California gets a bit of a bum rap. The law regarding automatic knives in CA is actually more permissive than many other states. In CA, you can own and carry an automatic as long as the blade length does not exceed 2".
It is federally illegal to transport an automatic knive across state lines except for military or law enforcement use.
There's a common myth that federal law allows all soldiers and all law enforcement officers to personally own automatic knives. This is not true. The exception is:
(1) to civilian or Armed Forces supply or procurement officers and employees of the Federal Government ordering, procuring, or purchasing such knives in connection with the activities of the Federal Government; (2) to supply or procurement officers of the National Guard, the Air National guard, or militia of a state, territory or the District of Columbia ordering, procuring, or purchasing such knives in the connection with the activities of such organization; (3) to supply or procurement officers or employees of the municipal government of the District of Columbia or the government of any State or Territory, or any county, city or other political subdivision of a State or Territory; (4) to manufacturers of such knives or bona fide dealers therein in connection with any shipment made pursuant of an order from any person designated in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3).
1, 2, and 3 extend only to supply/procurement officers/employees when purchasing for their organization.
State and local laws may expand those exceptions. But the federal law does not.
