*sigh*

Going to Europe on vacation in a bit. Knife laws where I'm going allow non-assisted-opening, locking folders with less than 3" blades, but I want to be certain I'm well within the law. Plus, in researching this, I found I'd broken the law visiting Chicago a couple years ago, carrying my Benchmade Mini Griptillian. (2.5" limit in Chicago.)

So I've got this knife picked-out (Spyderco Cat G-10). Can get it from Amazon for $48, shipped, in two days. Would prefer to use one of the knife stores I've used before, but, by the time you add their increased prices (commonly $55), and another few bucks for shipping, you're looking at a ±20% premium to give them your business. And that's with slow-boat from China shipping, 5-7 days, to boot! I'm having difficultly justifying it.

Plus, if there's anything wrong with the knife, Amazon will likely refund me or exchange it, quickly, no questions asked, at no additional charge.

This happens with a lot of stuff. I try to shop elsewhere, particularly locally, but...

Yup. Shopping locally is a difficult subject for me. I really want to and I know that if I don't shop at local stores then like Radio Shack and Toy R Us they may disappear. Cabelas is probably my favorite store to go to and I can walk around there for hours. So whenever I want a gun I always check there just to see, but their prices are insane. My buddy just bought a S&W Shield for $339 on PSA. With tax, shipping and transfer fee it cost under $right around $400. He bought it on Sunday and picked it up yesterday. Cabelas wanted $500 for the same gun. I love them but I am not paying a hundred bucks more for a gun.

I shop them for ammo and some accessories which they tend to have good prices on but that is about it.

Same here. Then take all the time spent shopping local stores when you can click a few times and have it show up at your house. Also the gas spent driving around.

As someone who has traveled the world extensively I would not chance carrying a weapon in a foreign country.

Too many different laws/regulations and you can't be aware of them all. Cross into a school zone or something similar and get caught with the knife and it may be more trouble than it is worth.

When traveling you have to accept some level of risk that you might not if you were home.

I do agree about amazon as I find myself using it more and more simply due to the selection that I can't find locally.

I don't have Prime, so I usually find similar items at Walmart.com for similar prices and free shipping to a store near my, free, even if item is $1. Returns at Walmart are obviously easy.

quote:

Amazon will likely refund me or exchange it, quickly, no questions asked, at no additional charge.

this & other seller advantages demonstrates the type of business model generally associated with "success";

understand the dilemma, as I can make a trip to town & go to the most likely 3 places not to find what I'm after.

All Hail the Interwebs Shopping!!!

just a few years ago I was among the skeptics who didn't believe you could sell a book online like early Bezos interview gushingly predicted would make his fortune.

With all the craziness going on in Europe over knives, I would just leave them at home. You may lose it to the TSA before you even get out of the country and don't want to end up getting jammed up in some foreign prison over something as dumb as a little pocket knife.

When I go places that I'm not able to carry a firearm and knife, I carry a solid flashlight, Fenix or Surefire, with strobe capability.

I'd prefer to armed, but a solid strike from the bezel or tailcap end of a flashlight is much better than harsh language.

All too frequently I go to a local store to buy something and I am told, "Sorry, we don't have that in stock, but we can order it for you."

No thanks, if it has to be ordered I can order it myself from Amazon and get it sooner and at lower cost.

ensigmatic, I hear what you're saying about Amazon. I'm an old, nearly computer illiterate, guy and it's just so efficient, we use Amazon all the time. Day before yesterday I ordered a new GPS. We have Prime, and it was delivered yesterday at no extra charge. Competitive prices, super quick delivery, and no hassle return if it's not right. Hard to beat service like that.

800lb gorillas with ample selection, good pricing AND solid customer service is awfully hard to beat. Try as much as I have in the past, there's sadly no getting around the convenience and cost savings with Amazon. But they'd be a hell of a lot better if they were FAR MORE gun-friendly than the weaselly way that they are now.

I really try to buy my needs from local businesses whenever I can but it is getting to be more difficult all the time. Amazon just makes it too easy to do while in my bathrobe drinking coffee.

As an example, I wanted a shorter cable for charging my phone at night. The one I had was 8 ft. and all I needed was 3 ft. That's a lot of unnecessary cable to deal with. Verizon had one for $19.95 as did BestBuy for the same price. Checked Amazon and got it for $7.45 with Prime delivery. More than $12 difference!! No wonder brick and mortar stores are struggling.

