raevan

If you really want to carry a fixed blade, stay out of Seattle and Spokane. I carry a fixed blade daily, sometimes more then one, it depends on what I am doing that day. They vary from 3" blade in the pocket to 24" machete on the back. Most of Washington it is legal to carry a 3" fixed blade in the pocket if you want. Larger then 3" just carry it open, Of course it it is too large and you are shopping it could call attention that you may not like. Unless you have to work in a large city there is really no reason to go there, about anything you need can be gotten any where else.

aus71383

Yep - the laws are different all over the state. I will chime in and say that I carried a 3.75 Benchmade once and had it taken by a cop - his Sgt gave it back to me a couple minutes later. I didn't mean any harm - but I should have checked the local laws (like the city I was in local). I think all cities having different laws is great - this is what our Founding Fathers wanted. That said, it would be nice if on the state level there was like a Bill of Rights of sorts - for instance "No law can be made restricting knives under (however many inches) or fixed blade knives". Also, checking the local laws on their official website is a lot better idea than going to a forum and reading someone's opinion....in my opinion. The one-handed opening thing is a tough one - I would think that is referring to a switchblade, not a "normal" knife that everyone carries. Just my two cents!

Austin

JohnKSa

That type of law is problematic in many places.

The prohibitions about knives that can be "swung open" are very troublesome to me. TX has a very wide definition for "Switchblade Knife"** that includes any knife that can be swung open.

The problem is that whether or not a knife can be "swung open" has as much to do with the "swinger" as it does the knife.

I have a Spyderco Worker as my EDC. The blade is just a hair over 2.5". The action is not loose at all but is VERY smooth. I can swing it open if I apply enough effort although it is clearly meant to be opened using the thumbhole in the blade.

In fact, nearly any lockblade knife of decent quality can be swung open unless it locks in the closed position. All it takes is the proper technique and sufficient effort.

TX law allows carry of knives with blades as long as 5.5". I have never seen a decent quality lockblade with a blade that long that couldn't be swung open.

The rest of TX knife laws are also ambiguous, for example, a "Bowie knife" is illegal--unfortunately they don't define "Bowie knife" anywhere in the law. Which means that the only fixed blade knives you can carry are ones that are clearly not "Bowie Knives", whatever that means.

There doesn't seem to be much interest in making these laws more "citizen friendly", but I certainly wish there were.

**Excerpt from TX penal code
"Switchblade knife" means any knife that has a blade that folds, closes, or retracts into the handle or sheath, and that:
(A) opens automatically by pressure applied to a button or other device located on the handle; or
(B) opens or releases a blade from the handle or sheath by the force of gravity or by the application of centrifugal force.

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bzdog

To paraphrase the response - while current interpretation may or may not consider this mechanism to be legal according to SMC, the way the law is worded, it could be construed to apply to basically any folding knife if they choose to interpret it that way.

I guess I'll stick with the perspective that you should try to keep it legal and low key, but in the end, there are no certainties.

-john

matiki

No, they are carrying for work. There's an exemption.

Seattle Municipal Code

Still ridiculous. They'd take guns away too if they wouldn't have to fight the State Constitution over it.

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wlynn

Ok, I've read all your comments, and I know I'd have to move. I bought a really nice benchmade axis lock in Portland, and I know I got a hubertus lever springer out there. But to the point; go to agrussell.com and find a featherlite kydex folder with a neck sheath. This is a very good knife. It looks like a normal folder, but with some (note I did not say 'a little') practice it can be opened without even touching the blade. If interested, I'll explain all the methods. I never use my neck sheath. The knife is so light, you may forget you have it. It is very thin. It is very, very sharp, and does take a new edge very well (with a lot of patience). Do not, try to open this with your thumb as if you had a thumb stud. It is so smooth, you will not realize you have cut your thumb to the bone. BTDT.

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Hivoltage

Wow!!!! A knife is a tool. So is a hammer. I could kill somebody with a hammer but they havn't made them illegal...YET.

How about a Rock?.....Oh I better quit, this is going to get me nowhere fast

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matiki

Search Results | Seattle Times Newspaper


Oh the irony...

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bzdog

I don't think people take blunt force injuries seriously enough. I think they are all taken in by the movies where someone is beat with a baseball bat and in the next scene they are up and about with a little bandage and a few bruises. In reality, even if not killed, serious injuries such as loss of brain function and vision are very real if not likely possibilities.

A friend of my father was mugged in Spain by guys and he spent several months in physical therapy IIRC.

-john

cdwolf

Carry a bug!!! I would trade every knife mentioned for a keltec. If you have a need to stab them you would probably be within the law to shoot them!! Your here,you carry, shoot them!

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