Kerambits in Virginia?

[freewheeling]

I'm an old guy, and although fairly fit I worry increasingly about being overcome by a younger assailant. I've recently become interested in the Kerambit as a self-defense option, although there are controversies regarding its use in that vein. I would get one but I'm uncertain about the legality of carrying it. I live in Virginia, and have a concealed carry permit, but it only covers guns and the laws regarding folding knives are pretty vague. I wonder if anyone has any more information? There was some ridiculous case recently where a fellow was convicted of a violation for carrying a folder that was unlike "a schoolboy's folding knife" whatever the heck that means. Are there really any grammar or secondary schools that allow their students to carry knives any more? Anyway, I'm just wondering whether it's advisable in this state to go to the expense of purchasing a kerambit. Would I be allowed to carry it?

Relatedly, safety pins versus straight pins? No straight pins, sheathed or unsheathed, huh?

 

[glistam]

Eh, I will say their effectiveness in self-defense is highly debatable (for folding knives in general), but this being the Knife Law forum let me stick with the legal part.
The Code of Virginia has two primary laws that affect knives, 18.2-308 and 18.2-311. 18.2-311 only affects switchblades, throwing stars and ballistic knives. 18.2-308 is your general concealed weapon law, and is notable for two things. One, it only affects concealed weapons. Openly carried weapons are not illegal under state law (though could be under isolated county or city regs). Second, it names the following edged weapons: dirk, bowie knife, switchblade knife, ballistic knife, machete, razor, throwing star, or oriental dart. You will note folding knives or anything matching their description is absent from this list. Similarly, notice that none of these terms are applicable to the Kerambit, which let's face it, is a martial version of a drywall-hanger's knife.

There is a provision of the law which adds "any weapon of like kind as those enumerated in this subsection" but case law has ruled this can only be applied if the state can prove BOTH that the knife is "designed for fighting purposes" or "commonly understood to be a 'weapon.'" AND "determine if the item possesses such similar characteristics to the enumerated items in the Code § 18.2-308"

While the court could attempt to argue that the Kerambit is designed as a weapon due to its status in Filipino martial arts, they would fail to meet the standard of it resembling any of the weapons spelled out explicitly in the statute. In Commonwealth v Thompson, this legal standard was applied to a butterfly knife (a knife of considerable misguided infamy in the public eye) and ruled it legal to carry concealed because it simply bears no resemblance to a dirk, bowie knife etc.

Say, what was that business about pins? I don't follow.

 

[freewheeling]

Say, what was that business about pins? I don't follow.

Thanks very much for the clarification. The reference about pins is a joke about the fact that fixed blade knives of a certain blade length are frequently illegal while folding knives of similar length are not, the safety pin being the analog of a folding knife in the arena of pins and needles.

 

[glistam]

Ah I see. I thought you were talking about bolsters or something.

Also I forgot to ask about that recent case you mentioned with "a schoolboy's folding knife." I was not aware of anything like that so I'd like to give it a look if you have a link or something.