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Yep, major knife geek (and gadget freak). Good thing I'm cheap or I'd be broke all the time. BTW, they're not open on Sundays. I'm happy to see them focus on the bushcraft/survival area, but they'll special order anything you want (as long as they can get it). Sam will actually take the time to talk knives with you instead of just trying to pimp product to get you out the door with your pockets empty. He's going to set up a BKT day sometime soon. Ethan came into the shop and liked what they were doing and liked Sam and he said he'd be happy to spend some Saturday at the shop showing off all the old and new BKT knives and doing some demos.

Knoxville backpacking/paddling/hiking shop Earth Traverse Outfitters has shifted their focus more toward Bushcraft/Survival and that means a whole new knife counter. Along with the Maxpedition and Snugpak soft goods hanging in the shop they now have Moras, Spydercos, BKT, ESEE, SOG, CRKT, Cold Steel, Condor and a growing selection of blades for use in the field. I was impressed with the Mora 2000 and Bushcraft knives. They're inexpensive, but have a great reputation and handling them I began to understand why. Standard Scandi bevels, good ergonomics, but weak in the sheath areas (good thing they're talking about putting a kydex press in the shop to make custom sheaths, holsters and other kydex gear). It would be hard not to be impressed with the ESEE 3 and 4 model they had. They looked to be tank tough and the edges were well ground and sharp. They fit the hand well and I didn't think there'd be any hot spots in extended use. The sheaths were bombproof as well. I liked the Izula, but at half the price the BKT Necker and Eskabar (ESEE and Becker collaboration) from KaBar are a much better deal. The sheaths were solid too. The KaBar TDI LDK would also serve to pick splinters out as well as get someone being too "personal" to back off. I liked the Condor Kukri better than the Cold Steel. Better balance and prettier too. I'd have to hack up some brush with it to have a better informed opinion, but the balance seemed right and it had a good edge. The little CRKT Ritter came in a suitable tin for a pocket survival kit. The little knife seemed capable in it's role as a last ditch tool to make other small tools if you were stuck in the woods. The other CRKT folders looked pretty good as well. I wish they had a few Opinels to fill in the lower price range with the best inexpensive carbon steel folders out there, but you can't have everything. Anyway I can see myself spending too much time, and money, there because of the knives they're putting in.

OhShoot is correct, TN makes no exception to the prohibition against carrying switchblades for being one armed or one handed. The "defense to prosecution" section is what leads many to think that being LE, EMT or other public safety are exempt from the prohibition, but it isn't as clear cut as that.

I have a lot of knives and have a wooden map drawer cabinet with felt drawer lining for them. I keep vapor packs in each drawer as well as using White Lightning bicycle lube/Protestant on them.

Plenty of Sebenza owners around as well as a few hollow handle owners.

Yep Fun knife. CRKT has been one of the few good companies that shows an interest in clever/fun mechanisms.

There is some argument in the switchblade collecting community whether simple possession of switchblades (regardless of age) is illegal or not as long as you don't carry it. The "defense to prosecution" wording is an "exception" to the illegality of possession a switchblade as long as it's just for having as something unique and not as a weapon. If you have a collection it doesn't matter whether they're antique or new as long as it is a collection instead of just an "arsenal". Being a member of the National Knife Collector's Association is pretty useful in demonstrating that you are a collector. Keep in mind that you may have to retain a lawyer to convince the DA that your small collection is excepted under the law if you are charged for possession by an exuberant legal beagle. For anyone that wants to draw analogies with NFA weapons, don't. They are completely different governmental entities that regulate the two.

Carrying a knife with a blade 4" in length or greater is illegal in TN even though you'll find many people in the woods with longer knives.

I have used Entrek, ESEE, and Tops in ways that would be considered abuse and can endorse any of them. While the Brend Rescue 2 I just received is very impressive I think you'll find the 5 inch knives to be handier tools.

I just got a Rescue 2 and it is an impressive piece of cutlery. It is a simplified #2 without the steel guard on Mr. Brend's standard #2. It's quite amazing.

