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Carry laws in Bay Area CA
- Thread starter neeman
- Start date
Hello, I'm afraid that I don't have the specifics, but be very careful. CA is one of the most strict areas for knife laws. This might be helpful:
http://www.thebladeshop.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=22
http://www.thebladeshop.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=22
Calif. state knife carry laws are very simple. Folders can be concealed as long as they are closed. Fixed blades cannot be concealed. Automatics, e.g., switchblades, must be under 2 inches in blade length. Notice nothing on blade length except for automatics. some counties/municipalities, like Berkeley and SF have a 3.5" limit on folders, but that's it in the Bay Area.
Hank
Hank
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correct. there are other sections pertaining to knives, such as on school campuses. no locking blades or fixed blades unless it is necessary for the purposes of employment, and you are employed by that school.
there will certainly be municipal and county codes. california doesnt like knives and guns. san francisco likes them even less.
I have to disagree with that. I think California has fairly lenient knife laws and is hardly worthy of being labeled as "one of the most strict areas for knife laws".
Not the best but certainly not the worst.
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i agree. probably medium strict overall.
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I live in Sacramento, go to the Bay Area often. California is great for knives... well, great for lockblades. As long as it has a detent (stays closed when closed, doesn't just flop open) and isn't a switchblade or butterfly knife, there are no length limits on what you can keep in your pocket legally. I've carried the 5.5 Cuda Maxx, and currently carrying a 4.3 Skirmish, all totally legal there in the pocket.
My bad, I've just been warned by others to be careful there, must have been bad intel.
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maybe not, depends on what the laws are like where you live.
ive lived in cali all my life. some laws i agree with, some i think are goofy.
with folders, as mentioned, the state does not see them as a real threat. fixed blades or guns? well you probably know the rest.
The laws as they may be I have never has an issue visibly carrying various Benchmade and Spyderco knives with the clip showing. Never has any LEO objected.
I was at a very public event recently (bluegrass festival; free and in Golden Gate Park) and over two days without trying I noticed at least 30-40 folks "with their clips showing" and this was in a 30K plus crowd maybe more.
Keep a low profile, be cool, obey the law and you will be fine. Don't forget to visit We Be Knives on Pier 39; the pier is a big tourist trap but WBK has a lot of knives on display. Plus the pier is still kind of cool fo a tourist trap. Make sure to visit Alcatraz.
Bill
I was at a very public event recently (bluegrass festival; free and in Golden Gate Park) and over two days without trying I noticed at least 30-40 folks "with their clips showing" and this was in a 30K plus crowd maybe more.
Keep a low profile, be cool, obey the law and you will be fine. Don't forget to visit We Be Knives on Pier 39; the pier is a big tourist trap but WBK has a lot of knives on display. Plus the pier is still kind of cool fo a tourist trap. Make sure to visit Alcatraz.
Bill
- Joined
- May 1, 2000
- Messages
- 2,259
Actually, Berkeley, Oakland, and Sacramento have a 3" limit on blade length, "even on your own property." San Francisco doesn't have a length limit, unless the blade is carried while in the commission of another crime.
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I totally agree with Billym. I'll admit, having been born and raised here in the bay area, I should probably know a bit more than I do about knife law specifics, since I carry at least one or two every single day. But the fact is, I have clip showing most of the time, conduct myself in a respectful, law abiding manner and I have never been questioned or even approached about them. Except for the one or two times an officer actually just wanted to check my knife out to chat about it and compare
I find even here in the bay area where Arizonians dare not tread, as long as you aren't waving a blade around like a madman, you'll probably be just fine.
Cheers,
Jon
Most of the Bay Area municipal/county codes w/ knife bans, blade limits, etc. that I've read on-line, have an exemption for carrying for "sporting or business purposes".
So, if questioned why you are carrying that folder w/ 'x' length blade exceeding local ordinances by a local LEO, and you say "for protection", you may be in deep doo-doo. If you say for work, e.g. to open boxes, etc., or sport/recreation, then you may be exempt if you're lucky (ymmv).
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How is the length of the blade measured?
Some of my Swiss Army knives are probably longer than 3".
Some of my Swiss Army knives are probably longer than 3".
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Unless you're doing something you shouldn't be, or pissing off the police, SAK's often get overlooked (YMMV).
I read there was a case in CA that determined that blade length should be measured in the manner most beneficial to the defendant. I don't have the cite for it, though. It had been online on JKM's site. Maybe someone archived a copy of it.
I read there was a case in CA that determined that blade length should be measured in the manner most beneficial to the defendant. I don't have the cite for it, though. It had been online on JKM's site. Maybe someone archived a copy of it.