PHILADELPHIA Not a Knife friendly town

John_B

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Mar 27, 2003
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I had to do some business in the City of Brotherly love and before I left I looked up the knife laws there. Wow no pocket knives what so ever?

http://www.phila.gov/philacode/html/_data/title10/CHAPTER_10_800_SAFETY/10_820_Cutting_Weapons_in_Publ.html

So I just left my knife(s) at home but while in town I tried in vain to see a pocket clip anywhere and failed. Even looking at the PD at various places and I couldn't detect a single knife anywhere! Construction workers too I thought I'd see some type of folding razor.

You guys got it tough there.

Best Regards,
 
You are in your motel parking lot, fumbling with your keys and trying to open your truck door, somebody spots your Spyderco barely visible from your pocket , "911 whats your emergency?" "send the police, there is a man with a knife". Next stop CNN " A Virginia man was shot and killed by Philadelphia police............"
 
PA state law doesn't prohibit carrying a knife (just certain kinds). Does state law not trump municipal?
 
Criminals love philly, rest assured the victims will more than likely be unarmed with the exception concealed carry. And not sure of the requirements in PA
 
PA state law doesn't prohibit carrying a knife (just certain kinds). Does state law not trump municipal?

We do have preemption laws for guns but I don't think for knives. That said Philidelphia is considered a special place where not even our preemption laws protect your right to carry a gun. We are an open carry state except for Philly. You can carry concealed in Philly if you have a permit. Our knife law is so vague you can carry almost anything except in Philly where you can carry nothing.
 
And you can bet your butt that I do... but I always have a knife in the bottom of my pocket somewhere. ;)

Hell yes! I always carried a knife in Philly anyway. It is a stupid almost unenforceable law. It is not like NYC. Cops in Philly have way bigger problems than people carrying pocket knives. Chances are if you get arrested for having a knife in Philly you we doing something else wrong. Doesn't really mater much to me though as I avoid going to Philly at all costs.

Criminals love philly, rest assured the victims will more than likely be unarmed with the exception concealed carry. And not sure of the requirements in PA

The requirements here are fairly lax. It is basically the same background check as the one you get when you buy a gun. They do ask for references. They never called mine.

BTW, your state and mine have reciprocity with regards to carry permits. I drove through NC a couple times this year and it is nice not to have to stop to lock up your gun. Many states out east do as well. Oddly enough not SC. And Maryland is a no go.
 
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I was born in the city of brotherly love, excellent food south street was a lot of fun in my early days. Just be sure not to wonder out in Kensington.
 
I generally only go into the city maybe once or twice a month for the nightlife, so I'm generally with a big group of people and find little need for having a knife (at least not for utility purposes). But I couldn't imagine living in the city proper and never being able to carry a knife at all. I'm glad I ended up in the suburbs outside the city where pretty much anything goes, knife-wise.

The fact that you can get a CCW permit with ease but can't carry a knife is mind boggling. Philly might be a good target for Knife Right's push for preemption laws.
 
PA state law doesn't prohibit carrying a knife (just certain kinds). Does state law not trump municipal?

Not unless state law claims preemption. Which is not the case in PA apparently.

The first step in weapons law reform is always to get state preemption over local law, then change the state laws. That's exactly what KnifeRights got done in TN.

The majority of states now have state preemption over firearm law, but knife law remains the red headed step child, and doesn't have the same status in most states.

- OS
 
John as a fellow FC guy Im just glad our area hasn't succumbed to some of the laws and BS that plagues other big metropolitan areas.
 
Just wear a white apron and a sheathed chef's knife. No one will want to feel stupid by asking why you have a knife. :)
 
Yeah, I do enjoy the Old Dominion. I had to try the cheese steak and the bars in Phily but the homeless panhandling was getting old. But all in all a nice visit.
John as a fellow FC guy Im just glad our area hasn't succumbed to some of the laws and BS that plagues other big metropolitan areas.
 
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