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  1. #1
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    Mar 2010
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    Default California Knife Laws

    My question involves criminal law for the state of:California
    I need some help, can someone simplify the ca knife laws for me? Like wat can I carry/how many inches can it be, I know u can't carry autos and butterfly knives..

  2. #2
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    Sep 2005
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    Default Re: California Knife Laws

    Don't carry a fixed blade knife concealed, don't carry anything that opens by a spring or some kind of a release switch, and check local ordinances to see if they have a blade length limitation to carried knives.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: California Knife Laws

    thanks but it's like confusing because Ive herd things like the knife can't b over 2" and some say it can't b over 4", and I've gone to like my local walmart/army surplus stores/knife shops and they all have knives that are different sizes..also is speed assist considered illegal because most kershaw knives in my area have that mechanism...am I asking to many questions?

  4. #4
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    Default Re: California Knife Laws

    Quote Quoting Cuero88
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    thanks but it's like confusing because Ive herd things like the knife can't b over 2" and some say it can't b over 4"
    That really only depends on whether you are a student at school, whether there is a local ordinance, whether you are a parolee, etc.

    Perhaps if you said what you want to carry?

    And if it is a folding knife without a spring or gravity opening system, then you should be okay (except at school).

    also is speed assist considered illegal because most kershaw knives in my area have that mechanism...am I asking to many questions?
    The Speedsafe capability of Kershaw knives might be perfectly legal. Not seeing one, I cannot say for sure, but from my reading they seem to be ok.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: California Knife Laws

    I jus wanna carry a regular folder for edc, I've been looking into some spydercos and kershaw w/speed assist...I'm 22 so no school for me and I've never been in prison/jail..it would suck spending 80 dollars for a knife and ending up getting in trouble for it

  6. #6
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    Default Re: California Knife Laws

    Quote Quoting Cuero88
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    I jus wanna carry a regular folder for edc, I've been looking into some spydercos and kershaw w/speed assist...I'm 22 so no school for me and I've never been in prison/jail..it would suck spending 80 dollars for a knife and ending up getting in trouble for it
    I can't find one by Kershaw with "speed assist" but I can find them with "speedsafe." If you have something with speed ASSIST, it is probably illegal in CA.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: California Knife Laws

    oh yeah I meant speedsafe sorry

  8. #8
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    Default Re: California Knife Laws

    A SpeedSafe knife isn't legal in CA.

    In CA a knife cannot have anything to assist in opening the knife. Speedsafe markets the Speedsafe knife with a torsion bar that protects the knife blade from opening, when in fact that same torsion bar shoots the blade out with force, once you push the lever to overcome the torsion bar.

    If you want to buy a legal knife under CA law then you need to buy something down the line that can only be opened and closed with your hand. There are knifes like this that have a thumb screw that you can flip open and close with the movement of your thumb, these knifes are legal in CA because your thumb is part of your hand.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: California Knife Laws

    Quote Quoting Who'sThatGuy
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    A SpeedSafe knife isn't legal in CA.

    In CA a knife cannot have anything to assist in opening the knife. Speedsafe markets the Speedsafe knife with a torsion bar that protects the knife blade from opening, when in fact that same torsion bar shoots the blade out with force, once you push the lever to overcome the torsion bar.
    If that is the case, then you are correct, it would not be legal. The brief review of the literature I found did not indicate this, however, and I am not familiar enough with this device to render an opinion without manipulating it.

    Most any folding knife - even those legal to possess - can be converted to illegal use by adding tension or removing it (making it assisted or gravity) with little ease. When I was down south there was a flea market dealer who would remove the tension resistance on knives he sold if you asked, and it would go from being legal to being a gravity knife (a misdemeanor per PC 653k).

    After viwing this video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUnD3kCghOM

    I'd say the Kershaw SpeedSafe knife appears to be unlawful and would be a switchblade.

  10. #10
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    Mar 2010
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    Default Re: California Knife Laws

    that's kinda dumb that they sell knives that have that speed safe mechanism in California, even tho they might b considered illegal like the majority of stores I go into in so-cal have these types of knifes

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