Arizona Knife Law Clarification

F

FlyingCanOpener

Joined
Aug 21, 2004
Messages
14
I heard Arizona was the paradise of folders.

Recently i asked a Pinal County Sheriffs officer what the laws were regarding knives were.

He said 3 inches or less, no balisongs and no autos.

Did something happen while i was gone?

Anyone know the new laws, it would help me immensly.

Thanks

FCO
 
Your deputy needs to check out the following links:

http://www.thehighroad.org/library/blades/knifelaws.html

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/13/03102.htm

Title 13 - Criminal Code
http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ArizonaRevisedStatutes.asp?Title=13
Check out chapter 31 - Weapons and Explosives.

Balis and Autos appear to be legal. They probably would not be "pocket knives" so they can't be conceled. Also big, tactical, "scary" folders may not be looked upon as "pocket knives" and would best be carried in a belt pouch.

Apparently case law is sparse so feel free to volunteer :D.
 
Im considering a Doug Ritter Griptillian and a Emerson CQC7 wave.

Would the Emerson be considered a "big, nasty tactical folder" that would need a sheath?

Woe to me if ever my knives are confiscated and i have to prove them legal

Thanks

FCO
 
... Where to my knowlege, we still have the right, as citizens of this great country, to possess, own and BEAR ARMS!! :D ... This is not a police state[YET]. :p OK..

... If you want to know the laws, you have several GREAT sources.... And, Firstly always give credit, where credit is DUE...

... CRH is absolutely correct!!!!!!! :cool: :) :cool: Take a minute to check out his links!

Second, Check out the STICKY THREAD: "Some excellent on-line searchable law resources" by, SHOOTIST 16


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The laws are very vague, however that is an asset to us knife~knuts! Understand that, Law Enfocement Officers are well meaning folks for the most part and some of them have outstanding knowledge of current local law, but I have found this is not the norm! Ask another Cop the same question and 9 times out of 10 you will get different answers.

1) Know your local laws.

2) Have a reason to carry the blade you have.

This will usually get you out of hot water, UNLESS you are being decietful.

Cheers~
 
FlyingCanOpener said:
Im considering a Doug Ritter Griptillian and a Emerson CQC7 wave.

Would the Emerson be considered a "big, nasty tactical folder" that would need a sheath?

Woe to me if ever my knives are confiscated and i have to prove them legal

Thanks

FCO
Click to expand...

Good questions and open to interpretation by individual LEOs and courts. I can tell you this: If you are in Phoenix and are wearing baggy pants, oversize shirt, baseball cap with bill to the side, strutting around like a little hip hop prince and have a folder in pouch on your hip or clipped to your pocket you are likely to get hassled by the cops - Phoenix has a huge gang problem, you know.

If you are otherwise unremarkably dressed and can provide legitimate reasons for having or are observed useing the knife for legitimate reasons, (i.e. cutting apples, cutting rope, opening packages, scraping gunk off an intake manifold to find a serial number, etc.) then either of those knives would *probably* be OK, conceled or pouched. If your knife is found in a search secondary to having committed or are suspected of committing a crime it's a crap shoot as to how the knife would be interpreted, especially if the alleged crime involved some sort of violence.

I can also tell you that rural folks including LEOs and courts are likely to be more tollerant of "tactical" knives that are urban folks. This is usually true anywhere.

Keep in mind that the wave feature is likely to draw negative attention to you when you withdraw the knife. Discretion is the key.
 
Arizona's law makes no mention of blade length. It also makes no distinction between ordinary pocket knives, and autos or balisongs. Therefore, it's legal to carry. Ask any knife store owner and they'll tell you the same thing. The only thing you can't conceal is a fixed blade, but if you have a CCW firearms permit, you can.

Cop's don't know sh*t half the time. I've had a cop comment on my excellent choice in knives (after seeing the MT Scarab in my pocket).
 
Planterz said:
Arizona's law makes no mention of blade length. It also makes no distinction between ordinary pocket knives, and autos or balisongs. Therefore, it's legal to carry.
Click to expand...

Right, the issue is not whether you can carry but whether or not you can carry conceled - whether or not an auto or bali is a "pocket knife"? This appears to be up to individual LEOs and courts to decide. It appears that so far it's not been an issue.

Like sunnyd said, the vagueness of the law can be an asset or it can also work against you.
 
CRH said:
Right, the issue is not whether you can carry but whether or not you can carry conceled - whether or not an auto or bali is a "pocket knife"? This appears to be up to individual LEOs and courts to decide. It appears that so far it's not been an issue.

