Are Push daggers considered a dirk or dagger

J

Jordan1010

Joined
Oct 24, 2020
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180
Hello my fello blade enthusiast,
Does anybody know if a push dagger counts as a dirk or dagger in California. Am i allowed to carry it openly?
 
51 year resident of California here.

Yes, a push dagger is considered a "dirk or dagger" under California law. And yes, it's legal to openly carry them, and always illegal to carry them conceald. Also, some cities and counties have blade length limits on openly carried knives (like Los Angeles).

Any fixed-blade capable of being used as a stabbing weapon is considered a "dirk or dagger" under California state law.
 
Killgar, not arguing here. I read the law you cited in another thread and I thought there are exceptions? ringed karambits, knifes that don't look like knifes, cane knifes, T handled knifes. You mentioned the laws were changed awhile ago and I read them but I can't make sense of it. Im confused
 
killgar said:
51 year resident of California here.

Yes, a push dagger is considered a "dirk or dagger" under California law. And yes, it's legal to openly carry them, and always illegal to carry them conceald. Also, some cities and counties have blade length limits on openly carried knives (like Los Angeles).

Any fixed-blade capable of being used as a stabbing weapon is considered a "dirk or dagger" under California state law.
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Thanks for your help killgar you’ve always answered my California law related questions.
 
paul brown said:
Killgar, not arguing here. I read the law you cited in another thread and I thought there are exceptions? ringed karambits, knifes that don't look like knifes, cane knifes, T handled knifes. You mentioned the laws were changed awhile ago and I read them but I can't make sense of it. Im confused
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There are several bladed instruments that are completely illegal to possess/own in the state of California, they are-

Ballistic knives (a device that shoots a blade)
Air gauge knife (a knife disguised as a tire air gauge)
Cane swords
Shobi-zue (kama/sickle with a folding blade hidden in the handle)
knives designed/disguised as other objects like lipstick tubes, pens, etc
Belt buckle knives
A knife with a full or "D" knuckle guard (any instrument designed as a weapon to protect the knuckles is illegal in the state)

Also, it is illegal to import, export, or sell "undetectable"(to metal detectors) knives in California, or possess them in secure areas of public transit. What is strange is that I can find no prohibition on owning/possessing undetectable knives in California. Nor any statutes in the penal code against openly carrying them into public or government buildings provided the blade is no more than 4" long, although I would still advise against it, I think there might be case law on the subject that forbids it.

As far as ring karambits, there is no specific law against possessing or carrying them, but I have warned people about them in the past because being designed as weapons and having a ring on the end the knife could fall under the definition of "metal knuckles" which is a pretty broad definition. Here it is- https://www.leginfo.legislature.ca....aySection.xhtml?sectionNum=16920.&lawCode=PEN

And by the way, I have no problem with anyone questioning the legal information I post. The way I feel, if I can't back up what I post then I shouldn't post it. Of course I'm only human, and sometimes I miss something or forget something, but I do make a concentrated effort to get things right :) .

If I haven't answered your question I'd be happy to try again, to the best of my ability :)
 
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Jordan1010 said:
Hello my fello blade enthusiast,
Does anybody know if a push dagger counts as a dirk or dagger in California. Am i allowed to carry it openly?
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What does it matter if one is considered a dirk or dagger, as both can be legally open-carried in California?
 
“Air gauge knife (a knife disguised as a tire air gauge)”

Does this type of knife even exist? I’ve seen lots of “disguised” knives (blades concealed in pens, combs, lipstick tubes, etc.), but I’ve never come across anything resembling this so-called “air gauge knife” which is banned in California. My theory is that someone briefly made a prototype of these at one point and California legislators thought serial killers stopped along a dirt road at night faking a flat tire to lure victims might use it and they decided to pre-emptively ban them before they even made it to the market. 😂
 
Knife_Collector_101 said:
“Air gauge knife (a knife disguised as a tire air gauge)”

Does this type of knife even exist? I’ve seen lots of “disguised” knives (blades concealed in pens, combs, lipstick tubes, etc.), but I’ve never come across anything resembling this so-called “air gauge knife” which is banned in California. My theory is that someone briefly made a prototype of these at one point and California legislators thought serial killers stopped along a dirt road at night faking a flat tire to lure victims might use it and they decided to pre-emptively ban them before they even made it to the market. 😂
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When I first heard of "Air gauge knife " I thought it was some kind of ballistic knife that fired by means of compressed air like a co2 cartridge. Then when I found out it was a knife disguised as a tire gauge I was like "Of all things why would you disguise a knife as a tire gauge?", the blade would have to be very narrow. Like you, I've seen knives disguised as several other things (to add to your list, hair brushes and belt buckles).

I've never seen one, either in person or on the internet. And it seems like an odd and obscure thing to outlaw. Maybe some guy got caught with one at some point.

EDIT: After re-reading the statute (16140), the law refers to those spring fired spike-type weapons like the old "Guardfather" and similar items. I guess someone could mistake one for a tire gauge, but they don't really look like one. At least not to me. I would think such items would fall under the definition of a "switchblade" or "hidden pen knife".
 
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Yep, injection knives, and concealable wrench knives, and other similar types of knives concealed as everyday common items are outright banned/illegal to even own in many of the states.

I can't find the link to the video anymore, but I once saw a YouTube video of a wrench knife. The knifemaker used two identical wrenches. One was turned into a knife, the other into a perfect-fitting sheath. At a glance, the finished product looked like an ordinary wrench to an unsuspecting victim. But the blade could be deployed in a blink of an eye...
 
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