Here's my "public service announcement" - Beware of legal advice given on internet forums by people who do not provide the sources of their legal advice.
Here's the law in California regarding the brandishing of "weapons" other than firearms-
California Penal Code section 417.a (1)-
"Every person who, except in self-defense, in the presence of any other person, draws or exhibits any deadly weapon whatsoever, other than a firearm, in a rude, angry, or threatening manner, or who in any manner, unlawfully uses a deadly weapon other than a firearm in any fight or quarrel is guilty of a misdemeanor..."
In general, I believe that basic common sense and the application of simple intelligence (by those who possess them) will serve a person well in all areas of life, including the use of knives, and avoiding run-ins with cops. For example- don't pull out a bowie knife on a city bus to clean your fingernails, or whip out some tactical folder while standing in line at Starbucks to cut a loose thread off your jacket. And so on. Be discreet, and smart, in the use of knives in public places when you're in the presence of strangers and you likely won't have any problems. Read the room. But I'm sure that most people reading this already know all of this, and practice such discretion.
That being said, while I believe in discretion, I don't believe in being paranoid. Many a time I have stood in a parking lot with strangers walking by, or sitting in nearby vehicles, and DISCREETLY pulled out a reasonably sized knife to cut something, and without any concern that someone will see me do so and call the police.
If anyone is truly worried that they will be confronted by police if they use a reasonable knife in public to perform a legitimate cutting task, then I recommend they save themselves the stress and anxiety and never use a knife in public. In fact, maybe they shouldn't carry a knife at all.
