OT: Questions for the Florida Hogs

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Evolute

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Mar 19, 2001
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Rob (wetdog1911), Rough Edges, everybody else in Florida,

Is there anything I need to know about Florida's knife laws before I pack up for a trip over your way? I have a variety of (fixed blade, of course) Busses, from 2.5 inch blades to 9 or 10 inch, to choose from.

Also, I'll be snorkeling, parasailing, and partying in the keys, canoeing (correct spelling?) in the swamps, playing with the birdies and alligators and dugongs, and looking like a tourist while shooting pics everywhere, with seriously fancy camera gear. I'll be doing this stuff along with my girlfriend.

Any idea what kind of knives I might want to bring for these activities, and what kind of knife uses I might expect to need?

Thanks.

--Mike
 
Florida knife law is as complicated as anywhere else I guess. With a fixed blade, you should be fine carrying openly in any area that isn't a city, town, etc. I know that the incorporated "village" I live in now frowns on open carry of a fixed blade knife but I can walk 30 minutes or so west and be able to carry my SFNO openly without hardly a second look.

Personally, I'd carry a small blade and carry concealed to avoid all the "sheeple stares." I have done this myself basically every day since I got my first knife in Cub scouts and in that time have never been in trouble for doing so. The one time I was stopped by the police (questioned in an incident I had nothing to do with) I volunteered that I had a knife and, after accusing me of carrying a concealed weapon and informing me that the lockback mechanism was a feature on a fighting knife :rolleyes: , they gave me it back and let me go.

In state and national parks you should be able to carry whatever you wish. Chances are the park rangers will want to chat knives or photography.

where are you going to be in florida? Myself, if I was going to Miami with expensive camera gear for instance, I'd be thinking of my knife in terms of defense as well as utility. Just make sure it can do double duty picnicking with your woman friend. :)


well, this long post probably doesn't help too much with knife laws here but honestly, I think that ,if you followed them to the letter for each municipality you were in, you'd be carrying your knife for very little of your stay. wetdog11911 can hopefully tell you more about fixed blade carry in his area, unfortunately it will vary from town to town or county to county.


what area are you going to be in? I may be able to suggest some good places for viewing (and photographing of course!) various flora and fauna. :cool:
 
Mike

I have to confess I don't know squat about FL knife laws per se. I have a CCW which allows just about anything that is not in plain view other than projectile blades. Even automatics are ok with a CCW. Very decent CCW laws. Marion Hammer helped draft the bill BTW and the reasoning went, if they trust you to carry a gun a knife is no big deal.

OTOH, a Biker bar I used to frequent had guys wearing large FB's openly. Flea market quality though. LOL My buddy (another printer) and I would snicker at this. He carried a Randall and I had my SHBA. $25,000 bikes and $30 knives. Go figure.

Some bad news. A big chunk of Everglades Natl has been closed off due to (big suprise), too much water. After nearly a month of solid rain, then a bunch from Dennis, everything is full up.

Somewhere on BF here ought to be links to state knife laws, but generally, I would guess, if it's small enough to be kept out of sight, it ought to be ok. This might rule out the PBF's (in the city anyway), but a AS in the pocket would work, or an AD size.

I'll see if I can find a link or at least point you in the right direction. Don't need no Busse's confiscated just so a cop can take it home.

Rob
 
Thanks, guys, for your answers, so far. (Even you, Skunk!)

And I apologize for my slow response. Life's been busy. Within a 1 week period: Los Angeles--Las Vegas--San Francisco--Key West.

what area are you going to be in? I may be able to suggest some good places for viewing (and photographing of course!) various flora and fauna.
Click to expand...

I don't know all the details, yet. I know we'll be going to Key West, Little Torch Key, and Looe Key. Beyond that, I don't know the details. My girlfriend is in charge of planning everything; and I'm in charge of saying "yes". ;) She's lived in Florida for the last 15 years, and is a (world-class) nature photographer in her own right, so I imagine she'll know her way around.

It sounds like the Pepper Shaker is the right knife for this trip: small and concealable, perfect cutter for utility applications, and capable for defense.

Thanks, again, guys. I'll be leaving for Fla. on Tuesday. I'll try to post some cool pics when I get back, but I might be kind of busy; I'll be immediately heading to the Tucson, Arizona area for some landscape photography, then to the High Sierras.

--Mike
 
hey mike!
coupla nice spots on the keys are indian key and lignum vitae key.
both pretty naturey.
both off of islamorada about halfway twixt key largo and key west.
accessible only by water, i think there is a boat service but jen and i rented a boat for the day so's i could get some fishin' in.
have a great time!
try the duvall crawl while in key west if you guys drink. much fun to be had!
 
Mike: I don't know where you are located, but several states, mine included, have CCW reciprocity with Florida. If you have a CCW, go to the Sate of Florida governmental web site and you may find a list of reciprocity states.

When I travel in a reciprocity state, I normally print the list from that state's web site and take a copy with me, just in case a LEO disagrees about reciprocity. If they don't have a list, my state does, so I take a copy of that with me.
 
Lignum Vitae Key is great and only accessible by boat. great stuff!

on Key West is a fellow named Jay Pfahl with something like 30,000 square feet of orchid nursery and over 1000 species and hybrids. He'll surely have some in bloom. :) I believe that his nursery is by appointment only but he also owns a jewelry shop in Key West. Neptune Design I believe it is called.

also, if there isnt a hurricane or tropical storm :eek: in the gulf of mexico then the Dry Tortugas NP is worth a day or two trip. Its basically a set of coral islands with an old spanish fort and not much else but it is in the middle of the gulf (70 miles west of Key West) with very shallow crystal clear (usually) water. I've seen rays skim over the water there, its an awesome sight and would make a great photo to be sure.
 
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