Michigan knife laws

[Rollo]

My girlfriend is running a race in Grand Rapids this weekend and I will be accompanying her. I checked the FAQ on the michigain.gov site and found most of the information I needed. I know my Indiana license is valid and I know where I can and can not carry. I also know that if pulled over I must inform the officer of my handgun. However I couldn't find any specific information on fixed blades. There seems to be a bit of a misconception that a lot of people think that a blade over 3 inches is illegal but according to MSP - Michigan's Concealed Pistol Law - FAQs it is not. So my Endura 4 if fine but I still can't find anything specific pertaining to non double sided fixed blades. That would lead me to believe that my Mini Tac Tanto is fine but I wanted to as here first. Anyone have any info?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Tubby45]

Fixed blades of any length are ILLEGAL to carry in Michigan unless for hunting activity. Fixed blade knives in Michigan are considered to be a dagger.

Folding blades of 3 inches or longer are LEGAL so long as you don't intend to use it against another human being illegally.

If you want to carry a knife in Michigan, you can only carry a folding knife. Fixed blades in 99% of circumstances (save for hunting) are illegal no matter the length.

[Waterborne]

Rollo,

This might help a bit as far as state law goes.

The Michigan Court of Appeals agreed with the defendant and held that under MCL 750.226 involving a knife, an element of the crime is that the knife’s blade be over three inches in length. The Court determined the prosecutor did not introduce adequate evidence to prove the knife’s blade length was over three inches, therefore, the Court vacated the defendant’s conviction for violation of MCL 750.226.

Officers investigating complaints regarding a violation of MCL 750.226 involving a knife must include evidence that the knife’s blade length was over three inches in order to obtain successful prosecution of the complaint. The Court also noted MCL 750.226 does not prohibit the carrying of any weapon (including a knife with a blade over three inches in length) for purposes of self-defense.

Now comes the fun part. Knives are not covered under preemption here in MI. Local governments are free to create and enforce ordinance on knives as they see fit. I would check out the ordinances of the city you will be spending time in. Here are the posted ordinances for Grand Rapids. Municode - Search

I am hoping that we Michiganders can one day get knives covered under preemption.3

[Harryball]

My girlfriend is running a race in Grand Rapids this weekend and I will be accompanying her. I checked the FAQ on the michigain.gov site and found most of the information I needed. I know my Indiana license is valid and I know where I can and can not carry. I also know that if pulled over I must inform the officer of my handgun. However I couldn't find any specific information on fixed blades. There seems to be a bit of a misconception that a lot of people think that a blade over 3 inches is illegal but according to MSP - Michigan's Concealed Pistol Law - FAQs it is not. So my Endura 4 if fine but I still can't find anything specific pertaining to non double sided fixed blades. That would lead me to believe that my Mini Tac Tanto is fine but I wanted to as here first. Anyone have any info?

It depends on the city your in. IE. Lansing is 3 inches and East Lansing is 4 on folders. Your better off carrying a folder under 3, just to be safe. As far as I know, each city can make up there own rules on knives.

[Cupcake]

I found this:


Michigan -750.226... Carrying with unlawful intent
Any person who, with intent to use the same unlawfully
against the person of another, goes armed with a pistol
or other firearm or dagger, dirk, razor, stiletto, or
knife having a blade over 3 inches in length, or any
other dangerous or deadly weapon or instrument, shall
be guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in
the state prison for not more than 5 years or by a fine
of not more than 2,500 dollars.

- 750.226a. Pocket knife opened by mechanical device...
Any person who shall sell or offer to sell, or
any person who shall have in his possession any knife
having the appearance of a pocket knife, the blade or
blades of which can be opened by a flick of a button,
pressure on a handle or other mechanical contrivance shall
be guilty of a misdemeanor... [Also, concealed carry may
be charged as a felony under 750.227.] The provisions of
this section [750.226a] shall not apply to any one-armed
person carrying a knife on his person in connection with
his living requirements.

- 750.227. (1) A person shall not carry a dagger, dirk,
stiletto, a double-edged nonfolding stabbing instrument of
any length, or any dangerous weapon, except a hunting
knife adapted and carried as such, concealed on or about
his or her person, or whether concealed or otherwise in
any vehicle... except in his or her dwelling house [or]
place of business... (3) A person who violates this
section is guilty of a felony...

- 750.222a Double-edged, nonfolding stabbing instrument defined.
(1) As used in this chapter, 'doubled-edged, nonfolding
stabbing instrument' does not include a knife, tool,
implement, arrowhead, or artifact manufactured from stone by
means of conchoidal fracturing.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to an item being transported
in a vehicle, unless the item is in a container and inaccessible
to the driver.
History: Add. 2000, Act 343, Imd. Eff. Dec. 27, 2000 .


- 259.80f Possessing... certain items in sterile area of airport;
(1) An individual shall not possess, carry, or attempt to possess
or carry any of the following in a sterile area of a commercial airport:
(a) Firearm.
(b) Explosive.
(c) Knife with a blade of any length.
(d) Razor, box cutter, or item with a similar blade.
(e) Dangerous weapon.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), an individual who
violates subsection (1) is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable
by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more
than $1,000.00, or both.
(3) An individual who violates subsection (1) while doing any of
the following is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for
not more than 10 years or a fine of not more than $10,000.00, or both:
(a) Getting on or attempting to get on an aircraft.
(b) Placing, attempting to place, or attempting to have placed on an
aircraft an item listed in subsection (1).
(c) Committing or attempting to commit a felony.
(4) [Exempts most officials]...
(7) As used in this section:
(a) 'Commercial airport' means an airport that has regularly
scheduled commercial flights to and from other destinations.
(c) 'Sterile area' means that term as defined in 14 C.F.R. 107.1.
History: Add. 2001, Act 225, Eff. Apr. 1, 2002 .

