Aussie visiting US - knife laws by state

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gunslinger226

Joined
Aug 15, 2011
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Hi everyone.

I have quite a specific question that I am hoping for some advice on. At the beginning of next year I will be visiting the US and have the following road trip planned (only lists major cities):

Start: Las Vegas, Nevada
- grand canyon, arizona
- phoenix, arizona
- san diego, CA
- Los angeles, CA
- san fran, CA
- portland, oregon
- seattle, Washington

My question is, if I were to purchase a pocket knife for the journey in Las Vegas, is it legal to carry it with me throughout the trip?

Am I limited to a 3 inch blade? I was thinking something along the lines of a Ontario RAT-1 or a Tenacious, something cheap that won't be coming home with me but is quality enough to use throughout.

Cheers
 
Knife law is tricky in the USA because it can change from town to town, not just from state to state. Your safest bet for where you are would be to have a 3 in folder, and keychain knife like a Manbug or Ladybug for "polite" situations.
 
There is a local 3.5-inch limit in Seattle, none in the rest of the state. In most of these places you are OK if you don't flash it around, don't do anything stupid and don't tell the cops you are carrying for self-defense. In general, it is illegal to carry a knife (any size) as a weapon but the same knife can be carried as a tool with no legal problems.
 
Forgot to mention local rules ban carrying all fixed blades in Seattle too. Again, they are legal in most of the rest of the state, you just need to stay out of the big cities.
 
Thanks for the advice. If I got a sub 3-inch folder and kept it in my bag in the car, or on my person when hiking at the grand canyon etc that is OK? Obviously hiking at the grand canyon means the knife would be used as a tool.

I ask as here in Australia if a knife is found in the car, even a sub 3 inch folder you'd get in big trouble.
 
I can't see it being a problem carrying a sub-3-inch blade in your pocket anyplace you might be hiking. Waving knives around in the cities can get you in trouble but once you are out of them, nothing you have mentioned is going to be illegal.
 
The law for the state of Washington is that you can't carry any dagger or dirk. (No description of either) or any blade that is spring loaded or falls into position by gravity or through a centrofuge or wrist or arm motion.

Then the law goes on to say that it is illegal to surriptitiously (sp?) Conceal any weapon apparently capable of producing serious bodily harm. Or to use or display any weapon in a manner or at a time and place that causes a reasonable person alarm or fear


The law is pretty vague, and unhelpful. The "aparently capable of producing bodily harm" and "cause a reasonable person alarm or fear" are catch alls, and could allow police to virtually charge anyone anytime.

As said, Seattle's law is more restrictive by limiting carry by length of blade, and to a folder, but at least they clearly defined what you can carry. These are just "summaries" of the law, not exact.

I will say, though, if you get something that works in Seattle, you should be good anywhere in Washington. I have carried locking folders and even 5 inch or shorter fixed blades openly in the rest of the state without issues.


You could cause your self hastles about anywhere, even with a small folder if you behaived like a crazy and ran arround shouting waiving it arround.

I would avoide anything spring assisted in Washington as well. Too many police believe that they qualify as switchblades, and will charge them as such, then you have to go to court and have an attorney try and explain to the prosecutor that the officer does not understand the law.
 
The issue of assisted opening was cleared up recently by law with the governor's signature. My point was any length of knife is illegal in this state if you are carrying with the intend to do bodily harm to others even in self-defense. But the same knives carried for normal, legal utility uses are no problem. 80% of the working guys you see in this end of the state have some kind of large, clip-carry folder in their pocket and cops aren't bothering them. Get stopped for drunk driving, starting a fight in a bar, or any kind of public disorder and it will be another story. There are no cops out in the woods shaking down hikers and tourist for knives so he is even safer there.
 
The govenor may have signed the law. However, there are still cops charging it, who are willfully ignornant because they can't or won't understand the legal definitions. Trust me on that one!

Jus because it Isint illegal, does not mean they won't charge you with it in some cases!

I would just avoid it the assisted opening, especially as a tourist visiting the states.

Just carry a reasonable knife and you will be fine.
 
When I went to visit family in CA they told me that a SAK or any non locking folder is no problem anywhere in CA. In AZ, NV any knife will be fine fixed or locking. I would buy a nice locking folder for AZ and NV and just leave it in the car while in CA, OR and WA. Buy a cheep SAK or other slip joint for the communist states.

Cory
 
pick up a kershaw leek and youll be fine pretty much anywhere. it is under a 3 inch blade, and has a lock so it wont be considered a "gravity" knife
 
Commie state Corry? Washington is the state that all the "shall issue" pistol permits are copied off of. I've carried every size of folding knife imaginable here without any legal problems. The people who get stopped for carrying a knife brought themselves to the attention of the law in some other manner first. I assume our Australian friend won't be doing that.
 
Sidehill Gouger said:
Commie state Cory? Washington is the state that all the "shall issue" pistol permits are copied off of. I've carried every size of folding knife imaginable here without any legal problems. The people who get stopped for carrying a knife brought themselves to the attention of the law in some other manner first. I assume our Australian friend won't be doing that.
Click to expand...

I did not intend to offend you or anyone else from the North Western part of the US. From my experience in the states he is traveling AZ and NV are no problems at all where as the larger cities in WA, OR, and CA are much much more liberal and thus more particular about knives. Just my opinion and again didn't intend to offend.

Cory
 
I've lived in every place you mention visiting, and will be back in Seattle within the next 30 days. Drop me a PM if you want info on the areas, and / or if you want to get together when you're in Seattle.

That being said, I've carried a lot of knives all over the country, and never had a single problem. I would avoid the spring loaded stuff though. Otherwise, I really wouldn't get that wound up. If a cop stops you it'll be for something other than carrying a knife.
 
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