Can someone help me clear up these Maine laws?

B

BlindedByTheLite

Joined
May 6, 2004
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my mother seems to think that every knife i own is illegal in the state of Maine, as they are not hunting knives... and after reading the Maine knife laws, i haven't been driven any closer to putting my mind @ ease...

Maine knife laws are as follows:
No person may display in a threatening manner, or wear under his clothes or conceal about his person, any firearm, slung shot, knuckles, bowie knife, dirk, stiletto or other dangerous or deadly weapons usually employed in the attack on or defense of a person, unless excepted by a provision of law. (Title 25 Chapter 252 §2001) SECTION TEXT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 7/1/04
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and also
A person is guilty of trafficking in dangerous knives, if providing he has no right to do so, he knowingly manufactures or causes to be manufactured, or knowingly possesses, displays, offers, sells, lends, gives away or purchases any knife which has a blade which opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring or other device in the handle of the knife, or any knife having a blade which opens or falls or is ejected into position by the force of gravity, or by an outward, downward or centrifugal thrust or movement. (Title 17A Chapter 43 §1055)
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so what am i to make of this? all of my knives are illegal unless they're displayed on the outside of my clothing? i can't clip it inside my pocket 'cause noone will be able to see it? i can't tuck my Arclite underneath my shirt to keep it from swinging around?

it sounds like a big contradiction to me... 1st quote says you can't carry any "dangerous or deadly weapons usually employed in an attack on or defense of a person" under your clothes and then the 2nd quote says you're only guilty if it's an "automatic" or "gravity" knife...

so am i okay as long as it's not an automatic or am i **** outta luck 'cause it's a dangerous or deadly weapon? (i consider knives tools, but i imagine it wont matter)

also, the law does not apply to hunting knives...
Hunting knives. Knives used for the purposes of hunting, fishing or trapping as defined in Title 12, section 7001.
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that's the quote that sparked the entire conversation between my mother and myself...

i own a Camillus Arclite, a Camillus Cuda Jr, a Spyderco Calypso Jr, a Spyderco Cricket, a Spyderco Dodo, a Benchmade Nimravus, and a CRKT M16-03... now are these knives only legal if they're attached to the outside of my clothes in plain sight of anyone who happens to glance @ me? or can i tuck my Arclite under my shirt, wear my Nimravus inside the pants, and clip my folders on the inside of my pocket?
 
I hate when laws are written this way. Laws should be very spedific and not open to interpretation. I guess the real key is are your knives "other dangerous or deadly weapons usually employed in the attack on or defense of a person". I dont think they are.
 
Typical law, written as a 100 word run-on sentence.

A person is guilty of trafficking in dangerous knives, if providing he has no right to do so, he knowingly manufactures or causes to be manufactured, or knowingly possesses, displays, offers, sells, lends, gives away or purchases any knife which has a blade which opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring or other device in the handle of the knife, or any knife having a blade which opens or falls or is ejected into position by the force of gravity, or by an outward, downward or centrifugal thrust or movement. (Title 17A Chapter 43 §1055)
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Just read what's in bold. A "normal" knife, ie a SAK, or Spyderco Delica, or Buck 110 is perfectly fine. This site seems to think that balisongs are fine, but I'm not sure I'd test it (most states that mention "centrifugal" ban balisongs) without finding some case law first, or contacting the DA. No mention on blade length limit, no mention on fixed blades, concealed or not. So, as long as it's not a "dangerous knife" as described in bold, or a "bowie knife, dirk, stiletto" you can carry whatever you want, wherever you want. I think the difference the law(makers) intend is whether or not the knife was designed for and caried by you for the intent of bringing harm upon someone. And "displaying in a threatening manner" does not include having it in safely in your pocket out of sight.

You're fine.
 
thanks guys... i don't have much experience with these umm, "technicalities"...
now i'd say everything is fine except my Cuda Jr, which i think would be a victim of misinterpretation if a situation arose due to the hovering-disc opening mechanism on the handle (not an auto, but opens in half a blink)...

i'll probly try to avoid carrying the Cuda Jr and Nimravus (due to it's 4.5" blade) in public...

good idea, right?

Edit:
also thanks for the link to the The High Road.org... it cleared up my questions better than Packing.org and Mr. Levine's site with the "yes or no chart" thing...

-Ryan
 
Well basically in Maine there are no folder blade length limits. I carry a 630. Aren't any fixed blade limits, except double edged. No brass knuckles, batons, blackjacks, ect.

