Little help with Colorado knife laws?

[ScottRapp]

Hey there! I was oping someone would help me understand the knife law in Colorado, since I'm considering moving there.

As I'm reading it, their definition of a knife is: "Knife" means any
dagger, dirk, knife, or stiletto with a blade over 3-1/2
inches in length, or any other dangerous instrument
capable of inflicting cutting, stabbing, or tearing
wounds, but does not include a hunting or fishing knife
carried for sports use. The issue that a knife is a
hunting or fishing knife must be raised as an affirmative
defense.

So according to this, anything under 3 1/2 inches wouldn't be a problem if it was concealed. The problem with concealing a knife in this definition arises when it goes over 3 1/2"?

So then, in all technicality, I could carry a knife on my belt, in plain sight, if it was over 3 1/2"? Or, I could carry it concealed if I had a permit for it, correct?

I guess another question is: Is there not really any size limit on the knife in CO? I know in Michigan, where I currently live anything over 3 1/2" in illegal, no matter whether its concealed or not.


Here is where i was reading the laws: http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/co.txt

 

[yasuru]

Open carry, no size limit.

Under 3.5 can be concealed unless otherwise prohibited item such as switchblade or gravity knife (courts recently held that butterfly knives are gravity knives also).

 

[ScottRapp]

Thanks a ton for the reply. That confirmed a lot for me. I read that recently, Colorado changed the law so that a concealed weapons permit is only for pistols, and a knife would not be covered with it now ... is that true? So then anything over 3.5" even with a concealed weapons permit, cannot be carried concealed?

 

[ScottRapp]

One other question ... can you open carry a dagger then? I don't see any laws saying that daggers are banned ...

 

[jimmyjones]

Thanks a ton for the reply. That confirmed a lot for me. I read that recently, Colorado changed the law so that a concealed weapons permit is only for pistols, and a knife would not be covered with it now ... is that true? So then anything over 3.5" even with a concealed weapons permit, cannot be carried concealed?

Correct to my understanding ( I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express) the re-write of the CCW eliminated knives.

You also have to watch local ordinances, in Denver the max blade length is 3.5", but camping and hunting use are considered an 'affirmative defense' you get to tell that to the judge, he decides.

http://www.knifelawsonline.com/knifehome/Portals/0/State of the Month/Archive/12-Colorado-29622.pdf

http://www.handgunlaw.us/documents/USKnife.pdf