Can anyone recommend a carry knife for someone living in nyc

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repacsmare

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Oct 5, 2006
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I am having a hard time understanding the legal and knife jargon. Just point me to a knife I can carry with me in nyc that is legal.
 
When i'm home from college I usually spend alot of time in NYC and usually carry a small folder such as my SOG Twitch 2 or an Endura. If you want to be completely safe go with a SAK Tinker or a similar version.
 
Welcome to Bladeforums!

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repacsmare said:
I am having a hard time understanding the legal and knife jargon. Just point me to a knife I can carry with me in nyc that is legal.
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It's not THAT confusing:
http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/ny.txt

But a common procedure among NYPD officers is the "4-finger test."

You lay the flat portion of the blade down, just above your palm, if the entire blade (tip to very start of handle) is longer than the length of YOUR four fingers lined up; then carry something with a shorter blade. You don't count the thumb.

Seems silly? It is! It's not even part of any NYC case-ruling. But you better believe that it is the accepted practice among NYC LEOs.... for all practical purposes. Now, you shouldn't have any problems selecting a street-legal knife in NYC. Just remember, even if the blade-length is legal, you are (basically) required to carry it concealed within NYC limits.

Hope this helps. :)
 
The four finger rule is a good way to stay out of trouble. Another way is not to start trouble, or look like you may be trouble.

Nobody is going to know what you're carrying unless you show them or you give them a reason to find out.
 
Welcome to Bladeforums! :)

Four fat fingers or four skinny fingers? ha ha ha ha ha

You can carry a folder as long as it's concealed and the blade is under four inches.
No autos, gravity knives, balisongs, or double-edged blades.

If you're worried about being hassled, avoid assisted openers that could be mistaken for autos.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Welcome to Bladeforums! :)

Four fat fingers or four skinny fingers? ha ha ha ha ha
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The accepted practice is to use your own fingers when selecting a knife. Some LEO's keep that in mind. But others will use their fingers to make the determination, instead of the fingers of the guy carrying the knife.

Like I said, it's completely retarded...... for the very reason you just brought up. If it wasn't for the fact that guys have ended up in jail because the average LEO has no clue that it's supposed to be 4 inches, max; I'd be laughing right along with you! :grumpy:
 
NYC Admin code states the 4" law, and the NYS Penal law states the rest.....you should try to carry the most non weapon knife posssible as there is the "dangerous knife" wording in the NYS Pl....that could of course be any knife. The four finger rule is old and most new officers realize it is four inches. The main concern is what is a gravity knife. Any knife that can be flicked open by force is a gravity knife....Did you know that includes if you hold the blade anad flick open the knife by making the handle flick? Sad but true, although a few judges don't go along with that method of opening most will allow a officer a few attempts to flick open a knife to show it is a gravity knife if the first attempt failed....most do open, so be careful and check your blade is not loose, or does not wear in and become loose.....
 
as with most cases, it depends on the circumstances.

one of my guys on parole got picked up for smoking a joint in NYC and was charged w/ CPW 4th (mis.) because he had a Spydie Jester type knife on his keyring. it was basically "plead guilty to the joint and get community service, or go to trial and get up to a year for the knife".

...any small folder shouldn't be a problem, but it becomes a factor in the event of LE contact. when i hung out in NYC, i carried either PE Delicas, SAKs or traditional slipjoints. mainly nothing i was afraid to have confiscated.

boxcutters are a problem as well. because they are an excellent tool, as well as popular with gang members. some martial-minded friends of mine in NYC have taken to multitools w/ locking blades.

now i live in Central NY and if you have a 4" fixed blade on your belt next to your Leatherman, noone will look twice.
 
Having lived in a city for a couple of years now, I've adopted the philosophy that the best knives are the smallest ones I can stand. I EDC a Spyderco Cricket, a Spyderco Navigator II, a Victorinox Soldier, or a Victorinox Waiter. Notice a pattern (and no, not the brands, but the blade sizes)? Even my "big" knives aren't very big: a Small Sebenza and a Delica 4.

I recently bought a Spyderco Spin because I'm going to be in New York a few times over the coming months. And like most knuts who don't live in NY, I just assume they will be fanatically restrictive there. ;)
 
People can and do get locked up in NYC for carrying common folding knives with locking blades. You may think it's not fair, but it's the reality. I wouldn't assume a small fixed blade is the answer either, as most of them arguably fall within the "dirk" test as articulated by at least one NY court.

SAKs or multi-tools are the way to go in NYC.
 
sliplock....I agree with your warnings...never heard of the "dirk" case being made as a fixed blade knife under four inches was always a good carry knife...I also was a NYC LEO and am still close to several friends who are fairly high ranking members of the force now. That all said, there are a few knives that should pass the test for legal carry, but they are few and far between....must not flick open at all, pefer non locking, under four inches and carried concealled....
 
Get a small sebenza, It will last you a lifetime! They are great working knives and when you pull em out, you don't scare anybody.
 
Just as a note. Some building are more restrictive and don't allow any knives. The Empire State building was that way. I'm not sure if it is now. Just something to think about.

Just out of curiousity, is the "flick open" test peculiar to NYC? Has anyone taken it to state court?
 
The flick open is state wide (NYS Penal Law section 265), but NYC has taken it to the highest level of enforcement. They consider any knife that can be flicked open to be a gravity knife. This includes holding the blade and flicking the handle open !!! Not many knives that wouldn't open that way. NYC also has a law saying the blade must be under 4" and it can NOT de displayed to the public ( NO pocket clip, belt holders, etc)....There are very few knives that are a legal carry based on there enforcement policy. The rest of NYS views it differently, as the blade has to flick open easily to be a gravity knife and they are less likely to even check for this on a normal knife that is not designed as a weapon.....
 
in direct contrast to 'Mott v. Jefferson County' ('87) wherein a balisong was prosecuted as a 'gravity knife' but was ruled not to fit the statute as it requied multiple steps of manipulation to actual open fully.

of course NYC specifically names 'butterfly knives' where the rest of NY doesn't.




tom19176 said:
The flick open is state wide (NYS Penal Law section 265), but NYC has taken it to the highest level of enforcement. They consider any knife that can be flicked open to be a gravity knife. This includes holding the blade and flicking the handle open !!! Not many knives that wouldn't open that way. NYC also has a law saying the blade must be under 4" and it can NOT de displayed to the public ( NO pocket clip, belt holders, etc)....There are very few knives that are a legal carry based on there enforcement policy. The rest of NYS views it differently, as the blade has to flick open easily to be a gravity knife and they are less likely to even check for this on a normal knife that is not designed as a weapon.....
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