chuck brick

I haven't seen them for a long time, so they may be hard to find (or no longer around), but I recall seeing folding-knife belt sheaths that would open the knife as it was withdrawn. The knife, of course, could be drawn while closed, but the normal/usual draw caused it to open and lock. Since this is in no way part of the knife itself, it would be hard to press charges against - maybe a strong warning and confiscation, but that's not the same. Wish I could give you a manufacturer's name or something to look for, but I never paid a lot of attention to them other than as a curio. At least, with the internet, if it's still out there you might find it.
Sorry I can't offer more info.

Stay safe,

Chuck Brick.

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Why do I use 230 gr. for my .45acp?
Because I can't find a source of 250 gr!
http://chucksrantings.blogspot.com/

raevan

People fish off the piers and off the few beaches. I wouldn't eat the fish though. As to hunting I would suspect you are out of luck. Some jobs such as Lineman, Cable splicer, Central Office Telephone Tech, Telephone Installer, Cable Installer, Carpenter, Cabinet Installer, Gardener may allow you to carry a fixed blade.

matiki

I should have included a wink .

There are times you can get around the law, but for me, that's almost never. Despite that, I carry an assisted opener that's the legal length, but open to the Officer (and Prosecutors) discretion on interpretation of the law.

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bzdog

Matiki, could you explain why you are convinced about your interpretation of SMC? Are you a legal professional or LEO, or have you asked this of a legal professional?

Thanks,

-john

C Paul Lincoln

My experiences would indicate that knives which open by thumb pressure on an extension or in a hole (e.g.-- Spyderco and others) are not viewed by law enforcement as illegal. They are very commonly carried in western Washington without gaining LEO attention.

As a school administrator, I confiscated a folding knife from a student who had known gang affiliations. It had a blade of about 4.5 inches, and was very "loose." Messing around with the knife, I realized that it could be opened with a flick of the wrist, using centrifugal force. The LEO that I consulted about this said he didn't think it would pass as a "dangerous weapon" because it wasn't designed with the intent to open that way. Likewise, I confiscated and turned over many knives with thumb openers, and none of the students were ever charged under the "dangerous weapon" statute.

The problem in Washington (don't know about elsewhere), is that except for state definitions of dangerous weapons (RCW 9.41 I believe), other local governments can enact ordinances that prohibit knives or other weapons. I can probably carry a fixed-blade knife legally in some areas of King County, and certainly in rural areas of the state, but not in Seattle or Spokane city limits. Likewise, although state law is silent about Tasers, some cities like Bellingham make them illegal.

I wish the state would pass legislation that would give them complete control over all weapons, like they have done on firearms. At least the law would then be consistent everywhere.

Rob72

Maybe we need to back up a tad, here. Basically, practically, the law is intended as you take it. If you're Honest Joe, and keep your head down & mouth shut, you won't have a problem 99.99% of the time. Even if you have a problem, as long as you are polite ("Gee, officer, I sure didn't think...here ya' go...") worst case scenario, you have a knife confiscated. That's not to say you won't run into Officer "Richard", but most guys are just doing their job, and don't have a problem with other guys doing the same.

If you just want a utility/last ditch defensive carry knife, the nicer BMs or a Sebbie would be great, and about as "inoffensive" as you can get. However. They are hardly "rapid access".

If your primary goal is a knife to aid in firearm retention, or as a tool if your primary hand is occupied, Cold Steel's Voyagers (last choice), Spyderco Endura/Delica with hole (second choice), or Spyderco waved Endura/Delicas(first choice) would be better choices. They are easier to open. They are cheap enough that you won't cry if you have to hand one over. They are so common they will hardly get a second glance. A Sebenza could fall prey to someone in authority who's a knife fan and a tad unscrupulous.

bzdog

Thanks C Paul for your feedback. This was my take on it as well.

I searched the legal section of Bladeforums, and what little I could find directly about Seattle basically summed it up as 'no fixed blades. 3.5" or less. no autos. anything else should be fine.'.

While I understand he isn't a legal expert, I did drop an email to Bernard Levine who offers to answer knife legal questions for a small fee. I'll let everyone know what he thinks.

In wadding through the legal section of Bladeforums, it is clear that 1) a good attitude on your part is going to go a long way towards avoiding any issues and 2) getting a low key knife like a Grip or a Spydie will help avoid unwanted attention. And perhaps, 3) Don't flick your knife open one-handed in public. :-)

-john


Edit: Looks like Rob beat me to my main points. :-)
Edit: BTW, regarding the Sebbie, keep in mind it is not very ambi friendly. Try this. Pretend you have an injured hand. Now try to open and close it with your other hand. This is why my EDC changed from the Sebbie to the Ritter MK1 (Benchmade Grip).
Edit: Oh, thanks on the heads-up regarding Tasers in Bellingham. I had no idea.

matiki

Thanks for sharing your experiences... this is very helpful indeed.

This could turn into a rant. I'll just say that I agree.

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tns0038

While I often carry a Benchmade auto knife, I more or less think of it as a tool. In all the years I’ve carried a knife, I’ve only used it once as a weapon.

I was 17 and out of no ware, I got blind side tackled, by a guy who out weighed me by 50-lbs; had me pinned to the ground and commenced to remodel my face. I stuck a 4-inch Panther knife in his gut, and he decided it was best to leave me alone.

So my advice to you is just get a lock blade pocket knife you can open with your thumb, which you can carry on a clip in your front pocket. As others have said, if it had been illegal for me to carry that knife I used to defined myself, do you think the DA would have not pressed charges? I for one do not want to take the chance.

Let us know what you decide to do.

Blades

What about carrying an ASP baton??


Jason