying to keep working there while constantly battling this decision.

 

[Enceladus]

Dealing with the situation in a mature manner-

I would buy a nice ripe melon from the store and paint a face on it, then I would stick my knife in it with a note that says, "You" and leave it on her doorstep.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

Now, am I the criminal here? Have I somehow done something wrong? Is there really such a bad stigma attached to someone who carries a knife with them?
I'd really appreciate it if someone could enlighten me because I'm baffled. It's like they're asking me to lock my car keys up while I'm working because it could be used as a weapon...

At the risk of sounding reasonable, could you describe the knife? I'm gonna guess, and I could be wrong, that its not a swiss army knife or other multi-tool. In my expereince, there is no social stigma to someone who carries "a knife" with them, however, different knives do have different associations.

I almost always carry my swiss army knife and a small pen knife. I pull them out on a regular basis when a sharp object is needed, and while it sometimes suprizes people, its never bothered anyone... Now if I carried a non folding hunting knife, a stilletto or a switchblade or butterfly knife, I would not be the least bit suprized at a different reaction. Even if my intent for them was the same, they carry a different social connotation. (and legal connotation in my home state - the laws there are long and complicated, but basically boil down to "if it doesn't fold, or you can open if with one hand, its a no no for concealed carry.")

Kahuna Burger

 

[Kahuna Burger]

Re: Dealing with the situation in a mature manner-

I would buy a nice ripe melon from the store and paint a face on it, then I would stick my knife in it with a note that says, "You" and leave it on her doorstep.

You like jail? I'm sure there are other ways you could get there without buying a mellon and giving up a nice knife...

Kahuna Burger

 

[Sixchan]

Well, in Britain, you'd be the criminal. Knives come under the Offensive Weapons act, and you can serve a jail term just for carrying one.

OTOH, A court recently overturned an Offensive Weapons charge on the grounds that Spiked Flails are not offensive weapons. Neither are Nunchaku.

 

[Drawmack]

I don't see what the big deal is. When I worked in restaurants I had my own diamond blade cleaver that I used to carry on my hip in a special made holster. At one point I was asked why I carried it in the holster. I replied that I spend $400.00 on it and I'd be damned if some idiot was going to screw it up with misuse. The response was that I was allowed to carry the cleaver as a work tool. When another worker attempted to carry his pocket knife on his hip it was taken and he was told not to bring it again. The problem was insurance. Since it was not a work tool it was a weapon and therefor the insurance would have gone through the roof had he been allowed to carry it.

Now from the number of knives you're saying are present in the kitchen I do not believe that your pocket knife is a work tool. Also what's the big deal and it's not like car keys or pictures of your family. I have never heard of anyone being killed with car keys (maybe the car but not the keys) or family photos.


Oh and on the concealed wepon bit. First it must be concealed. Second if it is a work tool you don't need a permit to carry it. This is by US law so other countries may be different.

 

[Arravis]

Alsih2o, just wanted to say I really liked your story . Most of my experiences with the police have been negative (long story: the usual innocent guy being harassed by an over-zealous cops without thought to the consequences) and it's nice to hear one that's positive.

 

[Alzrius]

IMHO, you're completely in the right, Dwarf, but you're going to get screwed here anyway.

This is a good example of the difference between authority (not quite law here) and justice. It's obviously unjust that they're making you stop carrying your knife, but the fact of the matter is that you appealed to the only authority, and it was interested in just making things run smoothly, not in actually solving the problem.

The question now becomes, is principle more important to you, or keeping that job? Ask yourself that, and make your decision and don't look back.