You have to be really careful about what, exactly, you carry. There are state laws, and city statutes that come into play. I’ve even known people to have Sheriffs tell them “I don’t care what the law says, I’ll arrest you anyway, because I don’t like it.” Lovely. It really is, as you say, “arbitrary”. What might be considered legal length and fine in one city may be considered a “dagger” or some other banned item in another. Of course, if you’re being frisked by the police, then your problems have already begun… ;)

Being frisked reminds me of an experience with the TSA a while back. I was traveling for work a day or two after a really heavy training weekend and my shoulder had been torqued one too many times so I could barely lift it. The TSA dude said he wanted me to raise my arms so he could run a scanner over me. I had nothing even remotely considered a weapon on me and was happy to comply, but simply unable to lift my left arm fully. I said “I hurt my left arm yesterday, and that’s as high as it goes.” He said “No it isn’t!” I replied “Really? Where did you get your medical license?” (Sorry, but I was in pain and short on patience.) Then he motioned for a cop to come over and said “I’m calling an officer over for your own safety.” To which I replied “Why? Are you planning to go Rodney King on my ass?” The TSA dude really didn’t care for that comment, but the cop just couldn’t hold back the complete belly laugh that resulted. The more he tried to hold it back, the more impossible a task it became. Having the police officer nearly rolling on the ground laughing really limited TSA dude’s comfort level with further provoking me. He just finished his thing I and moved on, with the cop still laughing himself silly.

I certainly wouldn’t recommend anyone try this course of action themselves, but I seemed to get by with it that one time. I can be a bit surly and non-compliant when I reach my threshold of pain. And I don’t care for the whole TSA routine on a good day. ;) In my opinion, everyone should be issued a weapon at the gate. On any given flight at minimum 75% of the passengers will want to survive the flight and will fight to the death to do so, thereby subverting anyone with ill intentions. But that’s just my opinion, apparently.

When I can’t carry a firearm, I carry a knife. And it’s almost always a fixed blade knife, properly concealed. To paraphrase “The Art of War”, “When you are strong look weak, and when you are weak, look strong.” I don’t want to advertise that I’m carrying a blade, even if it is legal length.

I wasn’t aware of San Antonio’s statute (I don’t live in Texas), but good information regardless.

See there, I’m not your enemy.

It’s not an assisted knife, but years ago I had an accident with an Emerson CQC-7 opening in my pocket. It punched a hole through my trousers when I sat down at my desk. I was displeased to say the least and that knife was retired shortly afterwards. A lot of more recent designs are built in such a way that there is a bit of resistance against a cam or detent, which keeps it closed more reliably without actually locking it.

“WordsTwice is (theoretically) blogging here.”

Okay, I can take a hint. Sheesh. What a taskmaster.

The biggest thing that I like and (and few other manufactures do it) is the position of the carry clip. It puts the knife deeper in your pocket for one thing, but more importantly, when the knive is drawn, it’s already in the correct position for use. The way that carry clips are “normally” attached cause one to flip the knife around to open it.

I have automatics, spring assist, and regular folders. The regular folders remain superior because any “speed advantage” is negligible and I need to know that the knife is in the locked open position.

Jed, Get your blog back online! I know I missed a few months here, but still. WordsTwice is (theoretically) blogging here. Would you like to?

And then, speed of deployment doesn’t exactly go well with keeping a small folder loose in your pocket anyway.