I read this thread a few weeks ago, just as I had begun thinking about getting a pocket knife. I haven't carried one since I was a little kid. But I'm an old man now, and cool old guys carry pocket knives. Based on haighter's advice, I bought a Kershaw. I landed on this one: http://kershaw.kaiusa.com/fringe.html

I love this knife. For the past two weeks, I've carried it around, without exception, just looking for an opportunity to use it. It doubles as a fidget toy. I love the spring assist open, and I find myself flipping it open all the time, just for fun, like Johnny from The Outsiders. Everything was fine.....until last night.

I went to the Illini game. It was so cold that they didn't even bother stationing people at the parking lot entrances. You could park wherever you want, whether you had a parking pass or not. Again, I'm old, so I parked in E-14, in the row furthest from the SFC. I figured getting out of the parking lot easier was worth freezing my face off.

As I was walking into SFC, I remembered that my fancy new pocket knife was in my pocket. I figure that I had 3 choices. I could leave it in my pocket and hope the metal detector wouldn't detect it. I could put it in the basket that bypasses the detector, and hope it went unnoticed. Or I could take it back to my car. I actually considered tucking it in my shoe and walking through. I mean, this isn't the TSA.

I decided to put it in the basket and hope for the best. I sort of covered it with my phone and keys. Busted! The guy stopped me and simply said "You gotta take this back to the car." I didn't argue. I did the walk of shame back across E-14 to put the knife back in my car. I guess it's better that it happened there and not at an airport.