Anybody else carry an illegal knife?

Agreed. If you're gonna break the law, might as well break the law. If you're gonna get arrested while carrying an illegal knife, might as well use the biggest knife you can conceal. No cop, judge, jury or cell mate is gonna care that the blade was "only" .25" over the limit. You're gonna get screwed by each and every one of them.

I'm frankly appalled anyone here at BF would give advice like this. I work in a courtroom, and almost any judge, jury, prosecutor or even cop will see a significant difference between a small (but technically illegal) knife like a Spyderco Dragonfly and some big (also technically illegal) like a Spyderco Civilian. This may be the knife equivalent of "assault weapons" but a nasty looking knife is going to draw a whole lot more negative attention all the way down the line than something more innocuous. That could easily spell the difference between getting a slap on the wrist and being hit with a hefty fine and/or jail time.

BTW, to address the OP, I spoke with one of our El Paso City Prosecutors today and he flatly stated that municipalities in Texas can only pass Class C Misdemeanors, meaning the highest possible penalty the San Antonio no-locking-knives ban could impose would be a $500 fine plus court costs. No jail time. That's something to be avoided, of course, but it would not cause any harm to getting a job or security clearance since it would not be a charge of moral turpitude. It's the legal equivalent of grass too high in the front yard.
 
...It's the legal equivalent of grass too high in the front yard.

Exactly. I used the analogy of your car window tinting being too dark, or even a speeding ticket.
Technically, it's "illegal" but it's more illegal due to you not hitting the desired numbers rather than you doing some activity that is completely forbidden.
 
"Admitting to break the law on a PUBLIC FORUM."

I can just hear an intern at the NSA saying, "Oh no boss what are we gonna do!" To that his superior shouts, "Quick! Get somebody on the phone. GET ANYBODY on the phone! Holy shit batman this guy in Texas just admitted to EDC'ing a 3 inch sharpened piece of steel."

I hope that America can find the keys to the safe where our collective balls have been stored for "safe keeping" ASAP! We would still be a colony of Britain (or worse) had everyone done what they were told. Fed and state governments were NEVER supposed to have the amount of power that they have today. It is our right and our responsibility as American citizens to stand up to an overreaching government. This includes jumpy city councilmen and women.


"I think you'll find that most knowledgeable people here discourage illegal carry"

Maybe in the subforums you go to, but there are many "knowledgeable people" on the forums who carry illegally on a regular basis even every day. Remember, the "dirk/dagger" laws affect anyone with a knife with an intent to use it for self-defense.

"The way to get the laws overturned is not thru civil disobedience, but by following the law in a responsible manner to show that only true criminal's do so and the rest of us should be allowed our freedom legally."

To me that is a very naive statement...are you a LEO? Unjust laws can only be challenged in the courts through an act of civil disobedience. Some of the US's greatest accomplishments in the late 20th century, e.g. racial freedom, are due to civil disobedience.

You sure are not a student of US history. We were founded upon civil disobedience. Without civil disobedience this country would be Great Britain :). Civil disobedience set free most of the other former colonies of European countries.

I carry what I want but is appropriate for the situation. I've carried my switchblades and balisongs even though they are not legal. I carry them in situations where police contact is minimal.


Great post.
I live and work in the birthplace of this great nation, Phila, and IMO it has the strictest laws on knives in the country.
Most of the time I fall exempt from the law being a tradesman there is language in the law for work considerations.
During off work hours I still carry a knife and don't worry about it one bit.
I am a decent citizen who does not engage in activities that attract the attention of the police.
So technically I could be hit with a violation but I have talked to many city cops about this and the average person is not the target of this law, it is aimed at real criminals not the knife enthusiast.


Opposition to draconian knife laws is much less vocal, less heated, and does not garner media attention like gun legislation. This is what happens when citizens quietly stand by while the government slowly strips away our rights with the stroke of a pen, and most often citizens are unaware that their rights have been taken. The second amendment legally grants all citizens the right to bear arms. Most people relate this with the right to own and carry firearms, but it includes the carry of knives as well. At one point San Antonio made it illegal to carry ANY knife within city limits. Non violent civil disobedience is most certainly warranted in some cases. I will maintain a position that illegal laws do not apply to me.

I appreciate all of the responses, both those that are comfortable with or against my actions. It's comforting, however, that there are others that feel the same way I do. All in all, many thanks to everyone leaving their input :thumbup:
Also, sorry to stir up any trouble for the moderators to deal with. We all appreciate the work you do here to keep the forums running smoothly, and I'm sorry if I made your job more difficult.
 
I don't consider any of the knives I carry to be illegal. I don't own any switchblades which are the only ones illegal to own here. Since I don't have "intent to use unlawfully against another" or whatever my knives are legal to carry. Doesn't mean cops couldn't give me shit for anything, but they're all still legal. I'd probably still try to not carry my larger knives if I thought there was a likely chance of running into the police just to be safe.
 
Laws in my area are very reasonable so I have no reason to carry anything that is not legal. I don't think I would anyway because I would not want to give a LEO a reason to make my life difficult.

