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 Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2013 11:09 pm
I know this thread is old but I'd just like to clarify a few things, since I know a thing or two about knife laws in California.
1. Balisongs (falls under the "gravity knife" definition) and Automatics ("switchblades") with blades over 2 inches are illegal to carry in public.
2. Anything with a blade under 2 inches can be carried concealed.
3. #2 effectively means that fixed blades are out. While they are technically legal, if someone freaks out and calls the police you can be charged with inciting a public disturbance. If the area around you is more knife friendly then it shouldn't be much of an issue. For folding knives, exposed pocket clips counts as "open carry".
4. Any knife, regardless of legality, will be treated as an illegal weapon if you carry it intending to use it as a weapon. This applies to most everywhere else too.
5. Don't expect cops to know any of this. Find the actual legislative text online (which also means don't just take my word for it; look up this information for yourself), and print it out or save it on your phone, so you can show the police if they ask questions. Also, under the 4th amendment, you're allowed to refuse searches and walk away with the police's approval if you're not being detained. If they want to confiscate your legal knife anyway, get their information (badge number, name, department number) along with the time and location and demand a receipt. If they know that the knife is legal, they'll usually back off. (Often times, a cop will want to "confiscate" a knife because they want it for themselves.)
6. California knife laws are actually very relaxed compared to most states and the wording isn't all that vague. People just assume this because California's gun laws are restrictive and vague and they just lump guns and knives together as if they're the same thing.
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Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 11:14 am
Tramadoll Capt Buckner CTO Tramadoll Capt Buckner CTO CA resident here, anything folding is legal to carry, aside from balisongs and switchblades over a certain length. By switchblades you mean automatics right? The type of knife which opens with the push of a button? btw I'm from Canada where Balisongs and Automatics are completely illegal everywhere unfortunately. I'd give a lot to get a Benchmade 42 butterfly knife and a Infidel OTF Auto. I do have quite a few butterfly trainers though so if I got a hold of a real one I'd be able to handle it very well. 3nodding Yeah. Also, fixed blades over 4 inches need to be carried openly. ah yes. I understand. The whole concealed carry business. I'd say unless someone is camping or their job requires mass amounts of cutting then any knife with a blade over 4 inches generally isn't necessarily or practical to carry anyway. During a recent spree of creeper attacks on women in my neighborhood I don't let my girlfriend leave the house without a knife. The one she carries is 4.5 inches, fixed blade. While that might seem excessive to some it makes me feel so much better knowing that when I can't be there with her she has hard steel backing her up. The sight of it alone, strapped to her belt I'm sure is enough to deter any creeper.
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Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 11:17 am
Lseruxas I know this thread is old but I'd just like to clarify a few things, since I know a thing or two about knife laws in California. 1. Balisongs (falls under the "gravity knife" definition) and Automatics ("switchblades") with blades over 2 inches are illegal to carry in public. 2. Anything with a blade under 2 inches can be carried concealed. 3. #2 effectively means that fixed blades are out. While they are technically legal, if someone freaks out and calls the police you can be charged with inciting a public disturbance. If the area around you is more knife friendly then it shouldn't be much of an issue. For folding knives, exposed pocket clips counts as "open carry". 4. Any knife, regardless of legality, will be treated as an illegal weapon if you carry it intending to use it as a weapon. This applies to most everywhere else too. 5. Don't expect cops to know any of this. Find the actual legislative text online (which also means don't just take my word for it; look up this information for yourself), and print it out or save it on your phone, so you can show the police if they ask questions. Also, under the 4th amendment, you're allowed to refuse searches and walk away with the police's approval if you're not being detained. If they want to confiscate your legal knife anyway, get their information (badge number, name, department number) along with the time and location and demand a receipt. If they know that the knife is legal, they'll usually back off. (Often times, a cop will want to "confiscate" a knife because they want it for themselves.) 6. California knife laws are actually very relaxed compared to most states and the wording isn't all that vague. People just assume this because California's gun laws are restrictive and vague and they just lump guns and knives together as if they're the same thing. Great info. Before I start wading though pages and pages of Cali state law, do you have references or maybe suggested starting places to look?
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Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 10:06 pm
PrsnlVendeta Ok, thank you for the information. That's a letdown that they're currently illegal. I figured that the website wouldn't ship them to me if it was illegal, but I guess I was wrong. Thanks again, I guess it'll just have to stay at home for a bit unless they decide to change the law to be more specific. It surprises me that spring-assisted knives are legal and the balisongs aren't. I would consider the one I had that just broke to be more of a switchblade, but I suppose laws don't always make perfect sense. Spring assisted knives are not considered a switchblade because they are just "assisted" in opening, if you stop the blade from opening all the way and then let go, it just stays were it got stopped. With a switchblade if you stopped it from opening and then let go, it would finish opening all the way. It's such a little thing but it makes a big difference in knife laws. As for shipping to your home even if it's illegial in the state, it's still legal to own in your home as part of a collection. So technically you can order stuff like that and as long as it doesn't leave your home your fine. But if your looking for a folding knife that can be accessed as quickly as possible and still be legal, a knife with a pocket wave is what you want. Not really sure of any knives with pocket waves other than karambit's, but there might be others. Basically its a little piece of metal that looks like an ocean wave in shape that sticks out of your blade, and when you pull the knife from your pocket the wave catches the edge of your pants and opens up on it's way out. So the blade is open and in your hand as quickly as you can draw it. For the most part it seems like it's just high end karambits made by companies like Fox knives that have pocket waves, but there are a couple of cheaper ones out there too if you look hard enough.  Here are some of my karambits, the two on the right have pocket waves, the farthest right one the pocket wave is more easily visible, it's a practice karambit from Fox knives, only cost around $10, it doesn't have an actual blade it's just for practicing techniques with the karambit so that you can learn it well before you start using and actual one.
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