Mexico Knife Laws?

N

n8swag

Joined
Feb 4, 2012
Messages
687
Soooo... my youth group is planning a mission trip to either mexico or alaska(I voted alaska). I really feel naked without a blade, especially in an unfamiliar and somewhat dangerous city. Would you get in trouble for flying with a knife to mexico city? and carrying it there? Thanks for your help! I was gonan take my zt 0350, and don't want it taken.
 
I don't know the specifics of their knife laws, but I do have a few rules of thumb:

1) If the #1 reason for bringing a knife is the concern of personal safety, the local laws matter a lot less (if at all).

2) Carry deep, and don't pull it out unless it's the last resort.

3) Make sure you have bribe money for the cops if they ever confront you about your knife.
"I'm sorry officer, I didn't know I couldn't have this knife. I'll put it away and won't use it again. I'm sorry for wasting your time, please let me buy you a few drinks [hand him a $50]"

Bottom line: Cheaper to not get caught. Cheapest to leave the ZT at home and bring a beater knife.
 
The way things are shaking out in Mexico these days I wouldn't go even if I could CC my favorite .45. Especially with a bunch of kids. IMO you'd be better off hand feeding the Grizzlies in Alaska.
 
rscoffey said:
The way things are shaking out in Mexico these days I wouldn't go even if I could CC my favorite .45. Especially with a bunch of kids. IMO you'd be better off hand feeding the Grizzlies in Alaska.
Click to expand...

Yeah, esp cause most of my youth group are girls... like 95% are girls, four guys... I would rather go to alaska any day.
 
nopyo said:
I don't know the specifics of their knife laws, but I do have a few rules of thumb:

1) If the #1 reason for bringing a knife is the concern of personal safety, the local laws matter a lot less (if at all).

2) Carry deep, and don't pull it out unless it's the last resort.

3) Make sure you have bribe money for the cops if they ever confront you about your knife.
"I'm sorry officer, I didn't know I couldn't have this knife. I'll put it away and won't use it again. I'm sorry for wasting your time, please let me buy you a few drinks [hand him a $50]"

Bottom line: Cheaper to not get caught. Cheapest to leave the ZT at home and bring a beater knife.
Click to expand...

You're right... I think if there's trouble I'll just have to rely on my fists. Just makes me nervous with all those girls to look after without a knife or something.
 
You could pick up something there, a decent local style knife shouldn't be much, if you get hassled just say you're a tourist and it's a souvenir. I doubt they'd give you any trouble.
 
in mexico you are wrong because you are white. you have no rights in there country. I grew up in el paso texas. I know all about you not haveing rights in that country. I have seen it way too many times.
 
richard thurman said:
in mexico you are wrong because you are white. you have no rights in there country. I grew up in el paso texas. I know all about you not haveing rights in that country. I have seen it way too many times.
Click to expand...

Haha, I'm actually asian:) And I have a darker skin tone... like really dark in the summer. I could prob pull off as a Mexican... maybe. And I speak spanish.
 
n8swag said:
Soooo... my youth group is planning a mission trip to either mexico or alaska(I voted alaska). I really feel naked without a blade, especially in an unfamiliar and somewhat dangerous city. Would you get in trouble for flying with a knife to mexico city? and carrying it there? Thanks for your help! I was gonan take my zt 0350, and don't want it taken.
Click to expand...
I chose to leave my EDC knife (a 4" lockblade folder) secured in the trunk of the rental car with my girlfriend and I walked across the border from Brownsville, TX. She left her Vicodin (prescribed for a strained back) in the car as well, even though she had a prescription for it. Neither of us wanted to take a chance on getting busted over there. U.S. State Department warnings about bringing any kind of knife into Mexico should be taken seriously. If you get busted, State Department weenies won't do much for you. Maybe visit you every now and then, make sure you are still alive, relay messages to your family, but that is about it. Don't take the chance; not worth it.
 
Knives can be carried in your hold baggage with no problem, but may or may not make it thru customs. $50 for a bribe sems high--offer 20, and only do it as a last resort. When you get there you can go to any hardware store (or big box or sporting goods store in a big city) and buy a suitable knife and give it away before you come back. A quality machete should set you back about 6 bucks.

Bring a couple 3 c cell maglights down with you-- the perfect combination of size, weight, speed.

I don`t know if you can bring knives back with you by plane. It seems you should, but you hand carry your luggage through customs. Anybody know for sure?
 
I've brought knives and machetes back in my checked luggage. The last time I was down there was a couple of months after 9/11 and Mexican customs pretty much dumped everything out and hand checked it before I was allowed on the plane home. Didn't say anything about the knives though.
 
You might be better off dead than using your knife on somebody in Mexico. Defensive or not, they'll throw you in a scary place for a very long time. Have you considered an expandable baton of some sort? Not that any amount of self defense would be sufficient against the cartel type dudes that you're most scared of.
 
Question of the sale of knives there ( I am not planning on going just looking for correct info). I have heard many knives are no longer sold in Mexico and I have also heard switchblades and other tourists knives are still openly sold everywhere...Any one know which is correct these days ( not years gone by)?
 
I may be a few years out of date but in 2002 they were still selling switchblades openly in Oaxaca and Guadalajara. Just very cheap Chinese type stuff.
 
Dude, seriously? You are taking a youth group into Mexico and you are worried about self protection? You should be worried about THEIR protection as you would be a group ripe for the pickings (check a security company that deals with the area you plan on going to in Mexico and have THEM tell you what is going on....)

I usually go to the local store and get 2 relatively cheap but sturdy knives like what the locals carry. You can leave them somewhere if you have to ("No officer that isn't mine. I left them at home on this trip"). If they want to see one, carry a small pocket knife you can give them like a cheap SAK or something. World wide a SAK is recognized and considered a tool most everywhere you go. You may still get it taken just because the officer needs something to give to his nephew or grandson. If you want the op to go to another country by all means go to Canada...you will have polite, relatively honest police and you won't have to worry as much about safety or being kidnapped for ransom or worse.

Alaska is a good choice as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top