virginia knife laws -- any perspective for EDC?

[clovisc]

hey folks...

as some of you may know, in just a handful of days, i'll be moving to somewhere in one of the two western most counties in appalachia to work as an americorps/VISTA volunteer. i'll be working outdoors in the mountains a lot, often alone in isolated areas, and a knife will certainly be a necessary tool. i'm trying to understand what the limitations on knife carry in the area are, so that i can carry a folder (or two, or three...) that meets my needs, yet is also "legal."

i've researched the virginia knife laws online, and, like most knife laws, they seem rather nebulously defined.

so, i was wondering if anyone can give me any perspective as to what legal EDC in rural virginia is like. like i've said, i've done the research, but i also am interested in anything knowledgeable people might be able to say about the ways VA's knife laws are interpretted. i'm particularly interested in knowing...

1. what kind of knife is considered an illegal, concealed "weapon"
2. a knife visibly clipped in the pocket -- is that "concealed" ?
3. is there more leniency for carrying a knife for work, or else specialized recreational activities (fishing, hunting, etc...)?
4. are any "special features" (ex: emerson wave, spyderhole) considered prohibited?
5. i know in delaware, where i am currently, knife laws are in existence more to further punish criminals who have broken some other law. are people typically penalized in VA "just" for carrying a knife?

sorry if any of those questions seem dull -- i just want to live legal and safe. :D

oh -- and if anyone has any suggestions for a VA EDC, i'd love to hear them... :D

[Jordan]

http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/sta-law.htm#S-W

Looks like 3 inches on a folding knife... with the standard exemptions for knives used as part of a trade, food prep, so on and so forth.

[clovisc]

yep... had a look at this. i'm still curious on the usual interpretations of the laws, though...

[Jordan]

A completely understandable concern. Not that it's relevant, but concerning the admirable character you obviously possess based on the humanitarian nature of your employment... it would be a foolish policeman who would hassle you over a pocket knife. It could happen though, and I can certainly understand wanting to be on the right side of the law. All the good cops I've ever met have had better things to do with their time than deal with foolishness from me, and I prefer to stay under the radar of the few I've met who were less than professional.

One of the really nice things about Texas... this is the land of pretty reasonable knife laws. The rule here is 5 1/2 inches; no daggers, dirks, or Bowies (Bowie=knife with sharpened false edge of 3 inches+ I think)... The only really nebulous definition in my state is the rule against gravity knives. I mean, theoretically that could be any knife with the capacity to flick open... not really our fault, that damn federal switchblade act spawned weird laws in every state. Nobody really wanted to come out and say that they were only outlawing auto knives because they were associated with minority street gangs... and prosecutors wanted an open-to-interpretation charge to lay against petty criminals, so poorly worded legislation got written into law.

[Zac]

Rural VA is very knife friendly although they may not like radar detectors. I would fish a lot their and they do not mind larger blades nor do they mind fixed blades. Just anything that is a dirk or dagger I would avoid. Many people in the area who live around water or work in agriculture understand and accept hawkbills as well.

Like any other area, the law is left loose and open to interpretation. Working outdoors you will have a lot of leniency, even if you carry a large blade as long as it is used responsibly.

[StuntDouble]

clovisc,

I've found that the vast majority of police officers are ignorant when it comes to certain laws. That's not a dig, because there's just too many laws for them to know them all. I've had officers tell me everything from there is no limit to 3" blade. The one constant I've heard is, "It depends". If your interaction with the police comes from doing something stupid, and they find a knife on you, expect to have a carrying a concealed weapon charge put on you, even if it was in the legal limit. I guess what I'm saying is, keep yourself out of trouble, and you won't have any issues with carrying a pocket knife with a 3"-4" blade.

[clovisc]

thanks, guys. that's kinda what i was figuring... i'm a typically respectful and law-abiding citizen, and working for americorps kinda gives me "good-guy" status...

see... as i broke my manix and lost my mili in africa, i'm trying to decide if i want to get a replacement. a G-10-scaled knife of this size and strength certainly would be of great utility to me in my fieldwork.

[The Deacon]

To take what Chris said a bit further, I have observed that, in rural areas, both the general public and LEO's take a much different view of "outdoor gear", whether it be knives or firearms, than their urban cousins. They simply assume that whatever it is being carried is intended for hunting, or fishing, or some other socially acceptable reason. They will only look at such things as an aid to anti-social behavior if you are enagaging in it, or giving them a very strong reason to suspect that you intend to do so in the near future.

[dsvirsky]

I live in SW VA (Roanoke county), which is largely rural, and my observation is that you're going to be OK with any folder except a balisong/switchblade and no one will care about any "regular" fixed blade (e.g., a hunter or skinner).

The case law here is inconsistent from a knifeknuts viewpoint -- a concealed balisong is a "weapon in like kind" to a dirk, but a concealed steak knife isn't. However, it is worth noting that just about all the case law on knives arises from the trials of previously convicted felons.

Also, as is true just about anywhere, a polite, "yes, sir" and "no, ma'am" goes a long way when dealing with law enforcment personnel.