http://www.weaponsguild.com/forum/index.php?topic=45168.0

knife stuff

TRX
November 24, 2013
My state recently rolled back a bunch of restrictions on knives. Now I can carry my Leatherman again. In fact, I can carry a freakin' claith mhor if I want to.

There's always a questionable object in the punchbowl, and as usual, it's the Post Office. I can leave my gun in the car now while I go inside, as of last summer, but inside the building both guns and knives are prohibited.

I found the relevant Federal regs, which apply to all Federal buildings, not just the Post Office. Interestingly, they specifically define a "knife" as having a blade longer than 2.5".

It's not a K-Bar, but even a 2.5 inch blade is better than nothing. I wanted a fixed-blade knife, something that looked more "tool" than "tactical" or "fantasy." So I went looking at knives.

Wow. The comic-book and tacticool people RULE the knife world. And no, the authentic reproduction Klingon bat'leth isn't going to be permitted, even if the Klingons don't call it a "knife."

Just because I'm a pain in the tail, I wanted a non-metallic blade. Even before I started carrying a CCW, metal detectors and I have been sworn enemies. No sense adding to the detector hassle even if I don't have a gun on me.

I eventually found a ceramic knife I liked. "Tactical" ceramics go for $75 and up; mine cost $7.99. It's Chinese, sold as a "paring knife." The blue plastic handle certainly doesn't look tactical... the blade is 3", which means I'll have to epoxy a ferrule or something ahead of the handle, to reduce the exposed blade to 2.4." The Japanese Kyocera knives are supposed to have metal powder embedded in the ceramic so they set of metal detectors; if the Chinese blade does, well, it'll still be useful as a paring knife.

I then remembered that at one time there were glass knives. It turns out most of them were made during the 1920s and 1930s, and you can still buy them on eBay for $15-$25. Most of them were "cake knives" with rounded blades, but they made some that look like a regular drop-point hunting knife. The blade and handle are all one piece, and reportedly they were very sharp. Not something you'd use for a tool, but acceptable for a defensive weapon.

Just as a lark, I searched "obsidian knife", and found those too. New-made "Indian style" knives go for $50-$75; most of them have absurd antler handles, but I bet one of the knappers would sell you just the blade, or a blade with a conventional handle. The obsidian blades are usually short and held to the handle by a short notch and wire wrapping; it doesn't look like a very strong joint, and the wire would have to be replaced with Kevlar thread or something. I have this idea of having a knapper chip one with an integral handle, and laminating some carbon fiber and epoxy to the sides to reinforce it against breakage while leaving the cutting edge exposed....

[suggestion for a cane for defense]

TRX
November 24, 2013
My knees are bad enough that a cane may soon be a necessity. However, in the case of the Post Office, I'm usually carrying something either in or out, at which time a cane would be a big hassle. I've already run into that with crutches. Even with just one crutch, you're now limited to negotiating doors and steps with only one hand.