Short Blades With Big Grips

[hso]

That's a variation of the standard 4" blade length laws found in many places across the country, but in this case it leaves things open for non locking blades longer than 4".

Knife Rights is fighting the blade length and mechanism restrictions and has converted 7 states in the past couple of years (we'll get TN next year!).

 

[mgmorden]

Technically the town I live in has a local ordinance limiting blades to 3" (though its completely unenforced).

My normal daily-carry knife is a Buck Solitaire which comes in just under. I've also been occasionally carrying an older USA-made Schrade LB5 which is exactly 3".

I also keep a Sypderco Honeybee on my keychain whose blade is only 1.6". I actually use it a lot for things like opening boxes/letters etc.

Generally unless I know for certain that I'd like a longer blade (ie, skinning a deer - though in a pinch the longer two above will work for that too) then I'm completely comfortable with the shorter blades.

 

[Jsg81]

I just used the pen knife to breast some geese this morning. I meant to bring a bigger knife but didn't. It worked much better than I thought it would.

 

[plumberroy]

I have used a vic rambler to clean small game on several occasions mainly just to see if I can. It has been my experiance out here in fly over country that if you aren't being stupid with a knife not much is said. Or they are add on charges for people cimmitting serious crimes. I often carry a cold steel pocket bushman clipped in my left rear pocket around many officers and have never been questioned about it . I just don't go to places that have draconian tool laws, A knife is a tool .

 

[Esoxchaser]

I have been using the Boker for a couple of years now. A very sturdy little knife that holds an edge well.

 

[ugaarguy]

It has been my experiance out here in fly over country that if you aren't being stupid with a knife not much is said. Or they are add on charges for people cimmitting serious crimes.

Yes, but what does the law in your state say? I've also only ever heard of the 2" blade length law in GA being enforced on college campuses as an add on charge. That still doesn't change what the law states. It still doesn't make it worth the risk of having a weapons charge on one's record.

I often carry a cold steel pocket bushman clipped in my left rear pocket around many officers and have never been questioned about it . I just don't go to places that have draconian tool laws, A knife is a tool .

Again, what are the laws in your state? Outside of school campuses Georgia may be the most knife friendly state in the US. Any knife with a blade length of 5 inches or less is legal here, for anyone to carry. Any knife with a blade longer than 5 inches is legal to carry with a Georgia Weapons Carry License or with any other state's weapons / firearm carry permit that Georgia accepts. Other than blade length without a carry permit, there are no knife restrictions in Georgia unless you're on a school campus. Georgia is currently one of seven states that has fully repealed the ban on switch blades.

We can debate enforcement, and politics all we want, and we'll get nowhere. If you want to see laws changed join Knife Rights, and get active in the fight.

The topic of the thread is that some people live in, or travel to, places with restrictive knife laws. Being responsible citizens we wish to have the best tool available within the law.

I have used a vic rambler to clean small game on several occasions mainly just to see if I can.

Food prep is always one of the tasks I use for evaluating a knife's performance for review. It's eye opening to see just how much a general purpose knife can do, but it doesn't make them the best tool for the job. Just because you clean small game with a pen knife doesn't make it the best tool for the job.

 

[plumberroy]

Our laws are vague and leave a lot to interpertation , but from what I've read the bushman could be pushing it if it wasn't showing and some cities frown on the thumb stud/consider it a one hand opener

The topic of the thread is that some people live in, or travel to, places with restrictive knife laws. Being responsible citizens we wish to have the best tool available within the law.

Where you live or travel to is a choice I choose not to live places or travel to places that don't trust law abiding citizens . If everybody stopped going to N.Y.C. or Chicago or D.C for "fun" tourest money would dry up and maybe people living there that vote would vote the people out passing laws that restrict our rights.

 

[JShirley]

Where to travel is indeed your choice, but where to attend college is likely to be a more complicated decision. Ugaarguy has written a review concentrating specifically on knives allowable in GA universities, and since these are similiar to restrictions found in some less knife-friendly locales, the article has wide applicabilty.

 

[plumberroy]

Complicated decision, yes but still a choice. I was invited to apply for a job here lately just a little more money per hour but several more holidays per year I declined, the place requires people to be tobacco free. It is not the right of an employer to tell you what you can't do something at home that is legal . For the record I don't smoke and quit snuff 13 years ago .
It has been more than 20 years since I was in a college class room. I don't remember knife regs ever even mentioned
Roy

 

[ugaarguy]

Roy, we can debate the politics until we're blue in the face, but that's a discussion for activism. The point here is complying with the law until we can get it changed through political action.

I reviewed five folders that meet some of the toughest blade length restrictions in the US. In addition, these five folders come as close to large folder performance as possible despite their short blades. All folders reviewed have large grippy handles, stout locks, sturdy blades, and large pivots.

If the review doesn't apply to you, that's fine. But it doesn't warrant criticism of those who are complying with the law while they actively fight to change it.

