California: Can I carry a knife?
- Thread starter DigMe
- Start date
- Status
Jim March
Member
California knife law is particularly *good*. You can fully conceal folders that are MUCH bigger than 4", so long as they're not autos, they're concealed while completely folded and so long as they have a "manual opening device" of some sort. See also:
http://www.equalccw.com/knifelaw.html
http://www.equalccw.com/knifelaw.html
BerettaNut92
Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2002
- Messages
- 9,723
California laws on non-firearms weapons, Cliff's Notes version:
Fixed blades: Open carry is legal but an attention getter. If you get caught carrying a fixed concealed, it's a felony.
Folder: As long as it's manual (Emersons and Kershaws are OK too even if they're kinda sorta assisted) it's kosher no matter the length...
*BUT * anything weapon associated with an 'ethnicity' is a felony to carry--nunchaks (sp?--Chinese, Japanese, whatever), switchblades and stilettos (Puerto Ricans), butterfly knives (Filipinos). AFAIK Karambits are legal but I'm sure they'll scare the jury enough to put you away for a while.
Batons are ok only if they have a lightbulb on the end of it.
As usual, CYBYWY
Fixed blades: Open carry is legal but an attention getter. If you get caught carrying a fixed concealed, it's a felony.
Folder: As long as it's manual (Emersons and Kershaws are OK too even if they're kinda sorta assisted) it's kosher no matter the length...
*BUT * anything weapon associated with an 'ethnicity' is a felony to carry--nunchaks (sp?--Chinese, Japanese, whatever), switchblades and stilettos (Puerto Ricans), butterfly knives (Filipinos). AFAIK Karambits are legal but I'm sure they'll scare the jury enough to put you away for a while.
Batons are ok only if they have a lightbulb on the end of it.
As usual, CYBYWY
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
I legally carried a folding knife with a four-inch blade when I lived in the People's Republic of California. Curiously, that same knife would be illegal for me to carry in Colorado, but I'm free to carry a .357 magnum revolver, which I've got more faith in, anyway.
Dex Sinister
Member
...except in state or local public buildings, or at any meeting required to be open to the public. Penal Code 171b(3) there prohibits:
"Any knife with a blade length in excess of four inches, the blade of which is fixed or capable of being fixed in an unguarded position..."
So RE: the original poster's question, he's clear even there.
Dex
WonderNine
member
I saw on "COPS" a few years ago a California cop arresting a guy when he found a dagger in his glovebox.
gunsmith
member
Icarry pepper spray & BIG folder
cold steel vaquero,if your worried print up jim marches
knife law page and carry the penal code with you
to show to LEO's...
it is a misdemeanor to carry a handgun,if your driving
it is legal to have an unloaded shot gun in your car.
see a good book "how to own a gun & stay out of jail"
cold steel vaquero,if your worried print up jim marches
knife law page and carry the penal code with you
to show to LEO's...
it is a misdemeanor to carry a handgun,if your driving
it is legal to have an unloaded shot gun in your car.
see a good book "how to own a gun & stay out of jail"
I lived there and carried a Stilleto with a 4'' blade everywhere I went. No springs.... But so as not to hurt the feelings of your legistators there that care so deeply for you ( like that big lesbian Sheila Kuehl), don't, you might cut your eyes out!
Yet another reason for Kalis to move north.
In Oregon, autos are legal, but no concealed carry.
Balisongs are legal, but probably considered a "gravity knife" for concealed carry purposes.
There is no blade size limit (within reason). Swords are probably out but no test case yet. Concealed carry of non-auto/gravity folders is subject to no size limit I am aware of. Portland tried to ban anything over 3.5" as inherently a dangerous weapon and got their law declared unconstitutional for their troubles.
Wanna conceal carry a 12" Bowie crossdraw SOB? (I know someone who does on occassion) Perfectly legal. Fixed blades with one edge are cool to carry concealed.
The only fixed blade knife law worth mentioning is that "double edged dirks, daggers and stilletos" have been successfully outlawed for carry outside of the home by case law. Every other knife which can conceivably have more purpose than mere stabbing has been excepted from the law barring concealed carry as long as it is not an auto/gravity knife.
I am not too clear on impact weapons as I am no fan of most of them.
In Oregon, autos are legal, but no concealed carry.
