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"What is the ultimate NON-FIREARM back-up weapon?"
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umm..... air support?
Seriously.. second the "knife is a felony, pistol a misdemeanor" bit. Don't understand it, but there it is.
In practice, I'd imagine a kid with a folder-knife would get a lot less grief than a kid with a fixed or "nasty-lookin" knife, who in turn would get less grief than a kid with a gun. Circumstances, appearance/demeanor, and how Wally Cleaver you look to the officers affecting the situation, of course. Any of our police folks care to answer that?
And oh yeah, to the original question.. I only carry one weapon, 'cause I don't intend to do any fighting. I do have a nice locking folder knife in me pocket, but that's just an everyday tool, and it never occured to me it might be a weapon in a pinch...
-K