Going to San Fran - anythinbg I should know?

C

CHP5

Joined
May 9, 2001
Messages
256
I'm going to San Fran next month. I plan on taking my Delicas. Any legal issues? Thanks.
 
If you drop it you will have to kick it to Oakland to pick it up:D :D :D

Just kidding..I couldn't pass it up.

I like SF, sorry but I don't know anything about the knife laws there. Keep it in your pocket! If you are flying pack in in your check in AND run a padlock through the hole! Seriously!
 
CHP5 said:
I'm going to San Fran next month. I plan on taking my Delicas. Any legal issues? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Keep it in your pocket when in public, clipped or unclipped, and you should be fine.

Best regards,

Argyll
 
I live here in SF. I don't know of any legal issues, but then again, I haven't been hassled by cops as of yet (knock on wood). California law isn't that strict on knives other than that you can't carry fixed blades in a concealed manner, but unlike many states, true autos are legal to carry by anyone as long as the blade is under 3 inches. As long as you're not doing anything stupid, I wouldn't expect any legal issues. The cops have enough drug and homeless related issues to deal with.

You shouldn't have any problem with your Delicas- in fact there are a couple stores right in the city that sell them. There is a somewhat overpriced knife store on the Pier 39 "toursit trap" at Fisherman's Wharf- I'd only recommend going there to play with stuff you haven't handled as the selection is good, but not to buy. Say hi to the sea lions while you're there.

If you are into knives/flashlights/general tacticool, I WOULD recommend checking out TAD Gear which is also in the city (much further south along the bay, a block from the end of the 22 bus line) and has decent prices and a whole bunch of cool stuff including some customs and high end knife brands such as Microtech, Emerson, etc. I bought my EDC Waved Endura 4 from TAD.

Just remember to put all of your knives in your checked luggage. I had a SOG Trident, the Endura Wave, a Salt I, a Leatherman, a Cricket, and a BM 530 and I got through the airport no problem.

Hope this helps and feel free to ask me any other questions if you need to,
Jon
 
Solsticejk said:
unlike many states, true autos are legal to carry by anyone as long as the blade is under 3 inches
Click to expand...

This NOT true. The definition of switchblade under CA law excludes knives with blades under _2_ inches, not 3. Carrying a 3 inch auto w/o a carry permit is illegal; carrying a 1-15/16 auto is not. Some cities have additional restrictions (not sure about SF).
 
All balis and autos are ILLEGAL unless they have a blade under 2", NOT 3". Your knives must have a detent or they'll be considred gravitiy knives, which will make them illegal. No concealed fixed blades, regardless of size- not even partially covered. Folders CAN be concealed regardless of size. I'm from Oakland, don't come around unless you know where you're going, especially if you have a flower in your hair. You'll be better off kicking the flower over to Marin county.
 
My Bad- I knew it was a small size, figured it was 3, but 2 inches it is, sorry. I don't have any autos, only AOs, which (correct me if I'm wrong) are legal to carry regardless of size. As ignoramus says and I forgot to mention, all butterfly knives are illegal- not really sure why considering they are slower to open than many legal options. Knife laws often lack logic I guess.
 
Yes, A/Os are legal. Just don't give LEOs a reason to mess with you, because they still can be jerks if they want to be and confiscate stuff. Again, just to clarify, balis are legal if their blades are shorter than 2".
 
You shouldn't have any problems with Delicas, or even larger folders. Per state law any size folder can be carried and concealed (non-bali/auto).

If you want to get specific, SF Municipal Title 17 (1291-3) prohibits carrying a concealed blade over 3" while tresspassing, fighting, loitering near an ATM or liquor store, or stalking, following, or harrassing someone. But I have no idea if it's enforced, or if the cops even know about it. And you weren't planning on doing any of those things anyway.

The cities of Berkeley, Sacramento, and Oakland have 3" limits (including on your own property!). And the city of Fremont has a 2' limit. I have no idea how strictly those laws are enforced, but I always keep my larger folders concealed in those cities.

We Be Knives on Pier 39 has an excellent selection (and somehow gets away with selling balis), all at retail price.

TAD should definitely be on the top of your list of places to visit. Great store, great guys.
 
medusaoblongata said:
We Be Knives on Pier 39 has an excellent selection (and somehow gets away with selling balis), all at retail price.

