California laws? Sub 2inch knife?

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NeedItCheaper

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Jun 17, 2012
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I went to a family reunion in California a few years ago with a Delica 4. I brought this knife everywhere and was mildly noticeable in clipped to my pocket. Most of one side of my family lives in California and they never said a word as I used it in front of them. To make a fire. Side rant, 30 people to a campsite and not one brings an Axe... Is it really 2 inches for pocket knives?
 
It’s two inches for automatics.

Note that Californian laws are one thing (quite lenient actually), many counties are much more restrictive.

And there are more restrictive CA laws for government buildings and school properties.
 
ferider said:
It’s two inches for automatics.

Note that Californian laws are one thing (quite lenient actually), many counties are much more restrictive.

And there are more restrictive CA laws for government buildings and school properties.
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Counties? What are the worst counties?
 
Didn’t do a survey :), google can help. Here are some examples:

Los Angeles Specific Knife Laws​

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Any knife longer than 3 inches, including kitchen and chefs knives are illegal to be shown in public regardless of the purpose when in Los Angeles, CA.

Sacramento Knife Laws​

In Sacramento, CA it is illegal to sell or own any sort of push button or spring assisted knife. This includes switch blades, automatic knives and out the front knives. (Important for the Exchange?)

It is also illegal for any dangerous or deadly weapon (knife) to be carried in an automobile.

San Francisco Knife Laws​

San Francisco, CA the most restrictive knife laws in the state of California and explicitly prohibits certain knives that are legal throughout the rest of the state.

SF Police Code Article 17, § 1291(a) states the following knives are illegal within the city limits:
  • Any blade longer than 3 inches in length
  • Any spring assisted knife
  • Any ice pick or sharpened stabbing tool
  • Any straight edge razor
:
:

Some counties have also “anti-loitering with any knife” laws. Etc.
 
NeedItCheaper said:
I went to a family reunion in California a few years ago with a Delica 4. I brought this knife everywhere and was mildly noticeable in clipped to my pocket. Most of one side of my family lives in California and they never said a word as I used it in front of them. To make a fire. Side rant, 30 people to a campsite and not one brings an Axe... Is it really 2 inches for pocket knives?
Click to expand...

52 year resident of California here.

The info regarding California on that site you linked is total crap. Ignore that site. If they got California that wrong, then any info they offer is suspect.

Here's a list of all the blade length restrictions under California state law. They are taken directly from the official California state legislative website where all California laws can be found- https://www.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codesTOCSelected.xhtml?tocCode=PEN

CA penal code 17235- No carrying on your person or in the driver or passenger area of a vehicle any switchblade, butterfly knife, or gravity knife with a blade 2" or longer.

CA penal code 626.10- No fixed-blade knives with blades longer than 2.5" on public or private school grounds grades K-12 (no locking folders of any size).

CA penal code 626.10 (2)(b)- No fixed-blades with blades longer than 2.5" on the grounds of any college or university.

CA penal code 171.5 (c)(2)- No fixed-blades with blades longer than 4" in the secure area of any airport.

CA penal code 171b (3)- No fixed-blades with blades longer than 4" in any public meeting.

CA penal code 3453 (o)(1)- Convicted criminals on supervised release (probation/parole) are not permitted to possess any knife with a blade longer than 2".

CA penal code 16260- Any belt buckle knife with a blade 2.5" or longer is illegal to possess.

I think I got them all.

And because I know them by heart, here are the Los Angeles county and municipality (city) ordinances-

LA county ordinances 13.62.010 and 13.62.020- No openly carried knives in public, folders or fixed-blades with blades 3" or longer.

LA municipality ordinances Sections 55.10 (a) and (b)- Same as above. No openly carried knives in public, folders or fixed-blades with blades 3" or longer.

The Los Angeles county ordinances I listed can be found on the official LA county website- https://lacounty.gov

And the Los Angeles municipal ordinances I listed can be found here- https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/lamc/0-0-0-107363

There are exceptions in both CA law and the LA ordinances for several of the blade length limits I listed above. But I won't get into them unless someone asks me.
 
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Sure sounds like a bit of overkill I would say. Never thought I would see such ridiculous laws. Sounds pretty shitty for knife lovers to put up with.
 
ferider said:

San Francisco Knife Laws​

San Francisco, CA the most restrictive knife laws in the state of California and explicitly prohibits certain knives that are legal throughout the rest of the state.

SF Police Code Article 17, § 1291(a) states the following knives are illegal within the city limits:
  • Any blade longer than 3 inches in length
  • Any spring assisted knife
  • Any ice pick or sharpened stabbing tool
  • Any straight edge razor
:
:

Some counties have also “anti-loitering with any knife” laws. Etc.
Click to expand...
Under 17 SFPC § 1291(b), if you carry any “dangerous weapon” (defined above) concealed on your person, it is a crime to “loaf or loiter upon any public street, sidewalk, or alley, or to wander about from place to place, with no lawful business thereby to perform, or to hide, lurk, loiter upon or about the premises of another.”
 
ferider said:
It is also illegal for any dangerous or deadly weapon (knife) to be carried in an automobile.

​

  • Any straight edge razor
:
:
Click to expand...
When you say "Knife above 3in may not be SHOWN in LA"... that means conceal, right? Always conceal in LA, is what I understand.

Wow, the car one. Surprised that is real.

Any straight edge razor? Did... did San Fransisco just ban Wharncliffes? Or, only friction folding, thin Wharncliffes, aka, straight razors?
 
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The one auto I carry is 2.2in, technically illegal in CA, but meh, I hardly carry it and when I do, I'm not taking a walk or whatever, I'm in a fancy restaraunt, or a gathering, somewhere it'll be appreciated. I OWN things like a Boker Kalash XL, but I'd probably only use that outside if I knew I was going to a tough, beat-em-up job. Will probably gift to my Marine friend who does not own a decent knife.

While I DO sometimes carry an Espada XL, Voyager XL, and even other knives some would consider "too much" like a Janich-cliffe Endura, Matriarch 2, and Yojumbo... I am comfotable walking around with a waved/ringed Lil Matrairch, or a simple Yojimbo 2, or even a "sleeper" knife like an Endura, RAT 1, or Buck 110 SS. I used to think I HAD to carry the Espada, but, it isn't needed.

The PM2 is my favorite carry, probably to be replaced by the Military 2. I want to use my serrated Millie more, but it's 440V and I fear for it, but I know it wants to be used...
 
Alameda County, and the cities of Berkeley and Oakland within it, all have 3 inch blade length limits. There needs to be state pre-emption as there is for firearms.
 
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