From one of our ST&T Sticky threads:
"As a framework for all of this, know the law, and if you threaten or use force, deadly or otherwise, to protect yourself or others, be sure that you meet all of the required elements of the legal defense of self defense.
"That means both the use of force law and the firearms law in any jurisdiction into which one may travel. One should not, however, rely too much on a lay person's interpretations of state codes taken out of context, without the benefit of a competent explanation of the relevant jury instructions and appellate court rulings.
"It would not be prudent to take the word of most law enforcement officers. As a matter of fact, very few practicing criminal defense attorneys have much in the way of knowledge of the legal defense of self defense."
I would expect
most competent law enforcement officers to have a
reasonably good understanding of laws relative to the possession and carrying of firearms in their jurisdictions, but I would not expect hem to have any basis for understanding the rules about less common non-firearm weapons.
And then there is the little issue of what kinds of moves or actions with a blade might be considered unlawful....