What Federal knife law.  The only federal knife law I know of is commonly know as the Switchblade Act (1958?).  It was amended in the 90s to cover  "ballistic" or "Spetsnaz" knives.  It covers interstate transportation.

No idea where he got federal law from. You are correct. He is not. If you live in NH and are not a felon you can carry any type of knife open or concealed including a ballistic knife if there were one that happened to be made in NH.


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10 hours ago, Displaced Texan said:

I carry a knife every single day, and have since I was like 8 (I’m 52 now). I’ve never been hassled by any LEO in any state for it, even though I wear it clipped to my pocket and visible to God and everyone. I even recently got through security and boarded an aircraft at PHL, without TSA catching it (scary!). No worries, I had no ill intentions...I just forgot it was clipped to my pocket!

The ONLY time any LEO has ever said anything about it was at the Library of Congress a few months back. It was clipped to my pocket when I went through the metal detector to do service to one of my machines there. The cop asked me about it, and I told him it was a ‘tool of the trade’. He let me through no further questions asked. 

I think the law exists for those intending to, or do commit a crime. I doubt seriously any LEO would give a normal Joe on the street any crap about carrying a pocketknife. 

 

 

There are some places you will not be able to carry a knife. When I went to SCOTUS they searched us multiple times even opening my wallet and checking a thumb drive I had in it.

13 minutes ago, NJGF said:

There are some places you will not be able to carry a knife. When I went to SCOTUS they searched us multiple times even opening my wallet and checking a thumb drive I had in it.

Eight years ago, Princeton traffic court the security sent me back to my car with my Leatherman. 

2 hours ago, BobA said:

Eight years ago, Princeton traffic court the security sent me back to my car with my Leatherman. 

About the same in Burlington City.  About 5 years ago, the cops running the metal detector held my swiss army knife until I came out.

 

ahhh the 4" rule. I had read the in a BATF publication not to long ago. I was looking for something else and happened to see it. may have been looking for taser carry info. Anyway I remember thinking, That's the answer to the four finger myth that the uninformed quote when I whip out the Kershaw  No I cannot find now,  wasn't looking for it when I read it but it stuck in my mind (lots of empty space in there) No has nothing to do with NJ.

I carry a SOG Escape.  It has a glass breaker point and and seat belt cutter.  Those features make it more easy to explain the knife as a tool.  If I'm asked to provide an explanation, that's another valid reason besides the fact I live in the woods and use it daily as a tool.  I have 15 years of military experience and 7 years of law enforcement experience (in a free state, not NJ) and I've been the first person to many accidents in my life, both on and off duty.  I've actually had to cut seat belts and break windows multiple times to help people out of vehicles.

On 7/31/2018 at 1:49 PM, AlexTheSane said:

Is there a legal precedent where someone was charged for something for claiming that a knife they were carrying was for self defense?

Chiming in out of experience here.

When i was younger i was pulled over in the middle of the night OTW to pick up my cousin who was kicked out of his apartment in the middle of nowhere in a shitty area in PA. I also had two girls with me... and a knife.
Cop saw knife.. i, having always carried knives, just said oh nbd its just for self defense..
He ended up throwing it in my truck bed and said not to carry it anymore because its illegal to carry for self defense, and that he was cutting me a break because he could tell i wasn't a trouble maker or anything like that (i was a pretty good kid a few years ago... LMAO).
Next time that shit happened i just said i use it for work. officer didnt even blink, he just said ok have a good day and that was that.
Funny thing was i always carried a knife to use to cut tape because i always worked in the family business shipping out orders.... just that the first thing i could think of was "Self defense"...

On 8/1/2018 at 5:35 AM, BobA said:

Eight years ago, Princeton traffic court the security sent me back to my car with my Leatherman. 

I Know a guy who knows a guy who might be me who had a knife in his or her pair of 5.11 Boots.. Walked right thru Security in Middlesex County court and didn't notice it until he sat down and felt it in his boot.. That guy was freakin out that he might go to jail.. LMAO.

3 hours ago, BillC. said:

ahhh the 4" rule. I had read the in a BATF publication not to long ago. I was looking for something else and happened to see it. may have been looking for taser carry info. Anyway I remember thinking, That's the answer to the four finger myth that the uninformed quote when I whip out the Kershaw  No I cannot find now,  wasn't looking for it when I read it but it stuck in my mind (lots of empty space in there) No has nothing to do with NJ.

ATF does not regulate knives.  I'm not sure what you read but it's not a federal law.  If you find it I'd be interested in reading it.

I really think you're overthinking this.  I've never been prepared to whip out a copy of a law with my knife and know that's not going to setitle anything.

There are places you can carry a knife and places you cant. I've found them easily recognizeable for the most part.

12 hours ago, Regular Guy said:

I carry a SOG Escape.  It has a glass breaker point and and seat belt cutter.  Those features make it more easy to explain the knife as a tool.  If I'm asked to provide an explanation, that's another valid reason besides the fact I live in the woods and use it daily as a tool.  I have 15 years of military experience and 7 years of law enforcement experience (in a free state, not NJ) and I've been the first person to many accidents in my life, both on and off duty.  I've actually had to cut seat belts and break windows multiple times to help people out of vehicles.

I have a Benchmade Triage for the same reasons (I even like the name). Unfortunately it is a lock back so I can't take it into NYC. For that I got a slightly smaller cheap slip joint knife that I always carry deep in my pocket without the exposed clip.

ATF does not regulate knives.  I'm not sure what you read but it's not a federal law.  If you find it I'd be interested in reading it.
I really think you're overthinking this.  I've never been prepared to whip out a copy of a law with my knife and know that's not going to setitle anything.
There are places you can carry a knife and places you cant. I've found them easily recognizeable for the most part.

Not sure where he saw it but it wasn't the ATF. A knife is not alcohol, tobacco, firearms, or explosives. Only knife ATF would possibly deal with is a ballistic knife.

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Maybe like in the word knife, the K is silent in BATFE.  So silent it's become invisible.