Best 2.5" or smaller blade

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  • budman93

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 1, 2013
    5,267
    Frederick County
    I would go Scallion. I'm a fan of Kershaw knives. I have a leek and it's great. If any parts breaks Kershaw will replace them and if I somehow destroy the blade it's only ten bucks for a new one.
     

    El_flasko

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Nov 16, 2008
    7,298
    Abingdon, MD
    I would go Scallion. I'm a fan of Kershaw knives. I have a leek and it's great. If any parts breaks Kershaw will replace them and if I somehow destroy the blade it's only ten bucks for a new one.


    I'm on the same page. I have a blur I've had forever and beat the crap out of it. Great knife given its low price point. I just ordered a scallion as well for something a little smaller. I have a feeling it will fit the bill just fine. :)
     

    Minuteman

    Member
    BANNED!!!
    A friend at work told me that a friend of his was stopped (in uniform), while entering a federal building and 'randomly' searched. He had an automatic knife (aka switchblade), security people confiscated it and said two things:

    Switch blades are illegal in Maryland.

    Any blade over 3 and a quarter inches not allowed into building.
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,409
    Glen Burnie
    A friend at work told me that a friend of his was stopped (in uniform), while entering a federal building and 'randomly' searched. He had an automatic knife (aka switchblade), security people confiscated it and said two things:

    Switch blades are illegal in Maryland.

    Any blade over 3 and a quarter inches not allowed into building.

    I'd spend 5k on a lawyer to get my $200 switchblade back and to teach whatever security company a lesson. Especially the part where it says active duty military are exempt from possessing a switchblade. Now the blade length thing in the building I don't know about.
     

    Maverick0313

    Retired and loving it
    Jul 16, 2009
    9,183
    Bridgeville, DE
    A friend at work told me that a friend of his was stopped (in uniform), while entering a federal building and 'randomly' searched. He had an automatic knife (aka switchblade), security people confiscated it and said two things:

    Switch blades are illegal in Maryland.

    Any blade over 3 and a quarter inches not allowed into building.

    Yep. One of the Ft. Meade tenants is serious about this, too. :innocent0
     

    smokey

    2A TEACHER
    Jan 31, 2008
    31,412
    keep in mind that just because you're limited to a 2.5" blade, that doesn't mean that you must be handicapped by a handle that sucks. Looks for a knife that's useable and somewhat tough. The cold steel and spyderco I posted earlier both have a generous handle and choil area to give you a full grip. They're also both very beefy designs. If you've ever seen wood-carving knives, you know how much performance you can get out of a knife with a full-handle, but short blade. You also reduce the chance of cutting yourself with a full grip, rather than something terrible like a kershaw chive(I've had a few, the grip is terrible).

    the dragonfly is another with a good handle, and relatively stout lock.
    http://www2.knifecenter.com/item/SP...2-516-inch-VG10-Plain-Blade-Black-FRN-Handles
     

    Roneut

    Active Member
    Oct 10, 2010
    279
    A friend at work told me that a friend of his was stopped (in uniform), while entering a federal building and 'randomly' searched. He had an automatic knife (aka switchblade), security people confiscated it and said two things:

    Switch blades are illegal in Maryland.

    Any blade over 3 and a quarter inches not allowed into building.

    Switchblades are illegal for concealed carry in Maryland. Sounds like he was carrying concealed. There is no exception for military. He violated the law.

    Any blade over 2.5" is technically not allowed into the building. So their stupidity is actually more relaxed than the actual law. If his blade was >2.5" he violated state and federal law at the same time and should consider himself lucky. Again there is no exception for military members unless specifically "if such possession is authorized by law."

    The only thing shady going on here is the nature of the stop and search. If it was a security checkpoint that's one thing, though he should have simply been turned away. If he had already entered the facility then it raises questions about reasonable suspicion and unlawful searches, though it also means he could have been arrested, not merely turned away, if the stop was "good." In the latter case he should consider himself lucky.
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    I used to have a Chive but it disappeared in a move at some point. I miss Chesapeake Knife and Tool, they had an awesome collection of blades in stock at their stores, too bad they were priced at retail, maybe more folks would have purchased from them.
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,409
    Glen Burnie
    Switchblades are illegal for concealed carry in Maryland. Sounds like he was carrying concealed. There is no exception for military. He violated the law.

    Any blade over 2.5" is technically not allowed into the building. So their stupidity is actually more relaxed than the actual law. If his blade was >2.5" he violated state and federal law at the same time and should consider himself lucky. Again there is no exception for military members unless specifically "if such possession is authorized by law."

    The only thing shady going on here is the nature of the stop and search. If it was a security checkpoint that's one thing, though he should have simply been turned away. If he had already entered the facility then it raises questions about reasonable suspicion and unlawful searches, though it also means he could have been arrested, not merely turned away, if the stop was "good." In the latter case he should consider himself lucky.

    So, you think security guys can enforce state law? I am pretty sure they didn't take the switchblade because he was carrying it concealed. If that's the case. He should have been arrested. Well, they can't do that.
    They thought the switchblade solely by possession is illegal and it's not.

    And I think I'm pretty sure I read that active duty military, police officers and people with one hand are legal to possess and carry switchblades.
     
    Last edited:

    Roneut

    Active Member
    Oct 10, 2010
    279
    So, you think security guys can enforce state law? I am pretty sure they didn't take the switchblade because he was carrying it concealed. If that's the case. He should have been arrested. Well, they can't do that.
    They thought the switchblade solely by possession is illegal and it's not.