I forgot say anything about the Spirit of Steel knife show being at the Marriott down town this weekend here in Knoxville. Helped Bill Wiggins and Ethan Becker with their seminars yesterday. Yakked with John W. Smith, Ernie Emerson and Jon Graham. Went over a new prototype with a local maker that's going to be produced by a manufacturer over seas. Handled a bunch of very nice custom knives and gave out a lot of "where to eat" advice. I took Walther Brend and his wife to Litton's Friday night and he almost teared up over the strawberry shortcake and Kim Breed and Gary Wheeler and I went to Chesapeak's last night and they pronounced it "GOOD" (of course these are a couple of old SF guys that thought "monkey on a stick" from a street vendor in Senegal was tasty). Great deals on field grade fixed blades from Wheeler and Blind Horse (and I do mean GREAT). I plan on getting one of the large OTFs from Paragon/Ashville Steel today. I'm such a dolt for not letting ya'll know about this, but if anyone sees a yellow on black Aloha shirt feel free to walk up and say "Hi".

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Thanks. Yes, I went through michie to get the text in hopes it would be authoritative.

I may be wrong, but the wording I've highlighted seems to say that the sign with the legal wording is still required, BUT the sign may also include the "gunbuster" symbol. I interpret that to mean that the gunbuster by itself doesn't constitute legal posting. Is there any written clarification on this?

Good looking knife from a good source. BRKT makes first rate knives.

The problem is that measuring to the guard or handle of a conventional design is conflicted enough when you have a ricasso or choil. WE'D argue that only the portion that is sharpened should count, but that's not the way that some officers or courts consider it. In a case like a push dagger it wouldn't surprise me to see the tip to the grip measured.

My first Delica was way back in the molded plastic clip days. I've had more than one and consider them to be good knives. There are a number of variations of them these days.

I would recommend getting a stronger knife and a separate firemaker. I like Tool Logic products for around town, but they're just not sturdy enough for a lost in the woods scenario.

Just be sure not to take it on school property or you'll be in violation of the dagger prohibition.

The broadest source for Spydercos in Knoxville is probably Greene Military on Kingston Pike or Coal Creek Armory on Dutchtown. Surprisingly, WalMart will carry Spydercos as well and you may find a good deal with them. You can find them at Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, but the selection will be small. The largest selection will be at the already identified Smokey Mountain Knife Works.

Whether it is properly heat treated will also influence whether a proper edge can be established. Materials, heat treat and edge geometry are the three factors that determine whether you have a pry bar or a knife. I suggest that you "paint" the edge with sharpie and that you then attempt to sharpen the edge. Look at the edge with each stroke and watch the paint come off with each stroke. Be sure that you remove the same amount of material on each side. Once all the paint is off of the cutting edge you should have a sharp knife.

With the diamond sleeves the Spyderco Sharpmaker will repair damaged edges that you can then sharpen on the ceramics. I have several systems, but keep going back to one or the other of the "V" holders with ceramics or I'll freehand sharpen on a set of ceramic bench stones. I also keep a large Gatco fine ceramic rod in my desk drawer for meditative sharpening at the office.

Keep in mind that any venue can prohibit the carrying of any type of knife as an exercise of their right as property owner. They're under no obligation to post either (obviously there are state posting requirements for firearms that to some extent act as preemption). Since you're not breaking any law by carrying a sub-4" blade pocket knife the only legal issue would be if the property owner or their representative asked you to leave making you subject to a trespassing charge if you didn't cooperate.

The advice to go through an authorized dealer is best if you're not a Public Safety employee. Federal law puts restrictions on shipping to non-government employees so it may be less an issue of not supporting their products as it is avoiding any violation of 15 or 18 USC. Benchmade and many other switchblade manufacturers won't ship to non-government personnel because of this reason. Use a cooperative dealer who sells MT and you and MT won't have to worry about running afoul of the interstate commerce restrictions on switchblades.

I was amazed this past week to find that my son had actually broken the tip off of the Sebenza I had given to him when he finally graduated from college. I was amazed since I've not broken mine and he "explained" that it took a lot to break the tip off. I'll send it to CR and they'll fix it pretty quickly. I assume that they'll reprofile it by dropping the clip to meet the new point, but regardless of what they do I know it will look better than my putting it on the grinder and doing it myself.