TexasCHLforum.com

skub wrote: It's not against the law to have an illegal knife ( ) , just to carry off your property, or outside your vehicle.

PC §46.02. UNLAWFUL CARRYING WEAPONS. (a) A person com- mits an offense if the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly car- ries on or about his or her person a handgun, illegal knife, or club if the person is not:
(1) on the person's own premises or premises under the person's control; or
(2) inside of or directly en route to a motor vehicle that is owned by the person or under the person's control.

OK, I wasn't clear on this. If I buy an illegal knife at a gun show, I have to transport it home. From the minute that I own it until I'm back on my property, I'm breaking the law, right? I suppose that you could make a case for provision #2 - that after the purchase, I was heading directly to the car.

srothstein wrote:Chasfm11,

It was pointed out to me that there is one further bit of advice you need on the punch knives. In Texas, a knife with a point designed for stabbing and two cutting edges is considered a dagger (or dirk or stiletto) and is illegal to carry. If you get a knife like this, make sure it is one of the ones that have only one sharp edge and a false back edge to avoid potential legal problems.

I am one of those who believe that you can legally carry a prohibited knife with your CHL if you also have a gun, but most on the board disagree with me. I will be the first to admit that it was certainly not the intent of the law. I just take the literal wording that way. I don't recommend being the test case to see if I am correct either.

Thanks for the additional information. I had hoped to make it over to Ft.Worth today but things didn't work out. Now, I'm glad that I didn't - I might have bought something that I shouldn't have. Of course, if it were illegal, they shouldn't be selling it, should they?

It looks like this one
http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Kraton ... 725&sr=1-6 is one of the few on Amazon that meets the criteria you described as legal. It sure is tiny enough - 1.5" blade

Thanks, but I have no plans to be the test case for something like this.

Stupid wrote:I don't think you are even prepared if you don't have this in your list of EDC.

Actually, I have one of those. We have an RV and I wanted something that I could dig a small hole with if I needed to. Mine actually collapses smaller than the one in your picture.

It isn't than I'd want to carry on my gun belt, however.

Thanks, Steve.

I assume that http://www.amazon.com/Undercover-Magnum ... 01CZHNCA/2 these are what you are talking about. I ltried to examaine at several of them and some youtube videos for their use. I think I understand the concepts but at my 60+ age, I'm still concerned that I lack the strength to use such a knife effectively. The thing would have to be absolutely razor sharp. Even with the power of my forearm behind it, especially on my weak side a you seem to recommend, driving it through clothing and into enough tissue to do enough harm to stop a threat seems like quite a challenge. I do understand adrenalin and it's possible help if I were, indeed, fighting for my life.

The Ft. Worth gun show is this weekend. I may cruise over there tomorrow and see if anyone has them there.

I do appreciate the advice. I hope that my situation is much different than yours on patrol. You had to get into situations that I will avoid like the plague.

On most stuff, I consider myself to be a pragmatist. I don't want to be tied down with a lot of stuff that I'll never use. As I read what others carry, I'm scratching my head and wondering "why?" I may be coming around, however.

Tactical flashlight? I read that and figured "yeah, sure, and what would I ever use one of those for?" The more that I read, however, the more that I was convinced that I might need to deal with a night time situation. I looked hard at the Sure Fire lights but just could not bring myself to spend over $100 for one. I did find this, however.
http://www.amazon.com/LED-Tactical-Flas ... 047&sr=8-6
What a great asset! Tonight, I had it along while I was walking one of the dogs. She started to fuss and I shot the light in the direction she was pointing towards - there was a skunk about 20 feet away!. No way would I have seen it with a regular flashlight. As far as I'm concerned, it paid for itself tonight. Now, I cannot imagine myself going out at night without it. It is right by the bed, along with the Sig.

So let's further my education. My opinion of knives has been that they are good for those who know how to use them. I don't. I'm afraid that it a close quarters scuffle, all that I would do would be to give my opponent something to hurt me with. Aside for the utilitarian pocket knives (I do carry one of those) I don't see myself bothering with a tactical style knife. What am I missing? After my experience with the flashlight, I've "seen the light", so to speak (sorry, just couldn't resist.)

If I were going to branch out further, I might try carrying pepper spray. I ride bike for cardio exercise 3 times a week and have been hassled and bitten by dogs while trying to do it. The time that I was bitten (60lb doberman), I'd never have gotten to the pepper spray in time - the attack literally came out of nowhere. I've had some heated verbal exchanges with dog owners where I probably would have been better off just spraying the dog. I'm not sure, however, how effective that would have been in those situations. I have the same reservations about using pepper spray against a human target. The conditions would have to be very favorable to me for that to work. That is not normally the way that my luck runs. Pepper spray as a self defense tool seems to get very mixed reviews.

I, too, was an Eagle scout and have carried the "be prepared" lesson with me throughout my life. I'm not sure that one can be overprepared but I'm convinced that it is possible to be weighted down.