TAD should definitely be on the top of your list of places to visit. Great store, great guys.
Click to expand...


They told me that it's legal to sell and collect balis, but you can't carry them. Don't know if that's true or not.
 
ignoramus said:
They told me that it's legal to sell and collect balis, but you can't carry them. Don't know if that's true or not.
Click to expand...

balis fall under the definition of a switchblade.

pc 653(k): every person who possesses in the passenger's or drivers area of any motor vehicle in any public place or place open to the public, carries upon his or her person, and every person who sells, offers for sale, exposes for sale, loans, transfers, or gives to any other person a switchblade knfe having a blade two oor more inches in length is guilty of a misdemeanor.
 
medusaoblongata said:
If you want to get specific, SF Municipal Title 17 (1291-3) prohibits carrying a concealed blade over 3" while tresspassing, fighting, loitering near an ATM or liquor store, or stalking, following, or harrassing someone. But I have no idea if it's enforced, or if the cops even know about it. And you weren't planning on doing any of those things anyway.

The cities of Berkeley, Sacramento, and Oakland have 3" limits (including on your own property!). And the city of Fremont has a 2' limit. I have no idea how strictly those laws are enforced, but I always keep my larger folders concealed in those cities.
Click to expand...

Good info - thanks. My Delica 4 is sub-3" (the Delica 3 is slightly larger than 3"). I like carrying sub 3" knives because they more easliy comply with funky municipal ordinances.
 
MORIMOTOM said:
my advice? go check out tadgear. ive been wanting to go there for a while. :)
Click to expand...

I was there a couple of months ago for the WebSphere technical exchange and found my way over to the TAD Gear store - great people there and lots of cool things, got my Morpho there and some snow-peak chopsticks.

Definitely go there if you are in SF!
 
I was in San Francisco this past weekend. What a weird and wonderful place:) I dropped by We Be Knives (nice folks as was everyone I ran into out there,,,,they do charge retail, but with what the rents must be in SF, not to mention on Pier 39, can you blame them?) and the guys there told me that in SF, the limit for concealed carry is 3 1/4 inch blade and 5 inches for open carry. Anything bigger than 5 is considered a "collectable" knife and when transporting it to your house after purchase, they said that you should keep the receipt with the knife. They told me that the code gives you 24 hours to get it to its "collectable" final resting place...:D They also said that having the top of a folder and the clip showing from your pocket counts as open carry, but I don't know if I would rely on that.
 
jdm61 said:
I was in San Francisco this past weekend. What a weird and wonderful place:) I dropped by We Be Knives (nice folks as was everyone I ran into out there,,,,they do charge retail, but with what the rents must be in SF, not to mention on Pier 39, can you blame them?) and the guys there told me that in SF, the limit for concealed carry is 3 1/4 inch blade and 5 inches for open carry. Anything bigger than 5 is considered a "collectable" knife and when transporting it to your house after purchase, they said that you should keep the receipt with the knife. They told me that the code gives you 24 hours to get it to its "collectable" final resting place...:D They also said that having the top of a folder and the clip showing from your pocket counts as open carry, but I don't know if I would rely on that.
Click to expand...

Hmm- interesting stuff. I guess I'm doing something illegal when I walk to and from work with my SOG Trident hidden in my front jacket pocket. Might have to go back to relying on my Endura 4 Wave with the clip showing, though I've never been looked at twice by cops (they have many more pressing matters to worry about).
 
Never, and I do mean never, rely on the sales clerk at a knife store to know the laws. I've personally have heard the staff at WeBe knives give totally inaccurate descriptions of California and local law.

I challenge anyone to find a San Francisco law about "collectible knives" of over 5" or a 24 hour rule. :barf: The stuff about your folder having to be clipped to your pocket in SF is BS as well.:jerkit:

I could go on, but you get the point. If you want to know California or San Francisco laws, use the search feature. They've been detailed in this forum many times in the past.

SolsticeJk, if you read post #12 you'll see the size restriction on folders is limited to people who are loitering, stalking and the like. So your trident is lawful to carry concealed if your not engaged in those types of activities. But don't take my word, or a store clerks word for it. Look up the law yourself. Your mileage may vary.

Best regards,

Argyll
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top