A serious question

[Pushbutton]

I figured we haven't had a good discussion in awhile that didn't end up by the third post driftng to Mars. So I came up with this purely hypothetical question since I don't know anyone that really owns one of these knives to ask.
All right the fact is we all like knives or wouldn't be here. I have a substantial collection of a great many traditional patterns both old and new,Fixed blades from small bird and trout knives to bowies. All sorts of tactical production folders, Some customs which one is a Crawford fighter(no sub-hilt) dated 1973 and Pat has long since stopped making FB to work with his son Wes on there folders(my favorite knife) and other makers some famous some not. I also have about 40 straight razors all old and swords all old.And throw in some real WWll bayonets,F&S and trenchknives so a fairly well rounded collection. Then there are the switchblades. No I don't have a square button but I have a few picks,some transitionals and all different styles and such of Italians with a few old japanese thrown in. I also have a boatload of newer ones and sets of different handle materials I put together for display. Well anyways I didn't start this to talk about my collection. The point is I'm willing to bet that just about every member has the same situation I know you do Al. So to my question. Our part in the great scheme of knife collecting is a very dark grey area. I've met collectors who wouldn't touch a switch with a ten foot pole same as some dealers.They say "Those are Illegal" But you know it doesn't phase me and the thought of collecting something illegal never really enters my head. Sort of like weed after awhile it just becomes another normal thing you do everyday right J-Man. realisticlly there are a lot among us that if found out and the police came it would make the 10 o'clock news"There taking Mr Bonz out at this moment and we just got word that the people inside haven't toughed the tip of the ice berg in counting the number of switchblades this lunatic has in there" So my question is how do you guys feel about what you do? Do you get scared sometimes and worry? Do you get paranoid when a cop car goes by your house. Do you hide them? Me I never even think about it.It's just another knife that happens to open easier I walk out of the house I stick a BM 2000 in my pocket without a thought. Sure I worry during a shippment but that worry is not getting caught its losing the damn knives. So how do you guys feel or think about this. Is it just as natural as farting to you or not. I really am interested because I have never seen this question brought up before. As Teddy says"Thats not true PB we just had this same question 2 and a 1/2 weeks ago"
PB

[jim d,]

PB,

Like you, I don't give it a second thought. Shortly after I found the orange and brown, we had a discussion that included a few LEO's (Daredev where are you?). Remember how they dismissed the issue of collecting and carrying? Remember how a few acted a bit insulted that some would imply that they did not have more pressing matters to be concerned about?

I suppose that if I had shipments containing thousands of switchblades coming into the country and to my house (wouldn't that be nice!!!), I'd might have a small concern. Come to think of it, a much larger concern would be the feedback from my wife upon her learning of my sizeable acquisition

Jim

[Razor_54]

I also have not given much thought to it, but do display them openly in my home. A large percentage of the time, i carry an auto, maybe since i'm an ex-LEO i don't worry about getting caught. You will never see me handling an auto in public especially aroung people i don't know, they might take offense and call a cop.
I think i worry more about losing a shipment through customs than anything else.

[mypetelvis]

Since I don't carry auto's (unless they are small enough to make the cop laugh at it) I don't really think about it. As far as coming to my home, I'm not selling or growing anything illegal, so, they have no reason to be in my house. If it's anything I worry about it's theft. Im getting a safe bolted to the floor in my new place. That should help.


M.P.E.

[J-man]

I don't worry. I usually don't take an auto outside the house because not many of my autos are users. But I'd take one out of the house if I did use it as a real user. I can easily put away my collection on display in about ten seconds incase a on duty Police officer comes over (thats never happened though). Most cops I know couldn't give two shits if my knife happened to flick open.

[blackjack]

I doesnt really worry me to much, I only have a very small collection and I rarely take them out, almost all of them arent useable. Im extra careful about who I show them to, the worry being I might forget to tell them not to talk about them to anybody else, and that in a nut shell is my biggest concern, the world is full of jackasses, suppose someone finds out about them, wants one but doesnt want to get his own and I dont want to sell, a good reason for him to call the cops. Getting them, once you know how isnt very difficult, but I'l be god dammed if I want them taken from me. Losing them through my own stupidity is my biggest concern.
Take Care
blackjack

[georgeg3]

I've thought about the legality of keeping knives in the house. They are illegal in my state. I need a security clearance where I work, so that's a concern. Not so much with the knives, but keeping that clearance and my job is enough of a deterrent to keep me from smoking anything funny. With four years to go until retirement I don't want to F.U. anything now.

It's legal in my state to keep guns in the house (and I do) and your car is considered an extentision of your house, so it's OK to carry a loaded gun in your car (and I have). I have the paperwork to apply for a concealed carry permit, but have never sent it in. The police have enough to worry about and I think if they came in my home or car and found an automatic knife, they wouldn't be concerned.

I work with LEO's and some of them know about my collection. Sometimes I keep a switch on my desk at work to play with to cut the stress. I hope that some of the old timers I work with might have some old confiscated booty they might want to sell!

