Are There Laws that Make Carrying Camping Knives Illegal?

Whether or not it is legal or illegal to carry a knife publicly or privately, especially a specific type of knife, is a question that bothers many people. The simple answer to this question is yes and no.

The issues of illegality about knife carrying depend on many factors. There are various legal stipulations and common exceptions based on things such as the area of jurisdiction in question, the state, the municipality, the region, and the country in which one is a residence.

And there are good reasons for that: from country-to-country, state-to-state or region-to-region laws are not the same. They vary depending on a number of circumstances.

General Rules

In almost all places in the world there is no law barring a person from carrying a simple utility knife. But even then, there are certain restrictions that are applied about knife handling in certain situations or places, for example in airplanes.

Generally speaking, knife owning everywhere is under some form of municipal or local laws. So, whichever type of knife you have would not matter. A regulation will apply to it.

Statutory Rules about Knife Possession

There will always be a form of regulation about knife handling regardless of your location. In some instances, knives are totally not allowed.

And despite their popularity as tools, collector’s items, or a means of self-defense, in various instances carrying a particular type of knife might be considered illegal under the law.

One factor that commonly applies to the outlawing of knives is the size of the blades. Almost everywhere, the short-bladed or camping knife is treated as safe and legal.

However, when the blade extends beyond 2.5 to 4 inches, then it is likely such a knife will be under some kind of restriction. In other places long-bladed knives like swords, daggers and spring-loaded types are illegal.

When Does Possessing a Knife Become an Offense?

Fixed bladed knives are mostly prohibited in many places, and if you are caught in possession of a concealed fixed-blade knife, you can be charged with a misdemeanor.

When not carried publicly and it is not ready to use, having a folding knife under concealment is not a crime. But switchblades are unacceptable globally.

Possession of any banned knife always draws a charge with criminal ownership of a weapon. If a person has valid reasons or a license, they can be allowed to own any type of knife.

What Are the Legal Rights for Knife Possession?

It is imperative to understand all the laws you need to follow where knives are concerned. The best thing to do is to find out from a lawyer all the legal rights you have for having a specific knife.

Travelers may have knives that are safely sheathed or covered in their checked baggage when they are travelling locally. But during international journeys, air travelers might be confronted by the foreign laws of different places.

Knowing what kind of knife is permitted within a jurisdiction where you are going to can save you a lot of headache. In many places there isn’t any explicit and specific laws stopping one from using a camping knife. Such matters are often left to the discretion of the local law enforcement agencies

One thing you can do in case of doubt is to check with the local law enforcement.

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