Is it legal to carry less than 3" fixed blade LA county?

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monkeybutt

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Jan 2, 2008
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I've searched around esp. w/ notes by Morimotom and RW Clark, but am still uncertain. California state laws indicate that fixed blade any length okay as long as unconcealed. Except in certain areas such as school grounds where there is a 2 1/2 " limit. LA county laws seem to state that unconcealed carry of fixed or folder is prohibited. This seems to contradict state law. But the LA county law seems to define a 'knife' as having a blade as 3" or more. So if the 'blade' is less than 3" on knife, icepick, stabbing instrument etc., does it bypass the criteria?
More specifically, I'm would like to carry something like a Bark River Micro Canadian w/ a 1.75 inch blade. And would that be legal to carry concealed or unconcealed? Thanks.
 
The carry of a fixed blade in LA County is illegal reguardless of the method carried. State law bans the carry of it concealed and the county bans its carry open, so you are either in violation of the state law or the county law.

There is some gray area when it comes to sub 2" knives though. There is no written rule for it but it can be referanced back to both 12020 and 653K. The state does not generally consider anything under 2" to be a "dangerous weapon".

You can also see this in People V Luke, where a person was arrested for carrying a Swiss Card. The officer called it a dirk or dagger (since it was a fixed bladed knife :jerkit: ) the judge ruled that it was legal due to the fact that the manner in which it was carried and the way it was deployed made it more in line with a "standard pocket knife".

It is a judgement call on your part really though. If it is on your belt, I would say it is a "dirk or dagger" per the law, Kinda. If it is carried in a pocket, on a keychain or some other manner you should not have a problem.
 
state laws can be more strict than federal laws, but not more lenient.

city/county laws, likewise, can be more strict than state laws, but not more lenient. it is not a contradiction, but a stricter limit on what knives are prohibited and how they may be carried.

per the letter of the law, any knife with a blade under 3" may be carried legally in any fashion within la city or la county (the city municipal code and county code are virtually identical). this does not apply to private entities such as sports arenas, government buildings, or k-12 schools.

there are also exemptions for knives carried for lawful use in otherwise prohibited areas (recreation, work related, etc).
 
R.W.Clark said:
The carry of a fixed blade in LA County is illegal reguardless of the method carried. State law bans the carry of it concealed and the county bans its carry open, so you are either in violation of the state law or the county law.

So, a fixed blade seems to be illegal in LA county per combined restrictions of state and county.

But we have: per the letter of the law, any knife with a blade under 3" may be carried legally in any fashion within la city or la county (the city municipal code and county code are virtually identical). this does not apply to private entities such as sports arenas, government buildings, or k-12 schools.

The crux here appears to be that the blade be under 3"? It seems that the state and county laws are not concerned w/ blades under 3 inches so fixed or folder, open carry or concealed is okay, except w/ regard to private entities, government buildings, k-12 schools and universities.
Functionally speaking it seems it'll be okay to carry my micro canadian 1.75" fixed blade in my pocket in public and my sub 3" fixed blades on my belt while I hike/trail jog, right? Also, could I expect to be within the law if I hiked w/ a longer blade if I'm messin' around - er...I mean practicing some bushcrafting out on the trail per "'recreation"?

By the way thankyou both for helping to figure out what is okay w/ these laws. It is difficult to find the bottom line.
Click to expand...
 
i reread the county and state laws.

it is my opinion that the dirk/dagger definition does not necessarily include all fixed blade knives.

were it sheathed, it would not be ready for use as a stabbing weapon (again, just my opinion), in and of itself.

therefore, when combining the county and state laws, a knife with a blade under 3" may be carried in any fashion, be it a folder or fixed.

as far as lawful recreation and the carry of a larger knife, it is again just my opinion, but hiking would fall under this exemption. you would also be exempt to and from your destination.

i know, its confusing.
 
As I posted in another thread, here is the LA County Municipal Code:

13.62.010 Knives and daggers defined.
As used in this chapter, the terms “knives and daggers” shall include any knife having a blade of three inches or more in length; any spring-blade, switch-blade or snap-blade knife; any knife any blade of which is automatically released by a spring mechanism or other mechanical device; any ice pick or similar sharp stabbing tool; any straight-edge razor or any razor blade fitted to a handle. (Ord. 11915 § 1, 1979.)

13.62.020 Carrying knives and daggers in plain view prohibited.
It is unlawful for any person to carry on his person, in plain view, any knife or dagger. (Ord. 11915 § 2, 1979.)

13.62.030 Exemptions to chapter applicability.
The foregoing restrictions shall not be deemed to prohibit the carrying of ordinary tools or equipment for use in a lawful occupation or for the purpose of lawful recreation, or where the carrying of a knife or dagger is a recognized religious practice. (Ord. 11915 § 3, 1979.)

13.62.040 Violation--Penalty.
Any person violating this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not exceeding $500.00 or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (Ord. 11915 § 4, 1979.)
 
MORIMOTOM said:
per the letter of the law, any knife with a blade under 3" may be carried legally in any fashion within la city or la county (the city municipal code and county code are virtually identical). this does not apply to private entities such as sports arenas, government buildings, or k-12 schools.

there are also exemptions for knives carried for lawful use in otherwise prohibited areas (recreation, work related, etc).
Click to expand...

Well it looks like I should be within the law by carrying my Emerson La Griffe, which only has a 1 3/4" blade and is sheathed, in my pocket in L.A. County.

Not at work of course. :o (school teacher)

Great answers here. It is quite the task to make sense of all this. Thanks guys. :thumbup::thumbup:
 
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