LA knife laws

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Z550
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LA knife laws

#1

Post by Z550 »

Hi I am about to turn 18 and I just got a Spyderco persistence. I live in Los Angeles and Im wondering if its legal to carry it in my pocket. Also are there places I cant take it besides school grounds? Ive looked up the laws and from what i have understood its legal because the blade is under 3 inches but i just wanna double check. Thanks for your time.
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jdw
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Re: LA knife laws

#2

Post by jdw »

This is a good reference point for a lot of your questions. Take care and may your knife serve you well!

https://kniferights.org/
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dj moonbat
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Re: LA knife laws

#3

Post by dj moonbat »

I live in LA, and yes. Enjoy the Persistence.
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Re: LA knife laws

#4

Post by JuPaul »

Welcome to the forum, and congrats on your first spyderco!
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elduderino04
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Re: LA knife laws

#5

Post by elduderino04 »

I believe you're correct, under 3 in you're fine. Over 3 in, it can't be "in plain view", but whether a pocket clip peeking out of your pocket counts as "in plain view" or not is uncertain. If it's tucked down in your pocket, there's no length restriction. Just make sure you never carry it concealed with the blade locked open, then it's an illegal "dirk or dagger" under state law. Not sure why or how you would do that, but it's worth mentioning.
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sal
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Re: LA knife laws

#6

Post by sal »

Hi Z550,

Welcome to our forum.

sal
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Xplorer
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Re: LA knife laws

#7

Post by Xplorer »

Welcome to the forum Z550. I live in So. Cal too. In LA you cannot carry knives or daggers in open view if the blade is over 3". Clipped in your pocket counts as "in open view". If your blade is 3" or less you're fine. There is no actual length limit on pocket knives in California as long as they are not carried in the open. It is also legal to carry larger knives in the open if you are either using them for work, legal recreational activities, or you are traveling to or from such activities. You cannot carry any fully automatic opening knives and you cannot carry knives of any length onto school grounds or into a courthouse. Of course legal sized or not, any potentially sharp object (pocket knife, screwdriver, razor, etc..) is an illegal weapon if brandished in an aggressive or threatening manner. Rather than taking my word or anyone else's, I would suggest the best thing you can do is read the laws and know your rights. The link posted earlier in this thread is very helpful can get you to lots of knife law information.
Last edited by Xplorer on Fri Feb 14, 2020 1:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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koenigsegg
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Re: LA knife laws

#8

Post by koenigsegg »

I thought autos under 2" were ok, there are blades called Cali legal autos
S30V, VG10, M4, XHP, BD1, Cruwear, Elmax, Maxamet, 204P, H1, K390, A11, Rex45, LC200N, M390, 20CV, BD1N, S45VN waiting to afford MagnaCut
TomAiello
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Re: LA knife laws

#9

Post by TomAiello »

Are the knife laws statewide in California, or do they vary by jurisdiction?

Kind of an off topic question, so I apologize in advance, but I figured someone in this thread is likely to know the answer.

Thanks!
elduderino04
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Re: LA knife laws

#10

Post by elduderino04 »

TomAiello wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 10:45 am
Are the knife laws statewide in California, or do they vary by jurisdiction?

Kind of an off topic question, so I apologize in advance, but I figured someone in this thread is likely to know the answer.

Thanks!
There are statewide laws, but they don't preempt local laws. That means individual jurisdictions can have their own laws on top of the state laws.
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Xplorer
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Re: LA knife laws

#11

Post by Xplorer »

koenigsegg wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 10:42 am
I thought autos under 2" were ok, there are blades called Cali legal autos
You might be right about that, I'm not 100% positive. I know that autos are banned but at the same time a "knife" is defined as being 3" or longer so maybe that's a loophole?
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James Y
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Re: LA knife laws

#12

Post by James Y »

koenigsegg wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 10:42 am
I thought autos under 2" were ok, there are blades called Cali legal autos
I live in S. CA, and yes, autos with blades under 2" are CA-legal. I own a couple; one by Pro-Tech and another by DKD. But I don't carry them, because I don't find them as useful as normal manual one-hand openers like Spydercos.

