Blades slightly above legal limit

[knife__bro69]

Ive been wanting a Siren for a while, but being in Colorado, I cant carry anything over 3.5 inches legally. I really wish when they decided on bladelength in design that they went slightly under when hitting any 0.5 inch interval.

Do you have any knives that you wish you could carry but cannot, because it is ever so slightly above the legal limit for your area?

[Naperville]

KNIFE FRIENDLY STATES

Arizona
Idaho
South Dakota (OK, EXCEPT FOR DEADWOOD)
Texas
... there may be more.

I look for knife friendly states all of the time, and collect info on where I'd like to retire. I'd like to carry a 5.5 to 7 inch blade on my hip for self defense.

I live in Illinois. Certain municipalities like Chicago, there are restrictions on blade length. Statewide, there is no legal limit outside of the restrictive munis as long as you intend no harm. However, the minute that you become a criminal, a 3 inch "limit" is imposed for laws that have to do with felonies. In other words, there is no statewide law that says a 4 inch blade is illegal to carry, unless you intend to do harm or use the knife in a crime, then it becomes a felony.

I am NOT a lawyer and am not offering legal advice. This is just my interpretation of the laws as I understand them.

Your best bet is to download the FREE app from "Knife Rights" for your Android or Apple phone, and study the laws. Then, if you intend to carry, I suggest that you join USCCA so that you have legal counsel in case you defend yourself with the knife in a legal manner.

[Wartstein]

For me it's a bit different:

I wish they'd at least go up as close as possible to the next 0.5" blade length limit as far as the handle offers space for that (f.e. Manix 2, Endela), or fill all of the available space in the handle if a limit gets exceeded anyway.

I know, that's not a practical option for everyone, but If a blade is just a tad to long for a local limit, one could always grind it down a bit. While others will have the benefit of a longer cutting edge...

But I admit: Talk is cheap in my case, since there are no blade length limits at all where I live.

[Doc Dan]

To me, the choil should not count as blade length.

[Wartstein]

To me, the choil should not count as blade length.

Perhaps the "logic" behind this (to be clear, I am against any blade length limit whatsoever!!) from a law-makers-standpoint:
It is not about sharpened edge, but about reach? Or about how easily vital organs could be hit when stabbing, and while the front side of an actual handle will stop a stab, the choil won´t ?!

[Naperville]

If they knew what the heck they were legislating about

#1 they would not try to legislate the 2nd Amendment
#2 the largest legal blade for carry would be 1/4 an inch if they were trying to prevent all killings

With a 1/2 inch blade, I can be almost as dangerous as I am with a 5.5 or 7 inch blade. The major difference being, you have to close the gap between an attacker and yourself.

Ever see a 1/2 inch gut hook work?

[VooDooChild]

I have never worried about blade restrictions.

Just dont be someone who would get in trouble over something like that. :D

Also keep some fishing equipment in your car. In my state you can open carry so long as you are on your way to or from fishing or hunting. But realistically its easy to say you were fishing earlier and forgot you had your knife in your pocket.

[Naperville]

And on that note, I recommend a John Deer hat too.

[soc_monki]

Mississippi is knife friendly. I once saw a guy riding a bike with a machete on his hip. I could walk around with my kabar on my belt if I wanted to. I like that kind of freedom.

I regularly carry 4 inch folders. No one really bat's an eye.

[JD Spydo]

There is a great organization I used to be a member of but I let it lapse but I think I'm going to renew it soon. The AKTI ( American Knife & Tool Institute) has been referred to as the NRA of knives. Their website is a well-spring of good information about knife legislation and current knife laws. It's a great bunch of people that run it. They usually have a booth at the bigger knife shows over the years.

Also at least once a year it seems like BLADE magazine does an annual article on the knife laws in all 50 states. Here in Missouri where I live most of our state is considered a Rural Farm State and most farmers carry some type of pocket knife. I've been carrying my M390 Military for a little over 4 years now and I've never had a problem. A lot of times you just need to use common sense. I don't go into any government building carrying any tool. But it's been that way since 9-11. Other than that I don't even give it a second thought.

