I wasn't sure whether to post this on the handgun forum or the knife forum but maybe I should post it on both. I just joined the NRA. It was a symbolic gesture in order to support this second amendment because I really don't foresee myself carrying a firearm with me although I did enjoy target shooting in my younger days. This is really ironic. I collect pocket knives. The NRA offered me the official NRA pocketknife but unfortunately it's not legal where I live or work. The blade is 2.75 inches long which is not what I would consider to be a large pocketknife but here in Lawrence Massachusetts where I work and in Lowell Massachusetts where my girlfriend lives, and in Boston, the legal blade length is 2.5 inches. Give me a break!!!!!
From Lowell website: similar in Lawrence, Boston. and Lynn. Prohibition. No person, except as provided by law, shall carry on his person or have under his control in a vehicle while on, in, or upon a public way, any way to which the public has right of access, in any place to which members of the public have access as invitees or licensees, in any park or playground, conservation area or recreation area: a knife with a blade in excess of 2 1/2 inches, a machete, any altered or redesigned item such as a homemade weapon capable of inflicting serious bodily harm or any other weapon capable of penetrating a police officer's ballistic vest except: (1) When engaged in hunting, fishing, or fowling and possessing all valid permits or licenses; or (2) When engaged in employment, trade, recreational or culinary activity which customarily involves the carrying or use of such knives; or (3) In going directly to or returning from such activities as listed in § 222-12-B(1) and (2); or (4) If the knife is being transported directly to or from a place of purchase, sharpening, or repair, and if packaged in such a manner as not to allow easy access to the knife while it is being transported. (5) Further, this prohibition does not apply to persons who, through entities or establishments engaged in a recognized retail or wholesale business, are involved in the sale, purchase or repair of knives for trade, sport, hobby, or recreation, including without limitation persons engaged in the transportation to or from such entities or establishments There is no provision for EDC!!!!!!!
Wow, I thought the restrictions on knives was limited by the state, and not the town. Glad my town doesn't have those limitations.
You could still be at risk when traveling to other massachusetts towns or cities. Be careful in our crazy state!
This is exactly why I'm looking at getting a smaller knife for times like that. Haha. Regardless, my SMF doesn't come out of my rotation for anything. Ride the lightning!!!
I'm from Pittsfield. Operative word being "from". Moved away years ago. But attended a wedding in Boston recently. Had to find a small Buck I own in order to have at least something on me while there. Anyway, I live in Texas now. Until two years ago (last legislative session), municipalities in Texas had laws on the books that were much more restrictive than the state law which says "no blade longer than 5 1/2 inches". So if one traveled to Houston or San Antonio, for example, and carried one's normal folder, he would be in violation. Two years ago the legislature passed a no preemption statute which prohibits localities from having knife laws more restrictive than the state standard. Great news! Massachusetts needs such a law...as well as more freedom-loving legislators. ;^> Our legislature is back in session now. They only meet for a couple of months every two years. Hoping they pass the bill that removes all restrictions on knives in this state. Almost got that passed last session, but the dean of the senate pulled the rug at the last possible moment. :^<
The state would need to make the law preemptive in order to prevent this legal/illegal patchwork within a state. In Kansas, that was initially forgotten when the law removed most restrictions and was amended later to include preemption.
@bryan123: I wasn't really into all this when I last lived in Massachusetts . Wow. Worse than NYC, Chicago, or California. Or maybe equally as bad. I haven't and don't intend to do a comparative study! OTOH, once you have knives that pass muster for you there, at least you'll be equipped for anytime you visit those places; probably also a bunch of places in Europe! I'm thinking UK, Denmark, Germany, Holland (?), ....! I was enjoying a pipe (tobacco!) the other day at my usual haunt. Of 6 guys sitting around, I was the only one other than the staff who carried ANY knife! The others were actually aghast. And this is Virginia. But then, Northern Virginia is an anomaly. Lots of folk who are transplants due to proximity to DC. L'chaim! Moshe ben David
So many rules in Massachusetts. I live in NC and often travel that way to NH. My CCW doesn't reciprocate in hardly any of those states and the blade laws are crazy.
Sounds like you can be arrested for buying kitchen knives and transporting the knives home. Thankfully Texas preempted San Antonio and Houston from enforcing strict knife laws. Even Dallas County will allow a small Swiss Army jnife through security. I was asked to open my knife and was told the length was okay. Otherwise I would have taken it back to my car.
used to be that when a person traveled to another country there were many things to be aware of now, just to cross a state line (or even a city limit)...........................
there's an exception for culinary knives, they can be tranaported from the store to home and to/from work if you're a chef or sous chef. When engaged in employment, trade, recreational or culinary activity which customarily involves the carrying or use of such knives; or (3) In going directly to or returning from such activities as listed in § 222-12-B(1) and (2); or (4) If the knife is being transported directly to or from a place of purchase, sharpening, or repair, and if packaged in such a manner as not to allow easy access to the knife while it is being transported.
Thanks. Hopefully the exemption is applied to multiple professions. NYC in a few cases has stopped construction workers for violating the NYC knife laws.
Always have been for many things. Examples: alcoholic beverage laws do vary state by state. Sunday 'blue laws' regarding what can/cannot be sold on Sunday can vary enormously not only between states but sometimes by city/town. Tobacco sales laws can vary by state. We sometimes forget that the Federal government is called that for a reason -- the country is a federation of states by mutual consent. L'chaim! Moshe ben David
If you have a LTC (License to carry) some towns will exempt you. I don't have all the details, but I think Worcester is one of them. I carry a normal knife but I have an unrestricted LTC and figure if I'm stopped, frisked or detained, then the knife is the least of my worries. (I'm in MA also)
