Knife rules for N. Carolina?

[lonerider1013]

Considering relocating and expanded that consideration to North Carolina... anyone know what the knife rules are, if any? Or who lives there? I assume anywhere is better than here (NJ) but I mostly want to make sure the stuff I own / carry already is okay, like my pm2 or Bradley2 or Edura.. knives of that size.
I know I could google it but I trust members of the forum more than an algorythm programmed by some dude who may never carry a knife lol.

Lonerider

[Marulaghost]

It should be easy enough to find on google. That's how i found regulations for Florida

[p_atrick]

Check out the Knife Right website, I don't think they'd steer you wrong (assuming they have that kind of info).

[MacLaren]

I've lived in NC all my life.
I think it matters to where you locate in NC.
The county I live in has no knife laws that I know of.
However, I think that the county below us, the town in particular has a 4" pocket knife legal limit or whatever .
I'm not aware of any state laws. I'm sure there probably are, but it's never been an issue with anyone I've ever know. Unless you do harm with it.

[Sumdumguy]

I don't know that I've ever actually looked at knife laws...

I just carry my knife like I always would and I've never had any trouble.

Come to think of it, the only time I have ever had a comment about my knife was around 6 months ago in Rochester, NY.
A police officer complemented my knife at a donut shop(Stereotype confirmations are fun). They had taped the lid shut to my donuts and I HAD to have one while they were fresh...

Like always, I was using my Caribbean.


Disclaimer: Do not do what I do, I am stupid and protected by some strange form of dumb luck/black magic.

[vivi]

Considering relocating and expanded that consideration to North Carolina... anyone know what the knife rules are, if any? Or who lives there? I assume anywhere is better than here (NJ) but I mostly want to make sure the stuff I own / carry already is okay, like my pm2 or Bradley2 or Edura.. knives of that size.
I know I could google it but I trust members of the forum more than an algorythm programmed by some dude who may never carry a knife lol.

Lonerider

I travel and work in the state frequently. I've looked into knife and gun laws.

Some major cities have blade length restrictions but you'd be very hard pressed to find anyone who gives a ****. You would have to go out of your way and do something very stupid to make anyone interested in your knives. I've worked in major cities that I believe have 3" to 3.5" blade length laws and everyone I've met ignores those laws. Coworkers, friends, bosses, cops. Nobody cares.

Basically you can carry any pocket knife you want however you want, as long as it isn't double edged. You can carry a Voyager XL clipped to your pocket, or completely concealed.

What you CAN'T conceal are fixed blades. Those have to be open carry.

There are few places more knife friendly than the Carolinas in my experience. I feel completely comfortable open carrying my Street Bowie in large cities. I see other folks doing the same.

Dunno if it matters to you, but you can also open carry handguns in NC with no license. Many folks take advantage of this. It isn't unusual to see a Glock on someone's hip at a grocery store or diner. South Carolina DOES NOT allow open carry of firearms though. Both states make it easy to get your concealed permit though.

Basically, carry whatever you **** well want outside of double edged blades and concealed fixed blades. If there are any folks scared of a large folder or open carried fixed blade in the state, I've yet to find em.

Great area for biking too. Tons of spots for mountain biking, and taking a high end road bike on the Blue Ridge Parkway is about as good as life gets.

[MacLaren]

Very good post Vivi!!
You nailed it for NC. :)

[Doc Dan]

Yeah, some cities do have knife restrictions, but I have never had any issues, at all. I would not walk into the court house with the knife so obvious, though.

[lonerider1013]

Thanks all! I've never been hassled over a knife ever, but just wanted to be careful.

Vivi, one of the main reasons for looking into NC is the biking situation. I spent three years working for mt bike access (i live in one of the few NJ counties that does not allow it) and after it fell thru, finally said, maybe I should move back to America. Also I do archery but am looking forward to taking up black powder shooting if I move, I love history and have always wanted to try it so saner rules on firearms are welcome news too.

But despite my other interests I was most concerned about the knife thing, because I carry one all the time as I'm sure most of the folk here do!

Lonerider

[blues]

I live in the mountains of western NC...I've not yet heard of an issue with carrying a folder in these parts unless it was used in commission of a crime.

There is prior state case law where it was ruled that anything up to a 4.5" folder was considered to be acceptable. That said, as mentioned above, certain municipalities may have more restrictive laws or interpretations.

Come to NC. You won't regret it. (Especially around these parts, one of the several meccas of mountain bike riding.)

[vivi]

Thanks all! I've never been hassled over a knife ever, but just wanted to be careful.

Vivi, one of the main reasons for looking into NC is the biking situation. I spent three years working for mt bike access (i live in one of the few NJ counties that does not allow it) and after it fell thru, finally said, maybe I should move back to America. Also I do archery but am looking forward to taking up black powder shooting if I move, I love history and have always wanted to try it so saner rules on firearms are welcome news too.

But despite my other interests I was most concerned about the knife thing, because I carry one all the time as I'm sure most of the folk here do!

Lonerider

Laws against mountain biking? What?

In North and South Carolina there are lots of outdoor and indoor shooting ranges. You'd be able to find somewhere to go for that.

