Open carry: A right, a statement, or an indiscretion?

[saw45]

The knife is illegal in California if blade length exceeds two inches. In a recent US Federal Court case, Spyderco, Inc. pleaded guilty and was fined $75,000 for sending butterfly knives through the United States Postal Service. Spyderco admitted that from June 2005 through January 2007, it had mailed butterfly knives, after importing the knife components from Taipei, Taiwan, through the Port of San Francisco and the Port of Oakland, to Golden, Colorado.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

How would you openly carry a Stockman or Trapper, personally the knife is as much a weapon as a screwdriver so why should I be concerned about carryin' a screwdriver, both are tools which if needed could be used as makeshift weapons.

Now the 9mm is CCW, that's a personal preference, I don't want anyone to know what I have so I hide it, if they want to broadcast what they have great.

Sometimes a knife is just a tool and that's all.

 

[CL01]

The knife is illegal in California if blade length exceeds two inches. In a recent US Federal Court case, Spyderco, Inc. pleaded guilty and was fined $75,000 for sending butterfly knives through the United States Postal Service. Spyderco admitted that from June 2005 through January 2007, it had mailed butterfly knives, after importing the knife components from Taipei, Taiwan, through the Port of San Francisco and the Port of Oakland, to Golden, Colorado.

I take it you're talking specifically about Butterfly/Bali knives, right? Add to that autos in Calif, to, as the blade needs to be 2" or less to be legal, except, of course for LE/Fire personnel during the course of their duties IF their Dept's policy allows it.

 

[dberry]

I am in Indiana and I open carry sometimes depending on my activities. I never carry a large fixed blade but at times my SOG Seal pup rides on my hip f im outdoors. I always carry a multitool and a clipped folder which are quite visible. I think carrying a knife openly is a much different animal than carrying a firearm. I could use a knife in a defensive role such as cutting the guy off my gun or something. I say carry if you have a need and reason too.

 

[navihawk]

I have been wanting for a Randall for some time now. If I was going camping it would be on my belt. I carry as millions of people in Ma., a leatherman on my belt usually 24/7. It goes unnoticed as well as a Buck 110. A small Case bird and trout you could probably get away with. At work people carry leathermans also. A guy in my dept carries one of those new Buck folders thats pretty big. I was at lunch today and was cutting my chops with a trapper spey blade wide open.Nobody batted an eyelask. Maybe I was lucky, I don't know, but if the blade doesn't go past layed out in the palm of your hand, it's legal, unless it it double edged.

 

[Peregrin]

I fly under the radar for the most part. It's a personality trait and it is reflected in the knives I carry and how I carry them. I always have a knife on me though. I have no qualms about using it, although if warranted I will use it discreetly.

 

[Glock26]

In California it is totally legal to carry a fixed blade openly!
Under, Firearms Carried Openly- PC 12025(e). Firearms carried openly in belt holsters are NOT concealed within the meaning of this section. The same is true of hunting knives carried openly in sheaths suspended from the waist of the wearer.

 

[starboard]

Even in a deployed infantry unit, you have to watch what you carry. I was reprimanded for having a MT CFO2 (dagger logo) by my platoon sergeant. Same with balisongs. OTOH, I did convince some guys to buy MT Socoms and had no problem carrying a MT D/A Socom. It is all about perception. Even infantry officers don't want their men carrying stuff that looks too heinous.

What's the knife situation like back home on base?

Judging by the outcry following Ft. Hood Islamo-terrorist attack (oh, my bad, how un-PC of me!), the military takes great pains to ensure firearms are unavailable to soldiers during daily base activity. What do knife policies tend to look like?

 

[dougo83]

My take: I really don't care if I offend someone with my knife carry. I carry whatever I feel I may need in a given situation. I always have my LM and at least 1 blade on me. OTOH, I don't care to hear someone else get on their anti-knife soapbox, so I don't wave the knife around and I leave the fixed blade in the truck of find one that carries in the pocket.

 

[sizzler]

What's the knife situation like back home on base?

Judging by the outcry following Ft. Hood Islamo-terrorist attack (oh, my bad, how un-PC of me!), the military takes great pains to ensure firearms are unavailable to soldiers during daily base activity. What do knife policies tend to look like?