Balisongs are legal, but probably considered a "gravity knife" for concealed carry purposes.
There is no blade size limit (within reason). Swords are probably out but no test case yet. Concealed carry of non-auto/gravity folders is subject to no size limit I am aware of. Portland tried to ban anything over 3.5" as inherently a dangerous weapon and got their law declared unconstitutional for their troubles.
Wanna conceal carry a 12" Bowie crossdraw SOB? (I know someone who does on occassion) Perfectly legal. Fixed blades with one edge are cool to carry concealed.
The only fixed blade knife law worth mentioning is that "double edged dirks, daggers and stilletos" have been successfully outlawed for carry outside of the home by case law. Every other knife which can conceivably have more purpose than mere stabbing has been excepted from the law barring concealed carry as long as it is not an auto/gravity knife.
I am not too clear on impact weapons as I am no fan of most of them.
Phyphor
Member
I was stopped a while back....
...walking home from a friend's house, (actually, from the store on the way back from friends house, having bought another beer.)
I was *ahem* a wee bit in the cups, if you get my meaning...so it was no surprise that a Sherrif rolled up on me... :banghead:
After asking the usual questions, he asked if he could search me. I gave my permission, and he asked if I had any weapons or drugs. I told him I had my folding pocket knife (About 4-4.5 inches, or so,) and he asked which pocket I had it in, and I told him.
After examining it and the other crap in my pockets, he informed me that he *COULD* haul my ??? in for being publicly intoxicated, but was gonna let me slide (Where's the 'Phew!' smiley?
)
Needless to say, there's not a lot to worry about as far as carrying a knife....
Just don't do it while buzzed. (From now on, I call a cab/get a ride from someone sober. )
...walking home from a friend's house, (actually, from the store on the way back from friends house, having bought another beer.)
I was *ahem* a wee bit in the cups, if you get my meaning...so it was no surprise that a Sherrif rolled up on me... :banghead:
After asking the usual questions, he asked if he could search me. I gave my permission, and he asked if I had any weapons or drugs. I told him I had my folding pocket knife (About 4-4.5 inches, or so,) and he asked which pocket I had it in, and I told him.
After examining it and the other crap in my pockets, he informed me that he *COULD* haul my ??? in for being publicly intoxicated, but was gonna let me slide (Where's the 'Phew!' smiley?
)Needless to say, there's not a lot to worry about as far as carrying a knife....
Just don't do it while buzzed.
(From now on, I call a cab/get a ride from someone sober. )Carlos
Member
Boats. Thanks for making me re-read the Oregon laws about knives. Looks like my M16 CRKT is illegal to carry, even with a concealed carry permit, cept the permit only applies to Handguns in Oregon. My research was based on packing.org's March 2003 updates to the laws in Oregon.
I'm going to ask permission of my boss to use the office $-static West account to read some current and recent caselaw.
Everybody, please put in your input on what a true "gravity" knife is.
I'm going to ask permission of my boss to use the office $-static West account to read some current and recent caselaw.
Everybody, please put in your input on what a true "gravity" knife is.
WonderNine
member
...walking home from a friend's house, (actually, from the store on the way back from friends house, having bought another beer.)
I was *ahem* a wee bit in the cups, if you get my meaning...so it was no surprise that a Sherrif rolled up on me...
After asking the usual questions, he asked if he could search me. I gave my permission, and he asked if I had any weapons or drugs. I told him I had my folding pocket knife (About 4-4.5 inches, or so,) and he asked which pocket I had it in, and I told him.
After examining it and the other crap in my pockets, he informed me that he *COULD* haul my ??? in for being publicly intoxicated, but was gonna let me slide (Where's the 'Phew!' smiley?
Needless to say, there's not a lot to worry about as far as carrying a knife....
Just don't do it while buzzed. (From now on, I call a cab/get a ride from someone sober. )
This USED to be a free country.
Carlos
Member
WELCOME TO THE NEW POLICE STATE
I'm wondering when legislators in Kali are going to find out that subjects can carry ASSAULT knives with...GASP... blades four inches or longer (makes Gray Davis jealous, I bet ) and BELT CLIPS. Something must be done! Key operated blade locks and post-ban clipless configurations... for the children.
