Pocket knife. I guess I'm too hard to please. Because of my hands and fingers stiffening up, I need a knife that has a big enough handle with non slippery grips. It has to be an assisted opening blade for one handed opening, no longer than 3 inches. I like drop pointed or spear pointed blades, not too thick. Plain or stainless steel, but a good quality steel. I don't mind paying up to $100 or a bit more for what I want. I found plenty of cheap knives that had handle and a blade design I liked, but I won't buy a cheap knife if it's going to be my everyday companion. Prefer USA made, or German, English or Japanese blades. A while ago I had an automatic, or push button knife. It was pretty hefty and had a strong spring. When you pushed the button, you better have a good grip on the knife, or it could jump out of your hand. I was worried about it's legality so I gave it away. So, I'll keep looking, or win the lottery and have a custom knife maker build me what I want. This is what I now carry. The handle is too slippery. I may glue some rubber to the sides of the handles.
At one time I owned a collection of about 100 or more mostly pocket knives. I started with the idea of collecting folding knives with different opening and locking systems, then just started buying anything that interested me. Except for a couple I kept for use, I gave them all to my daughter to dispose of among family, or however she sees fit. An acquaintance asked me why I carry a knife, saying he lived all his life without needing to carry one. I knew lots of guys like that. They were the ones who were always asking for the use of mine for some little cutting chore that came up. Not a day goes by that I don't use my knife for something. Just this morning I used it to cut a pill in half. I'm supposed to take only half of one a day, but the pill is so hard I can't break them. Then there are those boxes that instruct you to press here to open. You press until the box crumbles up and it still won't open. I don't press anymore. I stab and slash 'em open. My knife opens mail, slices cheese, cuts meat and any other chore that comes up. A very useful tool to carry.
I only carry a small pocketknife these days and don't use it often. I have a large folding Gerber and a Buck knife with sheaths for dressing game but I don't hunt any more. None of them are assisted opening. I can't remember a time when I didn't carry a pocketknife.
My husband loved knives and had quite a few, I kept a couple after he died. Gave a few to my son, dont know what I'll do with the rest. I do have a real big one under my bed though....just in case someone breaks in and lets me get it from there.
I think that men used to carry knives moreso than they do now. My dad always had a little pocket knife in his pocket, and used it for all sorts of things. He taught me to whittle when I was old enough to safely handle a knife; and I enjoyed that. Since I had a horse and went riding a lot, I usually carried a pocket knife along, too. It was handy for cutting branches that were in the way, or just slicing up an apple for lunch. Amazing as it seems now, most of the boys who lived in the country carried knives to school, often in a sheath attached to their belt. They were not allowed to use them on the school grounds for safety concerns; but no one ever considered that anyone might try to harm another kid with them. In the fall, most of the trucks had the hunting rifles mounted on racks in the back window of the pickup, and no one at the school worried about that either.
I think it starts with childhood. At the time that many of us were growing up, a much larger percentage of people were living in rural areas, and nearly every child carried a knife, particularly to school, and even to church if our mothers didn't frisk us. Growing up with knives, we come to appreciate the uses that we can make of them, and are more likely to continue carrying a knife as an adult.
I had a pocket knife as a child and took it to school with me, but these days due to knife crime there are strict laws on the carrying of knives, I never had one as an adult. Basic laws on knives It is illegal to: sell a knife of any kind to anyone under 18 years old (16 to 18 year olds in Scotland can buy cutlery and kitchen knives) carry a knife in public without good reason - unless it’s a knife with a folding blade 3 inches long (7.62 cm) or less, eg a Swiss Army knife carry, buy or sell any type of banned knife use any knife in a threatening way (even a legal knife, such as a Swiss Army knife) Lock knives (knives with blades that can be locked when unfolded) are not folding knives, and are illegal to carry in public without good reason. The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife is 4 years in prison and a fine of £5,000. Banned knives There is a ban on the sale of some knives: flick knives (also called ‘switchblades’ or ‘automatic knives’) - where the blade is hidden inside the handle and shoots out when a button is pressed butterfly knives - where the blade is hidden inside a handle that splits in two around it, like wings; the handles swing around the blade to open or close it disguised knives, eg where the blade is hidden inside a belt buckle or fake mobile phone gravity knives sword-sticks samurai swords (with some exceptions, including antiques and swords made to traditional methods before 1954) hand or foot-claws push daggers hollow kubotan (cylinder-shaped keychain) holding spikes shuriken (also known as ‘death stars’ or ‘throwing stars’) kusari-gama (sickle attached to a rope, cord or wire) kyoketsu-shoge (hook-knife attached to a rope, cord or wire) kusari (weight attached to a rope, cord or wire) This is not a complete list of banned knives. Contact your local police to check if a knife is illegal.
