move questions

[contagion]

Hiya folks,

So I am a Michigan native moving to winter park Florida by July 7th for school. The parental units are shall we say slightly anti gun. Which sucks because I will be turning 21 in Aug. have taken my CPL course and would love to be able to carry. Unfortunately with the situation a firearm is out of the question for home defense down in Florida. Or up here for that matter. Until I am living on my own $ and in my own home. So for the moment I am limited to a knife or other legal implement for self and home defense. As far as I understand Florida knife laws automatics assisted and manual openers are all legal. Also Blade length as long as it is a folder is not an issue. That was how I and my LEO cousin interpreted Florida blade laws. But I welcome any Florida LEOs especially in the northern Orlando/Winter Park areas to inform me if I am correct or wrong in my thinking.

Now on to the meat of the post since I cannot keep any sort of firearm at my apartment down there I am thinking about a couple of different defensive knives. Yes I have defended myself with a folding knife before and I do feel not comfortable but I feel that I will be able to again If need be. The two main folders I was thinking of having in house for defense were the cold steel spartan or the CRKT M21-14.
Both being small enough for an edc (I am 6'2'' and about 330). But big and intimidating enough to keep in a nightstand drawer so If I need to it is there. My current edc for SD and utility is either a Ontario RAT 1 or a knife-kit frame lock 006. Both of which are aus8 steel for the blades.

Both the M21 and the Spartan are within 10$ price wise of each-other. I wanted opinions of anyone who has handled or used either of them.
Also any LEOs from Florida who read this are collapsible batons a LEGAL and viable home defense option for me in conjunction to either knife or as a standalone. And I would have my LEO cousin give me some training as to how to use the baton if I went with one for a less than lethal option for home defense.

Thanks in advance

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[varob]

Can't help you with your knife questions, but I'm wondering, what will keep you from possessing a firearm in Fl?

[azchevy]

Can't help you with your knife questions, but I'm wondering, what will keep you from possessing a firearm in Fl?

Living in his anti-gun parents house and anti-gun campus I assume. I would buy one anyway and just keep it out of sight and out of mind.

[contagion]

Can't help you with your knife questions, but I'm wondering, what will keep you from possessing a firearm in Fl?

The parents don't like the idea of me owning a firearm while technically living on their cosigned loan (something about my safety being a liability). Other then that nothing I can even apply for my cpl in late august.

Living in his anti-gun parents house and anti-gun campus I assume. I would buy one anyway and just keep it out of sight and out of mind.

Living off campus so that is not an issue but you sir are correct on the parents being anti gun. I would love to keep it out of sight out of mind but funds will be a little tight down there to do that. Even after I took my dad shooting and they both agreed I am more mature about firearms then they both thought i would be. Kinda makes me laugh they are big on the whole idea of "the govt. is smart and knows what they are doing 90% of the time" until it comes to me CCing or having a nice Remington 870 in the closet locked and loaded then all of the sudden the government who has said I am mature and responsible enough to own and carry doesn't know crap. Frustrating is a good start for what that is like. Believe me it I wasn't living down there on a loan cosigned by them it would be a mini armory but because i will technically be living by their good graces still have to live by their rules. And a knife is much easier to conceal on the way down there or to have shipped to my apartment once I am there. And since I have in my fathers words " so darn many" already one more wont be to noticible. This has been a huge bone of contention in my family for well over 2 years and is a frustrating issue for me. Hypocrisy and general parental ignorance abounds whenever SD and CC get brought up by me or them. And both of them can get downright nasty about things they say when these topics get brought up. Although my personal favorite thing they said was "if people find out you have a 'collection' of knives ( meaning my ak bayonette my reservist buddy gave me and my 8$ gag gift hunting/survival knife from harbor freight) they will be more likely to break into your apartment" not because of the tv guitars and drum stuff and computer equipment (im a recording arts student) but because of basically 18$ worth of steel and plastic. so thats my story sorry for the long vent.

[packinnova]

I know it's hard to say as a person living 800m away, but ...
Take the money you saved for a firearm, use as a deposit on an apartment...
Work two jobs and school at the same time.
Save your pennies again and get whatever you want and do whatever you want in your own place...
Thank me later...

Harsh? Unfortunately yes. A friend of mine had the same problem living with family like yours. The solution was the above advice and the best part was that the family came around later because they saw him as a more responsible adult.

Good luck whatever you do.

[contagion]

I know it's hard to say as a person living 800m away, but ...
Take the money you saved for a firearm, use as a deposit on an apartment...
Work two jobs and school at the same time.
Save your pennies again and get whatever you want and do whatever you want in your own place...
Thank me later...

Harsh? Unfortunately yes. A friend of mine had the same problem living with family like yours. The solution was the above advice and the best part was that the family came around later because they saw him as a more responsible adult.

Good luck whatever you do.

Thats generally the plan luckily i have a grandma who is has some $ and she has voulenteered to pay for the apartment. The way the school is I cant work more then 20 hours a week while I attend because its classes 6 days a week anywhere from 8-10 hours a day and new classes each month tought and heavy schedule but full accredited bachelors in 19 months so its worth it.

[GaryB]

How can you leave the beautiful winter weather in MI for all that boring sun in FL?
You won't need that pistol mitten where you are headed...

[CCWFlaRuger]

Concealed is concealed! Noone has to know.

[irelande]

I tnd agree with most said here bujt the one thing I didnt see suggested was pepper spray. When I was in school I asked my LEO father about a baton and he told me straight up I was better off with pepper spray instead. So that my be another option for you to look at.