 

[AJumbo]

I'm currently carrying a very small lockback Byrd knife of somewhat uncertain pedigree. It's 3 1/4" closed, 5 3/4" open, and has a 2" working edge. The blade is 2/3 serrated, and made of 8Cr13MoV steel; it's held its factory edge quite well, requiring only some stropping to keep sharp. There are traction grooves both on the 'hump' and on the ricasso, allowing a decent choke-up grip and a little more grip area folks with big hands.The pocket clip can be used left/right and tip up/ tip down. The handle is grippy as heck in any direction. My only gripe is that the pocket clip holds the knife exceptionally well, and when combined with it's small size, it can be tough to draw and present quickly. I'm thinking of adding some sort of lanyard to help get it clear of my pocket a bit more quickly. Apart from that (and the 'China' etching on the blade), I can recommend this knife.

I don't built cabins with this knife, but it serves me well as a nice general purpose pocketknife that would add zero weight to a daypack, bug-out bag, hunting kit, whatever. I'd say it compares in size to the top three knives accompanying the article.

 

[ugaarguy]

AJ, the Byrd knives are actually Spyderco's economy line that are built to their specs in China. The knife you mention is the Robin, and it's a great small folder. I have one myself, but the blade is just a bit too long to meet the law I was working with. It does meet the regulations in many other restrictive areas, so it's definitely on topic. The 8Cr13MoV blade steel is a Chinese copy of AUS-8. Spyderco used the original Aichi AUS-8 for years, so it's no surprise that they get such performance from 8Cr13MoV.

 

[TimboKhan]

Is it just me, or are people not understanding the gist of this article? It was written from a particular point of view to address a particular issue realistically faced by a particular person.

<rant on>

Yes, it is a choice. However, the University of Georgia isn't exactly Clown College. Most people who yearn to be a Bulldog are applying for specific reasons and are not likely to say "I am going to pass up an education at a premier university because, like, they won't let me carry a folding katana".

Certainly there are limits to the things I will and will not put up with, but for the most part if I have the chance to permanently better my existence on the planet and have to temporarily abide by laws I don't agree with to do so, then brothers, sign me up. Neither am I going to deny myself the pleasures of seeing the country and/or the world because for a temporary period of time I can't carry the knife I normally carry, or in line with the premise of this review, I have to make a compromise and carry a smaller knife.

Hey, I am a gun guy living in Colorado. Trust me, I have excellent and recent experience in dealing with laws that I find restrictive and distasteful. This idealized vision of a Valhalla of personal freedom simply does not exist in our world anymore, so I applaud my southern pal here for writing an article relevant to dealing with what is, as opposed to ranting about what should be.


<rant off>

 

[mole]

I'm an graduate from there and I carried a Gerber E-Z-Out clipped to my pocket most of the time while there including on 9/11. If I recall it has a 3 1/4" blade. Only once did anyone have anything to say about it and that was only that it was a "large blade" in their view. Of course most of my time was spent around the sciences area and away from the north campus wackos that would have a problem with a knife. I also worked with stuff much more dangerous than a simple pocketknife in some of the laboratories....

My wife carries the Byrd Robin everyday. Cut the tip off and regrind it. It would be a more affordable option.

 

[AJumbo]

Thanks, agaarguy.... I knew the Spyderco connection, but could not remember which model that was. I won it in a raffle, and carried it as boot knife for over a year before I actually used it.

Mole..... why would I grind the tip off it? Did I miss something? The tip is splinter-pickin' sharp as it is.

 

[mole]

I was suggesting doing it so that it would be less than the limit that ugaarguy is discussing. Personally I think that the Robin is a fine knife.

 

[AJumbo]

Very well; see, I DID miss somethinG!

 

[lobo9er]

I like this little guy.

 

[ugaarguy]

I like this little guy.

Cool. ¿Que Es?

 

[Bix]

Looking forward to part II of the article.

 

[hso]

uga, that's a Knives of Alaska Cub Bear caper with a 2.75" blade. Outdoor Edge has a similar knife. KOA's sister company DiamondBlades also has a 2.75" caper.

 

[Readyrod]

I live in Japan and the laws here are pretty restrictive. You can't carry a blade that is over 5.5cm, which is about two and a quarter inches. I carry a Spyderco ladybug. I've heard that the cops here will take away any knife that they find on you though.

 

[hso]

Most places outside the U.S. don't have even the pretense of limiting LE authority that we have here in the U.S.

 

[maskedman504]

I just scored this 'Pocket Butcher' by Eric Bonner. cpm154, thunderstorm kevlar scales, satin finish with a leather pocket sheath

2" edge, 5" OAL



And I love my Spyderco Techno

 

[hso]

maskedman504,

That's so CUTE! Really clever mini cleaver!


BTW, to get back on the OP's original theme, good article and good reviews. I'd say there's a useful niche for reviewing sub 3" knives.