Going Grey: Alternatives to Folding Knives with Pocket Clips

Authors Note

“Going Grey” will be an ongoing series that deals with How the average civilian joe can be more “Grey Man” in both his mentality, his wardrobe and his weapons load out.  Sorry, but it will not be a series of articles on how you old farts can hide your grey hair more effectively, but if you stick around long enough, we may eventually get to that subject, who knows.

*Also, since this article was written, the Knife Laws in Texas have changed drastically (and for the better I might add). Automatic Knives (Switchblades) and Butterfly Knives are now legal for civilian possession and carry. Bowie Knives are no longer restricted to own. For Carry However their blade length may not exceed Five and a half inches.

Yours Truly

The Tactical Hermit

 

I am sure almost all of you have some type of folding knife with a pocket clip in your EDC repertoire. It has been the standard “go-to” knife for a very long time for both the Civilian and Law Enforcement Officer alike.

But let me present a question to you: If you have a Concealed Carry License, or happen to live in one of those wonderful Constitutional Carry States, Why do you carry concealed handguns COMPLETELY concealed and when it comes to knives, allow a pocket clip to show and alert the world you have a knife on your person?

Now I know part of the answer to that is it is the LAW. In most States, the law is very plain that if you possess a Concealed Carry License and are carrying a firearm on your person, you must make every attempt to COMPLETELY conceal your weapon from public view while it is on your person, so as to not scare the sheep, right?

My point is this: Regardless if you carry a concealed handgun or not, Why the double standard with a knife? Wouldn’t it make more sense to be COMPLETELY concealed with BOTH a handgun and a knife? After all, if a criminal or just nosy by-standard sees that tell-tell knife pocket clip they might deduce you have some other weapon on your person, right? Why telegraph you are armed at all? We don’t want to scare the sheep! We might inadvertently cause a stampede!

Before we get too far with this, let’s look at the legality of carrying a fixed blade knife concealed. Now I know some of you poor souls live in States with not only ridiculous gun laws but also flat-out retarded knife laws. For you folks, I am truly, truly sorry. The only advice I can give you is Move!

But for the purposes of this article, we will be looking at what is LEGAL in Texas and Only Texas.

For the record, I disagree with Texas Knife Laws across the board. I think they are extremely dated and need to be re-done immediately. The ban on automatics for civilians and not Law Enforcement for example is stupid. Why is a 3.5 inch automatic knife any more dangerous than a 4.5 inch fixed blade? Because I can push a button?? Dumb. Also the ban on Bowie Knives is just plain Anti-Texan if you ask me!

OK, so here is the quick legal breakdown on knives in Texas.

Texas Penal Code 46.01 states an “Illegal Knife” is ANY knife (folder or fixed blade) with a blade length of over 5 1/2 inches, a Bowie Knife, Dagger, Sword or Spear.  “Daggers” Which are blades that have 2 sharpened edges, which would include “push” knives like the Bechmade CBK or Cold Steel’s Urban Edge or SafeMaker line. Please note, it does not matter if the dagger blade is under 5 1/2 inches, just the fact it is a dagger, regardless of its blade size, makes it ILLEGAL TO CARRY IN TEXAS.

As far as Carrying a knife open or concealed, there is no law regarding that in Texas. The only thing you have to concern yourself with is:

• Blade Length

• Is it a Dagger

• Bowie Knife

• or a Switchblade (ie Automatic Knife listed in PC 46.05 Prohibited Weapons).

So knowing this, let me give you an alternative to carrying that folding knife clipped in your pocket.

How about carrying a 3 to 5 Inch Fixed Blade knife Horizontal on your belt at around 11 or 11:30?

• It’s Legal (In Texas anyway)

• It’s Faster to Deploy than a Folder

• It’s More Reliable than a Folder

• You maintain Continuity of Structure if you use Appendix Carry for your Handgun

Shown above are my two everyday carry blades. I plan to add a Shivworks Clink Pick to this collection soon.

On Top is a Blackhawk Crucible  with a 3.2″ Blade and on Bottom is a SOG Snarl with a 2.3″ Blade.

Both have excellent sheaths for horizontal carry, with the Blackhawk having the TCCS Carry System which allows you to switch between 70 different carry positions.

I have found both of these knives extremely easy to conceal with just jeans and a t-shirt and with a carry position of between 10 o’clock and 11:30 (12 o’clock being your centerline) the drawstroke is very similar to my AIWB Gun Holster (Appendix Carry) which gives you Continuity of Structure in your weapon systems which is always a plus.

As always, practice your drawstroke with these knives and getting it from “Sheath to Flesh” as quickly as possible.

So there it is guys, easy-peazy, down and dirty and KISS Simple as Hell!

Stay Alert, Armed and Dangerous!