- 380.1313 Dangerous weapon found in possession of pupil...
(1) If a dangerous weapon is found in the possession of a pupil
while the pupil is in attendance at school or a school activity
or while the pupil is enroute to or from school on a school bus,
the superintendent of the school district or intermediate school
district, or his or her designee, immediately shall report that
finding to the pupil's parent or legal guardian and the local
law enforcement agency.
(2) If a school official finds that a dangerous weapon is in the
possession of a pupil as described in subsection (1), the school
official may confiscate the dangerous weapon or shall request a
law enforcement agency to respond as soon as possible and to
confiscate the dangerous weapon. If a school official confiscates
a dangerous weapon under this subsection, the school official
shall give the dangerous weapon to a law enforcement agency and
shall not release the dangerous weapon to any other person,
including the legal owner of the dangerous weapon. A school
official who complies in good faith with this section is not
civilly or criminally liable for that compliance...
(4) As used in this section, 'dangerous weapon' means a firearm,
dagger, dirk, stiletto, knife with a blade over 3 inches in length,
pocket knife opened by a mechanical device, iron bar, or brass knuckles.
History: Add. 1987, Act 211, Imd. Eff. Dec. 22, 1987 ;--Am. 1995,
Act 76, Eff. Aug. 1, 1995 .
Popular Name: Act 451

*

Michigan Case Law:
- "Constitutionality: The double jeopardy protection against
multiple punishment for the same offense is a restriction
on a court's ability to impose punishment in excess of that
intended by the Legislature, not a limit on the Legislature's
power to define crime and fix punishment. People v. Sturgis,
427 Mich. 392, 397 N.W.2d 783 (1986).

- "Purpose of this section is to prevent quarreling or
criminal persons from suddenly drawing weapons without
notice to other persons." (1980)

- "Purpose of concealed weapons statutes, such as this
section, is to prevent men in sudden quarrel or in
commission of crime from drawing concealed weapons and
using them without prior notice to their victims that they
were armed, inasmuch as person attacked would behave one
way if he knew his assailant was armed and perhaps another
way if he could safely presume that assailant was
unarmed." (1969)

- "The basic intent of the legislature as indicated in
concealed weapon statute was that weapons should not be
carried when they might be used to take lives." (1968)

_ "...the 'dwelling house' exception to the concealed weapons
statute did not apply to defendant who was incarcerated in
state prison at time of alleged commission of such
offense." (1978)

- "Purpose or intent with which a weapon is carried is not an
element of offense of carrying a concealed weapon." (1973)
- "Jury's determination that knife sharpening steel, which
defendant... contended he carried only for protection...
was a concealed weapon, was justified." (1971)

- "Straight razor in pocket of defendant was 'concealed'..."
(1967)

- "Daggers, dirks, stilettos... and similar articles,
designed for the purpose of bodily assault or defense, are
generally recognized as 'dangerous weapons per se'..."
(1945)

- "Pocket knives, razors, hammers, hatchets, wrenches,
cutting tools, and other articles would constitute
'dangerous weapons'... if used or carried for use as
weapons." (1945)

- "An ordinary jackknife with a pointed blade 3-5/16 inches
long was not a 'dangerous weapon...' in the absence of
evidence that it was used or carried for use as a weapon."
(1945)

- "Five-inch, double-edged, nonfolding knife was not a
'hunting knife' within hunting knife exception..." (1989)

- "Defendant charged with carrying concealed weapon had
burden of proving that hunting knife was 'adapted and
carried as such'..." (1980)


Bernard Levine - Knife Expertise: Knife ID, Knife Laws, Knife Values

[Rollo]

Your better off carrying a folder under 3, just to be safe.

I agree. This kind of screws me a bit though because my Endura is 4' and my Skyline is 3'13. Only thing I have smaller then that is my Sog Twitch II which is a great knife but definitely not a emergency edged weapon...

[4evrinblujns]

I was checking out knives a while back. And they sell knives all over the state that are longer than 3in. As the guy told me. Your intent is to protect yourself not hurt someone else. I don't carry a fixed blade unless hunting and even that is under 3in. I Still have not found a deer or Elk I could not gut with it either. I carry a 3in folder. Or is that 3.13? End of blade? or hilt?

[Harryball]

I agree. This kind of screws me a bit though because my Endura is 4' and my Skyline is 3'13. Only thing I have smaller then that is my Sog Twitch II which is a great knife but definitely not a emergency edged weapon...

Smith & Wesson makes there MP line of knives which are very nice, and not to pricey either. You can pick up one of there assisted folders for about $35.00...2.9 inch blade.

[borglyn]

Embarresed to say I did not know this much about knives and I live here.

[Rasher]

Here ya go give this a good read.http://http://handgunlaw.us/documents/USKnife.pdf

[SpectreSpeed]

I know this is an old thread but after reading it, I was curious. Can you have folders or larger folder in a pack. Say a BoB, I want something that can actually cut, but I don't want it to be illegal.