A little help about washington laws, if possible

Strayal · Mar 9, 2006

I have a couple of questions and you all seem the best able to help me on this. What are the regulations regarding swords, concealed or otherwise? Do they follow the same rules as knives? If anyone knows, please share. Thanks in advance.

ChristopherG · Mar 9, 2006

Every person who:

**** (1) Manufactures, sells, or disposes of or possesses any instrument or weapon of the kind usually known as slung shot, sand club, or metal knuckles, or spring blade knife, or any knife the blade of which is automatically released by a spring mechanism or other mechanical device, or any knife having a blade which opens, or falls, or is ejected into position by the force of gravity, or by an outward, downward, or centrifugal thrust or movement;

**** (2) Furtively carries with intent to conceal any dagger, dirk, pistol, or other dangerous weapon; or

**** (3) Uses any contrivance or device for suppressing the noise of any firearm,

is guilty of a gross misdemeanor punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW.

I'd expect swords to fall under 'dirks, daggers, and other dangerous weapons', and would bet good money concealment would be illegal. As for open carry, I wouldn't expect that to go over well, but I'm not sure what code it'd fall under.

Strayal · Mar 10, 2006

Arg. Thanks for the help. I too doubt open carry might be pushing it, but so far the only laws I've seen pertain to concealing the blade, not touting it. There are a few conventions in my area where people bring swords, so I cant imagine it's too illegal. Guess I'll keep looking, hehe.

ChristopherG · Mar 10, 2006

Another relevant code section:

RCW 9.41.270 (1) It shall be unlawful for any person to carry, exhibit, display, or draw any firearm, dagger, sword, knife or other cutting or stabbing instrument, club, or any other weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm, in a manner, under circumstances, and at a time and place that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons.

As written, the code leaves it quite open to interpretation (the interpretation of the 'intimadee', not the 'intimidator'), what behavior 'manifests an intent to intimidate'. I would guess that carrying a long blade concealed is illegal full stop, under the first citation; and under this one, carrying a long blade could in itself be seen as 'intimidating' or 'warranting alarm' in almost ANY public situation. Not gonna stop me from keeping that machete behind the seat of my pickup; but neither am I going to waltz into Safeway with it and expect no trouble.

Strayal · Mar 12, 2006

Hehe, well said. I'm planning a big walking trip from the pacific to the atlantic and perhaps beyond and I'm trying to find something that'll dissuade those that seek to do me ill from doing me ill. Nothing says "Leave me be" like a sword slung over the shoulder. I'm aiming for more of a prevention of confrontation than a conclusion of one, else I'd just get a concealed firearms permit and take along a gun. I still find it rather rediculous that you can get a permit to hide a gun on your person, but you cant hide a blade that's a lil too long. Wacky stuff.

Merek · Mar 12, 2006

"....or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons."

THAT is what I call the 'soccermom clause'. If you are anywhere, doing anything which some rightious strident sheeple _____ takes a dislike to (think of the children!) and decides to raise a fuss, you will end up doing some fast talking and/or go to jail. At the very least they can ruin your afternoon having to deal with them.:grumpy:

ChristopherG · Mar 12, 2006

There's a similar, very old law concerning open display of weapons (including guns) here in North Carolina, called 'going armed to the terror of the public'. It's delightfully ambiguous; you are free to carry anything you want, openly, until someone is frightened by it (or 'terrorized'), at which point it becomes a felony.

Wonderful.

Strayal · Mar 12, 2006

One time on a whim I took a short (mile and a half) walk from one friend's house to the other at about two AM and was pulled over by no less than four cop cars, one of which had the top mounted search light. I had gone straight from work the first house, so I was still in my work clothes (white dress shirt, tie, black slacks) so I wasn't in any sort of suspicious attire. They held me there for about an hour and a half, called both houses I had been at and woke them all up. Their reason? One old lady claimed she may have seen a prowler around. I'll take that as a sign of my chances of walking any length of time with a non concealed weapon. I suppose I could just get one of those military shovels and sharpen the heck out of the edge.