In California, the following are illegal: (1) it is illegal to possess a switched blade knife with a blade of 2 inches or more that can be opened with a button or hand movement; (2) concealed possession of a “dirk” or “dagger”, i.e. a fixed-blade stabbing device, regardless of the length of the blade; (3) the possession or sale of camouflaged blades, that is to say, tubular swords, pen knives, lipstick knives, etc., or knives that are not visible to metal detectors; (4) possession of a knife with a blade of more than 2 1/2″ on the grounds of a school; (5) possession of a fixed-blade knife and a blade of more than 2 1/2″ on a college or university campus; and (6) flashing or refraining from knives or weapons in a threatening manner. In addition, some municipalities have their own laws that can affect the legality of carrying a knife. In Los Angeles, for example, it is illegal to carry a knife with a blade larger than 3 inches open. It is not necessary to intend to use an item as a weapon, and the definition is so broad that an overzealous police officer could include a ballpoint pen in the legal definition of “Dirk or dagger.” None of this is legal advice, but I speak from experience of being arrested for carrying a 3-inch all-purpose knife! I`m actually involved in a civil rights case following an unlawful arrest, which can help bring some common sense to this legal situation, but at this point it`s completely illegal to carry a solid-bladed knife or other instrument that “may” cause significant bodily harm. Feel free to hear the case of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California No. 2: 16-CV-02271-GEB-KJN to see if this situation can change for the better. I couldn`t find an attorney willing to take on the above case, so I`ll prose, but if someone reading this happens to be an attorney or knows an attorney in the California Bay Area who is willing to take on the above case, please contact me. It is legal to possess, but illegal to transport you. In other words, you can have automatic collection of knives in your home, but you can`t put it in your car or carry it on you when you`re not home.
However, there is one exception – if the blade is less than 2 inches long. Article 12026.2 of the Penal Code stipulates that carrying a handgun in your car, even in a locked container, is only used to transport from one particular place to another (going to the shooting range, going hunting, etc.). It is illegal to carry a firearm without a license, even in a locked container in your car, for general purposes such as self-defense. If you are a California resident, it is illegal to carry daggers or dirks on you. While these sections are not generally associated with violence, both fall under Section 12020 of the California Penal Code. The law applies even to historical replicas. California`s knife laws may come as a surprise to anyone who hasn`t taken the time to read the penal code. In California, it is perfectly legal to carry a knife with a fixed blade of any length around the waist – if sheathed.
These include hunting knives, kitchen knives, swords, etc. You could literally walk around your waist with a 27-inch katana if you wanted to, and it would be perfectly 100% legal to do so. To the lonely loser. Your TAC-FORCE-Spring-Assisted-Opening-BLACK-TACTICAL-Pocket-Knife-Folding-Blade is legal in the state of California because it is a lever knife. No switch blade. You should always support the blade manually from the handle. If it was a button that automatically releases the blade, then it would be illegal. That`s weird. If you read the Penal Code and several websites that are interested in this subject, you are fine under the LAW as long as it is not exposed.
Once the blade is exposed (out of the handle), this is a problem. This only applies (to my knowledge) to L.A. The LA law applies to exposed blades longer than three inches, so according to the law, as long as the knife is in your pocket, everything is fine, regardless of the length. The moment you open it, it`s exposed, and that`s the problem. Obviously, this only applies to backrests, as you can`t legally hide a solid blade, so fixed blades in Los Angeles should always be 3 inches or less and should be worn open. Records can be of any length and in Los Angeles as long as the sheet is not available in a public place (unless it is part of your job). What do you do with a legal Cali car? It`s barely long enough to open the mail with it. Food preparation? No, unless you only eat grapes for lunch.