EDC (Every Day Carry) is a big thing for most people when considering survival plans and living in the modern world. As everyone knows a good knife is the most important tool of general survival. The problem lies in balancing what knife to carry as part of your EDC and the laws on what knives the law permits you to carry whilst trying to keep it as effective as possible.
If it were up to me I would walk around with my trust Mora 840 on my belt but that's just not legal. I live in the uk where the knife laws are some of the strictest anywhere. This means that my choices are limited to a non-locking, folding knife with a blade of less than 3". So that's my dilemma. Easily solved by 3 words. Friction Folding Knife. Obviously the easiest (and most likely cheepest) of these is the Svord Peasant. Funding permitting I would like to get my hands on one some time soon to review myself so until then my EDC is a simple, cheep yet effective swiss army knife.
American knife laws regarding EDC is a bit more difficult as there is more to balance. There's the universal laws banning interstate trade (and I believe carrying) of switch-blade and gravity aided opening knives. Add to this the Federal, State and County laws and you've got yourself a bit of a jumble which causes the question of "Which knife am I allowed to carry where I am?" The simple way to get around this is a sort of universal guidline (so I've been led to believe): A folding knife which takes no less than 3 actions to make it usable. Which says to me that just about any folding knife stuck in a sheath and dropped in your pocket is fine. So take your pick.
Other restrictions to consider wherever you are is any place which has a high than average security need such as a government building, a courthouse or an airport. Needless to say, if you try to carry a knife into any of these places you should expect to lose said knife at the very least and depending on what type of building, where you are and the mood of the person who finds the knife you may be in for an uncomfortable period of time following the search. In short, if you're likely to be going into any of these places, leave the knife at home or in your car.
I would like to emphasize caution when it comes to carrying a knife no matter where you are or how relaxed the laws and I would always advise you to try to err on the side of the law.
For more information on English Knife laws see
this site.
For more information on US Knife laws and which knife laws are specific to your state see
this site.
If you would like me to post any links about knife laws in your country if you live outside of England and the US then please feel free to ask in the comments or send me an email via my "Contact Me" section.