Jim
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JonLeBlanc
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Re: LA knife laws

#13

Post by JonLeBlanc »

Welcome Z550 and get ready to have a bunch of little brothers and sisters for that Persistence lol
My collection so far: 52100 Military (2); 52100 PM2 (2); 52100 Para3; Stretch2 V-Toku; KnifeWorks M4 PM2; BentoBox M390 PM2; BentoBox S90V Military; Police4 K390; S110V PM2; SS Delica AUS-6; Wayne Goddard Sprint VG-10
Wish list: Hundred Pacer; Sliverax; Mantra; 52100 PM2 SE; Kapara
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RamZar
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Re: LA knife laws

#14

Post by RamZar »

In Los Angeles, for a manual folder the blade length needs to be under 3 inches (2.99" is my favorite blade length) if the folder is in plain view which includes the clip or part of the folder showing from your pocket. If you take it out of your pocket in a public area it's in plain view. If you travel in SoCal it's best to go with Los Angeles knife laws even though say Orange County is not as strict.

A lot of the smaller Spyderco folders are specified as having 3" blade lengths which makes them just over the legal limit in Los Angeles. For instance, Para3, Sage5 and Native5. Some of the ones that are legal with blade lengths close to 3 inches are: Delica4, Chaparral.
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dj moonbat
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Re: LA knife laws

#15

Post by dj moonbat »

And to your original question about whether there are places other than school where you aren’t allowed to bring it: Dodgers games. Courthouses. Airports.

EDIT: this list is not exhaustive.
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Re: LA knife laws

#16

Post by TomAiello »

elduderino04 wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 1:33 pm
TomAiello wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 10:45 am
Are the knife laws statewide in California, or do they vary by jurisdiction?

Kind of an off topic question, so I apologize in advance, but I figured someone in this thread is likely to know the answer.

Thanks!
There are statewide laws, but they don't preempt local laws. That means individual jurisdictions can have their own laws on top of the state laws.
Thank you!
James Y
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Re: LA knife laws

#17

Post by James Y »

RamZar wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 3:53 pm
A lot of the smaller Spyderco folders are specified as having 3" blade lengths which makes them just over the legal limit in Los Angeles. For instance, Para3, Sage5 and Native5. Some of the ones that are legal with blade lengths close to 3 inches are: Delica4, Chaparral.
The Para 3’s blade length is exactly the same length as the Delica’s, or at least mine is, which is a hair under 3”.

Jim
Z550
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Re: LA knife laws

#18

Post by Z550 »

Wow thank you guys for being so welcoming I did not expect so many responses ! Thanks for the information !
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RamZar
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Re: LA knife laws

#19

Post by RamZar »

James Y wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:14 pm
RamZar wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 3:53 pm
A lot of the smaller Spyderco folders are specified as having 3" blade lengths which makes them just over the legal limit in Los Angeles. For instance, Para3, Sage5 and Native5. Some of the ones that are legal with blade lengths close to 3 inches are: Delica4, Chaparral.
The Para 3’s blade length is exactly the same length as the Delica’s, or at least mine is, which is a hair under 3”.

Jim

I had looked at BladeHQ but now I looked at the 2020 Spyderco Catalog and you’re right in that Para3 is listed with blade lengths of 2.92”-2.95”! Delica4 is 2.87”-2.95”, Chaparral is 2.80”, Sage5 is 3.00”, Efficient is 2.98”, Alcyone is 2.91”, Persistence 2.77”, Native5 is 2.95”, Salt2 2.90”-3.00”, Brouwer 2.82”.
  • I welcome dialog, as long as it remains cordial, constructive and is conducted in a civilized manner. - Titanic: Blood & Steel
  • You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. - Abraham Lincoln
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Re: LA knife laws

#20

Post by Sumdumguy »

This thread reminds me why I hate visiting LA. The people have even started invading AZ and ruining the place. It was almost unrecognizable last time I visited and I had only been gone for three years.

I'll stick to the mountains. If someone has a problem with what you're carrying here, you can just bury them in the woods and it won't bother them anymore!

Hehe, let me get my banjo right quick!
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