Illinois, Urbana Champaign area

[Thrmo]

First off I'm not 100% sure if this is the best area for this post, so if there is a better area please advise.

Now on to my question. I'm wondering if anyone has experience with caring a knife in the Champana area? My wife and I will be moving to the area this summer and I'm wondering if there will be any issues with me caring a 3.5 in blade(Paramilitary 2)? As I understand it IL knife laws are intent based and as long as I'm not breaking the law or intending to use my knife as a weapon I should be fine in IL in general (minus the Chicago area).

Any input would be much appreciated.

 

[jhp]

I believe your understanding to be correct. I lived in Champaign for nine years during college and grad school and never had an issue. During this time, I EDC'd a Benchmade 970 and an Al Mar SERE. I buy and carry knives in the 3.5 inch range regularly in Illinois (including a PM2), and I know of no laws banning that practice in and of itself, aside from those in Chicago that you mentioned.

Enjoy your time in C-U. It's a great town, and I miss the area tremendously.

 

[mqqn]

Hi Thrmo -

I still am not sure on the law in Illinois. I have a lawyer friend who swears that anything over 3" is not legal for carry, and then others who say it is ok as long as you don't intend to use the knife as a weapon.

Being Illinois, and being as the law does mention 3" blades twice in the statute, I am just not sure of the strict legality.

That said, I routinely carry a larger than 3" folder on my person anywhere outside of Chicago (I live in central Illinois) and have NEVER had any issue, even when interacting with law enforcement with my knife clearly clipped to my pocket.

I believe you are just fine if you aren't brandishing your knife, and you aren't otherwise being arrested.

best regards -

mqqn

 

[arty]

I live in Champaign and have heard/read two stories about legality. One version says that any knife with a blade 3" and over is a weapon. This would ban it from the campus, for example, if the school has a weapons prohibition.
The other version I have heard is that a pocket knife is not a weapon if there is no intent to use it that way.
I am not a lawyer, so I tend to follow the more conservative view and keep the blades smaller.
I only carry knives with blades under 3" in central Illinois. If fishing or hunting, then it is a whole different story, and anything goes.

 

[Watchful]

The reason there are two stories about this is because there are folks who have read 720 ILCS 5/33A-1, which prevents you from carrying a knife as a weapon if it's 3" or more.

The other stories are from those who ALSO read 720 ILCS 5/24-1, which defines what constitutes weapons, and if you're NOT carrying a knife as a weapon, the length does not apply.

Illinois, like a few states, uses intent: if you're NOT intending to use your knife as a weapon, but as a tool, you're good to go.

However, folks from outside Illinois understandably get confused by this; often, their original states have proscriptive laws that says a knife, regardless of how you use it, has a length limit.

It's essential not to confuse the two; Illinois doesn't care about length unless you've got a weapon. And in case anyone asks, yes: carrying a knife for self-defense makes it a weapon. Carrying a knife for opening packages, fishing, hunting, yard work, etc., is NOT a weapon.