Laws on Knife carrying in MA

[eturk49]

I was wondering what the laws are about carrying a knife in Massachusetts. I know about the 2.5 in blade limit in Boston and a few other towns but I wanted to know about any other rules. Also, how old do you have to be to carry a knife concealed?

 

[SW-EDC]

I was in Boston and Gloucester recently with my Kershaw Shuffle. No problems.

 

[glistam]

The state law is under Part IV, Title I, Chapter 269, Section 10, Paragraph (b).

Or just go here:
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter269/Section10

I'm going to post the relevant part of the law here with some carriage returns and bullet points because good lord it's hard to read in it's normal form. Did no one ever teach the state congress about run-on sentences?

(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,
• any 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.

TLDR: Singled edged, non-auto knives are legal to carry regardless of blade length or the age of the person possessing it (Age limits are actually very rare and only exist at the city level in most cases). City laws may impose a limit to blade length but not all cities do.

 

[jfn]

I carry up to a paramilitary 2 in Boston with no issues. Just don't go waving it around in front of police and you'll be fine.

 

[bryan123]

My birthday is coming up and my girlfriend wants to give me my holy Grail knife, Mnandi with Damascus steel and cocobolo. Blade length 2.75 inches.

I work in Lawrence and she lives in Lowell. We go into Boston frequently.

What do you folks think?

 

[doublepiedavid]

What I'm wondering is if the sawback on my G81 is counted as sharp, an officer friend of my dad's told me it isn't, but he's tried using it before. Another who goes to my church said it is, but he also says people don't have any business carrying knives that long in public places.

 

[CPP]

In Boston there is a 2.5-inch blade limit but you buy a Paramilitary at Downtown Crossing. Go figure!

 

[OhShoot]