How do you carry around your gear for the woods and avoid hassles from LEO

[GreenthornTraveler]

Do you make sacrifices and only carry a small pocket knife instead of a more practical knife for camping/bushcraft if you were hitting the road? Im just thinking that a person who looks like a traveler who may be illegally walking through train yards and riding trains or walking along highways i have a better then average change to be talking to cops at some point along the jouney . I would rather not get hit with an extra charge because i don't know about some local law or the cop decides he doesnt like how long my pocket knife is or something. What do you think about this topic , any experience?

 

[Deleted member 11392]

Generally speaking, if you're hitching and hopping trains you're not spending much time deep in the woods where a large knife would be necessary. You're pretty close to civilization, usually.

If you go on multi day camping trips and you think you'd need a big ass knife, then bring it. Keep it in your bag and you shouldn't have any issues with police.

 

[GreenthornTraveler]

not really a big ass knife but a smaller fixed blade could be more useful yet still illegal. Size is not really the issue here as much as i know here in washington at least even a small knife if its a fixed blade is illegal to carry concealed. I will probably just err of the safe side and carry the legal size pocket knife. I don't really feel the need to bring the change of extra trouble down for no reason.

 

[GreenthornTraveler]

My plan is to stop and take multi day trips in the woods to practice my foraging and edible plant skills so some woods gear will be useful i think.

 

[bones32]

I normally Cary a pocket knife and a utility knife in my pack. Even if I'm spending a few days in the wilderness. Spier fishing and making a temporary hut for a few days. Knives come in handy. Don't need anything to big or in my experience.

 

[GreenthornTraveler]

yeah i dont need something big just a knife that is well made and durable enough to hold up for a road trip without falling apart.

 

[RoadFlower33]

Your gonna spend about 30-40 on a good knife that meets what your looking for. I carry an old shrade hunting pocket knife. Its has a stainless steel blade about 4 inches long its handle is brass and wood, Its heavy af, but its sharp, it folds, it's tough and I can literally hammer on it if need be. I also carry a pairing knife for my kitchen, witch is a fixed blade in a sheath in my pack stuffed away.
As far as concealed weapons, cops and travlers go... i have never had a problem with my knives. Every cop has told me that they dont have a problem with my knives as they are more a tool when in my pack and not under my shirt on my belt or in my boot. But as the law is wrote- Everything is in the descreshion of the officer... and the law is the law no matter the actual use. So it's a toss man, and i say dont go without what you need.

 

[GreenthornTraveler]

@BirdDaddy Thank you. Seems like good advice to me.

 

[GreenthornTraveler]

I have a small Mora knife that i like to use for Bushcraft it has about a three or four inch fixed blade but i could live without it. Any knife will do the trick as long as its a quality one.

 

[RoadFlower33]

Also look up the definition of concealed. And are you allowed to open cary so to say. Like on your hip in a case. I know some Seattle kids who always have there blades on there hip and they cary big knives. But I wasent ever with them in Seattle either. But still I would have never thought it to be illegal to conceal a knife there.

 

[GreenthornTraveler]

your allowed to open carry but if someone says you scare them or they feel threatened in any way it is illegal. I did some google searches of what the law says. Im not 100 percent sure it is fully up to date info and also its only for Washington state which won't do me much good when i go somewhere else there will be completely different laws.

 

[RoadFlower33]

True. Like Idaho for example. That's my home state and whare I am now. You can open cary guns pistols knives bows you name it. Dont threaten anybody. Knives concealed or not you ok. Iv hitched with a machete, axe, tomahawk and a 22 rifle not all at once of course. But growing up here hitching in and out of the mtns and to and from towns as long as there were no problems with me and my having a "weapon" . But Idaho is cool in that way. And were mostly small towns anyhow. Dont upset the locals and your fine. I do not however leave Idaho with anything more than what I previously mentioned in my previous comment.

 

[GreenthornTraveler]

Idaho is cool with the guns and the knives yeah but if i want to have a green smoke they want to put you in jail.

 

[GreenthornTraveler]

I love the woods in idaho i had some great times at some hot springs there and in montana but i don't want to have to be hassled if i want to smoke a little cannabis.

 

[RoadFlower33]

Dude, yeah, I hear you that part is shit. I do like to travel with smoke and that's the only sketch part about Idaho, and besides the small minded people it's the only complaint I have.

 

[GreenthornTraveler]

There sure is a lot of beautiful country in Idaho though.

 

[Hellbilly]

Hey bud im pretty sure if you carry a concealed knife the blade has to be 3 inches or shorter. Anything bigger than that needs a permit. Anything bigger than 12 inches needs a concealed weapon liscence. But these rules vary by the state your in and local laws. Generally if your not a felon and your not waving it around in public the police dont give a shit. Im a felon and knifemaker so ive spent some time researching this. I used to walk around in public with a large fixed blade on my belt and nobody ever said anything. Now i just dont risk it ill keep it in my bag.

 

[train in vain]

Ive asked ppl knife questionscand no one ever seems to really KNOW they just have some vague guess thats wrong. State Knife Laws | American Knife and Tool Institute - https://www.akti.org/state-knife-laws/ that may help

 

[ResistMuchObeyLittle]

No need to drop 30-40 on a good knife. Mora knives are amazing. Many a bushcrafter uses them .Hell, Cody Lundin has had his Mora #1 for a long ass time. For $18 you can't go wrong.

 

[Nola Nick]