As far as the knife question goes, I agree with those that recommended for you to leave home. Way too much risk vs reward.

Jim

Well sure, we like to support people we know and who are in the industry.

But business is business. If Amazon is that much better, then buy from them.

Amazon does make it simple but I think their pricing is no longer a certain bargain.

quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:
As someone who has traveled the world extensively I would not chance carrying a weapon in a foreign country.

I've done my research and continue to do so--including in the native language, with friends and family that live in aforementioned country.

quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:
Too many different laws/regulations and you can't be aware of them all. Cross into a school zone or something similar ...

Same applies here. Note the comment in my OP wrt Chicago.

quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:
When traveling you have to accept some level of risk that you might not if you were home.

I'm not certain what you mean by that, but if you refer to...

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
When I go places that I'm not able to carry a firearm and knife, I carry a solid flashlight, Fenix or Surefire, with strobe capability.

I'd prefer to armed, ...

This is NOT for defensive purposes. It's only going to be a one-hand-opening, locking blade because: 1. That's what I'm used to carrying and 2. It's safer to use. I'm purposely choosing the least "offensive" knife I can, with what I regard as the shortest blade that would still be marginally useful, for that reason.

I don't ever carry a knife for defensive purposes. I believe those who are trained in such things when they say somebody who isn't trained and practiced in the art of knife combat is only asking for trouble in trying to use a knife for defence.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
With all the craziness going on in Europe over knives,

Europe is not as homogeneous as Brussels would have it be. In particular: The knife insanity in the U.K. appears mostly unique to the U.K.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I would just leave them at home. You may lose it to the TSA before you even get out of the country...

That is one reason for not taking one of my more valued pocket folders.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
... and don't want to end up getting jammed up in some foreign prison over something as dumb as a little pocket knife.

I'm not going to Turkey, so I'm not too worried about a Midnight Express scenario

I appreciate the cautions, but, upon reflection, I suppose I should have left the comments as to why I'm in the market out of it...

It simply works for me,my green house supplies,big box forgetabout!
local garden supply for planting cups forgetaboutit.
organic supplies ,nope.
you need micorrhizae fongi yea its amazon.
you need a simple plant stick for your labels,amazon's got it every where local forgitaboutit.

I shop at amazon first, for everything.

Then I check online just in case someone has it for cheaper, not usually but sometimes.

The only time I purchase at the store is when I need it right now, or its so inexpensive that the 5 dollars prime includes for shipping makes the item cheaper to buy at the store. That usually only holds true for the inexpensive items.

For instance, popcorn is 5.99 at local grocery store, exact same on amazon is 10.99. They can't compete with that because of the shipping they have to add into the price. Only in those instances is amazon not the primary stop for us.

This also leaves out the whole "item review" which goes along way when your trying to figure out if something will work for you or not.

If it wasn’t for Amazon, those of us who live in the hinterlands would spend a LOT more money and time driving to the city to buy anything beyond the most basic crap that’s sold by Dollar General and our crummy overpriced grocery store. We used to make a round trip of 300 miles once a month to buy stuff in Odessa.

quote:

Originally posted by 1s1k:
Amazon does make it simple but I think their pricing is no longer a certain bargain.

Agreed. Their pricing definitely has crept up, especially on certain types of goods.

Starting several years ago, we would buy a large percentage of our non-perishable toiletries and groceries from Amazon - soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, paper plates, paper towels, coffee, dog food, dog treats, packing tape, etc.

But for the past year or so, Amazon's pricing on most of these items hasn't been any better than our local grocery or warehouse stores, and often costs more. It's now usually a bit cheaper to pick these items up from Wal-Mart/Sam's Club when we're buying our fresh groceries, like we did before Amazon.

Every time I buy from Amazon (it's Amazons donation version called Smile.Amazon) they donate to a 2nd amendment organization I selected. We can all do that, it's easy to set up and then buying is identical to Amazon.

You can select the NRA if you wish as they are a choice as well.

"On your first visit to AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), you are prompted to select a charitable organization from our list of eligible organizations. You can change your selection at any time."

Chose NRA or whomever you wish.