Is there a place for boot knife in these times?

golok

golok

Joined
Oct 20, 2000
Messages
4,453
There was a time in the distant past when boot knife was a prerequisite to safe travelling.

Few talk about this kind of knife now. Has it gone out of fashion with the times?

I know it is still being sold but mainly for those collectors who have certain preferences.

Are boot knives obsolete these days?

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Make Love your strongest weapon. Compassion your shield and forgiveness your armour.
 
First, my knee-jerk answer to your question:
Q: Is there a place for a boot knife in these times?
A: Yes, in your sock drawer.

Seriously, now...

The classic, double edged bootknife is obsolete (in practice, not in theory) for several reasons:

- high boots are not very prevalent in most parts of the country
- dagger & dirk laws make them highly illegal
- neck knives, and to larger extent one-hand folders, present legal and just as effective alternatives, and are not seen as pure weapons.
- CCW laws in 39 states give those interested in serious concealed weapons serious choices.
 
Boot knives are obsolete and illegal to carry, and therefore there is no legitimate reason for anyone to own them. Send all of yours to me and I will dispose of them properly. (I will pay particular attention to those having stag handles.)
 
Boot Knives are useful if you wear your pant legs inside your boot tops. otherwise, they are better used as belt knives.

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Although it does not mindfully keep guard in the small mountain fields, the scarecrow does not stand in vain
Bukkoku
 
Why doesn't someone make a sneaker or sandal knife? I mean summers here right and we all wear sneakers or sandals so why not a knife to go with them? Has anyone seen Bill Tran lately? I'll bet he can design what I'm looking for.
Bob
 
I want a "boot knife" like Robert Conrad used to have on "Wild Wild West". You know, where he'd be tied up so he'd just hit his boots together and the blade would pop out of the toe and he could cut himself free. (Not that this happens to me all that often but you never know.)

While I'm at it I'd like to find one of those cool little spring loaded Derringer mechanisms for that extra little something up my sleeve.

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"I'm inuspeptic, frasmotic, even compunctious to have caused you such pericumbobulations."--Mr. E Blackadder
 
If you consider the boot knife to be of the family of "readily accessible utility knives" then the concept is still very much alive.

MDP
 
Yeah the old women in From Russia with Love had the same set up. Maybe she was Bob Conrads mother on the show? I remember the last time I was tied up and when I went to click my shoes together to cut the ropes I realized I didn't have shoes on......wait a second that was something all together different forget it.
Bob
 
Provided you're not concerned about the possible legal ramifications, a classic single- or double-edged boot knife in a leather spring clip sheath is a great defensive tool. You would not, of course, clip it inside your boots (no matter what type of boots you wear) unless you're wearing something like cowboy or engineer's boots. And since the only socially practical way to carry a knife in such a fashion is to conceal it with the pant leg, the knife is buried; you're not going to get to it in a hurry. In the boot, the knife would be back-up only.

I've found the best way to carry a boot knife is to clip it inside the waistband, behind either hip. It's easily accessible and easy to conceal in that fashion (provided you wear some sort of outer jacket or shirt). Of course, you dare not do this unless it is legal, so this procedure probably isn't very userful to a great many people.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">neck knives, and to larger extent one-hand folders, present legal and just as effective alternatives, and are not seen as pure weapons.</font>
Click to expand...

One quibble: a folding knife is never going to be as strong as a fixed-blade boot knife.

-Razor

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AKTI #A000845

[This message has been edited by Razoredj (edited 06-15-2001).]
 
The boot knife has definitely been replace by neck knives. Neck knives are legal (most places) and they are easier to get to.

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Small minds discuss people,
Average minds discuss events,
Great minds discuss ideas.
 
I wonder a little bit about neck knives, though. If a concealed fixed blade boot knife of a given blade style is illegal where you live, you can bet a neck knife of the same blade shape would be, too.

-Razor

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me.gif

AKTI #A000845
 
Sorry, I thought it said "Butt Knife" and I was amazed that there had ever been need for such a thing...

 
I clip a boot knife to the inside of one of my motorcycle boots almost every time I ride. It's several years old. It's the one that says "Design by R. H. Loveless" on the blade. I've never cut anything with it and it's as sharp today as the day I removed it from the box. I've had it for several years and it is a double edged, fixed blade. It's called a Gerber Guardian and has a blade that's just under three inches long. Are you telling me that now ths knife is illegal??

Will

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Mendacity is the
system we live in.
 
Walk into any LEO locker room and you will see boot knives aplenty. Almost every motor officer still wearing the classic knee highs will always be packing at least one knife in his boots. I never opted for carrying a boot knife, I prefered a blade attached to my vest.

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R.W.Clark

Proud Member : California Knifemakers Association
 
May be wrong, but believe I read that Bob Loveless calls some boot knives "chute knives." I think that is the answer. Wear chute knives. Just tuck them in your chute.
biggrin.gif


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Asi es la vida

Bugs
 
Elvislives-

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Sorry, I thought it said "Butt Knife" and I was amazed that there had ever been need for such a thing...</font>
Click to expand...

The boot knife is needed for the serious 'butts'.

And if you consider the experience of inmates and POW's, it is a viable concealment method. And is probably the genesis of the phrase.... "He pulled that out of his a**." Butt, the mean time to presentation coupled with the odiferous qualities of this carry method have kept the practictioners of this method at a minimum.

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<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Will.223:
I've had it for several years and it is a double edged, fixed blade. It's called a Gerber Guardian and has a blade that's just under three inches long. Are you telling me that now ths knife is illegal??
</font>
Click to expand...

No, the knife is not illegal, but carrying it, (concealed or not) is probably illegal, given the laws of most cities/states. Carrying it Concealed is almost certainly illegal. And the fact that it is double edged might mean there is a small chance it is it illegal to carry in your area. You have to check local/state laws. Unforetunely, sometimes it can be very, very hard to know exactly what is legal whereever you are.
 
I'm expecting a Boot Knife very shortly from Bobby Branton. I ordered it because I wanted one for my Stag collection. I don't wear boots much anymore, I never wore my pants tucked in my boots when I did and I doubt I'd want to carry a knife there. It's the style that appeals to me and the use and legality of carry isn't an issue.

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Will Work 4 Knives
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