MY C58 JD Smith confiscated!!

[Skimo]

I had a similar run in at the courthouse in Oklahoma City while I was still active duty.
I hadn't been in a federal building since before 9/11, I walked up asked them to check my knife and the guards said that my Benchmade auto was illegal for me to have (wrong, I was active duty at the time) and that I would lose it permanently, no receipt, nothing.

Luckily their boss came along, and older gentleman, took the knife from the rookies pulled me to the side and told me to put it in my pocket.

He told me, a law abiding citizen, an active member of the armed forces to simply put my knife back in my pocket and continue on my business in the building, I got lucky, NOW I know better than to carry a weapon into a federal building.

Bottom line, I got lucky getting their boss to let me keep my knife.

EDIT: as for schools, when I went to school, knives were lawful, rifles and handguns in vehicles, axes, tomahawks, swords you name it. no one got stabbed or shot... wonder how that happened, all those weapons, I'm surprised no swords or guns killed anyone.

Good luck getting your knife back, but you won't, no receipt and it's in a guards pocket 100% guaranteed.

 

[Reeek]

and it's in a guards pocket 100% guaranteed.

That I believe . . .

 

[mdauben]

That law nowhere specifically states that a federal building has different laws, so the same laws should apply, so if he is exempt standing outside the building and the building has the same laws as outside it, he should be exempt inside also.

Actually, the (Federal) law does state federal buidlings have different restrictions. Someone else has already posted the relevent statute.

I work in a federal building and there is a notice clearly posted in the entrance about bringing "weapons" (which by the relevent statues includes knives longer than a certain length*) inside. I have seen the same notice on many other federal buildings and I would be supprised if it was not present on the building the OP was entering.

I feel sorry for the OP for losing his knife, and I agree the guards should have just told him "can't bring that in here, go put it in your car" but he was in the wrong in this case.

 

[Charlie Mike]

I hate to get all nanny state, but signs are a good idea.

 

[Josh K]

That I believe . . .

Agreed. I seem to recall a story about a person who had a very nice expensive knife confiscated and went to the police state to get it back and the officer had it clipped to his pocket.

 

[A_Blade_Afficionado]

I hate to get all nanny state, but signs are a good idea.

Thank you. Apparently I'm not the only one that would like a reminder. At times I'm busy and it slips my mind, a reminder would be nice, it would have saved this guy his knife.

 

[3Guardsmen]

Unless there was a sign outside the building saying the laws on weapons, they shouldn't be allowed to confiscate anything not listed on that non-existant sign.

I have yet to see a sign posted in an establishment telling me I can't carry cocaine, heroin, and meth around.

Responsible knife and gun ownership/carry means knowing the law! Period. Sorry there's no sign telling people that.

 

[jill jackson]

They don't need signs.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/usc_sec_18_00000930----000-.html

(h) Notice of the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to each Federal facility, and notice of subsection (e) shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to each Federal court facility, and no person shall be convicted of an offense under subsection (a) or (e) with respect to a Federal facility if such notice is not so posted at such facility, unless such person had actual notice of subsection (a) or (e), as the case may be.

 

[Josh K]

(h) Notice of the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to each Federal facility, and notice of subsection (e) shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to each Federal court facility, and no person shall be convicted of an offense under subsection (a) or (e) with respect to a Federal facility if such notice is not so posted at such facility, unless such person had actual notice of subsection (a) or (e), as the case may be.

Notice the bold portion.

Conviction may be a very hefty fine or jail time. He's lucky to just get it confiscated even if there wasn't a sign.

 

[A_Blade_Afficionado]

I have yet to see a sign posted in an establishment telling me I can't carry cocaine, heroin, and meth around.

Responsible knife and gun ownership/carry means knowing the law! Period. Sorry there's no sign telling people that.

Humor me for a second, speed limits are posted every mile or two, not because they're required, but as a reminder. They would be nice if they would remind us of weapon laws. Just because you think it's a dumb idea doesn't mean its a stupid idea. Think with an open mind please rather than being set in you ways.

 

[jill jackson]

They do post these signs. Even at schools and large hospitals. At least I've seen them as well as at Federal Buildings.

 

[jujigatame]

Just a guess on my part, but given that Mr. Smith a knifemaker perhaps what he's saying is that carrying a knife and/or related materials is allowed because it's directly tied to his profession. Along the lines of you can carry a hunting knife when you're hunting or on your way to/from such activity, maybe?