[jdw]

I live in Oklahoma and as you can imagine, we don't have blade length restrictions to go with our permit free, legal open carry of firearms so I don't really worry about any size of knife that I carry. In fact, I don't really worry about the length of blade I carry anywhere in the US. Not once in my life have I been stopped and asked by a LEO to see the size of my knife.

[bearfacedkiller]

I just don’t worry about it. I lived in the Denver suburbs for 10 years and carried a Military all the time. Now I live in a state that has no blade length limits.

[yablanowitz]

We used to have a 4" limit here in Kansas, so it was illegal for me to carry a Police Model. The one time an officer commented on mine, it was to say "Cool! That's just like mine." And then we talked knives for a couple of minures before we both went on our seperate ways.

Enforcement of laws tends to be somewhat flexible. Most places, if you aren't acting like a threat, it doesn't matter what you carry. If you are doing something to gain LEO attention, that's when blade length becomes an issue.

[Evil D]

Until the laws chance there's always a Dremel.

[bearfacedkiller]

Colorado allows the carrying of a knife of any size when involved in a “sporting” activity. That seems vague but I assume it means most outdoor activities like hunting and fishing but also maybe hiking and camping or just bumming around in the woods. I am always ready to fish and keep some fishing gear in my truck at all times so I am pretty much always scouting for fishing holes. BTW, there is some decent fishing in the small urban ponds around Denver.

[Woodpuppy]

Always assume the laws will be interpreted in favor of the .gov; where laws were once interpreted with maximum individual liberty first and foremost, that is no longer the case.

I’m in FL, where 4” seems to be the magic number. Further, we have a concealed carry weapon (CCW) permit, as opposed to the concealed handgun license (CHL) of some other states. Meaning my permit covers a longer blade. My carry of choice these many months of covid teleworking has been the Military, and mine in particular is <4”. I got this one used off eBay, and have wondered if the previous owner broke the tip off and reprofiled the blade.

[jpm2]

Until the laws chance there's always a Dremel.

Problem solved.

[Evil D]

Until the laws chance there's always a Dremel.

Problem solved.

There's just no way I'm going to let 0.1 of an inch stand between me and a knife I really like. You could nip that much off with a piece of sandpaper just by sanding the spine down a bit and if you use the right grit it'll look factory and nobody will know the difference. It's not going to look significantly different being a tenth of an inch shorter. Sure it would be nice to not have to do this stuff, especially if DLC is involved, but until then it's really easy to make due.

[RustyIron]

Do you have any knives that you wish you could carry but cannot, because it is ever so slightly above the legal limit for your area?

No. It's never even crossed my mind, so I don't even know what the legal limit might be. But if the blade is exactly at the limit and it bothers you, then get out your stones and take 0.020" off.

[jpm2]

Until the laws chance there's always a Dremel.

Problem solved.

There's just no way I'm going to let 0.1 of an inch stand between me and a knife I really like. You could nip that much off with a piece of sandpaper just by sanding the spine down a bit and if you use the right grit it'll look factory and nobody will know the difference. It's not going to look significantly different being a tenth of an inch shorter. Sure it would be nice to not have to do this stuff, especially if DLC is involved, but until then it's really easy to make due.

Do you have any knives that you wish you could carry but cannot, because it is ever so slightly above the legal limit for your area?

No. It's never even crossed my mind, so I don't even know what the legal limit might be. But if the blade is exactly at the limit and it bothers you, then get out your stones and take 0.020" off.

People like us are a minority. For whatever reasons, most seem to have a block against any modifications.
I have a 3.25" military and 3.1" GB1, nothing to do with being legal.
I have a siren coming from the 2nds sale and can't wait to see what I can do with it.