I have wondered what I would do if I moved to a state with more restrictive laws. For instance Colorado has a 3.5" blade limit so some of my favorite knives such as the Mlilitary would not be legal. I wondered if I would have to sell them or if I would just carry them around my house. I probably don't have to worry about this anytime soon though.
 
As stated above by Francisco, in Argentina any type of knife is illegal. So I carry what I feel like, in total disregard of the law.
We don't have a second amendment like USA citizens have. We are closer to UK kind of knife laws.
But we have a difference: we have a tradition of eating barbecues, and of gauchos and facones and such, so knives are also admired. My experience is that nobody is going to say "he has a weapon" if you produce a large knife in the context of a barbecue.
 
As stated above by Francisco, in Argentina any type of knife is illegal. So I carry what I feel like, in total disregard of the law.
We don't have a second amendment like USA citizens have. We are closer to UK kind of knife laws.
But we have a difference: we have a tradition of eating barbecues, and of gauchos and facones and such, so knives are also admired. My experience is that nobody is going to say "he has a weapon" if you produce a large knife in the context of a barbecue.

Question for you or Francisomov,

Would you feel comfortable pulling out a fairly small knife, say 3.5" blade in any regular, non-barbeque context, or would you feel apprehensive?
 
I carried an illegal knife twice in SA. I didn't know about the locking blade city ordinance since I only knew the less than 5.5 inches in texas. I carried an Emerson CQC-11 (4+ inches) and another time a Sebenza (3.6 inches).
No issues but I don't get in trouble either
 
"I think you'll find that most knowledgeable people here discourage illegal carry"

Maybe in the subforums you go to, but there are many "knowledgeable people" on the forums who carry illegally on a regular basis even every day. Remember, the "dirk/dagger" laws affect anyone with a knife with an intent to use it for self-defense.

"The way to get the laws overturned is not thru civil disobedience, but by following the law in a responsible manner to show that only true criminal's do so and the rest of us should be allowed our freedom legally."

To me that is a very naive statement...are you a LEO? Unjust laws can only be challenged in the courts through an act of civil disobedience. Some of the US's greatest accomplishments in the late 20th century, e.g. racial freedom, are due to civil disobedience.

You sure are not a student of US history. We were founded upon civil disobedience. Without civil disobedience this country would be Great Britain :). Civil disobedience set free most of the other former colonies of European countries.

I carry what I want but is appropriate for the situation. I've carried my switchblades and balisongs even though they are not legal. I carry them in situations where police contact is minimal.

Thank you for being part of the problem, instead of the solution. Please learn to use the quote button, you've been here long enough to know how by now.
In case you weren't aware, those acts of civil disobedience you refer to (Revolutionary war, Civil rights)... led to war, race riots and other such things that people uninvolved in the heart of the situation had to endure. In the end they were litigated in the courts of law.

There is a big difference between that type of civil disobedience and pure selfishness.
If you are going to advocate civil disobedience, please be sure to hire your attorney out of your own pocket and be prepared to face the consequences of your actions, including fines, jail time and possible confiscation of the item you decided to be civilly disobedient over.

Personally, I would prefer to keep my items, not illegally carry and support those who are trying to legally change the law.
 
Thank you for being part of the problem, instead of the solution. Please learn to use the quote button, you've been here long enough to know how by now.
In case you weren't aware, those acts of civil disobedience you refer to (Revolutionary war, Civil rights)... led to war, race riots and other such things that people uninvolved in the heart of the situation had to endure. In the end they were litigated in the courts of law.

There is a big difference between that type of civil disobedience and pure selfishness.
If you are going to advocate civil disobedience, please be sure to hire your attorney out of your own pocket and be prepared to face the consequences of your actions, including fines, jail time and possible confiscation of the item you decided to be civilly disobedient over.

Personally, I would prefer to keep my items, not illegally carry and support those who are trying to legally change the law.

Is there? Isn't the desire for freedom of religion ultimately selfish? Is the desire to have the right to carry a knife more selfish? I think most of what you have written in your last two posts has been myopic at best and just plain wrong at worst. However, these are your opinions and I respect your right to hold them. Unfortunately, I found your responses to those that you disagree with to be pretty closed minded and arrogant. My apologies if I have misinterpreted your intent.

Take care sir,

Lance
 
I dont know if I carry legally or not

I do know , I need to have a lawful excuse to have a knife in my possession. For example , I need my knife to cut my apple to eat it .. fair enough , it is now lawful to possess my knife while Im cuttingthe apple but not before or after the act .

We also have this cute law that any bladed object may be deemed ( at the officers discression ) to be a knife , this includes screw drivers , paint scrapers , spatulas .. but not car keys for some obscure reason .. and if its deemed a knife , it is automaticalyl a weapon and the game has changed .. youre a threat with a deadly weapon in your posession ..

All this tho is at the officers discression , including letting you go our way with your knife .. or confiscating it , here , in NSW Australia , it is regular practice that stuff is confiscated , and there is no paperwork done about it , IOW , you lost it with zero chance of getting it back .

