Wanting Knife Laws Changed in North Carolina

M

mlbrist

Joined
Apr 23, 2011
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Wanting Knife Laws Changed in North Carolina

I have contacted Knife Rights organization to see what can be done to change the laws in NC. I would like to see NC pass laws similar to what was done in NH. Although the laws in NC are not as restrictive as some states, I think it is crazy to charge a person for a crime for having a certain type of knife in his/her pocket and not in plain sight. Even the concealed carry for handgun does not cover knives. So, you can carry a handgun concealed but not a knife?!

I joined Knife Rights and asked for their help in the quest to get better laws passed for NC. If you feel the same, please check out their site and join if you can. Also please go to their Contact Us section and send them an email letting them know you are from NC and want to see the state laws changed.

Home Page
http://www.kniferights.org

Contact US
http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?option=com_contact&task=view&contact_id=1&Itemid=3
 
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Good luck. I joined and sent them a letter help fix Ohio's laws. We need to add knives to the conceal and carry law and a law that only lets the state make knife laws, they didn't even bother to email me back.
 
dferriman said:
Good luck. I joined and sent them a letter help fix Ohio's laws. We need to add knives to the conceal and carry law and a law that only lets the state make knife laws, they didn't even bother to email me back.
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David,

I am not sure why you would make such a statement unless you did not receive the email from us, which does happen. Unfortunately,email is not 100% reliable. We respond to every email and letter we receive, typically within 24 hours and often within the hour. In your case I responded in 3:32.

You initially emailed us on March 22. I responded the same day and invited you to join Knife Rights, which you did on the 30th. I apologize if there was some breakdown in communications, whatever the cause.

With your permission, I would be happy to reproduce that private email on the forum, but in any case, I have forwarded another copy of that email to your email address.

Speaking generally, and mirroring what was in that email, the more difficult the existing legal climate for knife owners, the more difficult it is going to be to get improved laws or repeal existing laws through the legislature, but it all starts with local involvement and a willingness to work for the long term and often that means taking small steps at first. You cannot often turn back over 50 years of bad laws in one swipe. But, you can almost always succeed in making it better step by step if you have the resources and patience.

We take a great deal of pride in working hard for our members or anyone who contacts us. The record shows that no other knife organization gets as much done as we do and on so little funding. Unfortunately, we cannot always accomplish what is desired immediately. We do have a national strategy and we have been successful in moving things in the right direction with the state and national issues we have worked and we anticipate doing much more in the future as we grow and have more resources to work with.

Given limited resources, we are concentrating on states and issues where we have the greatest chance of success and can accomplish that with the limited resources available. As we achieve successes and grow our resources we will be able to tackle the more difficult states.

Please note that unlike the NRA and other large and long established Second Amendment organizations, we are a young organization with very limited resoruces. All our successful state legislative efforts depend upon local fundraising. A key part of any effort is getting that local funding support. We can help you or others interested develop those fundraising efforts, but without local support, it is difficult to get things going anywhere. We generally work through local activists, knife enthusiasts and retailers and the state Second Amendment groups to effect a change in the law.

I hope this answers any questions.

Knife Rights is dedicated to a Sharper Future™ for all Americans.
 
I already joined, I paid my dues and all. I even offered to help take the lead here in Ohio. If you can help get the ball rolling, that'd be great.
 
dferriman said:
I already joined, I paid my dues and all. I even offered to help take the lead here in Ohio. If you can help get the ball rolling, that'd be great.
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As noted, I apologize if there was some breakdown in communications. Knife Rights' Director of Legislative Affairs, Todd Rathner, will email you again to the email we have on record. We do not have a phone number for you, just the email, but if you PM or email me I will pass that along to Todd. He is enroute to NRA Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, so not sure when exactly when he will be following up, but he will do so.
 
I can certainly attest that my contact with Knife Rights organization, both Mr. Ritter and Mr. Rathner, has been a very positive experience so far. Both Mr. Ritter and Mr. Rathner have replied to my messages quickly, even over the holiday week last week and over the weekend. This organization is becoming a strong advocate for knife rights, but it is ultimately up to us to work hard and gain support to get changes made to these outdated and overly restrictive laws.
 
Hmm... Any chance for help up here in Canada? :D our laws aren't too bad, but i've been getting a balisong/auto itch lately.
 
Sorry to bump a thread a month old(especially when there is another NC knife law thread on the top page), but it seemed much more appropriate here.

Am I reading the law correctly, or is illegal to keep a Swiss army knife in your pocket?

What I would consider the standard Swiss Army Knife: http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Sw...=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1306276318&sr=1-1

The handle is 3.58 inches. Or about 90.932 mm.
According to this site: http://www.smartknives.com/Swiss-Army-Knife-Tools/Victorinox-Large-Blade.htm
The blade is 2 5/8'' or about 66.675 mm.

That gives the overall length for those two parts, open, at 150.607mm, or just shy of 5.93 inches. But that doesn't count that the law says "OVERALL LENGTH," which means you would also have to measure the longest part on the other side, making it even longer, if the blade on the other end counted towards the overall length. And, with a law as insane as this, I would bet that it does.

Even with the smaller "Classic" Swiss Army Knife: http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Sw...ife/dp/B0013HBJ8Q/ref=acc_glance_sg_ai_ps_t_3
The handle is 2.25 inches, the knife looks to be around 1.75-2 inches. Then, if the scissors on the other side were counted int the "overall" length, that would push it over the limit as well.

Am I reading this wrong, or are even SAK's illegal? That's crazy.

Oh, yeah, hello, first post.

For reference:
http://www.defensivecarry.com/forum...ons/122454-my-new-neck-knife.html#post1918563
"Knife about 4-1/2 inches in overall length which, when
folded, was clearly designed for carrying in a pocket or
purse, was an 'ordinary pocketknife' as defined by this
section."
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