If you want to ride a mountain bike, all you have to do is hop on and pedal. Lots of city parks have public mountain bike trails. United States National Whitewater Center has trails. One of my favorite disc golf courses (Renaissance Park, Charlotte) has miles of wooded MTB trails.

I got to see my first road bike race in Charlotte too. They close off downtown once a year and host a criterium, it's awesome.

Another cool thing about South Carolina is 24 hours beer sales. My job has me working nights often, so it's nice being able to grab a six pack at 4am after a shift.

This part of the country definitely sounds more your speed.

[lonerider1013]

This part of the country definitely sounds more your speed.

That's my idea!

Re: the mt biking thing.... there was no law against mt biking; there was a policy forbidding it but it was based not on legislation like a law or ordinance but made up in a back room by the unelected. in 1995 an agreement was made by unelected county employees among themselves to pretend there was an ordinance, but the ordinance was from ten years earlier and not about mt biking, and never linked in writing to the ban which was created in 95 by the unelected behind closed doors with no public input until 2014, when I began filing open public record act requests for the info as part of the research behind the mt bike access effort. It started with me and two others, ended up with a lot of support, but ...

After three years the county gov't agreed to work with us, came up with a new trail plan, approved it, voted on it, and spent tens of thousands of dollars (about 60k for starters) on a consultant to help them design the new plan.
Then the consultant walked away with the money, they cancelled the trail access after voting to approve it, and things stayed as they were.
Not the only reason I'm considering moving but it helped me make up my mind. I spent 3 years of my life trying to make my own neck of the woods a better place and it just wasn't happening. (despite the cool t shirts lol.)


People can be a bunch of crooked skunks.

Lonerider

[vivi]

that's insane. I've never heard of such a thing happening anywhere in the world.

[arty]

Knife limits vary with the location. Some cities have 3” limits, and some have none. Open carry is not OK in some places, where it can be prosecuted as “going armed to the terror of the public.” In some cities or counties, it is not illegal. Anyone can carry a gun in a car as long as it is not concealed. What this means depends on the officer if you get stopped for a tail light that does not work. Guns are not OK on public school or college campuses.

When you move to NC, the safest thing is to check out the laws.

[lonerider1013]

that's insane. I've never heard of such a thing happening anywhere in the world.

It's gov't in NJ. Saying it's insane is redundant lol.
But NC (or anywhere else really) sounds awesome.

Lonerider

[lonerider1013]

Knife limits vary with the location. Some cities have 3” limits, and some have none. Open carry is not OK in some places, where it can be prosecuted as “going armed to the terror of the public.” In some cities or counties, it is not illegal. Anyone can carry a gun in a car as long as it is not concealed. What this means depends on the officer if you get stopped for a tail light that does not work. Guns are not OK on public school or college campuses.

When you move to NC, the safest thing is to check out the laws.

Thanks. The idea was the rural outskirts of Raleigh Durham... for starters. I want a yard big enough to shoot my bow in without hassle and practice with my longsword without scaring neighbors. Not sure of the knife laws as I've been down to NC every year but only to Atlantic Beach on one of the islands...where I carry what I carry here in NJ usually 3" or thereabouts. Never been hassled but then I also don't act like a hoodlum...

[ferider]

Considering relocating and expanded that consideration to North Carolina...

Hey, LR, cann't help with NC knife laws; just dropping in to wish you good luck ! We also decided to move when I retire in a few years (living in CA, currently), we picked WY; building a new home as we speak. So beautiful there ... God's country.

Cheers,

Roland.

[lonerider1013]

Ferider... thank you! and good luck in your move. Sounds like a great place to be if you like the outdoors (and don't mind the winter!)

[blues]

Ferider... thank you! and good luck in your move. Sounds like a great place to be if you like the outdoors (and don't mind the winter!)

And the wind. (Nonetheless, I love WY.)

(****, I've been buried in snow in July and August in the Wind Rivers.)

[anteck7]

I live in the RDU area, you may want to look up north of Raleigh in Creedmoor, housing with some land is still relatively inexpensive and you can get to Durham or Raleigh in about 20-40 minutes depending where you are going.

The housing market in the area is a bit high at the moment, and there has been a lot of investment in the downtown areas.

As others have stated, most reasonable folders are fine, I think I heard a ruling on a 4 inch blade falling into an acceptable size for a "normal" pocket knife. Autos are not okay.

In most areas you aren't gonna get a second look carrying a knife. The area has a lot of people who use it for work work or grew up around somebody who did. The "Gentrified Cities" are full of hipsters generally aren't going to care, and are probably sporting some kinda james brand thing, or want one. Most normal EDC type knives used for reasonable purposes aren't gonna get you any attention in most settings. I will say that that that more educated/accepting population has higher expectations that you will use a knife/gun whatever responsibly. I.E. expect to get schooled if you pick up a gun with your finger on the trigger, or your aggressively breaking down boxes with children around.

The usual warnings apply, pulling out a 4max at Starbucks to open a package of chips is probably gonna get you some unhappy looks. Nor would I sit at a bar and fidget with a PM2 for hours.