Denver Balisongs?

[verrlara]

What are the ownership laws surrounding these fun devices?

(California is annoying with its laws on them ;-;, So I am moving to denver >>; )

 

[AbnInfantry]

You might want to consider a different city for your new home. Denver Municipal Code § 38-117 (a) prohibits the concealed carry by non-LEOs of numerous items including any "switchblade knife, gravity knife, or any knife having a blade greater than three and one-half (3 1/2) inches in length." DMC § 38-117 (b) prohibits the "carry, use or wear" by non-LEOs of the same items listed in subsection (a). DMC § 38-119 states, "It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, display, use, possess, carry or transport any knife or instrument having the appearance of a pocket knife, the blade of which can be opened by a flick of a button, pressure on the handle, or other mechanical contrivance."

Your may read the appropriate material yourself by going to the following link to the Denver Municipal Code. Once you're on the DMC website, go to Chapter 38, "Offenses, Miscellaneous Provisions", then to Division 2, "Weapons and Missiles", and finally to the specific subsections I cited:

http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=10257&sid=6

 

[cerulean]

I wrote to the Denver DA's office in 2001 asking about balisongs and this was their reply:

We are in receipt of your e-mail inquiring about the legality of the Balisong style knife. The Colorado statutes do not detail specific types or styles of knives when determining whether such a weapon is considered to be legal. The statutes, as you note, describe the characteristics which make a weapon subject to prohibition.

The actual determination whether any edged weapon is considered to be an illegal weapon, as defined by 18-12-102, is a question of fact. While, ultimately, questions of fact are decided by jurors, our belief is that a so-called Balisong knife is, indeed, a gravity knife, the possession of which is prohibited by Colorado law. I hope we have been of some assistance.

S. Lamar Sims
Chief Deputy D.A.

So basically, you can fight it in court, but they consider balisongs to be "gravity" knives and therefor illegal to possess under state law. This was from several years ago though, so it might not hurt to get a more recent opinion.

 

[verrlara]

So I can't even own it in my house as a collectors item? I am not considering taking it out in public.

Thank you for your quick reply all the same!