Let's get a running list of what you are able to legally carry in various states. Post whatever information you can about CCW laws and knife blade length restrictions from any state or local communities that you are familiar with.
California--(info from DH's dad who is retired CHP) PC 653K, PC 12020-24 blade must be 2.5 inches or less, they must be "non-locking and folding" and carried in plain sight--like a sheath, if they are more than a little tiny personal care pocket knife. Anything that could be used "readily" for stabbing or doing bodily harm can be interpreted by the police as a "deadly weapon" and used to haul someone downtown. Then it's up to a judge to decide. Generally, if the knife is carried in a sheath, in plain sight, is a non-locking folder that, has a 2/5 inch or shorter blade, and is a "pocket knife" it is interpreted as OK, by most police departments.
He says that things like Multi Tools with longer blades are not allowed if their blades lock and it's problematic, especially if the officer is looking for a reason to take someone in to get them off the road or stop a heated dispute.
Concealed weapons of ANY kind are outlawed in California, and this includes any blades at all. He recommends putting your small personal care knife on a carabiner on your keys. He recommends wearing a multi-tool only when actually working such that you need it, but if the blade locks, don't wear it, just put it in your toolkit.
He says that pointedness is not necessarily a factor, so blunt ended knives are illegal also.
Kentucky--If it can be opened with one hand, if it locks open, if it is concealed and is not an "ordinary pocket knife" then it's a deadly weapon. (That is the summary given to me by our community policing officer.)
She says that multi-tools with locking blades DO qualify as deadly weapons.
"Hunting knives" or "Electrician's knives" are a class of knives that, when carried or placed in open visible location or with tools of those practices, are not considered deadly weapons. Also, hunting knives or ANY blade that is concealed within reach of human occupation of a vehicle is considered a deadly weapon, per Tort law. So, if it's in the trunk and with your Bug out Bag, it's probably OK, but if it's wedged between your seat and console, or in your glove compartment . . . deadly weapon.
KPC 500.080, is the definition of deadly weapon.
Kentucky is a state where the INTENT is specifically immaterial to the carrying of a concealed weapon. The officer said this was a 1903 law that is still used today.
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I know there are places on the web to look up the actual laws. I wanted to highlight what really is going on. So, I asked the law enforcement personnel that I personally know. Here's one link.
http://home.netcom.com/~brlevine/sta-law.htmI also know from working, myself, and receiving briefings, that having any concealed blade at a federal facility or in Washington, D.C. is not a good idea--unless you are law enforcement or military. At JPL, we were told that an ordinary pocket knife could be carried with a non-pointed non-locking blade that was shorter than 2.5 inches . . . but that it was better to NOT carry one at all at any NASA facility or other federal facility. JPL was in that gray area because it belongs to Caltech, even though it is a federally funded research institute.
Generally, the ability to open a blade "one handed" and the lockability of a blade seems to be important to interpretation by the laws in these two states