) and BELT CLIPS. Something must be done! Key operated blade locks and post-ban clipless configurations... for the children.Jim March
Member
On city ordinances:
First, they're not all that common, esp. in Northern California. Second, the penalties are nowhere near what violations of state law are. I once beat a "carrying dangerous weapons in the park" ordinance and got my swords back - hey, it was a costumed wedding event. It was a cite'n'release *infraction*. If you're in a liberal area and carrying a megafolder, well, "concealed means concealed".
Second, in a lot of cases, there may be a knife ordinance that doesn't apply to folders as it's a limit on open-carry and hasn't been updated to the newer rules post-1998 or so legalizing concealed megafolders.
In one case, San Francisco, the knife ordinance is a very archaic critter that bans knife carry "while illegally loitering"
. Basically, it's an anti-homeless act, and probably wouldn't survive a court challenge. But to get that far, they'd have to prove the loitering element. It is NOT being enforced - bums are however routinely disarmed with no paperwork at all . (It's ugly, but given the level of mental illness and addiction in that population, understandable. Which is why so many bums have "canes" (golf club if they can fine one) or tools or God only knows what sort of club on 'em.)
In fact, with the violence levels and extremely high homeless density in SF, the level of official support for knife carry is startlingly high. At every *city* office with metal detectors and the like, they do a "knife check service" and are completely professional about giving your goodies back when you leave. This applies at city hall, the police stations (including the main one and branches) and elsewhere. (NOT Federal facilities so far as I'm aware.) This "proper check-in" is basically a nod to the bicycle messengers, virtually all of which pack steel and/or pepper and usually both.
So my take is this: conceal your megafolder except when you KNOW there's no local ordinance, and your overall risk is low. I do NOT recommend ever outright violating a state knife law, under any circumstances. Virtually all of 'em are felonies.
First, they're not all that common, esp. in Northern California. Second, the penalties are nowhere near what violations of state law are. I once beat a "carrying dangerous weapons in the park" ordinance and got my swords back
- hey, it was a costumed wedding event. It was a cite'n'release *infraction*. If you're in a liberal area and carrying a megafolder, well, "concealed means concealed".Second, in a lot of cases, there may be a knife ordinance that doesn't apply to folders as it's a limit on open-carry and hasn't been updated to the newer rules post-1998 or so legalizing concealed megafolders.
In one case, San Francisco, the knife ordinance is a very archaic critter that bans knife carry "while illegally loitering"
. Basically, it's an anti-homeless act, and probably wouldn't survive a court challenge. But to get that far, they'd have to prove the loitering element. It is NOT being enforced - bums are however routinely disarmed with no paperwork at all . (It's ugly, but given the level of mental illness and addiction in that population, understandable. Which is why so many bums have "canes" (golf club if they can fine one) or tools or God only knows what sort of club on 'em.) In fact, with the violence levels and extremely high homeless density in SF, the level of official support for knife carry is startlingly high. At every *city* office with metal detectors and the like, they do a "knife check service" and are completely professional about giving your goodies back when you leave. This applies at city hall, the police stations (including the main one and branches) and elsewhere. (NOT Federal facilities so far as I'm aware.) This "proper check-in" is basically a nod to the bicycle messengers, virtually all of which pack steel and/or pepper and usually both.
So my take is this: conceal your megafolder except when you KNOW there's no local ordinance, and your overall risk is low. I do NOT recommend ever outright violating a state knife law, under any circumstances. Virtually all of 'em are felonies.
Jay Bakerr
Member
DigMe, you're going to California on your honeymoon??????
After living in Los Angeles for 35 years, I can't imagine why anyone would go to California for something as special as a honeymoon. Hmmmmm.
Well, have fun.
J.B.
After living in Los Angeles for 35 years, I can't imagine why anyone would go to California for something as special as a honeymoon. Hmmmmm.
Well, have fun.
J.B.
Wow. Thanks for slamming my choice of honeymoon. That helps.
Maybe you haven't been to any of the nice parts of your former state. I lived in Santa Cruz one summer in 1998 and saw some great spots for romantic getaways. I can't afford to leave the country either. We're spending most of our time in Carmel, Monterrey and that area. There are few places in the country where you can get beach, mountains and redwoods all within 15 minutes of each other and I like that I'm a little familiar with the area.
brad cook
- Status