Like sunnyd said, the vagueness of the law can be an asset or it can also work against you.
Click to expand...
I understand what you're saying. But unless a law specifically states that something is illegal, it isn't illegal. From what I understand of the CC laws (13-3112) and Misconduct laws (13-3101), fixed blades cannot be concealed without a permit. A "pocket knife" then would be a non-fixed blade knife that fits in your pocket. www.packing.org says pretty much the same thing, although they confuse the issue by saying something about the AG's opinion that anything above 4" isn't a "pocket knife". But the AG's opinion isn't law, so to hell with him.

I must admit that I come to this conclusion based on comparing AZ's laws to other states' laws. Pretty much any state that bans autos or balisongs (or both) has a description of what such a knife is. Since AZ doesn't make this distinction, it's fair game I say.

I'm not a lawyer though, this is just my understanding and interpretation. Every knife store employee that I've spoken with says the same thing. A more important IMO is being caught doing something else you shouldn't be doing while carrying such a knife (or any knife for that matter). A responsible, law abiding citizen shouldn't get any flack from a LEO. If you do, make sure you get a receipt, name, badge number, etc from the officer so you can get the knife back.

The law really does need to be less vague.
 
Planterz said:
I understand what you're saying. But unless a law specifically states that something is illegal, it isn't illegal. From what I understand of the CC laws (13-3112) and Misconduct laws (13-3101), fixed blades cannot be concealed without a permit. A "pocket knife" then would be a non-fixed blade knife that fits in your pocket. www.packing.org says pretty much the same thing, although they confuse the issue by saying something about the AG's opinion that anything above 4" isn't a "pocket knife". But the AG's opinion isn't law, so to hell with him.

The law really does need to be less vague.
Click to expand...

I can't seem to find the A.G.s opinion that you mentioned. The only thing I see on http://www.packing.org/state/index.jsp/arizona is:

"Knife carry law summary:
Date updated: Wednesday, March 10, 2004"

The lack of case law is surprising to me. I'd think that at least in Phoenix they would have prosecuted a gang banger for "Carrying a deadly weapon without a permit" for conceling a bali or auto. On the other hand this lack of case law may be evidence that LEOs and courts are more tollerant/liberal than I presume.
 
The both of you, Planterz & CRH, are right on target with this discussion! Very intelligent discussion!!.. What has happened in Florida seems to be getting adopted by many states, that is, carried and concealed knives are being interpeted as 'concealed weapons' right along side with the concealed firearms permit case laws! Probably because the laws are already written and on the books already. Of coarse, the liberal left veiws this as an opertunity to further they're radical agenda to ban something they term as threatening, with out haveing to do the propper legwork... And if they proceed unopposed, we are in trouble... This is BAD in my humble opinon... because Joe Milktoast Citizen is eventually going to think there is NO difference between the two different 'weapons', and interperate that ANYONE who carries a knife, any knife, must be a 'bad guy', and therefore is a CRIMINAL, and should not be allowed to carry any knife... :rolleyes:

I know, I know... I hear you all laughing and snickering, like that could never happen, but trust me when I tell you that in my short lifetime I have seen s**t like this happen all too often. And before you know it your rights are gone, or severely diminished...

For instance I have been carrieing at least one pocket knife in my jeans since the mid sixties. Back then all my friends carried pocket knives of all makes and models. Naturally, so did I. There is nothing a boy can carry on his person that is more USEFUL than his pocketknife...

There were about 5 or 6 of us that always hung around together. In school the teacher would ALWAYS ask one of us to open a box, or a crate, or cut something off, or out of some science project, but always something...

One day our class had to take one of those new fangled multiple choice bubble in your answer tests... and Mrs. Munroe's pencil sharpener was busted, I can still here her now, "All You Boys with Poketknives, get up here right now and start sharpening all these pencils, c~mon hurry up! I do not have all day to waste with the schoolboards broken equipment"!.... Now, can you imagine that today??... A bunch of 5th grade boys teaming up to sharpen 30 to 35 pencils just outside the classroom schoolhouse door... Hell NO! :eek: ... Why the mere mention of a pocketknife in school will get a kid EXPELLED! :p ... Well anyway thats my point, things change, not always for the better! Sorry for the rant guys & gals, but you get my drift...

We have got to know our rights and the law which regulates them, but lets not give them up, EVER!..
 
sunnyd said:
Back then all my friends carried pocket knives of all makes and models. Naturally, so did I. There is nothing a boy can carry on his person that is more USEFUL than his pocketknife...
Click to expand...

Apparently we grew up together.................. even though we have never met.

Peace Bro
 
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