Carrying an AO knife in NYC

D

davide

Joined
Apr 5, 2009
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Does anyone know if it is legal to carry an AO knife in New York City? I've read what the state law says about switches and gravity blades, but it looks like it could be interpreted either way in terms of assisted opener knives. I was at Adorama Camera a couple weeks ago and saw the SOG Aegis up for sale, which is making me think that maybe they are legal for carry. But I'd rather be safe on this one.

This is my first post by the way, so if I'm putting this in the wrong forum, my apologies.
 
Welcome to BF. :)

NYC has some of the toughest knife carry laws in the country.

Forget about the AO when in NYC - you're best off carrying a slipjoint.
With a blade under 4" in length.
 
Ya know I'm not sure about it (written before rifon2 posted). I plan on owning one soon (CRKT Hissatsu) but wasn't really thinking of carrying it. I'm sure someone will come by and lend some info on this. Knife laws here are purposefully ambiguous. That give officers latitude in these situations. You could very well get into trouble with one officer just carrying around a non-assisted sub-4" folder while another might not bother you at all even with an AO. It's all about perceived intent. One of my EDC's is a tactical black folder (Benchmade 721SBT) and I haven't had any questions yet. A call to your local precinct will also give you some info. I have heard that calling several precincts to get a sampling is best.

And yes, welcome to bladeforums!
 
NYC's knife laws prohibit knives that can be opened using "centrifugal force" which lock upon opening.

They also prevent the carrying of a "dangerous knife", whatever that may be.
So, with respect to knife carry, a a large amount of discretion is given to any individual LEO you happen to encounter in NYC.

Much of NYC knife law is in the NYC Administrative Code.

Here's a good summary of NYC knife carry laws: http://www.attackproof.com/laws-regarding-knives.html
 
Thanks for the info. I think I'll play it safe then and stay away from something like a Kershaw Blur or SOG Aegis. Now what I'm wondering is if Benchmade Axis lock knives fall into the centrifugal force argument. Because those can be opened by flicking them if one disengages the lock even if that's not the way they are meant to be opened, and I would not be opening it that way.
 
^ On the benchmade note is that you can tighten the pivot so it does not easily open without force. I know many people have lost their spydercos because of similar laws. Once again it depends on the Officer that stops you.
 
Look in the maker forum and find a nice slippie over there. They are beautiful and are less likely to be questioned. Make sure to carry FULLY concealed, it's the law I believe.
 
moronic laws freely interpreted by scumbag cops. They will call virtually any knife a gravity knife and charge you with a crime.
 
A_Blade_Afficionado said:
Look in the maker forum and find a nice slippie over there. They are beautiful and are less likely to be questioned.
Make sure to carry FULLY concealed, it's the law I believe.
Click to expand...

Slippies are definitely the way to go in NYC.
And yes, any knife being carried must be fully concealed - including the pocket clip if it has one.

But there are exceptions.
For example, if you have a NYS fishing license, you can - under certain circumstances - legally carry/possess knives other than small slipjoints.
(NYC happens to have a fairly large commercial fishing fleet in the south of Brooklyn, in the Sheepshead Bay area.)
 
rifon2 said:
Slippies are definitely the way to go in NYC.
And yes, any knife being carried must be fully concealed - including the pocket clip if it has one.

But there are exceptions.
For example, if you have a NYS fishing license, you can - under certain circumstances - legally carry/possess knives other than small slipjoints.
(NYC happens to have a fairly large commercial fishing fleet in the south of Brooklyn, in the Sheepshead Bay area.)
Click to expand...

I need to go to NYC, it would give me a good excuse to get a custom slippie. Imagine the look on a cops face if you waved a Endura or whipped out a Civilian, it would be priceless.
But seriously, the best knife in NYC would be a Hannah Montana, pink, singing knife with a round tip that sings "I love you" from Barney when you open it. Better to be safe than sorry. :D
 
Under current conditions, I will not carry a knife in NYC that locks, period. They will find a way to call it a gravity knife if they want to. Classic slipjoints, non-locking SAKs, or Spyderco slipits like the UKPK are all I would chance.
 
Thanks guys for all the tips. I was thinking of going with a lockback folder like the endura 4, but I'll look into a slipjoint.
 
I would suggest a SAK. There are few knives as well accepted by the general public.

As a side note assuming something is legal just because a brick and mortar sells it is a bad idea. I know of a place in WNY that sells daggers and OTF autos among other items that are illegal statewide. And the place is not shady either. It's rather well established.
 
davide said:
Thanks guys for all the tips. I was thinking of going with a lockback folder like the endura 4, but I'll look into a slipjoint.
Click to expand...

If you brought an Endura and lived to tell the tale I would be suprised. Just because it's a lockback doesn't mean it's not considered a dangerous weapon.
 
Locust said:
As a side note assuming something is legal just because a brick and mortar sells it is a bad idea. I know of a place in WNY that sells daggers and OTF autos among other items that are illegal statewide. And the place is not shady either. It's rather well established.
Click to expand...

Perhaps these items are legal for LEO's or Military in your state?
 
Esav Benyamin said:
True. They may also be legal to own but not to carry in public.
Click to expand...

The criminal posession of a weapon laws make no differentiation between keeping the weapon in your home and carrying it in public; unless the weapon is an unlicensed pistol and the offender has no prior record. The keye element of the law is possession, which means that one exercises control over the implement.
 
davide said:
Thanks guys for all the tips. I was thinking of going with a lockback folder like the endura 4, but I'll look into a slipjoint.
Click to expand...

I've never met a locking folder that I couldn't flip open wtih minimal work. Slipjoint is really the only way that I go when I enter the city. Remember, in addition to the statewide criminal possession of a weapon laws, NYC disallows carrying visible knives (that includes a knife clipped to the inside of your pocket, or in a belt sheath). That is enforced very strictly and is coincidentally how many of criminal posession arrests are made (search incident to arrest for carrying a visible knife).
 
An AO is too easy to categorize as "gravity knife", but a two-hand open can hardly fit into that category. If you're willing to push the envelope (and be a guinea pig for us), carry a lockback SAK. The SAK logo alone can potentially save you.

But if you want to be perfectly safe, just carry slipjoints like everybody said.
 
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