Yep. I think you understand now my stance pretty clearly. lol! I do carry a small key chain combo little multi-tool which has a very small blade, screw driver tip on a bottle opener, nail file, which folds neatly into a thin metal case. It would pass the Ohio knife laws. But it is as far as I am willing to test them. It would not be something I would try to defend myself with and I could certainly defend carrying it as a tool only.
As a side note, I have not found Ohio drivers any worse than the other states I have traveled in.
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So, just bend over and let them do what they want approach if you do not have the pepper spray?