Have you been accused of breaking a knife in Los Angeles, California? If this is the case, you should immediately hire a lawyer to defend yourself. California`s knife laws are complicated, and you shouldn`t try to defend yourself. According to the following excerpt from what I deduce, as long as the spring knife does not use a button as an opening mechanism, the knife requires effort to open (aka snap) and close, it is worn on a pocket clip, and it cannot be opened by gravity/wrist movement, your knife is legal to carry. I hope this is clarity! The first category refers to “dirks and daggers”, which can be used as dagger weapons. And there is no blade folding mechanism. Examples of these knives are kitchen knives, ice axes and other fixed blade knives. Although a person can openly carry these knives in public in a scabbard, it is illegal for a party to carry hidden knives on them. SchoolsSchools are “no-weapon zones by law”. NEVER carry knives in or around the school grounds. From what I have found, it is absolutely illegal to possess such knives, even if they would remain in your home. If you have further questions or seek legal advice, it is best to suggest such questions to your local lawyer, and whatever you do, DO NOT ASK A POLICE OFFICER.
Although it sounds a bit silly to us, the law allows someone to openly carry a dagger. That is, if you carry a hidden dagger and do NO harm (and even forget you have it), you are guilty of a crime. On the other hand, if you open a dagger, you can legally go straight to your intended destination and put your hand on the handle, ready to take it out, and you`re good! No law will be broken! Any knife with a fixed blade can be a “Dirk or dagger” under California law and must be carried open in a sheath suspended from the waist. Various knives disguised as other items are prohibited. (See restricted knives below.) Any automatic knife (point knife) with a blade two inches or more in length must not be transported, possessed in a vehicle or in a place accessible to the public, or transferred. Respectfully, I believe that your understanding/interpretation of CA laws regarding Dirks may be erroneous. Crazy people are not completely illegal. You can legally possess and wear them. What you can`t do is hide them on your person when you wear them. This seems to indicate that you can open them.
In addition, the definition of “dirk” of KT is much broader than you can imagine. California`s knife laws may come as a surprise to anyone who hasn`t taken the time to read the penal code. In California, it is perfectly legal to carry a knife with a fixed blade of any length around the waist – if sheathed. These include hunting knives, kitchen knives, swords, etc. You could literally walk around your waist with a 27-inch katana if you wanted to, and it would be perfectly 100% legal to do so. California Penal Code 417, also known as “swinging a gun,” makes it illegal to swing a knife threateningly, angry or aggressively, or to wield a knife during a fight. Swinging a knife is an additional fee that can be added to other knife offenses. A firearms charge could add additional sentences ranging from 30 days in the county jail to 3 years in the California state penitentiary. California law specifically prohibits or prohibits a person from possessing, possessing, manufacturing or importing certain types of knives. In addition, many of these knives have precise legal definitions. This means that a defendant can always try as a defense to show that the knife he had did not meet the definition of an illegal knife. Switch blades and other spring knives larger than 2 inches may be illegally possessed on your person or vehicle in California and may not be sold, loaned, or given.
Switchblade`s legal definition includes: “[any] knife that resembles a pocket knife and includes a pen knife, pressure knife, gravity knife or other similar knife with a blade or blades that are two inches or more long and that can be triggered automatically at the push of a button, by pressing the handle, turning the wrist or any other mechanical device or is caused by the weight of the blade or by any type of mechanism resolved. The law specifically excludes pocket knives that can be opened with one hand by opening the blade with the thumb, provided the knife has “a latch or other mechanism that provides resistance that must be overcome when the blade is opened, or that throws the blade into its closed position.” Code, § 21510 for the exact legal language of this offence. See also CalCrim No. 2502 for the California jury`s instructions on switch blades. Although it is legal in California to carry an unloaded handgun in the passenger compartment, it is not recommended. This can lead to unfavorable attention and an encounter with the police. If the weapon slips between seats or out of sight, it is no longer “in sight” and therefore illegal. Information about knife laws in Nevada and Colorado can be found in our articles on: Small knives, which are obviously intended to be carried in a bag when closed, and which cannot be used until several manipulations have taken place in between, do not fall within the definition of prohibited dirks or daggers, but are a kind of “pocket knife”, which is exempt from the legal prohibition of concealed possession. See In re Luke W., 105 Cal.
Rptr. 2d 905 (Ct. App. 2001) I can`t find a law that deals directly with swords, but I can tell you this: if you wear them in public long enough, you will certainly be confronted by the police and they will question you until you wish not to wear them. Almost everyone you see will call the police if you transport them to a public building like a shopping mall, school, or government building, then I would stay away from those. Just in my opinion, I would argue that carrying a sword is NOT legal to avoid trouble that will come, whether legal or not. Cheers,J. Some states that have specific laws against switching blades allow individuals to request an exemption from that legislation if they have a legitimate reason. For example, in Victoria, a member of a genuine knife collectors` association who is not a prohibited person (under the Firearms Act 1996) and who meets other policies and conditions may apply to the Chief Constable for an exemption for prohibited weapons to possess, carry or possess such a knife. This exemption can then be used to apply for an import permit from the Australian Customs Service.
[13] This site seems to do more harm than good. It`s best to check the laws of your city and county, as well as the cities/counties where you travel regularly. Example; My town doesn`t have a blade length restriction, but in a nearby town where my G/F lives, they have a limit of 3″ or more, so when I visit them, I wear a 2,875″ Spyderco Byrd Hawkbill. But in my city, I can carry my old Cold Steel Vaquero Grandé model with the 6″ serrated VG-1 blade, which measures about 13″ with the blade unfolded and is longer than your forearm. To save yourself trouble, print a copy of the laws that apply to your port and keep it with you. This way, if the officer in question is “confused” about your legal right to carry a knife, you can present evidence to correct it. In California, it is illegal to wield lethal weapons, including knives. The law states that it is illegal for anyone to “draw or display a lethal weapon.
in a rude, angry or threatening manner, or. unlawfully using a lethal weapon. This does not include the use of such a weapon for self-defence. In 1918, Captain Rupert Hughes of the U.S. Army filed a patent application for a special self-opening trench knife of his own design, the Hughes Trench Knife. [86] It was a curious device consisting of a spring-loaded foldable knife blade attached to a handle attached to the back of the hand and secured by a leather strap, leaving the palm and fingers free to grasp other objects. [87] By pressing a button on the handle, a knife blade was automatically moved to the open and locked position so that the knife could be used as a dagger weapon. [87] The Hughes Trench Knife was built by a panel of U.S. Army officers from the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in June 1918. [88] Unfortunately, after testing, the Commission determined that the Hughes design had no value, and it was never adopted. Hughes patented his automatic trench knife in 1919, although Hughes apparently failed to convince a knife manufacturer to produce his model.[89] [87] Knives whose blade can be opened with an automatic mechanism that can be operated with one hand can be purchased illegally in Switzerland (unless special authorization) under the Federal Weapons Act.
[41] Butterfly knives, throwing knives and daggers with symmetrical blades are also prohibited. Offences are punishable by imprisonment for up to three years or a fine in accordance with article 33 of the same Act. However, a knife that appeared to be an ordinary bread knife with a blunt serrated edge and a blunt cutting edge was not considered a “Dirk or a dagger” within the meaning of the article of the Criminal Code, which prohibits the possession of a hidden knife or dagger if the knife had properties that significantly limited its effectiveness as a stabbing instrument (i.e. It had no sharp edges, no point tip, no handguard and the blade was not stiff).