Junk samsung ,small victorianox 5 keys ,wallet ,ex-10,N-Light B3 Stainless Steel .
Wow. Either a gun or a knife for most here...
I rarely carry a knife. Guns are forbidden (thankfully) and very unlikely to show up illegally.
on me now
itp A3, SRM 710, copy of UrbanPal, SOG S45
Yes, strict gun laws do have some advantages. You can expect that the average street thug will not shoot at you, but rather club you down with some blunt object, or stab you with a chef knife, or use some other crude weaponry improvised from bike chains, emergency glass breakers or beer bottles.
I have stopped carrying my Spyderco copilot when single-handed operation knifes, no matter the blade length, got outlawed a few years ago.
Generally, don't like any objects in my pockets, not even my wallet.
I have to say im pretty happy by the level of violent criminal activity around me. That will change sooner or later and will require perhaps to carry some shocker or pepper spray. Using a knife for self defense get's you into trouble. If a burglar comes to my house and if i happen to stab him with a pocket knife i will have alot to explain in court if i manage to pay fines at all. Not to mention mild jail time if i happen to kill him.
If you're dumb, foul mouth, and stick fingers where you should not you have a fair chance to get beaten up pretty "nicely" but that's probably the worst that can happen. (For now.)
Violent crimes were almost nonexistent 20y ago...
I do however carry a very innocent looking pocket screwdriver. Can be a weapon if need be. But since i am 190cm tall and about 95Kg (and try to keep fit) i'm probably the less likely target for most random wannabe villains.
I still happen to ask myself why buying knifes if i don't carry them around? Well... i just like them as a handy tool and collectible. :) For those reasons alone steel quality does matter but it is not critical.
[quote=Budgeteer]
[quote=sixfink]
I only carry a pocket knife as a tool, same as a flashlight. :)
Budgeteer,
The knife is an everyday tool I carry and use on a daily basis; not a weapon.
Keep in mind, I carry a gun here in Texas because it is my right to do so; not because I continually need it to protect myself from gun-carrying criminals. I carry a pistol as a precaution because things can (and do) happen, but I have NEVER had to use a gun in personal defense. I am actually more concerned about encountering a creature (venomous snake, violent dog, rabid skunk) or an assailant who is either carrying a knife or bat, or is even unarmed. I have been the victim of a random, unmotivated, physical assault by an unarmed stranger (inside a WalMart of all places). I have had a stranger try to break through the front door of my brother's house (he lives in a nice, rural neighborhood) while I was visiting one evening. Events like these make me feel a little bit better knowing that I have the means to defend myself should something bad happen.
Of course, this is all coming from someone who:
- Is the son of a former police officer
- Spent his entire life around firearms
- Lives in a society where firearms, including handguns, are not seen as primarily being a criminal's implement of violence
- Considers the protection of one's family, self, and property to be a great personal responsibility
YMMV.
Hey hey, please dont be so jumpy on conclusions... iI also think a knife is a tool. But since it is very uncommon to carry one where i live people seeing one gets irritated pretty quickly. That's a bit annoying. Fro that reason alone i rarely carry one even if it is completely hidden.
If i lived in Texas i would be carrying several guns for sure... and even threw a tiny one in my wife purse.
Ummm, can i ask you a personal question?
Aren't you heavily bothered with:
I have been the victim of a random, unmotivated, physical assault by an unarmed stranger (inside a WalMart of all places). I have had a stranger try to break through the front door of my brother's house (he lives in a nice, rural neighborhood) while I was visiting one evening.
Or it is normal folklore around there that no1 care much about it?
The way i read it looks very frustrating to have to be alert for possible "shite" on a daily basis...
Regarding being jumped in Wal-Mart? Yes; that bugs me. We never found out who the guy was and there was no motivation behind the attack. He ran down the aisle, tackled me, and then ran away. It wasn't a robbery attempt. The police closed the case since there wasn't any evidence or way to pursue the event. The general thoughts were that it was some sort of fight-club or gang type of issue. I still have a nasty scar on my calf from the incident.
The second issue at my brother's house was different. In that case, it turned out to be a very stupid teenager who was very afraid of the neighbor's very friendly dogs. He panicked and tried to break into the front door, scaring our wives pretty badly. When my brother finally opened the door, the guy tried to push past him, never realizing I had a 9mm in my hand behind my back. We walked him back outside where he did the same thing AGAIN at the neighbor's house, except in that case her door was unlocked! The neighbor had more dogs inside though so he bolted right back out and ran across the street.
