Help With NYC Laws

S

soccergod04

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Apr 24, 2006
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I'm travelling to NYC soon and have looked into the knife laws as much as possible. It is my understanding that I can carry a folder with a blade length of less than 4 inches as long as it is concealed.

If anyone lives in NYC or knows specifically that this information is either correct or incorrect, it would be greatly appreciated.
 
Most locking folders can get you in trouble. If an officer can whip the knife around and get it to open, they classify it as a gravity knife. Best bet is a small SAK.

Yes, I'm disgusted.
 
Do not clip your knife to your pocket, and if you can flick the knife open using wrist movements (either holding the blade or holding the handle) you may be charged with possession of an illegal gravity knife, at the discretion of the officer. Fixed blades are allowed by the definition of the law but may be frowned more upon.
 
soccergod04 said:
I'm travelling to NYC soon and have looked into the knife laws as much as possible. It is my understanding that I can carry a folder with a blade length of less than 4 inches as long as it is concealed.

If anyone lives in NYC or knows specifically that this information is either correct or incorrect, it would be greatly appreciated.
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dont go. come to turtle creek, alabama. we got everything NYC has ( or not )
 
soccergod04 said:
I was afraid of answers like these...

Tinker to the rescue!

Thanks for the help, fellas.
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I like my Spyderco UKPK and T-Mag myself (great excuse for new knives :D) -- they are both one-handed but not locking. Most times I carry a gritty (dirtied up) Sebenza that is very difficult to flick.
 
I feel the pain, I have to go this week. I am bringing a leatherman in the pocket and a SAK. Might take my agrussell woodswalker in its pocket sheath.
 
As I understand it, it's not so much the locking feature that's an issue.
NYC law does not specifically prohibit a blade that "locks upon opening" unless the blade is 4" or longer.

The major issues with carrying a knife in NYC are...

1. Is it a "dangerous knife"? - not defined in the law, but NYC law prohibits carrying a "dangerous knife" in public. (in my view, a completely crazy law that leaves discretion entirely to the police.)

2. The knife must be concealed completely. Including the pocket clip.

3. Can the knife be "flicked" open?

4. Is the blade less than 4"?


Still, though, the safest carry in NYC is a small, traditional slipjoint or SAK.
 
Part of the definition of a gravity knife is that it locks. So a one-handed non-locking folder no matter how easy to open should be fine.
 
Because of vagueness of "dangerous knife" naturally we go to case law in the appeals courts. Well, if you were convicted of carrying a dangerous knife, you'd appeal, wouldn't you?

Cases I have read seem to indicate that more than anything, violent and unlawful intent is what makes something a dangerous knife.

Virtually every case I found (People v. Jackson (2007) People v. Fisher (2008); People v. Gilliam (2007)) involved the defendant ACTIVELY threatening an innocent person (i.e. unarmed girlfriend, store employees) with a folding knife. This threatening action made the model of knife completely irrelevant; using it to threaten people screwed the pooch and makes it a "dangerous knife."

People v. Richards (2008) yields a most interesting statement by the high court. The defendant was drunk in public and being annoying to people on the street. A cop stopped him due to his harassing passersby and found a 3-inch fixed blade in his pocket. He said, "It's for protection from drug dealers." Idiot! The Court even said he screwed himself with this one:

To be sure, had defendant remained silent, the weapon-possession charge could not be sustained. For in that event, there would be no proof that defendant himself considered the knife to be a weapon, no evidence that the knife was a dangerous knife, and, therefore, no presumption of unlawful intent (see Matter of Francisco C., 238 AD2d 224, 657 N.Y.S.2d 16 [1st Dept 1997]). n4 Nevertheless, defendant did make a statement here, and an inculpatory one at that (at least in part). Indeed, defendants' statements are often used to establish the charges against them or to provide probable cause for their arrest, even though no charge could have been brought or arrest made had the defendant said nothing.
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As Chris Rock put it, when dealing with our pals in blue, "Shut the **** up!"

Never say a knife is for defense.
 
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carrot said:
Part of the definition of a gravity knife is that it locks. So a one-handed non-locking folder no matter how easy to open should be fine.
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Or one that does lock but is really hard to open (i.e. multitool). But that's just me. I like Gerber multipliers:D.
 
glistam, you are right about keeping your mouth shut....My friend is a knife friendly NYPD Captain and his men brought in four twenty year old guys for have steak knives in their car when stopped at a check point, because they said they had them due to threats from other men, and the steak knives were for defense.....watch what you say and never state a tool is a weapon.....
 
carrot said:
Do not clip your knife to your pocket, and if you can flick the knife open using wrist movements (either holding the blade or holding the handle) you may be charged with possession of an illegal gravity knife, at the discretion of the officer. Fixed blades are allowed by the definition of the law but may be frowned more upon.
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I doubt that a knife like Gerber Guardian for example would be only "frowned upon" if you were carrying one and got stopped and searched. I wouldn't carry any fixed blade knife in NYC. A non-locking Victorinox SAK is a much better idea.
 
Ok, well, I'm back. I carried two slipjoints. A SAK Tinker and a Byrd Firebyrd. Kept them hidden and even stopped to talk to a cop with no problems. Of course I avoided situations where I might be using them. I did give the Firebyrd to a guy to light his cigarette.
 
soccergod04 said:
I'm travelling to NYC soon and have looked into the knife laws as much as possible. It is my understanding that I can carry a folder with a blade length of less than 4 inches as long as it is concealed.

If anyone lives in NYC or knows specifically that this information is either correct or incorrect, it would be greatly appreciated.
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Use this link,I think you will find this helpful. http://www.thehighroad.org/library/blades/knifelaws.html
 
j.bowie said:
How did you come to that conclusion?
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It's not totally useless, just makes a few mistakes that are bothersome. It got my own state wrong, for one. Maryland doesn't distinguish in statutory law between concealed and open carry, and balisongs are NOT illegal here even if concealed because they count as "penknives."
 
glistam said:
It's not totally useless, just makes a few mistakes that are bothersome. It got my own state wrong, for one. Maryland doesn't distinguish in statutory law between concealed and open carry, and balisongs are NOT illegal here even if concealed because they count as "penknives."
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I wonder if we could find another reliable source?
 
This site does show what can be carried concealed or open carry. For instance you can conceal carry a pocket knife but you cant with everything else but you can open carry just about everything.:) in maryland.
 
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