Wow. IL wants their subjects completely under the control of the rulers in the state. The only people allowed to carry ANYTHING are them and the criminals?
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I carry a knife at all times unless I’m sleeping, (sometimes then too)
It’s only a 3.5” folder per state law, but it’s an amazing utility tool as well as a defense weapon.
I was first on scene of a vicious accident (drunk diver hit a light pole at 50+mph and rolled)
Fortunately, he hit a pole and was alone in the car.
Regardless; the vehicle was utterly destroyed, literally the whole passenger side was missing! Front wheel and suspension, front fender, front passenger door, just gone! Scattered in a hundred foot debris field.
The driver was pinned in the wreckage, and held in by his seatbelt.
All I could do was shut the ignition off and hope it didn’t burn before EMS showed up.
When the fire department cut his belt he crawled out of the wreck under his own power.
That was the day I stopped not carrying at least a knife!
I’ve actually used my knife after another car accident that i witnessed, yes only to cut the power to the horn that was stuck on after rendering any aid I could to the victims…. But it was still useful!
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Great story. I know it’s not easy for us to remember tips and even training. Sometimes I run out too quickly, so I keep some spare supples in my car, such as a utility knife. Humbly not experienced what you have, but on occasion it has come in handy as a tool.
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Buck folding knife
measures about 3 5/8’’ and gets sharpened 3-4 times a week with a diamond
sharpener, its my general farm knife and pig sticker wen processing
sharp enough you don’t feel it wen I nick my self.
also wear a cut glove wen processing so I know who’s blood is on the floor 
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Yeah, I sharpen my edc knife maybe 2x per week.
Honestly it’s almost as sharp as my kitchen cutlery!
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Like I said. I don’t know other States Law… but it is smart to know what you can and what you cannot carry and use before you will be charged with a crime.
I don’t believe Illinois is the only state with knife possession Laws. I strongly recommend to check your State Law as well before it’s too late.
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Ooh, ooh ask me, pick me, pick me. 
. I think everyone on this forum knows I love me some knives. 
. I sharpen my blades and oil them weekly now. I found a knife sharpener tool that is really good and it’s easy on my hands.
My EDC blades
My Knife Sharpening system. Tumblr
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Of course there is a lot of info out there on blades which sharpen more easily than others, and others which gold their edge better.
Farthest from knowledgeable on the subject, but I imagine there are pros and cons of having a folding vs a fixed. I guess each have their own place.
Personally, I prefer fixed, especially in an emergency. But all of my tool boxes have folding knives - great tools.
Every tool box and every car needs a multi tool as well which includes a knife, and other items in an all in one, such as those jagged rough edges for cutting tougher things like branches, bottle opener, screw drivers, pliers, nail filer.
I’m again crossing into a different topic, but in a pinch, I found I can sharpen a knife on the bottom edge of a ceramic coffee mug (the kind which don’t have a smooth painted bottom, but a rough one for grinding), or on a nail filer. I have several nail clippers with nail files included with them (one included in all of my “go bags”), good for sharpening knives, fish hooks, and the comfort of keeping ones nails trimmed - no matter when and where.
So all of my bug out bags and long trip “go bags” always has a multi tool as well. Long before I heard of such “prep bag kits”, was “a go bag”, when working with victims of domestic violence, they were often coached to have a big bag packed with essentials, just in case.
Peace to all.
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@BobbyJean Yeah, same here with Jerzees, gotta comply with state law’s little wee-wee 3 in. blade, can’t carry my big (Jim Bowie) hunting knife, unless we’re out at the Ranch butchering and skinning a young bull for the freezer. 
Man, those were the good ole days!
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Ronald 150 I HAVE ON MY BOWIE KNIFE 17. Inches and my KABAR 7,INCH USMC FIGHTING KNIFE AN THREE MAGAZINES WITH 17 .ROUNDS IN EACH ONE ON MY BELT RIGHT NOW WITH MY M&p.s&w,9. WITH SUBSONIC ROUNDS AND DRT. And hell I AM . What you see . MORE THAN LIKELY . F.ED. I NEVER WANTED TO LIVE THIS LONG SO EVERY SINGLE SECOND IS A GIFT . 
. I BET YA O YEAH I HAVE ELGAGRNDY BALLS EXTREMELY LARGE BALLS LITTLE BRAINS LARGE BALLS BROTHERS . AFTER THEY SEND ME TO HELL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU WILL FIGURE OUT YOUR NEXTED:100:
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I. PACKED MY WINGS . Don’t FORGET YOUR WINGS BROTHERS 
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Grate Tool Brother love ya brother Bobby Jean sir 
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At DFW many years ago, I forgot to check my knife. The TSA agent stated I could go back to the check-in counter and recall my bag. I did that.
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Carry folding in strong hand front pocket, and fixed blade KBAR on weak hand side belt. My knives are just like my edc pistol, it is cleaned and sharpened one a week or after any use. Was taught take care of your tools if you expect them to take care of you.
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Not very often. Mostly depends on what it is used for.
Now I steel it every time I use it.
I’m kind of psycho about sharpness. As a retired butcher, I guess it’s a habit. I used to steel my work knives every time I picked them up.
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Same here, never more than a few feet from a knife ------ I even have a small folder on my Lego build table. My grandson will ask before he uses it to separate bricks from base plates. Not very sharp, but serves it’s purpose.
Also always a knife clipped in my pocket.
Again, as a retired butcher, knives are second nature to me.
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Nice blades!!!
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Funny you should mention that, one of my prior jobs was meat/seafood department at a grocery store.
One of my…lolwhat?..moments from that job…
…so I leave the meat department, where we have, you know, butcher knives hanging up on the wall that we use frequently…a bone saw…knife sharpener…etc…
I go to the back to help unload a truck. I take out a 3" blade carried-at-Walmart Gerber folding knife to cut the plastic pallet wrap on one of our pallets…
…and an employee from the front end is all like whoa look out you carry a knife yada yada…
…I’m’ like…you’ve seen what we have in our department right? I literally talk to customers while holding a foot long bloody butcher knife with blood on my apron…
…unstated part…oh and I have a Glock 19 on my belt right here…wink wink
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I’ve been carrying a folding pocket knife for the past 42 or 43 years. I’ve never thought of it as a weapon, it’s a tools I use many times a week, at work or at home. Back when and where I grew up, every boy and some girls had a knife.
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