Connecticut Knife Laws

[Dmac82]

So I'v been searching and trying to find out about what is legal to own, purchase, and sell.

As far as I can find the Law only prohibits carry as defined in

Sec. 53-206. Carrying of dangerous weapons prohibited.

And not the actual ownership of knives like Switch Blades.

And interestingly enough up until June 24, 1998 the same section alludes to the fact that sale and ownership is/was OK

Any person who sells to another a slung shot, air rifle, BB. gun,
blackjack, sand bag, metal or brass knuckles, or any dirk knife, or any 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 in length, or stiletto, or any martial arts weapon or electronic defense
weapon, as defined in section 53a-3, shall, within twenty-four hours after the
delivery of such weapon or implement to the person to whom sold, give written
notice of such sale or delivery, specifying the article sold and the name and
address of the person to whom sold or delivered, to the chief of police of the
city, the warden of the borough or the first selectman of the town, within
which such weapon or implement is sold or delivered, as the case may be. Any
person who violates any provision of this subsection shall be fined not more
than one hundred dollars.

 

[In God We Trust]

This is probably bad legal advice, but I just worry that I don't CARRY anything illegal. The reason is that if I had to use it in a self defense situation, I am going to look like an @hole right off the bat for carrying an "illegal weapon".

 

[Auspicious Aspect]

You ought to push to copy NH's knife laws.

 

[Mdnitedrftr]

This is probably bad legal advice, but I just worry that I don't CARRY anything illegal. The reason is that if I had to use it in a self defense situation, I am going to look like an @hole right off the bat for carrying an "illegal weapon". As far as ownership? I will keep whatever the F I want in my house and F anyone that doesn't like it.

I feel the same way.

 

[dcmdon]

You can have a knife of any length in the home. I have a folding caterers knife that has an 8" blade. Its perfectly legal to have, but illegal to carry.

Based on the statute above, the following is true.
1) you can't carry a folder longer than 4"
2) you can't carry or posses in any way a switchblade longer than 1 1/2 inches.

That should cover just about anything anyone would want to carry.
I was surprised to see that there are no exemptions for relics or antiques.
I have a switchblade that my grandfather's friend took off a dead German soldier in WWII.
It doesn't even open because the spring is worn out, but its still pretty neat.

 

[Dmac82]

You can have a knife of any length in the home. I have a folding caterers knife that has an 8" blade. Its perfectly legal to have, but illegal to own.

Wait, What? Do you mean Carry?

So owning butterfly knives, switch blades, and stiletto knifes are not Illegal to own? Its just carrying them?

The only laws that i could find are regarding carrying i can't find anything on the ownership or transfer of said knives.

 

[dcmdon]

My apologies. I should have said "You can have a fixed blade knife of any length in the home."

 

[tmitney]

You could buy a switchblade and drive / carry it home or to your [owned] business....where it must remain.(C.G.S. 29-38 and 53-206)

 

[Horrible]

Is it legal to have a fixed blade knife in the trunk of your car in CT? Does that constitute "carry"?

 

[dcmdon]

Is it legal to have a fixed blade knife in the trunk of your car in CT? Does that constitute "carry"?

I don't know, but whats the point?

The whole idea of a switchblade is that it can be deployed faster than a standard folder. If it takes you 20 seconds to get it out of the trunk, whats the extra half second to open a standard folder.
Actually, why even have a folder in the trunk.

I got some cheap chinese fixed blade "survival" knives on ebay a couple of years ago. I keep one in the trunk of each car. They've come in very handy. But again, their purpose is as a tool, not as a defensive weapon.

 

[Horrible]

I don't know, but whats the point?

The whole idea of a switchblade is that it can be deployed faster than a standard folder. If it takes you 20 seconds to get it out of the trunk, whats the extra half second to open a standard folder.
Actually, why even have a folder in the trunk.

I got some cheap chinese fixed blade "survival" knives on ebay a couple of years ago. I keep one in the trunk of each car. They've come in very handy. But again, their purpose is as a tool, not as a defensive weapon.

