Honeymooned in Mexico knife and all...

[RDT]

So, I have long been wondering what the laws in Mexico were on knife carry. I still don't know but I do know they certainly sell them there. All shapes and sizes and mostly poor quality Tramontina and like makes. The first thing my wife and I did upon arriving was take a walk just a few steps from the hotel and there was a hardware shop in Mexico city that sold among there wrenches and screwdrivers....pellet guns and knives. Mostly utility knives, box cutters and hunting/camping knives as well as kitchen knives. Anyway, I bought about a 3 1/4" Tramontina throw away folder with faux horn handles. It cost about the equivalent of $2.27 USD. So, when I threw it away before boarding the plane I wouldn't miss it. I carried it for just another day as we left for Teotihuacan to see the Pyramids, no problems. Then to Acapulco the next day. Low and behold, they had a rather odd looking metal detector at the bus station. I didn't know I was walking thru until it was almost too late. But, they didn't seem to be checking anyone who was beeping too thoroughly anyway so I went thru. More out of momentum than anything. Guess what....they (of course) decide to search me. I had my Surefire with TID they found that and thought nothing of it. Then kept frisking me. I told him I have a "Cuccillo" and he opened his hand for me to give to him. I did and he measured the blade against his fingers (how inaccurate). His fingers were about have the width of mine(no exaggeration) as he was about 5' tall and maybe 22 years old at best. He showed his superior and the Superior didn't seem to mind one bit. He said in Spanish that it was okay just shove it deep in my bag and place it in the storage under the bus. That was the end of it. No hassle no nada. So, was I just lucky or was I within my legal rights as far as Mexican law allows? BTW Acapulco is incredible!!!!! It's over 90 degrees there now and nothing but warm beaches, clean streets and sands and the hotels are cheap now in the off season. I love Mexico and may be moving there in the next few years if things pan out as planned and after a few more trips to scout it out. So what are the knife laws?.....Take care....Rich

 

[cognitivefun]

thank you for the report. How timely. I am going to Akumal at the end of December, about an hour or so south of Cancun (but not Cancun thank goodness) and will be there for one week.

I ordered a BM Monochrome and a Gerber Clip-lock Rivermaster on advice of folks here in this wonderful forum. I have bought cheap Mexican knives in the past (have one right here in fact) but don't care for cheap knives. I spent $35 on each purchase here in the USA and I am sure I will have no problems in Mexico with them. I will check them and bring them back to the US. I bought cheaper knives so that if they are stolen by the TSA I won't shed too many tears (no Sebenzas or the like).

(Are there any good knives in Mexico? Just curious...if there are, I'd love to buy one).

I have been to Mexico a number of times and never had any kind of issue with the law. I have known people who did. According to them, mordida still seems to rule, and the police are happy to look the other way with a small payment in most events from what I understand.

BTW, the airport security I ran into last time I was in Mexico was done by a private contractor. It was much more thorough than most of the airport security here in the USA. Everyone had bags thoroughly searched and they were smart about it. Unlike here in the US.

 

[RDT]

Air port security was pretty lax going both ways. They seem hard pressed to welcome tourism without hassle. All I could find there were Tramontina knives which are the bottom of the barrel. But, they are cheap and there are no tears when you toss em'. I gathered from the security guys thoughts on knife length and his use of 4 fingers that the laws might be similar to NY's laws. Cops still do that here, even though it's the most inaccurate way of measuring a blade. It's 4" and under here. No gravity, or assisted opening knives. Knives with thumb studs and Spyder holes and such are technically legal but there are those cops that will take it from you and as they define it as assisted opening or automatic....DUH! As well, Balisongs are a no, no also. No double edge knives. Oh well...I did a search online and couldn't find anything about Mexican knife laws?! I wanna know because, I may move there in the next few years. Anyone out there have the sepcifics? Any Mexican forumites around here? Peace....R

 

[Don Luis]

As far as I know (haven´t checked in a while) Federal law here about "white weapons" is very ambiguous, anything that can be used to cut or punch can be an illegal weapon, someone I know had a 2 1/2 inch bladed electrician knife confiscated and I have seen pictures in the paper of things that were confiscated as weapons that included a keyring size Victorinox.

That been said, I do carry a folder about 2 1/2 inch blade (Victorinox) and a small Schrade stockman and never had any problems, the police here may stop a public transportation bus and search all men, I have been searched twice this year but they didn´t check well and found nothing.

There are a few good places to get knives if you know where to look. Victorinox are very common. Some sport shops may carry a few Buck and used to have Schrade. Spyderco, Kershaw and SOG can be seen on occasion. Spanish Aitor and Muela are more common and some are quite good, particularly fixed blades. There is a Boker shop in downtown Mexico city but lately has had only a few models and they are expensive. Tramontina is common too and the not so cheap ones are not so bad. German brands are often seen in sport shops and some are very good, There is plenty of cheap stuff from the Orient ranging from total crap to not so bad. Others like Opinel or some other European brands can sometimes be seen

In general if you can bring something from the U.S. it will be better, lots more to choose from and much better price.

There are some decent Mexican made knives, mostly traditional forged bowie styles from Oaxaca and Jalisco but there is much tourist oriented not good stuff and you practically have to go to the maker to get the good ones.

 

[RDT]

Thanks Don Luis, do you know any good Mexican knifemakers? I almost mad it to Oaxaca...next time for sure. I saw another sport shop in teh city but I was on a bus on teh way to Teotihuacan, it looked like it might be nicer and have more knives than what I saw near the hotel around the zocalo. The place I went to had Victorinox but that was it other than Tramontina and I think some Muela. Otherwise it was a hardware shop. Peace.....R

 

[Don Luis]

Makers.

There is José Ojeda from Sayula, Jalisco, could probably be found in Guadalajara, you can see some if his work here:

http://cultura.iteso.mx/c3/03a/metalisteria.html

The Aragón family from Oaxaca was well known years ago, probably still there, it really has been years since I´ve heard of them.

Places to buy,

In Mexico city, at the Santa Fe mall the "Security Planet" store usually has some good American knives (often Spyderco at about twice the U.S. price), Sears and Liverpool department stores often have Aitor, Muela and sometimes some American brands (Gerber, Schrade, Buck) along with Victorinox and cheap Chinese stuff (check both the sports and the hardware areas). Marti sports (with a shop in almost every large mall) sometimes carries good knives but it´s hit and miss and the employees know nothing about knives. Casa Larre is a small fishing shop that sometimes imports good knives from U.S. and Germany, they had some Buck and a bunch of Smith and Wesson the last time I went, they are in a small plaza called Santa Catarina (full address and phone in the yellow pages, probably under "artículos para cacería y pesca"), The Sanborns restaurant and shop which can be found almost everywhere carry plenty of Victorinox and often have things on sale, good food too.