California knife laws question?

E

Endololz

Joined
Apr 10, 2012
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Well over my time of collecting knives I have always wanted some switchblades and bali-songs but I don't know the laws for owning one in CA. I know I cannot carry one but can I legally own one an keep it in my house? Any info that is not a link to the CA law list would be appreciated.
 
There is no law in CA that says it's illegal to own bali's or switchblades.

You cannot carry them in public though.
 
Hi there, I am no expert by any means, but I have been living and carrying in Cali for a while now. Best I can gather is... It ultimately depends on local laws and the officer's reaction, Oakland, San Francisco, and I think LA are a bit more restrictive with folders. As for autos and Balis, anything over 2 inches is illegal to ca to carry, as is anything double edged. A single edged auto under two inches, like the protech runt or stinger is CA legal, as is a 2 inch bali, but that depends on where in California you are. Larger balis and autos are legal to own, but not carry unless you are a LEO or military. That's just what I have gathered from my local knife shop and occasional friendly LEO. If you search "CA legal autos" you will find a bunch of 2 inch autos, but they might not be legal in your city. Local laws and local LEO knowledge of laws are really what it comes down to.
 
Basically, here's the laws on switchblades in a nut shell: Under California state law, you can carry a switchblade or balisong if the blade is less than 2 inches long. If it is longer, it is illegal to both carry them and for anyone to sell them to you, but perfectly legal to own them at home.

17235. As used in this part, "switchblade knife" means a knife having the appearance of a pocketknife and includes a spring-blade knife, snap-blade knife, gravity knife, or any other similar type knife, the blade or blades of which are two or more inches in length and which can be released automatically by a flick of a button, pressure on the handle, flip of the wrist or other mechanical device, or is released by the weight of the blade or by any type of mechanism whatsoever. "Switchblade knife" does not include a knife that opens with one hand utilizing thumb pressure applied solely to the blade of the knife or a thumb stud attached to the blade, provided that the knife has a detent or other mechanism that provides resistance that must be overcome in opening the blade, or that biases the blade back toward its closed position.
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21510. Every person who does any of the following with a switchblade knife having a blade two or more inches in length is guilty of a misdemeanor:
(a) Possesses the knife in the passenger's or driver's area of any motor vehicle in any public place or place open to the public.
(b) Carries the knife upon the person.
(c) Sells, offers for sale, exposes for sale, loans, transfers, or gives the knife to any other person.
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Combined with federal law that prohibits sale of switchblades over state lines, this makes it impossible to legally buy a switchblade with a blade longer than two inches in California. The only way around it that is completely legal is physically leave the state and travel to another like AZ where sale of switchblades is unrestricted, buy there from a brick-and-morter or knife show, and then bring or mail it back to your home. Tedious perhaps, but if you want to risk breaking the law by taking shortcuts and buying from illegal online sellers, that's your call.
 
medusaoblongata said:
It's the sellers who are taking the risk. The buyer is not violating the law.
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Yes that is absolutely right. Both Federal and CA law only affect the seller. But I have a hard time trusting my credit card information to lawbreakers. I've heard horror stories where the seller is nothing but a con artist who takes your money and runs.
 
Yes, that's happened all over the net with all types of transactions.
Fortunately for us knife collectors, there are a number of well known and well respected online knife dealers who do honest business, despite turning the occasional blind eye to some ill-conceived, poorly thought out, unnecessary, potentially unconstitutional, hoplophobic, rarely enforced, knee-jerk, feel good, for the children, nanny style anti-switchblade laws.
(sometimes, it's the law that's in the wrong, not the lawbreaker)
 
And also it can't be carried in the passenger area of a vehicle. But I think WeBeKnives in SF has some balis, not sure about autos.
 
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