Maryland knife laws.

Toyz said:
Great information - thanks for the informative thread.
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I agree, I avoided carrying some of my favorite knives because someone told me there was a three inch limit in MD...seems I should have checked myself. Thanks for the information.
 
I assumed Maryland would have strict knife laws because of their gun laws. Oddly I can carry a gun in WV, but can carry knives in MD that aren't legal here. This patchwork of laws is crazy and could easily get someone into trouble. Thanks for the info.
 
Any problem with assisted openers in MD? Traveling to Towson this holiday weekend and was debating on whether to take a Kershaw Blur or my Buck Paradigm so thought I should ask to be sure. Could always take a non-assisted model if there's any potential issues.
 
Should be fine. I own 4 of them. The phrasing of the MD's definition of switchblade is
blade that opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring, or other device in the handle of the knife,
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Source: http://mlis.state.md.us/asp/statutes_respond.asp?article=gcr&section=4-105&Extension=HTML

The use of the phrase "in the handle" is present in the federal laws and the laws of most states, and it is this phrase that makes AOs fall outside the definition of switchblade, because there is no actuator of any sort in the handle. And as previously mentioned in this thread, if it folds and it isn't a switchblade, it's legal.
 
glistam said:
Should be fine. I own 4 of them. The phrasing of the MD's definition of switchblade is

Source: http://mlis.state.md.us/asp/statutes_respond.asp?article=gcr&section=4-105&Extension=HTML

The use of the phrase "in the handle" is present in the federal laws and the laws of most states, and it is this phrase that makes AOs fall outside the definition of switchblade, because there is no actuator of any sort in the handle. And as previously mentioned in this thread, if it folds and it isn't a switchblade, it's legal.
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:thumbup:+1
 
As a new member and a fellow Marylander, I really appreciate all the helpful information and insight in this thread!
 
It never fails to totally amaze me that only in Maryalnd can I carry a number 10 or 12 Opinel and not be breaking a law, but if I have a tiny Buck Hartsook in my pocket I can go to jail. :confused:

Maryland may be my home state, God help me, but it's weirder than Oz way over the rainbow!

Carl.
 
jackknife said:
It never fails to totally amaze me that only in Maryalnd can I carry a number 10 or 12 Opinel and not be breaking a law, but if I have a tiny Buck Hartsook in my pocket I can go to jail. :confused:

Maryland may be my home state, God help me, but it's weirder than Oz way over the rainbow!

Carl.
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Tell me about it. I really wish I could pocket carry a small FB like a Becker Eskabar for EDC, or even horizontal carry on the belt, but even my shirt covering it would land my ass in hot water. Oh well, I'll just pick up a Rajah II and carry that :thumbup::D:thumbup:

Great MD law thread BTW:thumbup:

-sh00ter
 
Balisongs?? .. as far as I know they fall under "pen knives"?? its a blade that folds into the handle & even has a Latch to lock it closed...

Can anyone please give me the skinny, I have fallowed for years that Balisongs are legal to carry In MD . .but this week two people said I was wrong .
 
JohnnyBmore said:
Balisongs?? .. as far as I know they fall under "pen knives"?? its a blade that folds into the handle & even has a Latch to lock it closed...

Can anyone please give me the skinny, I have fallowed for years that Balisongs are legal to carry In MD . .but this week two people said I was wrong .
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The obvious question for these two people is, what are they basing that on? Rumor? "A cop told me one time?" I would ask any such person to cough up a documented (statute or case law) rational for that. To the best of my understanding you have been right all along; balisongs are legal in MD to carry, as they are penknives. I know for a fact they are not switchblades as they do not in any way match the state definition of one (which require that it open "automatically").
 
glistam said:
The obvious question for these two people is, what are they basing that on? Rumor? "A cop told me one time?" I would ask any such person to cough up a documented (statute or case law) rational for that. To the best of my understanding you have been right all along; balisongs are legal in MD to carry, as they are penknives. I know for a fact they are not switchblades as they do not in any way match the state definition of one (which require that it open "automatically").
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Thank you Sir for helping to support my confidence.
 
Another MD question...

Has anyone ever seen anything stating that a penknife has to be single edged? I thought I saw this at one point, but have looked and looked and can;t find it. It seems that any folding knife is ok in MD as long as it doesn't deploy via button/device in the handle.
 
Packohotdogs said:
Another MD question...

Has anyone ever seen anything stating that a penknife has to be single edged? I thought I saw this at one point, but have looked and looked and can;t find it. It seems that any folding knife is ok in MD as long as it doesn't deploy via button/device in the handle.
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There is no statutory text or case law indicating it has to have one edge. As Mackall v State says:

While the concealed weapons statute does not define "penknife," the highest court in Maryland defined it back in 1978.
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Penknives today are commonly considered to encompass any knife with the blade folding into the handle, some very large.
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There might be an innate safety problem with a double edged folder in that there is nothing protecting you from the exposed edge. It would have to be a balisong or some other unconventional design so you don't accidentally slice your thigh when it's in your pocket.

Of course like any knife, don't walk up to your local police officer and wave it around taunting "Hey look what I'm packin'! And you can't do anything about it! :P"
Cops are human and most are not knife guys, so they typically are not going to be the most well-informed on these little minutiae of the law. But 99% of the time you will never have an issue if you don't do something stupid enough to get their attention in the first place.
 
Thanks Glistam!! Safety is a non issue as the handle covers the entire blade a la Applegate.

This is a huge help!
 
Does anyone know the rules or regualtions on selling pocket knives? I would think you would need some kind of license to do so...
 
JoMac85 said:
Does anyone know the rules or regulations on selling pocket knives? I would think you would need some kind of license to do so...
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At the state level, there are none. There is a prohibition on offering autos for sale, but that is all from the state law.

There are a scattering of regulations at the county and city level, but it varies quite a bit. To my knowledge, no municipality actually requires any kind of license to sell knives.
 
Good info guys. I've never carried any of my fixed blades because I've been told by a cop that it was illegal. Sounds like he was also misinformed. Thanks.
 
Baine said:
Good info guys. I've never carried any of my fixed blades because I've been told by a cop that it was illegal. Sounds like he was also misinformed. Thanks.
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Well not totally misinformed. It can be illegal if carried concealed. Most of this thread has been about folders, not fixed blades.
 
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