Knife carry law reform in North Carolina

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Apr 6, 2021
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There is a chance this year to expand the concealed carry of knives in the state of North Carolina.

The suggested change would allow the everyday carry of any legal to possess knife with a blade of 5 inches or less concealed on one's person.

Open carry of any legal knives is already legal unless otherwise restricted by NC state and local law.

Certain folding knives with blades of 4.5 inches or less have been ruled legal to carry concealed.


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I think the 2023 General Assembly should pass legislation that would allow the "everyday carry" (edc) of any knife or tool with a blade length of 5 inches or less.

I would just like to see the law changed so that NC citizens can carry these knives on or about their persons for everyday lawful purposes.

North Carolina's current concealed carry knife law -G.S.14-269- dates from 1917.

It was and is intended to apply to "large" knives such as bowie knives, butcher knives, dirks, ect:

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person willfully and intentionally to carry concealed about his or her person any bowie knife, dirk, dagger, slung shot, loaded cane, metallic knuckles, razor, shuriken, stun gun, or other deadly weapon of like kind, except when the person is on the person's own premises.

It was amended in 1985 to allow the carry of "small" Swiss army knives but those only.

I think it should be lawful in North Carolina to carry any legal knife or tool on one's person for lawful purposes with a blade length of 5 inches or less.

These are the types of knives folks use for work everyday but cannot legally carry in public or on the job.

https://www.akti.org/resources/akti-approved-knife-definitions/

https://www.akti.org/state-knife-laws/north-carolina/

Thank you for considering legislation that would allow the legal carry of knives and tools with blades of 5 inches or less.
 
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The current exemption to the NC concealed carry statute:

(d) This section does not apply to an ordinary pocket knife carried in a closed position. As used in this section, "ordinary pocket knife" means a small knife, designed for carrying in a pocket or purse, that has its cutting edge and point entirely enclosed by its handle, and that may not be opened by a throwing, explosive, or spring action.
 
The suggested language, in bold underline, if anyone cares:

'(d) This section does not apply to an ordinary pocket knife carried in a closed position. As used in this section, "ordinary pocket knife" means a small knife, designed for carrying in a pocket or purse, that has its cutting edge and point entirely enclosed by its handle, and that may not be opened by a throwing, explosive, or spring action. Nor shall this section apply to carrying any other knife, or tool with a blade length of 6 inches or less, measured in a straight line from the tip of the blade to forward-most aspect of the hilt or handle, carried for lawful purposes.'
 
Representative Phil Shepard is taking the lead on knife carry in North Carolina

Contact him if you want to see the carry of small knives for edc
 
2023 might be the year to reform knife carry laws in NC

Currently only "small" folders can be carried concealed in a purse or pocket
 
I'm in NC. Our knife laws are a little grey. To me, if you can see my pocket clip, at all, it isn't concealed. I carry anything I want, when I want. Assuming if it ever becomes an issue, it's because I've broken other laws and been caught. At that point, it is just another charge. Since I generally don't break laws and I've never had a cop pocket dump me, I carry what I want, when I want, within reason. Just me. The saying of judged by 12 or carried by 6 applies to my personal safety and those around me. But...the 509 an my hip is generally a much better choice for that.
 
Understood. NC knife laws are dumb. A casual reading leads me to believe a Chaves Chub in a pocket is illegal.

I appreciate the thread and can get behind any freedom leading laws but there are far more important ones I'd rather a super majority in the legislature tackle.
 
Is "small" left to the discretion of the officer? Crazy how in LA I can not worry about the size of my folder at all (fixed blades are another story) but elsewhere this is not so, and my Espada XL is good to go but I am extra careful when I bring out my Microtech UTX-75 because of the felonious 2.2" blade!
 
An NC court ruled once that a folding knife with a 4.5" closed length (blade closed into the handle) was legal to carry concealed

Thats pretty much been the standard since for the police

There is a 'defense to a prosecution' for carrying fixed blades:


(b1) It is a defense to a prosecution under this section that:
(1) The weapon was not a firearm;
(2) The defendant was engaged in, or on the way to or from, an activity in which the defendant legitimately used the weapon;
(3) The defendant possessed the weapon for that legitimate use; and
(4) The defendant did not use or attempt to use the weapon for an illegal purpose.

The burden of proving this defense is on the defendant
 
I live in NC and I've talked to many LEOs, some of whom are friends and relatives, as well as LEOs who are CCW instructors, and some attorneys, and it's true that NC knife laws are not very specific. The gist of what most of them have told me is that a folding knife with a blade length of 4-inches or less is unlikely to cause any problems. The horrible truth is that unless the NC knife laws are made more specific, LEOs, prosecutors and judges have some leeway in how they enforce the existing law.
 
Most deputies and police are not looking to jack you up on a knife charge unless it's in addition to something else stupid you may have done. They have bigger fish to fry. (I'm retired federal LEO living in NC for 19 years.)

As mentioned above, the courts have ruled that a 4.5" folding knife was considered legal. So there is at least that vague precedent.

However, if one is arrested on other charges, the knife may be an enhancement if it can be tied to the charges.

Be smart and don't give anyone a reason to jack you up.

(I haven't met any locals during my years here who have a hard-on for guns or knives. That may not be the case in less rural areas than my stomping grounds.)
 
I guess the main thrust is to just legalize the carry of "small" (or any) automatic knives so there is no grey area if someone gets upset over an auto knife being pulled out and used otherwise lawfully.
 
I'm in NC. Our knife laws are a little grey. To me, if you can see my pocket clip, at all, it isn't concealed. I carry anything I want, when I want. Assuming if it ever becomes an issue, it's because I've broken other laws and been caught. At that point, it is just another charge. Since I generally don't break laws and I've never had a cop pocket dump me, I carry what I want, when I want, within reason. Just me. The saying of judged by 12 or carried by 6 applies to my personal safety and those around me. But...the 509 an my hip is generally a much better choice for that.
Yup I’ve always carried what I want whenever. Big blades, autos. Don’t think it’s ever even gonna come up unless you commit some sort of crime with said knife
 
Yup I’ve always carried what I want whenever. Big blades, autos. Don’t think it’s ever even gonna come up unless you commit some sort of crime with said knife

I get what you're saying, but for me personally, I don't want to take a chance on getting caught up in something that is not my fault - such as: somebody gets stabbed, beat up or robbed at or near somewhere I happen to be - even if I'm NOT in the immediate vicinity. I don't want to be at the wrong place at the wrong time through no fault of my own and come under suspicion, then end up getting zapped for an "illegal weapons" charge when I'm cleared of any other wrongdoing. Yes, that's a tiny chance, but not the only possible scenario that might cause me to get caught up in something I am not responsible for, and have no prior knowledge of.

It's not much of a burden for me, here in NC, to limit my pocket knives to 4-inch blade or smaller, and open carry everything else. I don't own any autos, just never had any interest in them because I can't figure out what advantage they give me over my flippers, they cost more and there's more stuff to go wrong that I might have to fix (or lose the functionality).
 
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