Laws and knives between states...

H

Hardashell

Joined
Feb 1, 2018
Messages
29
Hi

Dont want to get in trouble when visiting US.

if I buy an auto knife in a state where its legal, can I then go back to the state where its not legal (Ohio in this case) and fly back home from there without risk of legal issues...?
 
I would guess that if you leave it in the box in your luggage you will be fine.

https://www.akti.org/state-knife-laws/ohio/

All the laws talk about "concealed on one's person" and "ready at hand".
I see no laws listed which state that one "cannot possess".
 
I've written a fair bit about this, among them this article: http://weaponlaws.wikidot.com/us-switchblade-laws
Long story short, "Legal/Illegal" is a fallacy, because legality refers to four different categories. Your area of concern is private ownership. For Ohio, that's not a concern. Even in states were private ownership is technically illegal, because you are not remaining in the state, the enforcement of such restrictions is effectively zero. Your only real requirement is keep it packed in checked baggage, and if your country you are flying home to has import or ownership restrictions, because if it does, it could be confiscated by your custom's agency.
 
glistam said:
I've written a fair bit about this, among them this article: http://weaponlaws.wikidot.com/us-switchblade-laws
Long story short, "Legal/Illegal" is a fallacy, because legality refers to four different categories. Your area of concern is private ownership. For Ohio, that's not a concern. Even in states were private ownership is technically illegal, because you are not remaining in the state, the enforcement of such restrictions is effectively zero. Your only real requirement is keep it packed in checked baggage, and if your country you are flying home to has import or ownership restrictions, because if it does, it could be confiscated by your custom's agency.
Click to expand...

What glistam said.

Autos can be possessed and openly carried in Ohio, but they can’t be commercially sold or conceal carried. Maryland’s law is identical.
 
Be careful. If you fly via SFO or NY, chances are your knife will get confiscated, in NY you might even get arrested, independent of the law (which in theory allows possession but not carry). They do scan check-in luggage. Don't know about Ohio. Safer to Fedex it home, IMO.
 
ferider said:
Be careful. If you fly via SFO or NY, chances are your knife will get confiscated, in NY you might even get arrested, independent of the law (which in theory allows possession but not carry). They do scan check-in luggage. Don't know about Ohio. Safer to Fedex it home, IMO.
Click to expand...
Have you experienced any confiscations at either of these airports? I can see NY, but SFO, SF"freakin"O?
 
Not myself. Read confiscation at Kennedy. Check out knife laws in San Mateo county (SFO) .... some real weird ones.
 
I too would be most concerned with transporting an auto knife via checked luggage if there were any stops in New York or New Jersey. NJ is especially bad because all their knife law violations are full fledged felonies from the get-go!
 
Philadelphia is another bad place for knives. The rest of Pennsylvania isn’t so bad (with the exception of auto knives being a problem if you carry them). I was told that in Philly, they’ll lock you up for having a medieval spiked chain mace. In the rest of the state they pretty much don’t care what kind of weapons you collect.
 
Glistam, I was looking at your state switchblade law article and I noticed you haven’t updated Montana. They legalized autos last year. Just letting you know.
 
glistam said:
I've written a fair bit about this, among them this article: http://weaponlaws.wikidot.com/us-switchblade-laws
Long story short, "Legal/Illegal" is a fallacy, because legality refers to four different categories. Your area of concern is private ownership. For Ohio, that's not a concern. Even in states were private ownership is technically illegal, because you are not remaining in the state, the enforcement of such restrictions is effectively zero. Your only real requirement is keep it packed in checked baggage, and if your country you are flying home to has import or ownership restrictions, because if it does, it could be confiscated by your custom's agency.
Click to expand...

Nice work mate :thumbsup:
Very comprehensive list!
 
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