Any Illinois LEOs or Lawyers here?

[OilMan]

Hey all,
I've got a question for any Illinois LEOs. Did the knife laws recently change in Illinois? I read them a year or more ago and it seemed like a knife wasn't considered a weapon until you used it as such which made sense but I was reading here:
http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/il.txt
the other day and now it seems to say you can't carry anything with a blade bigger than 3 inches. I realise that most decent LEOs wouldn't hassle you unless you're doing something stupid with your knife but I would like to know for sure. Personally I think it's assinine to outlaw inannimate objects but apparently others don't agree.


Plus, after reading that site it also leaves me wondering if you could still have whatever you wanted at home, legally, as long as you don't carry it in public. The laws mentioned above seem to hinge upon if you have it in your possession out of your home.

Theres a State Police Headquarters a mile from my house but it didn't seem too smart to let them know what I've got if it turns out some are illegal. (Just in length.)

Thanks for any help,

oily

ps. Illinois LEOs, please start pulling over people that hang out in the left hand lane also. It is the law here now ya know.

 

[will62]

I hope that they are not enforcing the blade length too closely. I will be in trouble when I return home from the sandbox, everything I currently carry is over 3 inches. All of the folders are 4 inches. When did this change occur?

 

[OilMan]

I'm not sure there even was one but if you check out the site I point to it would seem there is a limit. BUT... in another thread someone had said that text that comes before what is posted on that site is what states that it has to be USED as a weapon before it matters. The site they were refering to was a dead end though. I'll try to find the post.

later,

oily

This site says no limit if I'm reading it correctly:
http://www.thehighroad.org/library/blades/knifelaws.html

and check out:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=307446

 

[anthony cheeseboro]

I'm no lawyer but I think that the state law actually says that a knife must be more than 3" to be considered a deadly weapon. It does not say that a larger knife cannot be carried, what it says is that person is caught with a 3+" knife under suspiscious circumstances, the LEO is justified in considering that knife a weapon. I don't think a guy minding his business carrying a larger knife is violation of the law, especially if he gives a reasonable purpose for carrying the knife if he is confronted. Remember, this is a state law. Many cities, like Chicago, have much more restrictive knife carry laws.