    Yes, their statement of the law (mere possession) is clearly wrong. Their confiscation instead of turning away is clearly wrong. But it is still illegal to carry a switchblade concealed in MD, even at a federal facility, and it is also illegal to bring a switchblade into a federal facility because it is not a "pocket knife" within the meaning of 18 U.S. Code § 930.

    So yes something is very fishy here, but this is also third-hand hearsay. There is a lot of information missing to really make a call on this.

    And I think I'm pretty sure I read that active duty military, police officers and people with one hand are legal to possess and carry switchblades.

    I've learned never to trust anything that I "read somewhere" unless the source is verifiable. I have seen some serious abominations of statutes posted around the internet that are misattributed, misinterpreted, or not even real laws.

    State law on switchblades is Criminal Code 4-101 (carry restriction) and 4-105 (sale restriction). I've hyperlinked those statutes to the General Assembly's site, the final authority on the statutory law. 4-101 prohibits concealed carry of certain weapons, including switchblades. The exceptions include police officers of the state or other states, special agents of the railroad, and people with extremely rare MD carry permits. There is not a single mention of military anything, though keep in mind this statute is separate from the firearms law, which does have exceptions for military. 4-105 prohibits sale within the state. In this case no exception is made for police or military, or anyone else for that matter.

    There are two laws regarding knives at the federal level. 18 U.S. Code § 930, Prohibiting weapons on federal facilities. And 15 U.S. Code Chapter 29, prohibiting interstate commerce of switchblades.

    18 U.S.C. 930 makes it illegal for anyone that "possesses or causes to be present a firearm or other dangerous weapon in a Federal facility." The key word is "in" meaning that if you are at security, you have not entered yet and are not per se in violation, and so are typically just turned away. I know this to be true because my facility turns hundreds of people away for "weapons" at the gate every day. My friend even tried to come in with a beaver-tail sap in his car. They just said, "Sorry, that's not allowed. Please take that home and come back." Only time an arrest happens is if there is an explosive, a gun or the perp tries to "sneak" something through. 18 U.S.C 930 does contain exceptions for fed and state police, security that are federal employees, and members of the military only "if such possession is authorized by law." Possession of weapons by members of the military is authorized at some facilities (usually bases) but certainly not all. They sure as hell are not where I work. It is worth noting this law also requires that notice of these weapon restrictions be "posted conspicuously at each public entrance."

    15 U.S.C. Chapter 29 only affects interstate commerce, and possession of switchblades within non-state territories of the US, that is, Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Marianas, U. S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa. People within the 50 states are only affected by the interstate commerce restriction and state law. This interstate commerce restriction has an exception for selling switchblades to the military via official sanctioned contract, and contains no exceptions for police. There is a part under exceptions about members of the Armed Forces in the course of official duty and people with one arm, but those only apply in Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Marianas, U. S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa. The point is these exceptions do not "override" 18 U.S.C. 930, 4-101, or 4-105. According to the law, if you are active military and off base, or have one arm, and you live in a state where switchblades are illegal to carry, you are out of luck.

    Sorry for the wall of text, but law is important and I really want to keep accurate information out there as much as possible. I may not be an attorney but all this information was gathered from attorneys and one federal judge.
     

    Minuteman

    Member
    BANNED!!!
    Good info thanks.

    So in summary, anyone can own a switchblade, you just can't carry it around in public because it is technically defined as a weapon. Exceptions for some include cops and people with CCW permits. Close enough simple explination?
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,409
    Glen Burnie
    Good info thanks.

    So in summary, anyone can own a switchblade, you just can't carry it around in public because it is technically defined as a weapon. Exceptions for some include cops and people with CCW permits. Close enough simple explination?

    I thought one federal law mentions those disabled with only one hand too. Makes sense to me.
     

    Roneut

    Active Member
    Oct 10, 2010
    279
    Good info thanks.

    So in summary, anyone can own a switchblade, you just can't carry it around in public because it is technically defined as a weapon. Exceptions for some include cops and people with CCW permits. Close enough simple explination?
    Can't carry it around concealed in public, but otherwise yeah that's accurate so long as we're not talking about federal facilities.

    I thought one federal law mentions those disabled with only one hand too. Makes sense to me.
    Yes, there is such a law but it only affects the non-state Territories.
     

    jaredm1

    Ultimate Member
    Nov 22, 2008
    1,935
    Shrewsbury
    I've been carrying a Spyderco Dragonfly II Salt for the past couple years and it has held up very well.

    I'd buy the same knife again if I lost it.
     

    cb51

    Active Member
    I would think that working in the pentagon is like another office building, just more security. How much knife do you need for an office? Would your needs be met with any small Victorinox SAK or pocket knife that would fly under the radar? The SAK can opener make a great staple puller.
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    I would think that working in the pentagon is like another office building, just more security. How much knife do you need for an office? Would your needs be met with any small Victorinox SAK or pocket knife that would fly under the radar? The SAK can opener make a great staple puller.

    On occasion, I take a bus or Metro to the Pentagon. With the whack jobs in Syria promoting attacking random people in situations like mine, I'd rather have a decent blade versus harsh words to protect myself. I also wear my armored motorcycle jacket so I have at least some blunting of an axe if I get surprised.
     

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