From: presence@MUNGEpanix.com   
      
   Chilla  wrote:   
   > Cydrome Leader wrote:   
   >> Chilla  wrote:   
   >>>True, but I think if you had the choice to carry a gun or a knife you'd   
   >>>choose the gun.   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> I'd carry the knife. It can be used for everyday tasks. They're one of the   
   >> most useful tools you can have.   
   >   
   > This is where knife carry laws can get tricky.   
   >   
   > If you carry a knife for the purpose of self defense then in Australia   
   > you'd get into trouble.   
   >   
   > If you carry a knife to gut fish, that's a reasonable reason to carry.   
   >   
   > If you have that same knife in your pocket, and used the excuse that you   
   > are going to gut fish, whilst out night clubbing...   
   >   
   > It's a matter of context.   
      
   It's the same in the US.   
      
   Flashing a 8" kitchen knife on the streets of downtown might get the cops   
   interested in what's going on.   
      
   A student leaving culinary school a few blocks away that's obviously   
   carrying their knife roll won't be bothered.   
      
   Lots of laws here are intentionally vague so they can be selectively   
   enforced.   
      
   I've had a knife confiscated by the police. Was it legal in the first   
   place? Probably not, but nobody really knew or cared. I was able to get it   
   back from the police a few days later. I even asked questions like what's   
   the definition of a knife. The office I spoke to (and these are the only   
   people that would even take a knife away in the first place) said they   
   consider anything a knife if it's sharp and you are or might use it as a   
   weapon.   
      
   The laws on the books don't really agree, but that's for the courts to   
   decide if something were to escalate to that point.   
      
   If you're not being an jackass, nobody really cares what you are doing for   
   the most part.   
      
   If you carry some chromed pistol and you like to blind people with it to   
   show off, you're probably going to run into trouble. If nobody knows you   
   even have it, nothing will ever happen.   
      
   > In America it's not uncommon to find people carrying guns for self   
   > defense.  Carrying a knife for self defense in America would be   
   > ridiculous.  "Why take a knife to a gun fight?"   
      
   Who said all crime is gun based? FWIW, it's not.   
      
   > As far as carrying a tool goes there are plenty of legal items that   
   > would leave a knife for dead, multi tools come to mind (and they   
   > sometimes conceal a blade).   
      
   The knife in multitools tend to border on virtually useless. Plus it's   
   nice to be able to have a cutting edge available without losing your   
   fingernails or slicing your other fingers open on nonsense items like can   
   openers. There may be some higher end multi tools that don't suffer from   
   this, but none will open as fast, open a box or mail or cut rope as fast   
   as even a cheapo pocket knife.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)