rcmodel said:
But I would imagine it is all related to common sense.
Don't count on it.
In California carrying a sword openly is legal. Carrying a baton or similar stick is a felony.
Illegally carrying a concealed gun legally owned is typically a misdemeanor, carrying a concealed screwdriver can be a felony if considered a stabbing weapon.
In Arizona walking around with a full auto holstered 'machinegun' concealed or open carried is legal as is most other firearms, no permit required (assuming it is not a violation of federal law.) Carrying two sticks connected by a rope or chain is a felony.
The law has nothing to do with common sense.
The law is the law.
As for the OP, based on the state law posted:
Louisiana - R.S. 14:95. Illegal carrying of weapons is...
(1) The intentional concealment of any firearm, or other
instrumentality customarily used or intended for probable
use as a dangerous weapon, on one's person;
Carrying something with the name 'Defender' concealed would appear to make it easy to convict you.
The name of that knife implies a self defense use, and that makes it a weapon, harder to argue otherwise even if it looked as innocent as possible.
Additionally the statute should teach you something, if you ever are carrying an item concealed and even mention self-defense as a possible use for it you just identified it as a weapon and provided all the evidence needed for conviction.
We have a similar situation in California with a large number of ordinary objects with non weapon uses. They are legal to have, unless you identify them as a weapon, at which point they become prohibited items.
Case law establishes this, including one case where a guy with a bicycle lock and a chain mentioned it was for self-defense when an officer stopped and talked to him and as a result turned an item legal to possess into a felony 'slungshot' as defined by state law with his statement.
Yet concealed carrying a folder or a open carried sword or fixed blade specifically for use as a weapon is entirely legal, but a flashlight carried as a weapon can be a felony.
So if you ever are stopped and happen to have a concealed knife in Louisiana, and are asked what it is for, certainly don't mention any self-defense, even towards the end of a long list of other uses.
The law makes no sense, the policeman is not your friend, many cops have a quota of felony and misdemeanor arrests they need to make, and talking with one like they are a regular guy or an understanding person in a position of authority can hurt you.
Further the linked statute applies to concealed things, not unconcealed.
I don't know the scope of Louisiana laws pertaining to knives or what additional statutes may apply, but based on that statute alone it would not apply to an open carried knife. Making even self-defense a valid reason to have an unconcealed object, and as a result not restricting one from items primarily or solely suited as a weapon.
So it is illegal to carry an object intended for use as a weapon concealed, but okay to carry it openly based on that statute.
Now obviously concealed nobody would know it was there in most cases, but it may violate the law, while open carried you may get hassled while being entirely legal. Open carried may make some think badly of you, while concealed carry wouldn't be seen and not alter their opinion or cause assumptions of your character.
Such is the extra hassles you get by being law abiding. It is not fair, it is the law.
