TX: is CS MiniCulloden a dirk?

Joined
Mar 7, 2000
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In a online group a member and I have gotten into an arguement about whether a Cold Steel Mini Culloden is a dirk or not under Texas law. I had hear several months ago from a gun shop clerk that a policeman had told him the MC (MiniCulloden) was illegal to carry in Texas, and we called my FIL who is a Beaumont LEO, and he looked over the section of the Texas Penal Codes and in his opinion the MC was legal as it was under 5.5 inches and single edged. I had even done some online research into the history of the dirk and sgian dhu, and decided that since they were both carried at the same time ,they could not be the same even tho they are similarly shaped.

Now in the last week this arguement raised the question again, with the other member from Austin saying that several LEOs have told him the MC is a dirk (and illegal) because of its shape, while I insisted that it was legal since it is under the max length and single edged. I further asked my FIL about this with the new info, and he said that, while he wouldn't consider the MC a dirk (he'd also consider how the person was using the knife, it may depend on the officer's interpretation, and pointed me toward the UT Law School's website about weapons: http://www.utsystem.edu/pol/weapons.html

After looking over this (and turning it over and over in my head) I came to the conclusion that similar to the case law that a Bowie-shaped hunting knife under the legal length is not a Bowie (and illegal) under the law, a MC is not a dirk under the law. Does anyone else have any insight into this or any experience with a MC or Sgian Dhu and the Law in Texas?

Matt in Texas
 
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