Knife law confusion thread

[JackDaniels]

I'm confused about the knife law, and am wondering if someone could clarify what it means. It appears to me (not a lawyer or master of the English language), that the law restricts having a concealed knife over 3" or a bowie knife, and it restricts carrying it with the intent to use for criminal activity.

What I don't understand is whether it is legal to carry in the open, a blade that is larger than 3" which may be called a bowie knife, for purposes such as hunting or fishing or hiking and camping, etc. Can someone with experience in this clarify? Here is what I am confused about:

nor shall any person, with intent to use unlawfully against another, carry or possess a dagger, dirk, stiletto, sword-in-cane, bowie knife, or other similar weapon designed to cut and stab another, nor shall any person wear or carry concealed upon his person, any of the above-mentioned instruments or weapons, or any razor, or knife of any description having a blade of more than three (3) inches in length measuring from the end of the handle where the blade is attached to the end of the blade, or other weapon of like kind or description. Any person violating the provisions of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, and the weapon so found shall be confiscated.

 

[JackDaniels]

Anyone with legal knowledge have any thoughts on this?

 

[cockpitbob]

I am neither a lawyer or a RI resident. That said, my understanding is that a good guy can carry them open but not conceled. The law also gives the govt one more thing to charge a bad guy with if he's openly carrying any of the above.

Of course what's really going on here is that they like their subjects unarmed and defensless, so they make the laws both restrictive and so confusing that good guys are always in fear of running afowl of the law.