What are TX knife laws?

[KBCraig]

Actually, it is "cane" that is my passion, they make a devastating weapon. As far as I know, they are still legal just about everywhere. Good item to have aboard a commercial airplane.

Anyway, I'll stop here...before I start spewing cane techniques.

I had a book on Hapkido which illustrated some devastating cane techniques, including throws and wrist-breaking maneuvers. Not to mention throat and groin rips...

Kevin

[flintknapper]

Actually, it is "cane" that is my passion, they make a devastating weapon. As far as I know, they are still legal just about everywhere. Good item to have aboard a commercial airplane.

Anyway, I'll stop here...before I start spewing cane techniques.

I had a book on Hapkido which illustrated some devastating cane techniques, including throws and wrist-breaking maneuvers. Not to mention throat and groin rips...

Kevin

Yes, cane techniques range from those that are relatively soft (compliance/submission) to those that are (deadly/disabling).

My first instruction was under Grandmaster John Pellegrini of Combat Hapkido, then Mark Shuey of Canemasters. Currently... I lack only "testing" for third level Shen Chuan cane. There are many easily learned and practical techniques that anyone can apply. Naturally, you'll do better if you stay at it longer.

The only bad thing about carrying a cane is that it tends to make you look like easier prey. I suppose its possible that some BG might "choose you" for just that reason.

Just the same, it can be a very useful (and legal) tool in places where other means of self defense (Gun, Knife, Pepper spray, etc) would not be allowed.

O.K...... look at me, I've started a rant. Sorry.

[JohnKSa]

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.

[KBCraig]

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

So's the length limit. Even a Claymore only adds about 4 feet over a pocket knife. Make it an Asian-style "sword spear", and we're up to 6 feet.

Tueller taught us that the minimum safe distance against an edged weapon is 21 feet, and that's for an officer carrying open in a duty rig.

I absolutely agree with the need for clarity, but when the legislature seeks to "clarify" by adding definitions, they seldom fix things. A better solution is to clarify by striking sections.

Kevin

[Johnny]

Bowie knife? If it's under the length limit, what's the point?

I don't think there is one. I'll dig around for the case, but I am absolutely certain that I read a court ruling that said for a knife to be considered a "Bowie knife," it had to be substantially similar in construction to the original Bowie knife. Basically, a knife of a legal length is not considered a Bowie just because it has a backbite on it. I was interested in this specifically because of those miniature Ka-Bar looking knives with the little sharpening stone in the sheath.

I'll find it and report back.

[therooster]

where in the knife laws does it say that a double edged folding knife is illegal?

Text
(6) "Illegal knife" means a:

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

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

(C) dagger, including but not limited to a dirk, stilletto*,
and poniard;

(D) bowie knife;

(E) sword; or

(F) spear.
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.

the only thing that would be close would be a stiletto, but a stiletto is a fixed blade knife. there are "folding stilettos", but they are all auto openers (press a button).

so technically a "non-auto open folding double edged knife" is not illegal.?

can someone prove me wrong on this?

[Johnny]

I think it might fly.

The case I mentioned earlier (turns out to be Torres v. State 309 S.W. 2d 244) said that an otherwise legal hunting knife was not considered a "Bowie Knife" just because it had a sharpened clip point. It had to be both over the legal limit, AND be similar in size and shape to a real Bowie to be called a "Bowie Knife."

If you kept the blade design away from stiletto, it would probably work. I'm not sure how you would do that. A double-edged knife with two edges that run its full length is really only effective as a stabbing weapon (not that I have a personal problem with that), and that's what they're going for with the stiletto law. I guess if you wanted something like a hunting knife with a backbite, you'd be okay.

Two problems, though. I suspect that double-edged folders are all "switchblades" because it's tricky to open something double-edged without losing a finger. The only other practical alternative is a balisong design, and that's outlawed, too. A thumb stud on the blade might solve the problem, but it's still going to be a wacky design.

The second problem is that we're skirting the law on a technicality, here. Where it directly applies, like a 5 1/2 inch Camillus survival knife, you're probably okay. Stretching it to cover a folding double-edged knife with a back edge that in any way resembles a stiletto is what I would call "pushing it."

[JohnKSa]

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.

[Crosstimbers Okie]

Are there any court decisions that define what a Bowie Knife is?? For instance, a Dagger is still a Dagger and illegal even if it has a blade less than 5.5 inches. So, is a Bowie-style blade still a Bowie even though it may have only a three inch blade like:

http://www.coldsteel.com/folding-knives ... eries.html

Specifications:
Blade: 3", AUS 8A Stainless Steel
Handle: 3 7/8", Zytel handle
Overall: 6 7/8"
Thick: 3/32"
Weight: 1.8 oz.[/quote]

Or

http://www.benchmade.com/products/produ ... odel=10500

[nitrogen]

My suggestion: Make the CHL a true CWP, like in Arizona.

[KBCraig]

No one can define what a Bowie knife is, because it's such a wide variety of knives. Is it a Sheffield? A Searles? Many Bowies have nothing in common, other than a blade that's usually over six inches in length.

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

Kevin

[JohnKSa]

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.

[Crosstimbers Okie]

My suggestion: Make the CHL a true CWP, like in Arizona.

Missouri's law is written that way also.

[therooster]

My suggestion: Make the CHL a true CWP, like in Arizona.

i'm really good with that. i wonder if its written down on the "to do list".

[pastor1]

Getting back to weapons I'm familiar with (I don't even know what some of those special named knives and clubs are), I was told by the head of our local DPS that a switch knife is not prohibited as long as you have the use of only one arm due to being physically disabled (could someone varify this?). He also said these weapons are legal to have in your home, just not on your person. Years ago I was a security guard. I know the laws have changed for the "rent a cops", but back then we could carry any impact or edged weapen we wanted to including numb chucks, switch blades, and any type of club or nightstick. I had no idea it was against the law for me to carry a club in my truck, CHL not withstanding. I guess a baseball bat would be legal since it's not specifically designed as a weapon!?