That is precisly why I keep that particular knife in my trunk. Just wondering if I am commiting a crime by driving in CT.

 

[rattletrap1970]

Dupe

 

[rattletrap1970]

I was arrested for this many moons ago. Here are the specifications for carrying a knife.. Believe me on this.

1. Cannot be double edged.
2. Cannot open by a spring mechanism.
3. Cannot have a blade length more than 4 inches.

Butterfly knives are OK as long as not double edged or over 4 inches. In fact I carry a Benchmade 3-3/4 Balisong.

If a knife that fall outside of these caveats is in your car and they find it, you will be arrested for "Possession of a Dangerous Weapon in a Motor Vehicle".

I know this tune well before I start singin.

 

[dcmdon]

It can open by spring if blade is less than 1.5"

I'll find the statute and post later

 

[rattletrap1970]

That is true, but since I have little use for a blade 1.5" long I leave that out. The three as stated are good for general purpose staying out of jail.

 

[Hustler One]

CT courts have allowed seemingly permissible knives to be considered dangerous weapons if they are used against another person. Refer to the 1987 State v. Holoway ruling, 528 A.2d 1176, where the use of a 3.5" knife for self defense was determined to be prosecutable. There are others that have been prosecuted in between of 3.1" - 3.9". If you want to be completely safe and stay out of jail get a knife that is exactly 3" in length, or less. Switch blades are a no-no, but assisted opening knives are "undefined" as you still have to use physical force to get the blade out. For example, pushing up with your thumb vs. just pressing a button. Comes down to more muscle movement... so in other words.. CT is stupid.

Here is a quote from a CT officer from another forum:

"The operative statutes for knives in CT are C.G.S. 53-206 Carrying of dangerous weapons prohibited, and C.G.S 29-38. Weapons in vehicles. (C.G.S. 53a-3 defines a Deadly Weapon, but then states that the definition doesn’t apply to the previously mentioned statutes.)

As you already found, CT prohibits the carrying of “…any knife having an automatic spring release device by which a blade is released from the handle, having a blade of over one and one-half inches in length…”

As far as I am aware, there is no specific definition of a switchblade. I checked the CT Judicial Branch website, but did not find any information of use. (That is not to say that there have never been any decisions defining types of knives, just that I didn't find them.)

Note that among the citations following 53-206 is one that reads; “Cited. 5 Conn. Cir. Ct. 313. Knife not coming within description of statute cannot be included as "any other dangerous or deadly weapon" and is not within prohibition of this section. Id., 551.” This leads me to believe that an assisted opening knife shouldn't be considered a switchblade but, unless you are dealing with me, it doesn't necessarily help you.

While I personally would not consider an assisted opening knife a switchblade, I cannot speak for all CT Police Officers. (Some are not as enlightened as I.) I checked with one of our rookies, and asked him what the CT Police Academy is teaching these days. He said that they were shown examples of switchblades and gravity knives, but he had no idea what an assisted opening knife was. To the best of his recollection, such knives were never mentioned in class.

The long and short of it is that, assuming that you carry your assisted opening knife in an unobtrusive manner, you will probably not have any problems. If you are questioned about it, politely explain the difference between your knife and a switchblade. As long as you were behaving yourself, you probably won’t get arrested. However, with CT’s rather vague definition, it’s not certain that you could prevail if you did get arrested.

As an aside, the uncertain status of assisted opening knives is precisely the reason I don’t carry one. With all of the anti-knife sheeple out there, you never know if one is going to freak out as you open your knife. They may well report you to the Police, claiming that you have a switchblade. The Police are likely to presume the report is correct, and then you are left with overcoming the Officer's belief that you are in possession of an illegal knife. Even though I am certain I would not get arrested, it’s not worth the hassle to me."

 

[dcmdon]

I take great pleasure watching the mommies faces when I carefully remove my Benchmade to cut my daughters' PBandJ sandwiches.
My grandfather told me when I was a kid, a gentleman carries a knife and a handkerchief. So I'm batting .500.

Its funny, NH just un-outlawed switchblades. I was up there for other reasons and I saw the display of automatic knives. Nice, but expensive.