Yes. Few people know how to tie effective knots, let along among criminals. Zip ties, handcuffs, and duct tape require no skills to bind, making errors less likely than with rope.

I have no intention of doing so. [ He's not ur sex ed teacher buddy. ]

A razor blade is much smaller than a dirk. One moment.

[ It's possible this guy's from another time, so he'll be right back. he's going to go get one. Not the one from his boot, since he'd have to sew that back in for emergencies if he removed it, but it's easy enough to get one from a nearby shop. He shows him a small, one inch razor blade. He also gets a paperclip and a bobby pin to show off. ]

Yes, police. This is a razor blade, a paperclip, and a bobby pin.