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having a folding knife without a guard that meets the lenghth requirement and is double edged is perfectly legal????

I don't think you can say that. What they've done is declared this particular knife is illegal because it is a dagger. I don't think that declaration implies that any knife that doesn't meet the same description is legal.

I think this just provides one more addition to the list of things that a dagger can be. But I think the list still only includes the items but is not limited to the items. I.e. it MEETS the definition of a dagger, but does not exclusively define what a dagger is.

It would appear that a single-edged blade doesn't qualify, but that's about all I'm sure of.

BTW, I don't think that a switchblade is illegal to OWN, anymore than a dagger is illegal to own. You just can't carry one in public.

Again, the answer is to get rid of the knife laws, intead of trying to further define the terms.

I doubt that there's a member here who would argue that point.

However, given that we're stuck with the current ambiguous statutes regarding knives, it is important to determine what's legal and what's not with some degree of accuracy.

I've heard a dagger defined as a double-edged knife with no qualification on whether the blade was fixed.

The lovely thing about the "dagger" portion of the knife laws is the wonderful clause " ...including but not limited to... ". Which means that just because your folder isn't a dirk, stilletto or poiniard, doesn't mean it's not a dagger according to the law.

i prefer to carry a double edged knife, as they are a better tool and a much better self defense tool. why is that so bad?

'Tisn't. I would like to carry a double-edged knife too.

I'm just in favor of AT LEAST clarifying the existing laws if they can't be done away with altogether.

Personally, I GUESS I can see the purpose of the length limitation if it's carefully defined. All the others are pretty stupid.

Sword? Already covered by length limit.
Switchblade? Fixed blade knife is faster and easier to wield.
Throwing knives? Any knife can be a throwing knife.
Bowie knife? If it's under the length limit, what's the point?
Gravity knives? Get real.
Dirk, stilleto, what all? Again, the length limit should cover these, IMO.

BUT, if they aren't going to change what's legal to carry, they should at least make it clear what's legal and what's not.

Currently, you can't carry any double-edged knife because a common interpretation of "dirk, dagger,stilleto". You have to be careful with any fixed blade knife that MIGHT be called a "Bowie knife"--likewise with any lockblade with a blade that will swing open.

It's just a mess. On any given day/with any given LEO, practically any knife could fall into one of the nebulous prohibited categories.

I'm not in favor of any of the knife laws, I'm just saying if they keep them, they need to make them plain.

My vote for changing the knife laws: eliminate them completely.

I won't argue with that, but if they can't push that through, they should at least make them clearer.

evil_smurf,

That is called assisted opening, and it is legal in TX. Of course, the problem with all of these ambiguities and fine shades of meanings is that they all depend on your encountering a cop who knows the law by heart. Good luck...

The thing that's scary about the "gravity knife" prohibition is that nearly any well made lock blade with a blade approaching or exceeding 4" will flip open-- by the application of centrifugal force.

And, someone who's got a good grip and fast hands can probably flip open even smaller knives with some work.

I also find it interesting that "bowie knives" are prohibited without definition. What's a "bowie knife"? And why was it necessary to prohibit it specifically--that implies there can be bowie knives under 5.5" or they could just leave the length limit and forget about naming bowie knives.

I figure that practically any hunting knife with a fixed blade could be called a "bowie knife" without fear of being contradicted by the law.

In my opinion, the TX knife laws desperately need to be reworked, they're hopelessly ambiguous as they stand.

Here's my suggestion:

"Illegal knife" means a:

(A) knife with a cutting edge over five and one-half inches;

(B) hand instrument designed to cut or stab another by being thrown;

(C) double edged knife;

(D) spear;

(E) any knife that has a blade that folds, closes, or retracts into the handle or sheath, and that is DESIGNED TO:

(a) open automatically by pressure applied to a button or other device located on the handle; or

(b) open or release a blade from the handle or sheath by the force of gravity or by the application of centrifugal force.

Limiting the cutting edge length eliminates measuring ambiguities.

Double-edged is much clearer than prohibiting dirks, daggers, poiniards and stilletos without definition.

There's no need to prohibit bowie knives or swords under the length limit. If they're under they're good, if not, they're already illegal.

Adding the "DESIGN" requirement to the gravity knife/switchblade definition means that if your favorite knife loosens up to the point that the blade will swing open, you can still carry it.

Much simpler, much clearer, all the same things prohibited and much less room for a well-intentioned citizen with a knife to be railroaded by an overzealous cop/prosecutor.