WOW! We can buy switchblade knives in my state, but are not supposed to carry them unless we can prove we have a medical condition that would prevent us from using a conventional knife. Two of my sons have pistol carry permits. If I had a car, I would too. I would need a car to get to the classes for obtaining the permit. Then, we would have to qualify on a range. We have a new indoor range in the south part of my town. My son's shoot there when the weather is bad.
We have had a number of stabbings at schools by pupils over the past decade both of teachers and fellow pupils who have been injured or killed in some cases, so the laws on anyone carrying knives is pretty tight now, though it still happens of course. Our attitude to guns has always been very different to the US ones, here is a police statement: Guns and firearms You can only own a gun if you have a licence and it is not easy to get hold of one. Getting a licence is a long and complicated process, starting with an application form, which asks specific questions about why the individual wants one. There are two types of certificate that can be applied for, the firearm certificate and the shotgun certificate. Once the person is approved and given a licence, they must renew it every five years. It is an offence to be in possession of a firearm or specially dangerous air-weapon and certain ammunition without a certificate; to be in possession of a shotgun without a certificate; or a prohibited weapon. It is illegal to carry a knife or a gun, even an imitation one. If you are caught with a knife or a gun, regardless of whether you say it was for your own protection or you were carrying it for someone else, you will be arrested and prosecuted. Remember - the law is clear - if you choose to carry a weapon, you put your future in danger. If you don't take it with you, it won't be used. Play your part in reducing knife and gun crime by reporting people you know or suspect may be carrying a knife. Call your local police on 101, or dial 999 if a crime is in progress or a life is in danger.
The apartment building I now live in reminds me of England. We aren't allowed any firearms here either. When I moved here, I had to get rid of between 50-75 guns of all types. I gave some to my sons. Two gun dealers came to my rescue and bought all the remaining arms. So now, I'm only allowed to be a helpless victim rather than an armed survivor.
That's heck of a lot of guns Ike sounds Ike you were expecting an invasion Is there much crime where you are though?
I was not only a hunter, but a collector and sometimes a competitor in shooting matches. There's people in my town who own way more than that. In my town, there seems to be little violent crime. However, 25 miles up river there is a large metro area consisting of 4 cities, two on each side of the Mississippi river. They are so close together that it's like one big city. That's where the action is.
For some reason, I love knives. I rue the day I gave away a Buck knife I'd had since I was a teenager. I carry a smallish folding knife. I don't often use it, but I keep in just in case. I wear a lanyard with my keys on it when I go walking, and I also have a small X-acto type blade on that, because sometimes I'll cut things like flowers to bring home. I wish more women's pants had pockets, because I'm going to have to start carrying something with me just in case I encounter a wild hog, now that they're becoming more prevalent in the area. Oh, I was at a meeting recently, and needed to open a packet of medicine. I couldn't get the package open where it was perforated, so I sliced it open handily with my knife.
Yes I saw you were a hunter, but being a collector of course, the sky is the limit I guess. There are collectors here but not sure how they get licences for their collection.
We don't really need a license to collect guns, unless we buy from dealers. Then a permit to purchase is cheap and easily obtainable. I've bought old shotguns and rifles at yard sales, no questions asked, at places I worked from employees, in a bar from someone who ran out of beer money but still wanted to drink. When I was a toll collector on a bridge, I bought a pistol from a truck driver. Those were good times. Things now are tightening up some.