New Mexico is a state with knife laws that I and a whole bunch of citizens, frankly, wish were a little bit better. Though you could still count New Mexico as a “mostly” free state there are still plenty of knife regulations to go around, including murky legal language covering concealed carry, entirely prohibited types … Read more
Mississippi is a great state for knife owners with a couple of highly disappointing restrictions. You can own any kind of knife you want in the state, and among these knives you can carry concealed any of them without a permit. The bad news is that common types of knives, specifically Bowie knives, dirks, switchblades … Read more
Montana is one of the breeziest states around for knife owners, though it didn’t always used to be that way. Thanks to a slate of revisions to the state statutes covering the carry and ownership of knives beginning in 2017 that removed restrictions on action, type, blade length and no-carry locations Montana is now among … Read more
Illinois is a state that is rightly infamous for its oppressive laws concerning weapons and its rampant intrusion into every single aspect of its citizens lives. Illinois in many ways represents the pinnacle of government bloat and excess gone completely out of control. Naturally their laws governing the use and ownership of knives are extraordinarily … Read more
Massachusetts is a brutal state for knife ownership, in keeping with their proud tradition of extraordinary government overreach and invasiveness into the most mundane matters of civilization. The poor denizens of Massachusetts along with visitors will be harshly constrained by state laws that explicitly forbid a great many knives based on the shape of their … Read more
Nebraska is a strange state when it comes to the civilian ownership of knives. On the one hand, the general attitude of the state regarding prosecution and test cases seems to be fairly friendly for civilian carry, but the way the statutes are written can give you an impression that is decidedly anything but friendly. … Read more
Kansas is something of a pleasant surprise when it comes to knife laws. Following a significant revision of the states statutes in 2012 and 2013, Kansas now has pride of place among the freest states for citizens when it comes to the ownership and carry of knives. Kansas is a state without any restrictions on … Read more
Indiana is definitely a pro-knife state, with only two real hard-and-fast prohibitions on a couple of types of knives, those being ballistic knives and throwing stars. Thanks to revamped laws governing knives that were finally tuned up from a hodgepodge mess back in 2013, you can own and carry nearly anything with no permit required, … Read more
North Carolina is regrettably a state with fantastically circular, messy, and downright confusing statutes governing the ownership and carry of knives. Several particular categories of knives are banned from ownership outright, and many common configurations of knife may not be carried concealed under any conditions. The only class of knife that is legal for concealed … Read more
Rhode Island has some fairly ugly knife laws, with broad restrictions on the open or concealed carry of many knife classes and an overall restriction that only allows for the carry of any otherwise legal class of knife so long as it has a blade that is 3 inches or shorter. If you want to … Read more
There is not much to read in the law books of Oklahoma concerning the possession and carry of knives. This was not always the case and, like many states, Oklahoma’s laws were once upon a time a jumbled mishmash of statutes resulting from repeated visits from the good idea fairy over the years. In 2015 … Read more
Nevada is a state with all around excellent knife laws, marred only by one single, ugly flaw. Nevada allows its citizens to own and carry virtually any kind of knife that utilizes any action with a blade of any length with the sole exception of machetes. This applies whether or not a citizen has a … Read more
Idaho is a fairly dependable state for knife carriers. What restrictions they have on type and length are ameliorated for those who have a state-issued or state-accepted concealed weapons permit. If you do not you only run into trouble concerning knife selection if you attempt to carry it concealed. So long as you are carrying … Read more
Hawaii is a state that is fairly infamous regarding its restrictions on gun rights, but happily it is far more lenient when it comes to the carry and ownership of knives. Within the state there are some bans on specific categories of knives that, combined with some fairly blurry language regarding what does and what … Read more
The capitol of the United States is not quite as hard on knives as it is on guns. Citizens are still allowed to openly carry or concealed carry the majority of knives so long as they do so with some discretion and are willing to contend with a list of restricted places that is as … Read more
In an outcome that surprises absolutely no one, New York has been, is and likely will remain the most restrictive state in the Union when it comes to the carry and possession of personal weapons. Though the state is infamous for its abiding hatred of guns in citizens’ hands they have spared plenty of ire … Read more
Louisiana is a state with excellent knife laws for its citizens, allowing anyone to own any type of knife they desire and carry it openly, with only a single restriction against the carry of any kind of switchblade, or automatic knife, concealed. Notably, the state statutes exempt assisted opening knives, gravity knives, and other knives … Read more
Kentucky is a solid state for carriers of knives, and you can own pretty much any kind of knife you want while being broadly allowed to carry the same. That being said, you should be aware that the state statutes do introduce some doubt as to what kind of knife you are allowed to carry … Read more
It should be no surprise to anyone even passingly familiar with self-defense concepts that New Jersey ranks as among the very worst states when it comes to ownership and carry of weapons of all kinds. Knives are certainly included. New Jersey’s state statutes are overly long, worded in such a way that officials may spring … Read more
Since a 2016 revision of Wisconsin’s existing legislation governing knives, it is now an excellent, pro-knife state which is sure to thrill knife owners of all stripes. There is no category of knife that is expressly forbidden based on its action, features or any other characteristics, and you can carry any kind of knife at … Read more
South Dakota is an exemplary state for the carry and ownership of knives of all kinds, hampered only by the fact that the state lacks any preemption laws to help keep the legal playing field level across the board as you travel from place to place. As it turns out several towns and cities in … Read more
Virginia is a state that is fairly hostile to the concealed carry of knives, though you can own most types of knives regardless of action, length and other characteristics. Several classes of knife are banned outright: switchblades, throwing stars, oriental darts and ballistic knives. When it comes to concealed carry, though, many varieties of knife … Read more
Florida is a broadly benevolent state when it comes to the ownership and carry of all kinds of knives. You can carry pretty much any kind of knife you want so long as it is carried openly, and a standard concealed weapons permit from the state of Florida, or a recognized permit from another state … Read more
New Hampshire is a remarkably good state for knife ownership and carry since a major overhaul of their laws beginning in the second decade of the 21st millennium. In fact, except for one quibbling potential restriction on knives with integral “D” handguards or knuckleduster handguards you may own and carry absolutely any other kind of … Read more