Watch that kind of talk mister! We don't want anyone jumping to conclusions. Haven't you heard, it's the religion of peace! Can't be a factor, whatsoever! he was just misunderstood and probably had a tough childhood.

 

[starboard]

Speaking of knife laws, California's laws are interesting. For instance, FB concealed carry is a felony. Firearm concealed carry, if registered to you in state, and if a first offense, is a misdemeanor.

If I remember right, these laws originated in the heady post-Gold-rush days, intended to keep a lid on those who were too poor to afford a pistol. Very similar, in fact, to the origins of gun control laws:

http://www.jpfo.org/filegen-a-m/movieplay-ngn-swf.htm
http://www.jpfo.org/filegen-n-z/ngn-download-view.htm

 

[dougo83]

I think that one "problem" (If I can call it that) is that we never really know how others feel about our knives or how they view them. There is a lot of talk about "sheeple" and about them being "freaked out by knives," but we dont really know that for sure -at least not about all of them. Sure there are some who will freak out, but they are rare in most parts. I think that sometimes we are the paranoid ones, not the sheeple. Maybe it is not as bad as we make it out to be? As long as you are not carrying a rambo mall ninja knife in a city/ urban setting I dont think that people get that worked up (generally)

This is what I find to be the case most often. Most people are so wrapped up in their ipod/crackberry world that they don't even notice you exist.

DIAF? Give me a clue. I'm not asking you to spell it out because I am sure it would be inappropriate to spell out here...

DieInAFire

Nodh, we have wide state and local variations. In general, a knife in plain sight is legal, hence the clips. Clipped to the outside of the pocket or onto the belt, a large folder is legal in most places. Clipped to the inside of the pocket with much of the knife showing, it's legal in somewhat fewer places. Dropped into the pocket and out of sight, it's subject to blade length restrictions, often 3". We do have some truly insane jurisdictions with bizarre laws, so caution is in order.

In practice, in most places, we are much like you. The letter of the law is less important than what is reasonable. Cops do not usually go around with rulers to see if a knife is a quarter inch over the legal limit. If I go into town in my gardening clothes with sizeable belt knife, I'm not going to get hassled. A teen might, but I'm past sixty.

I have never gotten hassled for a knife. Then again, I grew up in a small farming town.

Pssshhhh.
I carry a knife each day. Period.
Which knife it is, and how it looks, etc. depends on my dress, my company, or my anticipated workload, and not on social norms or standards.

This pretty much sums up my views.

I don't even know what this means. What makes a bali a weapon and not a tool?

Hollyweird...duh

Even in a deployed infantry unit, you have to watch what you carry. I was reprimanded for having a MT CFO2 (dagger logo) by my platoon sergeant. Same with balisongs. OTOH, I did convince some guys to buy MT Socoms and had no problem carrying a MT D/A Socom. It is all about perception. Even infantry officers don't want their men carrying stuff that looks too heinous.

You mention somewhere else about how the locals fear knives more than guns. Do you think that may have played a role in the SOP?

 

[Charlie Mike]

I don't know if that was part of our SOP. It seemed to vary with units. As far as on base, that wasn't clear ether. I just carried my knife and rarely produced it.

 

[CL01]

In California it is totally legal to carry a fixed blade openly!
Under, Firearms Carried Openly- PC 12025(e). Firearms carried openly in belt holsters are NOT concealed within the meaning of this section. The same is true of hunting knives carried openly in sheaths suspended from the waist of the wearer.

True, unless a city or county has an ordinance that states otherwise (Like LA city & county), then that supersedes state law in that particular city/county.

 

[rnr]

. . . Judging by the outcry following Ft. Hood Islamo-terrorist attack (oh, my bad, how un-PC of me!), the military takes great pains to ensure firearms are unavailable to soldiers during daily base activity. . . .

I think open carry for guns or knives is a right. Frightened sheeple be damned.

The military base ban on personal guns is a Klinton action from 1993. As if soldiers aren't trustworthy any more than all the citizens in the US. We're all criminals in waiting according to the eliteists.