[Stone Knife]

By our actions I think a lot of us answered yes, even tough the words said no.

"Worry about it" is perhaps not the way to describe the commonality I'm seeing- but no doubt, being mindful of the realities of people with big mouths and what they can bring into your situation seems to be. And for good reason.

I learned a while ago that most people get ripped off by others who have seen the property first hand. Others can't keep quiet about what they've been shown and don't give a second thought to blabbing away your security while chatting over the water cooler. What's it to them? "Joe got busted, TskTsk. Let's have a beer." God help you if you ever accidentally piss anybody off. One easy phone call and you are paid back, but good.

In my case only you guys have heard, and only the 'better half' knows I am an owner of any of these little devices. Although I can legally carry an auto in this unbelievably restrictive state, not even my co-workers know I have a single one. None of the sellers ever met me. None of my brothers or sisters knows.

The only way anybody is going to know would be from the unlikely accident such as a fire when I'm gone, the even more unlikely random burglary, or if they're in the process of being on the wrong end of the HALO II, and that would have to be a situation of the most dire extreme.

This thing of ours is for you and me and nobody else.

[HTMLBali]

The law can really not do anything if they are in your home and not used, they would care more about where you bought it from.
Me myself being a bali collector, i know they are illegal and yes i do carry one with me no matter where i go. I mean really some person wants to start something ill end it quick, and if its self defense the weapon usaully doesnt matter.
I dont go anywhere with it if I KNOW i will get searched but other than that the fact sits and doesnt worry me.

[Stone Knife]

Well, tell that to my friend, who has done 5 years and is still in ISCI for posessing an unlicensed, unassembled, unfired M-16A1. The police seemed to care enough to execute a search warrant.

He'll be glad to know it was all a misunderstanding!

As we say, apparently the judge and prosecutors haven't read the book from which that particular philosphy was derived...

Best of luck to ya.

[Pushbutton]

Stoneknife
Sounds like your concern is being ripped off or having someone dime you. I think maybe your bigger concern would be who are these people you hang out with that would even do something like that. I didn't mention certain aspects in my original post like opening in front of someone or telling people what you collect because certain things with collecting auto's are a given and I didn't want to sound like a lecturer or somthing. Some say they aren't really concerned but when you read all of their post it becomes evident that they do have concern. It's understandable it can carry a long ticket if the judge is so inclined. I have carried a pocket knife of one kind or another my whole life sometimes I carry a manual Stryker. But I'm old don't say much to people I talk to casually,my close friends know and could care less. My wife I don't think understands just how illegal they are in my state. But the last thing on my mind is the cops beating down my door at 3 AM looking for switchblades. So when I slip that knife into my pocket which I've been doing for about 40 some odd years and it happens to be an auto the way I see it is I just slipped a knife into my pocket. That decision by the way is purely what I left on the bookcase the night before that is what I grab. I like to say that if I left my house without a knife it would mean I forgot to put my pants on. As far as diplay goes they are upstairs in the family/computer /junk room in glass cases,little boxes and a gertzner machinest wooden chest with about 10 or 12 drawers that holds quite abit with the rest mainly in a few of my bureau draws and also all over the house. The only hobby I know where most people keep them all over the house. People who know me don't bat an eye lid if there is a 13" lying on top of the kitchen mantle
PB

[Stone Knife]

That's an accurate observation, since (as I said) I am legal for auto knives here. What other concerns would/could be left? Scaring somebody? Perhaps, but my face does a pretty good job of that just by its ugly self.

Even the most well-meaning blabbermouth can unthinkingly give up sensitive information that compromises you. What I wrote was not necessarily reflective of my own circle of people but more with other folks.

Great thread!

[Bonzo]

Mr. PushButton,

Several years ago, I took a few years off from the roofing trade and worked in a precision sheetmetal/machine shop. The Boss was a German, who loved the USA and our gun rights. He had guns everywhere in his house. No matter where you were in his house, there was a loaded gun within arms reach. He detested socialism, communism, the democratic party, liberals, and the Nazi's. A very treasured gift from him that I still have is a model 19 S&W .357 Magnum.

God bless you Gunter, wherever you are.


Best Regard's,

Bonz

[floater]

Since automatic knives in general are legal to own/collect (& carry if < 3 1/2" blade) in my state, my only real concern echos Mr. M.P.E.'s one of theft. Even though my collection is not yet very extensive and/or worth thousands of $, I really don't like thinking about being without them. If there was an emoticon that expressed that shivering shudder that runs up your spine and out your neckhairs when you think about something you wish you hadn't, I'd put it here.

floater

[sammy da blade]

i used to worry a little when buying through BA. it would be easy if law enforcement really cared. a friend of mine has a gun shop, he sells a few autos, labeled law enforcement only, it's just a sign, he told me when BATF comes in they don't even look at his knives! i don't carry an auto if i think i'll be in a situation where i would have a run in with the law anyway. an auto is just another knife to me, i have other knives i can open a lot quicker than any of my autos!