Just to let everyone know - I am an attorney. I started this post because I believe that many people are under the impression that all double-edged knives are per se illegal. However, the New York State penal statute only makes possession of certain weapons (switchblade, unlicensed firearm etc.) per se illegal. A "dagger, dangerous knife or dirk" is only illegal to possess if it is possessed with the intent to use it "unlawfully against another." This leaves open the argument that if a double-edged knife with a blade less than 4" is possessed for self-defense (by definition a lawful activity) possession is not illegal. I would caution that I have not done an exhaustive review of the case law but some cases do indicate that a possession charge will be dropped if it is not established that the knife was being carried to be used "unlawfully against another."
I quote the relevant portions of Section 265.01:
A person is guilty of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree when:
(1) He possesses any firearm, electronic dart gun, gravity knife, switchblade knife, pilum ballistic knife, cane sword, billy, blackjack, bludgeon, metal knuckles, chuka stick, sand bag, sand club, wrist-brace type slingshot or slungshot, shirken or "Kung Fu star"; or
(2) He possesses any dagger, dangerous knife, dirk, razor, stilleto, imitation pistol, or any other dangerous or deadly instrument or weapon with intent to use the same unlawfully against another;
While I know that many police officers feel that a double-edged knife is always illegal, this does not make it so.
Mark
