Knife Laws in San Antonio and Surrounding (deals, firearms)

[lamaddox]

My knives were exposed. I had three on my belt, and one strapped under each arm as is traditional for that style blade. I don't recall seeing any legal verbiage saying that knives had to be concealed.

[TexasRedneck]

Sorry - but you were a walking poster child for "arrest me for SOMETHING". If you're going to continue to do that, you need to consult an attorney so you KNOW what the law is - don't take advice from the internet on something that could wind you up in jail. Which is why I keep an attorney on retainer - because if they DO decide to push an issue, I'm ready to push back. Bear in mind - if there's ANY doubt in my mind, I WILL err on the side of caution - but many LEO's are not familiar with all the various gun laws.

I *know* the law as pertaining to carrying under a CHL - and that varies from non-CHL carrying of knives. However, I *also* know that the city of SA tends to pass illegal ordinances, many of which would get them sued if they ever charged someone under them......but that doesn't stop them from passing 'em. MOST of the LEO's you'll encounter know which laws are unenforceable, and will give you a lecture, but not charge you. Think is - if YOU are wrong OR THEY are - you still end up in jail while things are sorted out.

[GEM-Texas]

Given we have had a horrible stabbing in one of the local parks, I might suggest that such a display will give you the stink eye from a lot of people (who may carry guns in the park). If you were to approach a young woman getting in and out of her car to ask a benign question - what do you think she would think?

Being legal and polite may be different.

[Rapscallion]

Originally Posted by lamaddox

My knives were exposed. I had three on my belt, and one strapped under each arm as is traditional for that style blade. I don't recall seeing any legal verbiage saying that knives had to be concealed.

Rambo?

[lamaddox]

Originally Posted by GEM-Texas

Given we have had a horrible stabbing in one of the local parks, I might suggest that such a display will give you the stink eye from a lot of people (who may carry guns in the park). If you were to approach a young woman getting in and out of her car to ask a benign question - what do you think she would think?

Being legal and polite may be different.

What other people think is hardly my concern. What I care about is whether it is technically legal to carry blades in a city park (which has ramifications affecting which religious groups are legally permitted into the parks, etc).

Two of my blades are on me at all times, even when I sleep and shower. I will not remove them under any circumstances, except when flying (though some foreign airlines are allowing us to carry our blades in flight now). It is improper to use those blades for any purpose except self-defense, ergo I carry other blades as well.

One blade is for day-to-day tasks, such as opening packages (and I can't remember the last time I bought something that *wasn't* wrapped in some sort of ridiculous plastic).

Another blade is for starting fires (and it even has a fire starter in its sheath). I admittedly don't start fires everyday, but occasionally the need arises. I also carry a sharpener next to that blade--not that I sharpen my knives daily, but again, the need arises from time to time.

The fifth blade is also for self-defense. The first two are usually concealed, and their straps are more ceremonial in nature, making them impractical to draw. I started carrying this blade, because I *have* had to draw my blades on a couple occasions. The first time was to dispatch an attacking dog, and the second time was to convince some drunken, Muslim-hating vigilante to leave me the Hell alone.

[GEM-Texas]

To each his or her own, you can choose your own deity and customs. However, the pragmatic intervenes at time and don't expect those who don't follow your religion to appreciate a weapons display. If bad things happen because of that, celebrate your choice as expression of your statement against religious persecution.

Religious customs are limited despite 1st Amend. protections. If a religion promotes something dangerous in the eyes of the legislature, you may have legal challenges and then have to go to the courts for protection. It's been done on several issues.

Then, you have the pragmatic challenge from those who feel threatened. The Open Carry proponents will have to deal with folks being scared. Despite the law, if an OC type was challenged and got into a heated argument with an anti OC person, you can bet that person will say they were threatened. A person with a display of edged weapons may expect the same and talking to the law.
If you engaged in a heated argument with a young woman in the part who felt threatened, the police response to you may or may not go well.

But it is your choice to choose the abstract right, religious duty over the pragmatic impact on others. Whether one should care about others, another philosophical and moral question for various religious experts and moral philosophers to debate.

If the knives attract vigilantes, hope they do not have firearms. This is TX.

[steve807]

Sent to Governor (or soon to be sent to governor):

Note that there are three different dates on which these new laws will take effect. Be sure to check the dates from a trusted authority before taking advantage of them.

SB273 - This bill seeks to provide a civil penalty for municipalities that post un-enforceable 30.06 signs. 30.06 signs posted on state or local government property are un-enforceable unless already an otherwise prohibited place.

HB554 - Creates a defense to prosecution and a prohibition on arrest if a CHL inadvertently carries a handgun into the security area of an airport. Police cannot arrest a person unless they advise them of their ability to leave the security area and the CHL fails to do so. (Big fines from the TSA still.)

HB905 - Preempts local knife laws in Texas, removing the patchwork of local knife ordinances across the state.

HB910 - Licensed open carry. Texas will have licensed open carry on Jan 1, 2016, being the 46th state to adopt open carry legislation.

SB11 - Campus carry bill

[Jraptor59]

Be careful. San Antonio has some really strange knife laws. A fixed blade knife under 5 and 1/2 inches (as long as it is not a "Bowie" style) should be fine to carry. A legal knife can be carried concealed or any way you like: it is a legal knife. The place where SA is crazy is with lock back knives. Knives to me are tools and a lock back knife keeps the blade from folding on your fingers and cutting you (I experienced this a couple of times when I was a kid, growing up in Oregon) but in SA ANY lock back, even with a 1 inch blade, is illegal!
Remember too that if a police officer decides your knife is illegal and decides to take it...he can pretty much do it. Argue with him and he can arrest you.
The strange attitude here in SA has led me to simply not carry any knife at all. I am considering carrying a Swiss Army Tinker knife. The blades do not lock and it has a tool for almost any situation. I love that model. I am still nervous though. All a officer has to say is "he had a knife" and it just sounds bad. People imagine some monster 12 inch blade or something crazy!
It is nice to be in the right and a legal, law abiding citizen (I am a veteran and have been a RN for 20 years, working with critically ill children; I have never hurt anyone. This would not matter if a cop decided to pull me in) but it isn't fun to try to defend yourself and get entangled in the "justice" system, paying tens of thousands of dollars that you may not get back even if you win. It's not worth it to me.

[GEM-Texas]

Please read the post above about the HB905.

[ggeorgie]

This is Texas!
We forget what state we are in and the "legal" laws of guns and knives...
I just bought my son a knive from the SAXET gun show, which I went to buy ammo at a great price, point is, he has a wonderful knive, that he carries...
He has never been stopped and he disclaimed, and no worries.......

At the gun show today, I did buy a knife for my girl friend; the blade was less than 6 inches, but amazingly, the knife is a switch blade.. Very nice knife........