# Knives and Pocket Knives



## Vino5SJ (Dec 25, 2002)

Does anyone know what the maximum length of a knife(pocket knife style) is in order for it to be legal? Also, to any PO, do you guys carry a pocket knife on duty with you? If so, how long is it?


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## Crvtte65 (May 19, 2002)

An uneducated guess but have heard it before....4" and 6" are in my mind. No double edge, no full auto, no switchblade, nor butterfly (I think) Not too much help but those are ballpark figures Sorry


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## Vino5SJ (Dec 25, 2002)

Are all the Knives that they sell at LE stores(Trippi's, Regency, Sentry, Communty Police) legal? becuase the one that i got seems big. It is 4".


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## mazz (Aug 5, 2002)

Crvette65, that’s right anything under 4” is legal. No double edge, butterfly or switchblades.


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## Vino5SJ (Dec 25, 2002)

So is 4" legal or illegal?


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## Crvtte65 (May 19, 2002)

I believe 4" is the max


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## PearlOnyx (Jun 28, 2002)

There may be state law on this, but many towns have their own local ordiance. I believe ours here in Salem is 2 1/2 or 3 inches. You may wan't to check with your local government.


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## mpd61 (Aug 7, 2002)

Vino5SJ said:


> So is 4" legal or illegal?


My M5A1 bayonet is 7"+ blade and attaches to my M1 garand. It's legal.
Double edged blade? Butterfly? Lets start quoting MGL/CMR/Etc...............

As far as on duty knife, I have a tactical folder for cleaning my fingernails/cutting seat belts/god-forbid-backup. (in that order) I don't really know how long the blade is. It is shorter than my bayonet
:lol:


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## Crvtte65 (May 19, 2002)

mpd61 said:


> Lets start quoting MGL/CMR/Etc...............


Ok! I finally have time to something other than school work...

MGL Ch. 269 § 10



> (b) Whoever, except as provided by law, carries on his person, or carries on his person or under his control in a vehicle, any stiletto, dagger or a device or case which enables a knife with a locking blade to be drawn at a locked position, any ballistic knife, or any knife with a detachable blade capable of being propelled by any mechanism, dirk knife, any knife having a double-edged blade, or a switch knife, or any knife having an automatic spring release device by which the blade is released from the handle, having a blade of over one and one-half inches, or a slung shot, blowgun, blackjack, metallic knuckles or knuckles of any substance which could be put to the same use with the same or similar effect as metallic knuckles, nunchaku, zoobow, also known as klackers or kung fu sticks, or any similar weapon consisting of two sticks of wood, plastic or metal connected at one end by a length of rope, chain, wire or leather, a shuriken or any similar pointed starlike object intended to injure a person when thrown, or any armband, made with leather which has metallic spikes, points or studs or any similar device made from any other substance or a cestus or similar material weighted with metal or other substance and worn on the hand, or a manrikigusari or similar length of chain having weighted ends; or whoever, when arrested upon a warrant for an alleged crime, or when arrested while committing a breach or disturbance of the public peace, is armed with or has on his person, or has on his person or under his control in a vehicle, a billy or other dangerous weapon other than those herein mentioned and those mentioned in paragraph (a), shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than two and one-half years nor more than five years in the state prison, or for not less than six months nor more than two and one-half years in a jail or house of correction, except that, if the court finds that the defendant has not been previously convicted of a felony, he may be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars or by imprisonment for not more than two and one-half years in a jail or house of correction.


Kinda strange because if I read correctly it says anything of 1.5 is illegal :?


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## Officer Dunngeon (Aug 16, 2002)

Maybe the law means a mechnical loaded device over 1 1/2". They should really use semi-colons ( ; ) to separate every item described.


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## Vino5SJ (Dec 25, 2002)

I deciphered it the same way that Dunny did. I think that it is a spring loaded device cannot be over 1 1/2.


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## Officer Dunngeon (Aug 16, 2002)

Here's another example:


> or any armband, made with leather which has metallic spikes, points or studs or any similar device made from any other substance or a cestus or similar material weighted with metal or other substance and worn on the hand,


See all the commas?

Maybe the same person who wrote the law in the books also designed the Civil Circus test! :shock:

Damn public school system...!