[contagion]

I tnd agree with most said here bujt the one thing I didnt see suggested was pepper spray. When I was in school I asked my LEO father about a baton and he told me straight up I was better off with pepper spray instead. So that my be another option for you to look at.

Yeah that was originally one of my ideas but thats shot because I have pretty severe asthma that can be triggered by darn near anything. And I do know that pepperspray will trigger a mild to severe attack. Wouldent that be a kicker "well officer he fended off the attacker with pepperspray then collapsed in anaphylactic shock" so I am back to knives with a baton sidearm or something to that effect. I understand concealed is concealed but its kind of hard to conceal a purchase like that on ones debit card when that kind of stuff will be able to be monitored by the people providing you with money. So anyone who has an opinion on either knife please feel free to chime in.

[retsupt99]

I can try to understand your parents' thinking of a 'libiality on a cosigned loan' if you have own a gun...Mmmmm...would you being DEAD cause problems for their cosigned loan?

Concealed is concealed and owing a gun is certainly not a libiality for any loan...never heard of such a thing. They just don't like guns and that point of view holds their attention...they'll tell you anything.

Get a gun, get some training, get a Center of Mass safe...($40), and then

You're going to need a firearm when roaming the cities and streets of FL.

[Hopyard]

Its not clear to me what your situation is. Cosigned loan as you wrote? Cosigned lease? Cosigned mortgage? All different.

If they merely guaranteed payment on a lease or on a mortgage, I think they have very limited if any liability for what the owner does.

That said, you are still receiving support from your parents and they are still your parents, and so they get a big say.

Packinova sort of has it right. Either do it their way out of respect and appreciation for what they are doing for you, or figure out how to be independent.

At 21 they owe you nothing but love.

Also, think carefully if they might have some reason they don't want you armed that has nothing to do with being anti-gun. Are there incidents where you have been quick tempered? Are there incidents while you were growing up where you came real close to being in big trouble if not for their coming to the rescue?

Don't overlook the fact that your parents have as strong an interest in your welfare as you do. They have already demonstrated this by being willing to co-sign something for you.

There is something in the Ten Commandments which addresses how to deal with this matter.

[basher052]

The parents don't like the idea of me owning a firearm while technically living on their cosigned loan (something about my safety being a liability). Other then that nothing I can even apply for my cpl in late august.

Living off campus so that is not an issue but you sir are correct on the parents being anti gun. I would love to keep it out of sight out of mind but funds will be a little tight down there to do that. Even after I took my dad shooting and they both agreed I am more mature about firearms then they both thought i would be. Kinda makes me laugh they are big on the whole idea of "the govt. is smart and knows what they are doing 90% of the time" until it comes to me CCing or having a nice Remington 870 in the closet locked and loaded then all of the sudden the government who has said I am mature and responsible enough to own and carry doesn't know crap. Frustrating is a good start for what that is like. Believe me it I wasn't living down there on a loan cosigned by them it would be a mini armory but because i will technically be living by their good graces still have to live by their rules. And a knife is much easier to conceal on the way down there or to have shipped to my apartment once I am there. And since I have in my fathers words " so darn many" already one more wont be to noticible. This has been a huge bone of contention in my family for well over 2 years and is a frustrating issue for me. Hypocrisy and general parental ignorance abounds whenever SD and CC get brought up by me or them. And both of them can get downright nasty about things they say when these topics get brought up. Although my personal favorite thing they said was "if people find out you have a 'collection' of knives ( meaning my ak bayonette my reservist buddy gave me and my 8$ gag gift hunting/survival knife from harbor freight) they will be more likely to break into your apartment" not because of the tv guitars and drum stuff and computer equipment (im a recording arts student) but because of basically 18$ worth of steel and plastic. so thats my story sorry for the long vent.

OK, speaking as a parent of three boys, 14, 9, and 3 , I really do admire you wanting to respect their wishes. Its a rare quality these days when kids (no offense here ) actually show respect to the people that raised them, taught them, fed them, and then are sending them off to college.

Packinnova had it correct IMHO. But, it appears you will have to wait some time for the ability to sustain yourself. Good luck with it. Hope the time in school gets you to where you want to be.

Cant help on the kinfe for SD as I am just getting into them myself. But hey, feel free to head West to Texas, and you can carry one of my many handguns while enjoying the oppressive heat and humidity

[miklcolt45]

Its not clear to me what your situation is. Cosigned loan as you wrote? Cosigned lease? Cosigned mortgage? All different.

If they merely guaranteed payment on a lease or on a mortgage, I think they have very limited if any liability for what the owner does.

That said, you are still receiving support from your parents and they are still your parents, and so they get a big say.

Packinova sort of has it right. Either do it their way out of respect and appreciation for what they are doing for you, or figure out how to be independent.

At 21 they owe you nothing but love.

Also, think carefully if they might have some reason they don't want you armed that has nothing to do with being anti-gun. Are there incidents where you have been quick tempered? Are there incidents while you were growing up where you came real close to being in big trouble if not for their coming to the rescue?

Don't overlook the fact that your parents have as strong an interest in your welfare as you do. They have already demonstrated this by being willing to co-sign something for you.

There is something in the Ten Commandments which addresses how to deal with this matter.

BINGO! Hoppy is spot on.

Their dollars? They get reasonable say.
Honor that, and it will pay off in the long run.
(You'll have kids one day...)