Is ANYTHING legal in NJ?

K

Kiss Me Deadly

Joined
Jan 5, 2010
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I assume you won't get in trouble for a swiss army knife, but....

Asides from that, is ANYTHING legal in NJ?

Apparently "all knives are seen as illegal" without a good reason to carry one. Which isn't to say that the actual law doesn't differ, but rather what is practiced.

http://www.thefiringline.com/library/blades/knifelaws.html

I mean, I do know someone who got 5 weeks jail for having a 3-inch Spyderco clipped to his belt after being pulled over for running a red light. Concealed weapon charges. Google searches bring up similar results, one guy getting 96 days for a 4-inch folder. Word on the street is that size or type doesn't matter, if you're carrying it, especially concealed, it's illegal and automatic jail time.

What IS legal? From what I can tell it has to be under 3 inches, not lock back, and be entirely manually. Even then you can get arrested depending on the context of why you're carrying it. I work a lot in NYC, and while my EDC does meet the law requirements there, ironically it probably wouldn't fly at all in NJ. Which wouldn't even bother me but I work as a luthier, and meanwhile the bus stop I take into NYC often gets random checks. So far I never got patted down, but they made everyone at the bus stop show ID. :foot:

Should I switch to a small Case folder that doesn't lock? Like the peanut or medium jack? Texas toothpick style seems to exceed acceptable blade length.
 
Kiss Me Deadly said:
I assume you won't get in trouble for a swiss army knife, but....

Asides from that, is ANYTHING legal in NJ?
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Probably not. It is a screwed up state from the word go, and deserves to rot...which it is doing nicely.

I lived there, and got out.

Any other questions?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kiss Me Deadly said:
I mean, I do know someone who got 5 weeks jail for having a 3-inch Spyderco clipped to his belt after being pulled over for running a red light. Concealed weapon charges.
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We don't know all the facts of the stop so I won't go into that. Here's a good link: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_size_knife_is_legal_to_carry_in_new_jersey

I have worn pocket carried folders, even a small neck knives (not concealed), in plain view and never been so much as stopped and questioned about it. I believe it's what you're doing at the time, how you present yourself and act towards others, as well as the state of mind of the LEO at that moment that dictates what happens to you when an LEO sees you with a undeployed knife.
 
The problem is that the laws are so vague. I've read over the answers.com summary a million times before, I've also read the netcom and donath.org stuff. It's just very "Who knows?" or, "Everything is illegal."

But there's also a point where I don't think a LEO is going to care. A SAK is one of those cases. But would I be within the law to carry a Case slippie, like the TX Toothpick, Peanut, Medium Jack? Or is that an issue as well? Is my Spyderco Dragonfly okay? I EDC it anyhow, but it's still questionable...

Obviously context means a lot, but random checks, getting pulled over in a car while with a friend, or just generally walking around town makes me nervous.

I guess it's a question of what you're more afraid of. The law, or being mugged. :rolleyes:
 
Steven, your lack of any tangible reply doesn't help him. :rolleyes:

KMD, the cases which you cite probably had some underlying circumstances which garnered jail time for the offender (prior convictions, violent felon, parole violation, etc.). I would also suggest that you don't go on "hearsay". The whole "I know someone" mentality has an inherent tendency to get distorted.

I've lived in NJ my whole life. I have never committed a crime and I have carried on my person a locking 4 inch folder everyday for years. I have been pulled over by both the State Police and local police and asked if I had anything on me. My reply was always yes and every single time I was not harassed or arrested for carrying an illegal weapon. I can't go anywhere without seeing at least one person with a Buck 110 in a belt sheath. Are these people being harassed? I doubt it. Highly.

I would not hesitate to carry a Spyderco Endura in the state of NJ unless you have a prior arrest record and are susceptible to causing trouble for yourself.
 
Ken C. said:
The whole "I know someone" mentality has an inherent tendency to get distorted.
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Yeah -- This is why I'm asking. I tend to find that what other people claim is "the law" tends to never apply in any first-hand experiences.


I've lived in NJ my whole life. I have never committed a crime and I have carried on my person a locking 4 inch folder everyday for years. I have been pulled over by both the State Police and local police and asked if I had anything on me. My reply was always yes and every single time I was not harassed or arrested for carrying an illegal weapon. I can't go anywhere without seeing at least one person with a Buck 110 in a belt sheath. Are these people being harassed? I doubt it. Highly.
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Good to know. If your 'location' listed on here is accurate, I live literally 15 minutes away, so at least area differences aren't really in question either. I know south jersey is a totally different ball game when it comes to this stuff.


I would not hesitate to carry a Spyderco Endura in the state of NJ unless you have a prior arrest record and are susceptible to causing trouble for yourself.
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Not even an Endura, a Dragonfly which is significantly smaller! :o

But yeah -- I have no criminal record what-so-ever (I've never even gotten a ticket for anything before,) and if that's any indication, I tend to stay out of trouble. I'm generally very calm and trusting of any LEO I talk to.

It's more an issue of the fact that people around here have nothing but deep fear of LEOs, so it's not uncommon to hear rather misguided information, and on top of that a lot of LEO's put on a very unapproachable persona and will act confrontational even if you so much as ask them for directions. So the whole situation can become intimidating, and it makes people generally uneasy.

Of course, NJ has some of the strictest weapon laws.... Unsurprisingly some of the highest crime rates as well. :D
 
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