There is an interesting thing that happens tho , the prettier and more expensive looking a knife is , the higher the chance of it being confiscated I had old beater kicking around in the car door pocket , several cops looked at it and let me have it back .

I sold the car , and the guy who bought it put a brand new roughrider fixed blade in the same pocket cheap knife but looked seriously expensive ... first stop and its confiscated ,no paperwork , just threats of any fuss and its jail time with the knife and the car confiscated .

Its up to the officer on the scenes discression here , regardless of how it is meant to happen officially .

I carry a variety of knives , usualy an opinel and an izula II tho .

The onlytimes I have been asked about the knife I carry tho was at traffic stops , the knife in the car door map pocket .. no big deal , cheap wood handle , grey hi carbon blade , resale maybe $2 .. a traffic stop , I was penned in the overtake lane by 2 unmarked cars , and booked for failing to overtake in the overtaking lane .. and the knife on my belt was going to be theirs until they looked at it , a beat up mucky okapi with the grey patinaed blade ..it was handed back

Aother traffic stop on the nulabor plain , literally the only other car we saw in 6 hours was a cop , and he stopped us to check our rego and license etc .. kick the truck tyres and look for oil leaks , administer a breath test .. as we said seeya later , he twigged to the pouch on my belt , and half pulled his gun " Is that KNIFE ??" his partner laughed , they looked at the knife , I think it was the opinel .. again a well used patinaed thing .. and after a long lecture , it was returned and we left .

I carry my knife every day , and have for decades now , tho I have to admit , I dont know if its legal , that depends on the cop at the time enforcing and interpreting the law .
 
I dont know if I carry legally or not

I do know , I need to have a lawful excuse to have a knife in my possession. For example , I need my knife to cut my apple to eat it .. fair enough , it is now lawful to possess my knife while Im cuttingthe apple but not before or after the act .

We also have this cute law that any bladed object may be deemed ( at the officers discression ) to be a knife , this includes screw drivers , paint scrapers , spatulas .. but not car keys for some obscure reason .. and if its deemed a knife , it is automaticalyl a weapon and the game has changed .. youre a threat with a deadly weapon in your posession ..

All this tho is at the officers discression , including letting you go our way with your knife .. or confiscating it , here , in NSW Australia , it is regular practice that stuff is confiscated , and there is no paperwork done about it , IOW , you lost it with zero chance of getting it back .

There is an interesting thing that happens tho , the prettier and more expensive looking a knife is , the higher the chance of it being confiscated I had old beater kicking around in the car door pocket , several cops looked at it and let me have it back .

I sold the car , and the guy who bought it put a brand new roughrider fixed blade in the same pocket cheap knife but looked seriously expensive ... first stop and its confiscated ,no paperwork , just threats of any fuss and its jail time with the knife and the car confiscated .

Its up to the officer on the scenes discression here , regardless of how it is meant to happen officially .

I carry a variety of knives , usualy an opinel and an izula II tho .

The onlytimes I have been asked about the knife I carry tho was at traffic stops , the knife in the car door map pocket .. no big deal , cheap wood handle , grey hi carbon blade , resale maybe $2 .. a traffic stop , I was penned in the overtake lane by 2 unmarked cars , and booked for failing to overtake in the overtaking lane .. and the knife on my belt was going to be theirs until they looked at it , a beat up mucky okapi with the grey patinaed blade ..it was handed back

Aother traffic stop on the nulabor plain , literally the only other car we saw in 6 hours was a cop , and he stopped us to check our rego and license etc .. kick the truck tyres and look for oil leaks , administer a breath test .. as we said seeya later , he twigged to the pouch on my belt , and half pulled his gun " Is that KNIFE ??" his partner laughed , they looked at the knife , I think it was the opinel .. again a well used patinaed thing .. and after a long lecture , it was returned and we left .

I carry my knife every day , and have for decades now , tho I have to admit , I dont know if its legal , that depends on the cop at the time enforcing and interpreting the law .

I can see the headlines... "Officer feared for his life when motorist brandished a knife-like spatula. "
 
Is there? Isn't the desire for freedom of religion ultimately selfish? Is the desire to have the right to carry a knife more selfish? I think most of what you have written in your last two posts has been myopic at best and just plain wrong at worst. However, these are your opinions and I respect your right to hold them. Unfortunately, I found your responses to those that you disagree with to be pretty closed minded and arrogant. My apologies if I have misinterpreted your intent.

Take care sir,

Lance

The desire for these things is not inherently selfish. The act of knowingly disregarding rules or laws is.
Ask any judge. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.
By knowingly breaking the law, the person makes himself a criminal. A criminal subject to any law or statute befitting the crime. Exactly the type of people those that would want to legislate our freedoms away from us need in order to do so. They will use your willful disregard to further erode freedoms that the rest of law abiding society wish to help change by legal means. By the act of selfishness (disregarding the law) it only makes it that much harder for those who fight to amend these laws in favor of lawful carry to do so by those legal means.
 
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