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knife laws in ma
- Thread starter 01026029D
- Start date
MA knive laws are covered under Paragraph (b) of Section 10 found at the following: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter269/Section10
I'm going to paste the text in her with carriage returns and bullets so that it will be easier to read. The original is poorly written in terms of grammar and punctuation, which can sometimes cause confusion as to where a given item ends:
So to address your specific knives:
Karambit: Contrary to popular misconception, there are no law anywhere in the United States that targets karambits specifically by name. It falls under whatever the general laws on knives are, depending if it is a folder or a fixed. A folder of 2.5" is perfectly fine. A fixed blade karambit may be classed as a "dirk" but that is not certain, as the law is vague and enforcement usually depends on circumstances. If it is a real traditional Philippine karambit with a double edge, it is illegal to carry.
Balisong: There is surprisingly no part of the MA code that applies to balisongs, as the switchblade part only refers to spring-operated knives.
4" folding pocket knife: Totally legal, as there is no limit to the length of folders.
IMPORTANT: There are lots of cities in MA that have knife laws that go beyond state law! Most of these limit the blade length of any carried pocket knife to 2.5" Be sure to check your city law.
I'm going to paste the text in her with carriage returns and bullets so that it will be easier to read. The original is poorly written in terms of grammar and punctuation, which can sometimes cause confusion as to where a given item ends:
(b) Whoever, except as provided by law, carries on his person, or carries on his person or under his control in a vehicle, any:
- stiletto,
- dagger or
- a device or case which enables a knife with a locking blade to be drawn at a locked position,
- ballistic knife, or any knife with a detachable blade capable of being propelled by any mechanism,
- dirk knife,
- any knife having a double-edged blade, or
- a switch knife, or any knife having an automatic spring release device by which the blade is released from the handle, having a blade of over one and one-half inches, or
- a slung shot,
- blowgun,
- blackjack,
- metallic knuckles or knuckles of any substance which could be put to the same use with the same or similar effect as metallic knuckles,
- nunchaku, zoobow, also known as klackers or kung fu sticks, or any similar weapon consisting of two sticks of wood, plastic or metal connected at one end by a length of rope, chain, wire or leather,
- a shuriken or any similar pointed starlike object intended to injure a person when thrown, or
- any armband, made with leather which has metallic spikes, points or studs or any similar device made from any other substance or a cestus or similar material weighted with metal or other substance and worn on the hand, or
- a manrikigusari or similar length of chain having weighted ends;
or whoever, when arrested upon a warrant for an alleged crime, or when arrested while committing a breach or disturbance of the public peace, is armed with or has on his person, or has on his person or under his control in a vehicle:
- a billy or
- other dangerous weapon other than those herein mentioned and those mentioned in paragraph (a),
-shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than two and one-half years nor more than five years in the state prison, or for not less than six months nor more than two and one-half years in a jail or house of correction, except that, if the court finds that the defendant has not been previously convicted of a felony, he may be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars or by imprisonment for not more than two and one-half years in a jail or house of correction.
So to address your specific knives:
Karambit: Contrary to popular misconception, there are no law anywhere in the United States that targets karambits specifically by name. It falls under whatever the general laws on knives are, depending if it is a folder or a fixed. A folder of 2.5" is perfectly fine. A fixed blade karambit may be classed as a "dirk" but that is not certain, as the law is vague and enforcement usually depends on circumstances. If it is a real traditional Philippine karambit with a double edge, it is illegal to carry.
Balisong: There is surprisingly no part of the MA code that applies to balisongs, as the switchblade part only refers to spring-operated knives.
4" folding pocket knife: Totally legal, as there is no limit to the length of folders.
IMPORTANT: There are lots of cities in MA that have knife laws that go beyond state law! Most of these limit the blade length of any carried pocket knife to 2.5" Be sure to check your city law.