Legal age to buy knives?

Chuck Gedraitis Knives

Chuck Gedraitis Knives

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Dec 10, 1998
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I was at a mall here in massachusetts yesterday, which has a chain knife store in it. While I was perusing I overheard the store mananager ask a customer if his mother would be offended if he bought the larger VS. the smaller version of a smith&wesson knife. She then asked him his age, he was only 17! I said isn't it against the law to sell a knife to anyone under the age of 18 and they said NO, as long as the blade was under 4 inches! then then told me that at their other store thy can sell a knife to any one under 18 as long as the blade is not over 2 1/2 inches. I do not think that this is the case! When I was younger and wentto flea markets, online and at shows I was always told that oyu have to be 18. Am I mis-informed or are these people selling knives to 15yr olds?
Thanks
Chuck
 
Where I live knives are usually only sold to eighteen year olds. This isn't the law however, it's store policy. Balisongs and swords can only be sold to eighteen year olds under the law but folders (and I think fixed) can be sold to those under eighteen. You're in a different state, however, so I don't know your laws.
 
It is quite likely that different States have different laws as far as this concerned. I do not know the laws where you are. Obviously the stores that sell them there don't know the laws either or they would both have the same blade length restriction.

As to your question, from the sounds of things these stores are selling knives to 15 year olds. If they say it is OK to do so, then they probably are doing it.

If it concerns you maybe you should check into your local knife laws. If they are breaking the law, inform of this. If not, you will have found out some useful information that you can pass on to the rest of us. Let us know either way.
 
Laws vary from State to State. NH law prohibits the sale of knives to anyone under sixteen (16). local ordinances however may apply in the case of State Fairs for example. My community hosts a State Fair every Labor day weekend. The cutlery folks are prohibitted from selling ANY knife, regardless of size to anyone UNDER eighteen (18). Confused???? Well, it can be when Laws are written in the mid to late 1800's and are modified once in 1921 and have all bladed instruments fall under the same statute that deals with:
(State of NH termonology NOT mine)
"DIRKS, SWITCHBLADES,STILLETTO,CANE-SWORD,PUSH-DAGGER and BRASS KNUCKLES)
Then the "while hunting" exemption, which allows any person actively hunting to be in possession of any of the above.....wolf:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
 
WE SHOULD BAN ALL KNIVES,AND REGISTER THEM,ETC ETC!!!
BAAAAH!

please,striper.
how old were you when you got your first pocket knife?
im willing to bet you were under 18 when you did.
i was about 7.

i never killed anyone.
ive never threatened anyone.


if you treat minors like babies,then theyre going to be babies forever. i say let em have a knife,and the responisibilities that go along with it...

its either that,or we'll be a nation of bliss ninnies.
 
Wolfman,
As a fellow N.H ite I have to ask, where did you find the information regarding our knife laws. Although I live in N.C. right now I do go back and forth at Christmas and other times during the year. Also, If you don't mind my asking, what fair are you referring to, Cornish, Cheshire, etc..?
Lagarto
 
I refer to NH Revised Statutes under the section relative to pistol permits. It is in the RSA 690 section, but I cannot remember the specific Statute. I certainly can get it if you need it. I reference the Grand Hopkinton State Fair, which just celebrated it's 101 plus State Fair during the five day Labor Day period. As Their retired CLEO (figure that one!!!)I worked my Butt off trying to change the Law relative to knives. NO WAY, 4-GET-IT. From such a Rural State with an almost "must carry firearm mentality", where I taught my kids all about guns from age two, the knife Laws are simply time to turn "Blue". Like honking your horn when overtaking and passing another Motor vehicle upon ANY Public way within the State of NH, the ONLY time the Law regarding knives is used is when it is politically correct. We are sadly in those times. But, MOST of those charged with LE who have children are well aware of the value of a kid learning "knife-ettiquette" and a pocket knife is given when the kid is old enough to value it, not at age whatever....Sorry for the long winded answer.....wolf;)
 
I was just surprised that a store would not have any regulations of who they could sell a knife to, just to cover their own behinds. I recieved my first pocketknife at age 5 but I used it for fishing and whitling, and under adult supervision. I was taught that a knife is a tool and not a weapon. These kids were not under any supervision and it surprised me that the store would sell it to them. I remember being a younger collector and being told at flea markets that I had to be 18.

I was not trying to institute any kind of knife registration, just a law that prohibits minors to buy knives. With the recent events in the past few years with kids you would think that it would have affected laws but apparently enough hasn't happened to get things rolling.
 
Here in Illinois, where it's not illegal to carry a knife over 3" in blade length but is considered a "dangerous weapon" - no one seems to really give a rat's.

I turn 16 next month for what it's worth, and i've always bought all my knives with my dad along, whether or not there's a legal age to sell, I can CARRY most anything I want. and that's all that really matters to me.
 
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