Is this considered concealed or unconcealed?

JSMcustoms

JSMcustoms

Joined
Feb 2, 2012
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Is carrying a fixed blade in this fashion considered concealed or unconcealed (specifically for North Carolina)? If your shirt's tucked in so that it's not over top of your pocket, to me this would fall under 'easily visible' (at least for me).


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Tough call. Around here, that would probably be considered concealed. I have read of an occasion here in California where a guy was wearing a sheath knife on his belt, with a loose shirt, and a cop watched him until the shirt covered part of his knife, and he got busted for it. The reasoning was that no part of the knife or sheath is able to be covered. I don't know, though, if it is the same in N.C.
 
depends on the state and more importantly depends on the cop

also depends on the area you are in. I live in an area that is somewhere between country and suburban, and I wouldn't be given a second look, but if i drive 2 hours to a big city, i would probably be busted.
 
not concealed...if carrying a folder with the clip visible is not considered concealed this isnt either,i think you are good to go...
 
Not concealed. My Grandma could look at that and I know it's a knife right away.

But like usual, open carry is all about context. Big cities are paranoid and weapon-unfriendly, and often have ordinances that make open carry risky. But out in rural areas nobody would even look twice. Also depends how you dress and behave, and what your doing when someone sees the knife.
 
I look at it this way- there is what the written law says, and then there is what a cop might think, and then there is what an assisstant District Attorney might think, and then there is what a jury might think.

When it comes to something highly subjective like "Is this knife concealed", or "Can you clearly tell that this is a knife", unfortunately there is a lot of room for interpretation. And within that room for interpretation is a lot of opportunity for trouble.

If a cop thinks that it is conceald, they might arrest you. If the assisstant District Attorney who reviews the case thinks that it qualifies as conceald, you will be charged. If you go to trial and the jury agrees that it was conceald, you could go to jail (or more accuratley, back to jail).

Basically there are no garuntees and none of us here can tell you what a cop, or ADA, or jury might think. Even if one cop doesn't consider it to be conceald, another cop might, and arrest you for it. Like I said, it's highly subjective. And when you add to this the intense prejudice that people in the criminal justice system often have against the carrying of knives, well, there is deffinitely risk involved.

All that being said, I carry one of my fixed-blades with about the same amount of handle showing as the one in your picture. Cops have seen it without any problems. In fact, one cop who saw it once gave me a friendly warning, but it wasn't a warning about the knife itself but the fact that my jacket had momentarily and accidentally covered the knife thereby making it conceald. And the cop didn't want me to get into trouble for it.

But like I said, and as we all know, every cop is different. And the experiences of you or others may vary.
 
im a heating and a/c repairman in NJ. when im in crawspaces, attics, or squashed behind a heater in some ungodly place, I use my handy knife to get the job done. i carry a knife in my boot which a trained eye could Maybe spot my "widening" pant leg . im very persistant on hiding the knife because people are crazy in all sorts of ways...the can be total scared or intiminated by an open carry...or even be dangerous..
i want no attention and i start zero trouble with anyone. There are these Klien electrician fixed blades that have been getting attention from cops because they only allow open carry for workers who can display they need it. yes I can nearly always claim im in the right, its just that I do not trust anyone to be COOL with a knife hanging off my belt....
so instead ill continue to be descreat and risk the cops hawling my ass to a holding pen...im not advertising that I have a knife to ANYONE.
these days WE ALL ARE CRIMINALS...whens the last time a day went by that we all didnt break some rule or another....im tired of being the walking scared
 
JSMcustoms,

You are asking for advice on a touchy subject, as I have done much the same myself, I will offer you a piece of advice that I think may help. Check the states
laws--which as I remember dictate only on CONCEALED carry and upon EDUCATIONAL grounds. If it must be worn/carried openly, then do so completely, do NOT hide or conceal ANY part of the knife--sheath or handle. Not worth the risk. If you want my opinion, if I were a cop, I'd consider that an attempt to conceal.
If I were a cop, I'd expect it to be worn completely out in the open. Sheath, handle, and all. You know, you COULD show us the knife too, lol. :-)

I'd check the state laws, plus your home countys, and those you typically visit, etc. Make it a good habit. Think of it as a memory excercise! Another piece of advice, always tuck your shirt in, and if you have a knife/multi-tool/etc on your belt, don't wear a jacket/shirt/coat/etc that drapes over your belt. I've found the levi denim jackets to be short and comfortable enough. Also, if that doesn't work, maybe cross-drawn would keep it in full view. I'd also make sure that the knife is tightly, tightly retained and restricted in it's sheath, if I were you.
 
Look at it this way. The law will ALWAYS be interpreted in a way that is maximally NOT in your favor.

For instance:

IF the law says "The knife must be CONCEALED to be carried legally", THEN you can count on it being considered unconcealed and thus illegally carried if ANY portion of the knife, including the clip, is at all visible. Hell, they might even count it as unconcealed if they can see the print of it in your pocket.

on the other hand, IF the law says "The knife must be carried OPENLY", THEN you can you can count on it being considered concealed and thus illegally carried if ANY portion of the knife is at all covered, even temporarily.

Don't count on being able to argue technicalities with the arresting officer. They don't care about technicalities, those are for the DA. If they feel you are in violation that's enough for them to arrest you and let the lawyers figure it out.
 
In my opinion, it is unconcealed because it is 'clearly' visible. Without a doubt. As others have stated, as soon as your shirt falls over the knife it would become concealed. At which point I would change my position.

This is a legal forum, therefore opinions carry little weight. In law its all about exactness of wording and phrasing and your ability to politic around that if faced with "the law." If you want to carry a knife in public in your locale, take the time to read the applicable laws and interpret them to the best of your ability. Bottom line, know it before you try to exercise it.
 
That's the problem with our knife laws here, almost everything here is open to individual interpretation and are very vague at best. Simply says it can't be concealed, but fails to actually outline what concealed is. In my view, it's a short coming that needs to be corrected in the future.
 
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