Is There a 50-State Legal Knife?

I would not hesitate to carry a Swiss Army knife or a medium sized slip joint like a Buck 303 or a Case 6318 anywhere in the US including NYC. I know you are probably referring to some "Modern" knife but when you need a knife to just be a knife not a toy, you can't beat a Traditional !
 
I didn't read the article but I wouldn't take anything from AKTI at face value. They claim that FL has preemption for knives and that is totally untrue. It's black letter law that preemption only covers firearms not knives. We need preemption on knives but do not have it.
 
Spyderco Roadie and Three Rivers Nomad and Buck 380 should be universally legal. Non locking slipjoints with blade length under 2.5"
 
NMpops has hit on a key issue - local laws not preempted by state law create a patchwork of inconsistent standards even within a single state. in Cleveland, 0hio, a 1901 city ordinance provides:

§ 627.10. Possessing Certain Weapons at or About Public Places

(a) No person shall knowingly carry, have in his or her possession or ready at hand any... knife having a blade two and one-half (2-1/2) inches in length or longer ... while at or about a public place.

(b) As used in this section, “public place” means any place to which the general public has access and a right to resort for business, entertainment or other lawful purpose [such as a street or road] , but does not necessarily mean a place devoted solely to the uses of the public. It also includes the front or immediate area of any store, shop, restaurant, tavern or other place of business and any grounds, areas or parks where persons would congregate.
...
(f) It is an affirmative defense to a charge under this section that the actor was not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing a knife having a blade two and one-half (2-1/2) inches in length or longer, and that either (i) the actor at the time was engaged in a lawful business or pursuit and that business or pursuit requires a knife having a blade two and one-half (2-1/2) inches in length or longer as a tool of trade or pursuit, ....
...
(g) ... [W]hoever violates this section is guilty of possessing certain weapons on or about public places and shall be fined not less than three hundred dollars ($300.00)[a month's wages in 1901], nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), and imprisoned for not less than three (3) days, nor more than six (6) months. No part of this sentence shall, in any case whatsoever, be suspended or otherwise reduced."

This ordinance is of dubious constitutionality and is rarely and selectively enforced.

It makes it a crime for me to carry my EDC SAC when traveling through Cleveland. But as an old, White, middle-class person I have little to fear.

It also applies to the plastic knives at MacDonald's and the "dinner knives" at every other restaurant in Cleveland.
This ordinance earns Cleveland the ranking of the Seventh-worst city for knife rights in the U.S.A.

Many cities have knife ordinances.
 
The heck with NYC. They have proven, with their Socialist Police, to violate peoples Constitutional rights over and over.
Avoid all big cities actually. The rest of NY State is actually quite beautiful and knife friendly.
Same as here in Cali.
Avoid Los Angeles City. The mayor is a moron who just doesn't get it like our Governor.
The rest of Cali, mostly desert and mountains.
I carry what the hell I want :-)
 
SW-EDC said:
The heck with NYC. They have proven, with their Socialist Police, to violate peoples Constitutional rights over and over.
Avoid all big cities actually. The rest of NY State is actually quite beautiful and knife friendly.
Same as here in Cali.
Avoid Los Angeles City. The mayor is a moron who just doesn't get it like our Governor.
The rest of Cali, mostly desert and mountains.
I carry what the hell I want :)
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"Socialist police"? You think the police make the rules in NYC?
 
Thomas Linton said:
"Socialist police"? You think the police make the rules in NYC?
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Well, they do and they don't... They don't because their are not in the legislative branch. But they do because politicians, by intent or incompetence (most likely the former), write the rules such that they give a lot of leeway for the police to interpret as they see fit. Although I'm sure there are many well-meaning police officers out there, there's rampant abuse of authority in those places because there's nobody to keep them in check.

Most importantly, it is important to remember that whatever the rules are at the local level, police have made an oath to first obey the laws at the state level and, above all else, the constitution! So, even if a mayor says to go frisk people, police should be the first ones to come out and say "we cannot do that!". If they do not say a word, they are complicit.

To the OP: I always thought that a SAK (84mm or 91mm) deep in the pocket would be fine everywhere... I was not aware of cities with so restrictive policies! Perhaps try a Victorinox Executive (76mm with ~2in blade). Or, you can always go for something like a MAM 2B friction folder, with sheepsfoot blade for an extra utilitarian look. I think that no one on their right mind should have a problem with either.
 
I spent my entire LE career in New Mexico and we do have some stupid and hard to interpret laws concerning knives. But what it boils down to is intent. In 28 years I never heard of anyone being arrested or ticketed for mere possession of any knife. Deadly weapons charges with knives came when a knife was actually used in an assault.

As a side note, the most commonly used knife in assaults, at least where I worked was a kitchen knife. I know of two(2) incident involving a Buck 110 and a Pakistani made Buck clone. Now that I live in Arizona, all knives are legal and the State does have a preemption law so cities are out of the loop.
 
Thomas Linton said:
This is a matter of interpretation of laws by the courts and executives, not the police.
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First of all, allow me to make a clarification. I completely agree that politicians and other bureaucrats are the primary culprit here, *not* the police.

Then again, the police is not without fault. What's the proportion of cops that actually know *and* understand the laws and case law? And those that follow them? You might even tell me that it is a small fraction of jerks causing the mess, but it definitely seems large enough to mess with plenty of people's lives. Still, you can say that all one has to do is go to the court to figure it out. Again, how many folks have 50 or 100k to pay the retainer of a good lawyer should one find it itself in such situation? And, if one can indeed afford that, that amount of money means that that is nothing to be treated lightly. Just the arrest and having to go to court is enough to get many guys fired... even if ultimately they are cleared. So, it this something to be treated lightly (by either side)? I don't think so, but many police officers seem ok with ruining the life of someone that is clearly trying to go about their own peacefully.

Finally, please don't take my comments personally, Thomas. If you're discussing things here and you're out there, then I believe that you'd treat me reasonably if we were to ever encounter. That being the case, I hope there are more of you. My comments are an expression of the perspective from my viewpoint which, as I mentioned, may be colored the actions of even just a few unsavory characters in the police force in NYC and surrounding areas.
 
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