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## jd (Oct 18, 2002)

I was told in the reserve academy by Capt. Cardalino that the blade limit in that MGL is for double edged, etc. and that there is no size limit (in MGLs) for a single edged knife.


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## Officer Dunngeon (Aug 16, 2002)

You know what, I was told the same thing, that it doesn't matter what size it is as long as it's not a dangerous weapon by statute, or you're not using it as a dangerous weapon per se.

From what I understand, if it's not illegal by statute, you can have any sized blade.


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## Mikey682 (May 2, 2002)

Officer Dunngeon said:


> it doesn't matter what size it is as long as it's not a dangerous weapon


hmm...I thought it was how you use it that counts? okok I'm done 

I agree with Ofc. Dunn's interpretation. This is just what I was taught from a reserve academy class, but it seems that that whole paragraph gives the officer leeway in case you want to throw an additional charge on him. Just about every guy I know carries a 2'' or more pocket knife, and it would be a pretty simple way to send him to court if you wanted to.


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## mpd61 (Aug 7, 2002)

Yes! Yes!
Now you're getting it! Thanks for the LAW. Thats why my Bayonet is legal, and Fisherman Franks eight inch filet knife is legal. They are not switch-blades or spring-loaded weapons, etc. 

A folding knife carried for utilitarian reasons (Maybe all lawful puposes?) sounds good to go. Why else would Wal-mart sell folding knives in Mass with 5" blades? cuz it's legal Right?
8)


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## TheFuzz357 (Feb 21, 2003)

It's all in the officer's perception. A razor blade (1.5" long) was obviously dangerous enough on 9-11 for the hi-jackers. If you can articulate that it is a *dangerous weapon* then it doesn't matter how big it is.

C'mon, everyone knows "size doesn't matter"!


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## Dr.Magoo (May 2, 2002)

Officer Dunngeon said:


> *Fom* what I understand, if it's not illegal by statute, you can have any sized blade.


Sorry Dunny,

I have to do this for all those you have corrected before.


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## Officer Dunngeon (Aug 16, 2002)

:shock:

What are you talking about, I didn't spell "from" incorrectly, I, uh...











msp357 said:


> It's all in the officer's perception. A razor blade (1.5" long) was obviously dangerous enough on 9-11 for the hi-jackers. If you can articulate that it is a *dangerous weapon* then it doesn't matter how big it is.
> 
> C'mon, everyone knows "size doesn't matter"!


Right, the confusion is where some people misconceive that it's illegal to carry knives based on the length of the blade. The size (of a knife! :lol: ) really does not matter, it's if you're using it as a dangerous weapon that does.


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## Vino5SJ (Dec 25, 2002)

Now, this questions goes out to all of you on the job. What size knife do you carry?


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## Gil (Jun 15, 1998)

Vino5SJ said:


> Now, this questions goes out to all of you on the job. What size knife do you carry?


Dunno, what ever overpriced knife I bought at Andreas. I think it's 3 1/2 or 4 inches.


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## TheFuzz357 (Feb 21, 2003)

Whatever comes with the Leatherman Supertool. It has "both kinds" straight edge and serrated.


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## Foxracingmtnridr (Feb 23, 2003)

Vino5SJ said:


> Now, this questions goes out to all of you on the job. What size knife do you carry?


I carry a Smith and Wesson First Millenium Run S.W.A.T. 
It's like a 3 or 4" blade serrated. all Black. :ninja:

Best knife I've ever had.

Scott unk:


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## Irish Wampanoag (Apr 6, 2003)

I was told the size of the knife's blade does not matter if it is a single edged weapon. UNLESS you have been arrested for a crime or stopped in your motor vehicle and are carrying such weapon as difined as ealier stated in 269/10 . I am not sure about town laws. My fellow officer arrested an individual for disorderly, trespassing, resisting arrest and as he did a terry frisk found a folding knife that was single edged on his person. He charged him with 269/10. I dont think he could have carged him with 269/10 unless he arrested him for a crime. "Very Good Topic"


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## Irish Wampanoag (Apr 6, 2003)

OPPS Sorry folks did not mean to get of the topis did not see a second page to this!!!


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