Thinking about open-carrying a dagger

Z

ZTFan

Joined
Oct 6, 2016
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137
Been looking hard at the Benchmade SOCP dagger, specifically the double-edged one. I live in the California Bay Area and it's illegal to conceal a dirk/dagger here, but there's no law against open carry on the waist as long as it isn't in a school or government building.

I already have a Benchmade Grip with the G-10 scales and good steel, and it's been a great knife, but I just can't stop looking at the SOCP. I know that it's designed to be used in conjunction with a carry firearm, and I don't think I'm ready to take that step yet, but it would still be pretty darn useful in a bad situation.

In short it wouldn't do anything better than my Grip (probably worse for cutting too), but it would definitely shave off some time when deploying under duress. My question is do you think it's worth it to open carry and risk a cop fucking with you because he doesn't understand laws?
 
ZTFan said:
Been looking hard at the Benchmade SOCP dagger, specifically the double-edged one. I live in the California Bay Area and it's illegal to conceal a dirk/dagger here, but there's no law against open carry on the waist as long as it isn't in a school or government building.

I already have a Benchmade Grip with the G-10 scales and good steel, and it's been a great knife, but I just can't stop looking at the SOCP. I know that it's designed to be used in conjunction with a carry firearm, and I don't think I'm ready to take that step yet, but it would still be pretty darn useful in a bad situation.

In short it wouldn't do anything better than my Grip (probably worse for cutting too), but it would definitely shave off some time when deploying under duress. My question is do you think it's worth it to open carry and risk a cop fucking with you because he doesn't understand laws?
Click to expand...
NO!
 
^^^
Eloquent in its simplicity.

You're going to cary a knife that doesn't cut stuff as well as what you already have because it will be faster when deployed under duress? C'mon.
 
LOU-PSC243B-2.jpg


The bat is mightier than the sword!
 
Ok. Here is my take. I am former Law Enforcement and carried a SOCP dagger on my Tac Vest. You want something easy to deploy under duress. The Benchmade SOCP is not it. When you have elevated stress and adrenaline you will lose all of your fine motor skills and you will revert to Gross motor skills. Manipulating small objects and finger manipulation is near impossible. That is why most firearms training involves big movements and whole hand manipulation of the firearm.

With that being said.....you would be better off getting a knife with an Emerson wave and train with it for quick deployment. Everyday carry, you are used to where the knife is, gross motor skills under stress and a better weapon without the hassle by the police.

Just my 2 cents
 
This belongs in Prac/Tac subforum .

You don't gain enough advantage with these dedicated fighting knives to justify trying to explain to the judge and jury . More "innocent " to train hard with a more utilitarian design . Plus you'll have a knife you can actually use .
 
Maybe just carry a good firearm. Do the cops care? Sanctuary cities? It's really difficult to try to give an opinion.
 
MY 2 cents.... I think you're better off using something that you are already comfortable with. The dagger=the knife you never use. So, loose a little cutting power (the second edge) and get something that you can and will use.
 
IMHO, In a civilian setting, one/you should not have a weapon on display. One/you would be taken as a threat to those wishing to do harm. I recommend getting a good concealable firearm, a permit for concealed carry and good training. Then go out of your way to avoid trouble. With the power to kill and maim at hand, the upper hand, should one/you have to resort to shooting at someone, a lot of questions will follow. The right answers are priceless.
 
In this day and age where a bumper sticker can get you shot at I say do whatever you want.
 
ZTFan said:
Been looking hard at the Benchmade SOCP dagger,..lI just can't stop looking at the SOCP. My question is do you think it's worth it to open carry and risk a cop fucking with you because he doesn't understand laws?
Click to expand...

Liking it? Well buy it already!
If it makes you happy by all means.
Of course it's understandable that
Open carrying anything which resembles a threat to public safety
Would warrant a cause of concern to some segments of the population.
If one is prepared to carry (despite knowing the current climate regarding the "politics" of the day), then one must also be equally prepared for
Any incident relating to bouts of harsh circumstantial "advise".
If one has the conviction of doing a certain something
(even if it knowingly makes others feel uncomfortable)
then one must somehow be prepared to face what's truly coming
with a seemingly disappropriate sense of righteousness.
I m afraid that no one knife can stop the voice of reason.
 
How nobody has said it at this point, I don't know. Carrying a dagger for EDC defense is a little too Assassin's Creed and a little less practical. Also very hard to argue the practical value of carrying a dagger in the event you had to use it it.
 
I myself wouldn't carry a dagger as they tend to be somewhat weak in design also. We have a knife maker here on the forum ie. CM that carries daily openly and he lives in Cali also. I'd contact him as he will get you straightened out on a good blade to carry in Cali and make you what you need. Good luck on your hunt.
 
I don't like to open carry unless it's for a practical reason. I keep my big khukuri within easy reach in the woods, just like my .357 revolver.

However, even though daggers and knives of all sorts are legal here concealed or otherwise, I don't carry one openly. One reason, a minor one imho, is giving up a tactical advantage of someone knowing I'm armed. The main reason, I really don't want the hassle of potentially upsetting someone else. Yes, I'd be within my rights. But it also within my rights to choose to be nonconfrontational.

It's the main reason I usually carry a stout folder like a ZT and a little pocket pistol. Maybe I'll get my ticket punched. Maybe I won't. But at least it won't turn heads and draw attention to myself.

In California, I wouldn't try it.
 
Steely_Gunz said:
I don't like to open carry unless it's for a practical reason. I keep my big khukuri within easy reach in the woods, just like my .357 revolver.

However, even though daggers and knives of all sorts are legal here concealed or otherwise, I don't carry one openly. One reason, a minor one imho, is giving up a tactical advantage of someone knowing I'm armed. The main reason, I really don't want the hassle of potentially upsetting someone else. Yes, I'd be within my rights. But it also within my rights to choose to be nonconfrontational.

It's the main reason I usually carry a stout folder like a ZT and a little pocket pistol. Maybe I'll get my ticket punched. Maybe I won't. But at least it won't turn heads and draw attention to myself.

In California, I wouldn't try it.
Click to expand...

This post nails the whole thing. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Why, when handicapping yourself by carrying a knife as your main self defense weapon, would you handicap yourself further by advertising to the whole world just what your carrying and where? Aside from some weird ego thing?

In a world with lots of handguns floating around, it doesn't seem like a very good idea. Especially in California.
 
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