US Knife Laws More Stringent than Gun Laws?

[stargawker]

I notice a lot of discussion about knife laws in states in the US. I am from Canada, but our knife laws seem similar to yours in many ways.

What surprises me though is that knife laws in the US are so stringent when the gun laws are so lax. In my personal opinion, I am a LOT more worried about a guy carrying a gun than a knife. Not to say a knife can't be deadly, but at least there is a chance of outrunning a guy with a knife. But you can't outrun a bullet.

Is it just me or does it seem that the US laws are looser for the far more deadlier guns than for knives - most of which are really designed as tools?

 

[glistam]

I would say that is not an accurate assessment.

The first matter you must consider is that gun laws are somewhat similar across the US, in so much as many regulations are at the federal (national) level. For example, it is illegal to own a gun if you are convicted felon or were diagnosed as severely mentally ill. A background check is conducted any time a gun is purchased from a shop (and said shop has to have a special license) and in many cases it's not legal for a regular person to sell a gun to another person without going through a shop. At the very least when permitted, the person selling can be charged with a crime if they give or sell a gun to someone who cannot legally own it. Handguns require a more thorough check and a waiting period in most cases. A person has to be 18 to own a long gun or 21 to own a handgun. Handguns are illegal to carry without a permit with few exceptions, and long guns usually must be stored in a car's trunk and unloaded when being moved, though this varies by state.

Knives are nowhere near as restricted. It varies state by state, but in all states you can go to any hardware store, grocery store, or shopping mall and buy a knife. Most states don't even have laws restricting the age to purchase or own a knife. Knives are common tools for cooking or work; they are necessary part of life. There are many laws on carrying knives, but they vary quite a bit across the US. Some states or cities are ultra restrictive, while others allow any knife to be carried and actually forbid cities within those states from making laws against this (preemption).

 

[stargawker]

Thanks for explaining that glistam. It makes more sense now.

 

[OhShoot]

I would say that is not an accurate assessment.

The first matter you must consider is that gun laws are somewhat similar across the US, in so much as many regulations are at the federal (national) level. For example, it is illegal to own a gun if you are convicted felon or were diagnosed as severely mentally ill. A background check is conducted any time a gun is purchased from a shop (and said shop has to have a special license) and in many cases it's not legal for a regular person to sell a gun to another person without going through a shop. At the very least when permitted, the person selling can be charged with a crime if they give or sell a gun to someone who cannot legally own it. Handguns require a more thorough check and a waiting period in most cases. A person has to be 18 to own a long gun or 21 to own a handgun. Handguns are illegal to carry without a permit with few exceptions, and long guns usually must be stored in a car's trunk and unloaded when being moved, though this varies by state.

Can tell your perspective is that of one living in one of the 5 most firearm restrictive states in the US. , as a number of those blanket statements are quite inaccurate applied to the states as a whole. But taking them on one at a time isn't really pertinent to the discussion.

The simple fact is that overall, the main diff between state knife vs state firearm laws is that 43 states have preemption over local firearm laws while perhaps only 10 or so have preemption over local knife laws. So obviously, you wind up with the hodgepodge of the thousands of city/county knife restrictions around the country.

However you feel about your state's knife laws, preemption on state level is the first major hurdle to being able to liberalize them. And of course KnifeRights.org is instrumental in this effort. For example, it was almost highhandedly responsible for securing state preemption here two years ago, and then sure enough, last year successful in removing almost all existing knife restrictions entirely.

So we went from 4" blade limit with ban on any switchblade/gravity knife to being able to carry any type or size knife here in just two years with the help of KnifeRights.org. It doesn't much matter what your state laws are unless local gummit is preempted from making its own also.

- OS

 

[glistam]

Can tell your perspective is that of one living in one of the 5 most firearm restrictive states in the US. , as a number of those blanket statements are quite inaccurate applied to the states as a whole.

True! As much as I have studied knife laws across the US, I have only a passing knowledge of gun laws. But still, a gun is way harder to get than a knife. I cannot think of a place in the whole US were I couldn't go into a regular store and buy at least a kitchen knife with the cash in my pocket, no questions asked.

I'm a firm supporter of KnifeRights.org and am really impressed with all the work they have done these past years. I just hope they can work on my state soon.

 

[HeavyHanded]

I'll add this observation - pretty much anywhere you go in the states, LE understands what the laws are regarding firearm possession - is unlikely you will be charged with unlawful possession unless you really have been denied that right by due process of some sort. It is possible for the individual to know ahead of time if they are likely to run afoul of the law.

When it comes to knives though, the officer may or may not make an arrest, might not be aware of what knives are specifically illegal, or might just arbitrarily arrest based on the "dangerous knife" descriptor that shows up in a number of states' penal code. Some of the conditions/features of a given knife or possession of same in a given situation are not black and white. A gun is presumed to be a weapon, a knife is often unlawful to carry if its intended purpose is as a weapon, even if it otherwise is a legal configuration. And as Ohshoot has pointed out, local knife laws are epidemic...

I can see where someone might think knives are more heavily restricted, or at least used as an excuse to make an arrest more often than firearms - they undoubtedly are.

 

[Jens Schuetz]

There are types of knives which are harder or even impossible to get than a gun and then there are guns which are as easy to get as a knife.

At least some gun store owner told me I could buy a normal rifle right away and take it home the same day while pistols would be harder. I guess some blackpowder front loading firearm might have even less restrictions. No background checks and (lame) multiple choice tests.

Then certain blades are illegal in some states. Autos or Shuriken/Ninja throwing stars you can't carry or even own and there is not even a licensing process.
Hard to understand. It's easier to get a lethal fire weapon with some hoops and some with less or no hoops but a toyish thingy which can't kill better than a boxcutter you can't have or get a license for.