That said, I think it's a position that folks in a federal building would not be inclined to look on with much favor.

Just because I'm a hunter by profession does not give me license to bring a 4" skinning knife into a federal building. You're officially off duty at that point, what are you hunting?

Now if you were giving the court a demo on knife making I could see an exception there.

I didn't say Mr. Smith could bring his knife into the building, or that one could bring a hunting knife, etc. I was giving that as a possible similar example of the logic for his stated, but not yet fully explained at that particular time, justification of being able to carry because he was a knife professional.

 

[mhawg]

I try to remember to stick to non-metallic edged tools or titanium when I go in the courthouse. All I am doing in there is research and occasionally like to be able to cut out a section of a sheet of paper containing the info I need.[/QUOTE]

I would think they would prefer you to make copies rather than cut out sections of their records.

Maybe this is the real reason they confiscate sharp objects...

All of the information is on microfilm/microfiche so, yes I mean cutting a piece of copy paper I have previously purchased.

 

[Charlie Mike]

I have yet to see a sign posted in an establishment telling me I can't carry cocaine, heroin, and meth around.

Never stopped me LOL

 

[Fred Sanford]

I'm gonna have to start living out in the woods and never visiting any building that "someone federal" may be in.

This is turning into an entire load of crap.

Yeah I know.........move out if I don't like this country. Well I do like this country. I'm just tired of the pencil pushers messin with normal good upstanding citizens.

I see nothing but Civil war coming to this country in the future. And a whole bunch of it at that.

 

[Charlie Mike]

I see nothing but Civil war coming to this country in the future. And a whole bunch of it at that.

Me too. I don't want it but I'm not going to be neutral which sounds strangely like neutered.

 

[p_mcmanis]

Responsible knife and gun ownership/carry means knowing the law! Period. Sorry there's no sign telling people that.

:thumbup:

people want all the rights and none of the responsibilities.

one thing I notice about extremists. extremists on one side talk about civil wars and killing abortion doctors and shooting illegal immigrants and extremists on the other break in to animal testing facilities and free the animals, chain themselves to trees and dress up in assless chaps and loiter in public with signs.

I wish the former side would pick a less violent way to voice their opinions and stop acting like afghani warlords.

 

[3Guardsmen]

Humor me for a second, speed limits are posted every mile or two, not because they're required, but as a reminder.

You're wrong about speed limit signs not being required by law to be posted at certain intervals.

They would be nice if they would remind us of weapon laws. Just because you think it's a dumb idea doesn't mean its a stupid idea. Think with an open mind please rather than being set in you ways.

I never meant to say that posting signs to serve as a reminder was "a dumb idea." I said being a responsible knife/gun owner by knowing the laws that affect ownership and carry is a good idea. You started off by saying you thought J.D. had been "ripped off," now you're on 'lack of posted signage' tangent. Do you even know whether the building J.D. walked into has signs or not?

The only point I'm trying to make is that the lack of knowledge of the law is never a good thing!

Regards,
3G

 

[3Guardsmen]

:thumbup:
people want all the rights and none of the responsibilities.

Not always, but threads like this do seem to bring more than a few of those types of people out.:thumbup:

Regards,
3G

 

[Let It Bleed]

Being too lazy to research it, does the federal law at issue provide for confiscation? It's one thing to prohibit and quite another to confiscate. Likewise, what if they caught someone who was truly trying to sneak a knife into the building? I'd like to think they would do more than simply confiscate the knife.

I would at least write some letters and see if you can find out if there are actual policy and procedures set forth for situations such as yours. If confiscation isn't in the relevant statutes, find out what basis they are using to justify confiscation. While I personally disagree with their taking your knife, there may be legal justification for it. If it's just policy, find out what the policy is. Also, find out what they are supposed to do with confiscated items.

Inquire, inquire, and inquire some more. If we want transparency and accountability in government, then we have to demand it. You will either find that they have well defined procedures and enforcement or you will find that they won't actually answer your questions. If you choose to do nothing, then you can be certain nothing will change.

Don't go on the offensive, but simply ask questions and request explanations. Let's face it, not every problem has a legal remedy and sometimes even if there is one it's simply not worth the cost. Keep us updated and good luck.