Maximum Open Carry Length?

S

str8shtr

Joined
Aug 19, 2005
Messages
49
Is there a general length that states in the U.S. consider generally acceptable to open carry a fixed blade on a belt? My blade is 3 1/2 inches long.

Also, sometimes my jacket will cover my belt knife, and though Im not really worried about it I've often wondered what the legal implications of it would be should I ever be questioned by LEO.
 
No, it depends on your state. Furthermore, districts within the state can have different laws. Where do you live?
 
It is governed by state and local law, so you need to look into that in your jurisdiction. Some state and local entities let you carry anything, others let you carry just about nothing.
 
Nevada does not have any restrictions on open carry of anything that is otherwise legal to own. The state only has regulations on knives you cannot own at all, and knives you cannot carry concealed. Mind you if your jacket covers it, it's concealed at that moment.

http://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-202.html#NRS202Sec350

Open Carry restrictions on items such as knives are almost exclusively city-based and confined to large urban centers, as placing such restrictions statewide would be prohibitive to lawful hunting, camping and work-related carry.
 
After reading the law linked to above, I noticed an interesting item that allows for the sale of a swicthblade to persons from another state. That would seem to create an interesting legal situation, in that if you sent it accross state lines as the seller, you would vilolate federal law, and if you bought it with in the state after proving you live out of state, you could still be charged with possession after you walk out of the store with it. Glistam do you agree?
 
tom19176 said:
After reading the law linked to above, I noticed an interesting item that allows for the sale of a switchblade to persons from another state. That would seem to create an interesting legal situation, in that if you sent it across state lines as the seller, you would violate federal law, and if you bought it with in the state after proving you live out of state, you could still be charged with possession after you walk out of the store with it. Glistam do you agree?
Click to expand...

Yes I believe that is correct. Just to restate for other forum readers so they don't have to dig into that daunting small-font statute, it is illegal to make, sell or even merely possess switchblades in Nevada, except for police or military. A permit can be obtained for a business to make and sell switchblades, but it only allows them to do so for people located in (not "residents of") other states, or to the aforementioned police or military. So if an business with such a permit sold one to a customer in-person who showed proof of out-of-state residency and did not show they were police or military, the business would be in violation for the sale. The buyer might be prosecuted for possession too, but also could be ignored or acquitted on good faith grounds if they were caught at point of sale and it appears they were genuinely ignorant or mislead by the seller.

Selling over state lines would indeed violate federal law as well, so it appears that the intent of the statute is to allow manufacture and sale of switchblades for police inside Nevada and for military contracts only. Contrary to popular belief, the federal law on interstate sale contains no exceptions for police officers.
 
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