I would like to comment on the gun laws in my area. I live in a rather small state in fact New England consists of four states that are the size of most single states and being some of the original colonies are governed by some of the most puritanical laws in the country. New Hampshire is bordered by Massachusetts on one side and Vermont on the other and I have relatives in both Vermont and Massachusetts. In Massachusetts they have some of the strictest gun laws in the country, you can go to jail for one year for possession of one bullet never mind the gun, but they have some of the highest rates of violent crime in the country, since criminals don't care about gun laws. On the other side is Vermont, they have some of the most relaxed gun laws in the country and in fact anyone over 21 can carry a loaded concealed firearm without any permits and most people do, guess what Vermont has some of the lowest levels of violent crime in the country. You can draw your own conclusions, but I know what my position on the matter is.
I am personally more concerned with the wildlife
http://www.wmur.com/video/27837031/detail.html
but, I generally feel more comfortable walking around the streets of Vermont than the streets of Massachusetts.
Right now I am carrying a UF C3 SS and ITP C7. If I'm able to get a replacement Neutron 1a without the wobble, the C3 will go back on the shelf. I plan on putting the Xtar R01 I ordered in my bag.
Ive been carying the Ex10 i got from boaz and the solarforce L2 with the Uf 3mode xml around my belt. I just got the Wf-501a from manafont and with the UF 3mode xml is a lot of light in a small package. smaller head size too compared to the L2 so its very pocketable.
Not being a target shooting club member anymore, I have sold both the .12 over-under and the Glock long ago. Guess how many parts for my vintage Mercury I could buy from that! To be honest, I never really liked the loud noise. Gorgeous in the movies, fun on the first shot in reality, obnoxious from the second on. Ear plugs are hurting me, too. Guess I'm a puss, but then again I play jazz sax and value my hearing. I even retrofit forward clickies on my lights so I don't have to live with the clicking sound upon activation! 
Should the inevitable happen (which would -of course!- only come in the form of a zombie apocalypse), there are still plenty of precincts and state armories to pick from. Then again, some good means of transportation, gas, food, clean water and a steady supply of toilet paper would be even more important. And flashlights, of course, not to mention primary cells and rechargeables!
I just ordered the fabled solarforce T4 just two days ago, when some recent posts here had opened my eyes that it already had become a collector's item.
Look out for a review, I'll be writing one soon.
Budgeteer, we're about the same size. Since you mentioned trying to keep your weight where it's at, I suppose you're working out one way or the other? For me it's tons of stretching exercises, pushups and 20lbs dumbbells. It's the most my shot joints can handle during exercise, and I already am on a steady diet of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. Inherited loss of articular cartilage sucks BIG time. My girl (well, former... you know...) could hear my knees when I was walking up the staircase... through closed doors)
If a gun may need once, it's occasion to carry this for a whole life
The V10R is seriously the best non-budget EDC. I got mine as a engineering sample type from a competition, and I am seriously contemplating buying another one. Its still the easiest torch to carry, and the most practical UI.
Less than 0.01 Lumens up to 210 lumens from a RCR123, with no strobes and a very very practical clip which doesn't destroy clothes, wide enough to fit a belt, and retentive enough to stay, yet easily removable. Brightness is ring controlled, so it can be adjusted before turning on, and with the ring, on walks, I tend to not need to turn it on/off, It just stays on, with my 2 fingers on the ring for single handed brightness control all the time, so when im shining infront on the floor, i turn it down, if i look up at a wall further away, i turn it up a little, its so easy to adjust that I dont bother turning the torch off.
Its also my most throwy light in a compact package, but at the same time, one of the smoothest beams so perfectly suitable for close up map reading, seriously the best beam for an EDC. (think of GDP beam patterns on steroids, small bright hot spot, but super smooth spot/corona/spill for EDC) At the same time its one of the more expensive CR123s that exist.
Only complaint is the Tint, usually quite green, and a bugger to change. Didnt like mine as much till I finally got it neutralised.
At work some real tools and then these:
very budget setup, all beaters.
(used L2i, Böker clone under 5$, micra clone 3$, just something to used before nails)
At home or at town, I EDC iTP A1 SS or in jacket Solarforce L2i usually.
Sometimes I keep with me Böker clone from DX, that "20cm" model. Helluva deal btw, very well functioning knife with really affordable price :o
Depends on the day. But always: nail clipper, knife - larger for most days, smaller for suits, and AKOray K-102 - fitted with XP-E and custom driver.
Cheers!
Not as much as some but more than most.
Keychain - DQG Tiny II
Pocket - Preon 1 & a Spydie Delica (people friendly blue grips) or Kershaw Scallion (also blue)
Laptop bag - Stainless Peak Eiger 2xaaa
When I carry it's usually a Kahr K9 or a Colt CCO (Concealed Carry Officers)
I've never seen the K-102 before...predecessor to the K-103 I'm assuming? Kind of unusual as it seems that many of the Chinese companies just keep the same model name even after changing/updating emitters.
Kindle,
I'm not sure which SSC led was in there, but it was dim! But the opening in the reflector was perfect for an XP-E.
I think the K-103 is the same except uses a Cree led.
Anyone know for sure?
-Crux