I carry my HR or my CT in public, in the open. Concealed they have a problem. My boss carries a RATK. Its legal, single edged, cause its in the open.

Never had a single problem.
 
My wife and I are moving to the Bangor area next spring. You folks know of any local ordinances I should be aware of? I like to carry as big a folder as I can, or a fixed anywhere from three to four and a half inches in blade length. Should I have any reservations?
 
I am a retired LEO from Maine and will tell everyone who carries a knife to keep their nose clean. The laws are cloudy and as such open to interpertation by the officer. Of course auto's are out. Nyet, Nada :mad: .

I have see people charged with carrying a concealed weapon when they were arrested for other crimes and found with a knife in their pocket. Most of these charges involved a violent crime which didn't involve a knife, and most of these involved large 4 inch blade knives. Yes I have done this myself when the person had a history of violence. :eek:

You can get a concealed firearms permit but that is only for firearms. So you see I give good advice here. Dont give law enforcment a reason to deal with you and you wont have to trust in the discretion of an officer. :mad:

Here in Florida my EDC is a UT6 or a UMS. The laws here seem to permit Auto carry, not concealed. However I am not sure the officers will see it that way, and hope the fact that I am a retired LEO (ID) and have a weapons permit here will matter. :cool:

I do not intend to make myself a target by law enforcement and hope if I do I get by.

Hope this helps some.

HR :D
 
My cousin is a detective with the Bangor PD. I guess I'll get her take on the laws. In Los Angeles, the laws leave perhaps too much to the officer's discretion. I was hoping my new home would have knife laws that were more definitive.

I think a lot of the confusion goes back to some of these laws being written a long time ago, when men without criminal intent or concerns about self-defense carried a little Barlow or a pen knife. "Dirks," and "daggers" and Bowie knives were kind of like the "assault weapons" of their day; ill-defined, nefarious, and threatening to the more delicate folk.
 
Actually, I think the wording of the laws above are fairly specific. But then, I've got lawyers in the family.

Your first statute: you may not use a knife ("dirk or stilletto") to threaten anyone with harm. You can't wear it under your clothes: don't have it up a sleeve, don't put inside a jacket or coat like a shoulder holster, or slip it under a pants leg. Also, you can't conceal it. That doesn't mean you can't put it in a pocket... it means you can't go to lengths to *hide* it. Fortunately, if you need to use a knife in an emergency, the last thing you'd want to do is conceal it to where you couldn't get to it quickly. The point of this is that the assumption that "the only person who would wear it there or hide it in these places is the kind of guy who doesn't want to get caught with it." As HarleyRider said, pretty much. But it doesn't mean you *can't* have one in a pocket for convenience, work, etc., or wear one on a belt.

The second statute: pretty much no automatic or gravity knives anywhere or anytime. Balisongs do not by letter of law fall into this category, but you can bet that a LEO can argue this one if you're twirling one in public and making people nervous.

The third statute: Not applicable. You're not hunting, trapping, or fishing.

As HarleyRider said, if your knife isn't being a problem to anyone or anything, it won't be a problem at all.
 
HarleyRider 274 said:
I am a retired LEO from Maine and will tell everyone who carries a knife to keep their nose clean. The laws are cloudy and as such open to interpertation by the officer. Of course auto's are out. Nyet, Nada :mad: .

I have see people charged with carrying a concealed weapon when they were arrested for other crimes and found with a knife in their pocket. Most of these charges involved a violent crime which didn't involve a knife, and most of these involved large 4 inch blade knives. Yes I have done this myself when the person had a history of violence. :eek:

You can get a concealed firearms permit but that is only for firearms. So you see I give good advice here. Dont give law enforcment a reason to deal with you and you wont have to trust in the discretion of an officer. :mad:

Here in Florida my EDC is a UT6 or a UMS. The laws here seem to permit Auto carry, not concealed. However I am not sure the officers will see it that way, and hope the fact that I am a retired LEO (ID) and have a weapons permit here will matter. :cool:

I do not intend to make myself a target by law enforcement and hope if I do I get by.

Hope this helps some.

HR :D
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Ha! Funny you should say that cause thats the advice I was given by various state police, and LEO. I don't have any trouble carrying a fixed cause I carry in the open, and not doing anything stupid like trying to pry open a bank. Pretty much what they told me. Its legal, unless you're doing something illegal. They know me well around here, enough to randomly stop by and see what new sharpies I have.
 
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