Bowie Knife on Greyhound Bus

[Pup]

I'm taking the Greyhound bus next month through Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and into Tennessee, to meet some friends for a camping trip, and I want to bring along my bowie knife with a 6-1/2" blade. I won't have any luggage to check, just a backpack I'll keep with me. Greyhound says "weapons of any kind are strictly prohibited." I know it's not a weapon, but will they know that?

Any suggestions to avoid both Greyhound and city police hassles on the way? Greyhound says they reserve the right to search luggage, but I've never had it happen. I have been wanded though--just me, not my luggage.

Obviously wearing it openly in city bus stations is not the answer, and it would be worse if I wore it concealed and got wanded. Is it going to be a "concealed weapon" in my backpack if for some odd reason it gets searched? What if it's packed at the bottom and not easily accessible?

 

[jag-engr]

I'm not a lawyer, but it sounds like a really bad idea to me!

You can check the knife laws in the individual states (Bernard Levine has a great website for this: http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/sta-law.htm), but I'm fairly sure that at least one of these states would object.

As I see it, you have too safe options to carry the knife:

1. If it is permitted by greyhound to carry in checked luggage, get an old bag, pack your knife in with some old clothes, and check the bag.

2. If feasible, mail it to yourself or one of you friends at your end destination. It will be a bit pricey for something this big and heavy, and I wouldn't do so without insuring the package.

Another option - Carry a small knife that complies with all state laws along the way, and:

1. Buy a cheap machete to take on the trail at your destination, and discard it when you're done.

2. Order a Cold Steel machete and have it shipped to your friends at your destination, and give it away when you're done. It's economical, but still a quality machete. Besides, who wouldn't want a friend that gives away machetes?