California and school legal knives

[Lupara]

Friends, I need your help,

There has been a lot of examination and interpretation concerning what characteristics are legal in a knife to carry for self defense in California and especially in and around schools.

What I?m wondering is, is there a specific folding knife that has the ?bias to close? mechanism found in common Swiss army or old stile pocket knives (no buttons or locks). In addition to this characteristic, I would like the knife to have a wide, thick, and strong 2 1/2? blade (per code) and a hefty long firm grip handle. This knife, not having a ?locked open? feature (per code), could be any shaped blade, even a claw type. Don?t want a sheath, but a pocket clip would be nice.

I?m hoping that since California has had these code requirements, (public and school codes) for quite a while, that somebody, by now, would have come out with a California Edition by now. Have any of you fine folk ever seen such a knife for sale? If so, could you point me in the direction of such a knife.

I would much appreciate your help

[shenecke]

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Kershaw-Launch-4-CA-Legal-Automatic--187203

[Librarian]

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Kersha...omatic--187203

Nice toy; correctly classified as CA-legal, with 1.90 inch blade, but the blade locks, so not OK for schools.

Opinel knives come in the right size; I don't know if the rotating collar counts as a lock.

Can't find it just now, but I bought a knife to take to England (in 2015, knife law enforcement was not quite so enthusiastic) that did not lock but had an incredibly stiff joint.

EDIT - found the name at least - a Lansky "World Legal" - nice blade if a bit unusual, but at 2.75 inches, too long for schools.

Lost an Al-Mar folder in France a couple years ago; didn't know that Customs/Immigration at Dover had walk-through metal detectors, or I would have left it on the coach.

[j15w]

What you are looking for is called a slip joint. It's a shame you're limited to 2.5" - there are some nice modern ones like the Benchmade Proper and Civivi Appalachian Drifter.

https://www.knifecountryusa.com/store/product/320565.320570/civivi-20005b1-ki-v-plus.html

[G-forceJunkie]

Can someone fill me in on this knife limitation, the gist i'm getting is schools (which ones?) allow some types and sizes of knifes on campuses but not others? Thanks.

[Lupara]

The California Safe Schools Act, I think it was passed in 1993 or 1995, had a strict standard for k through 12th grade, a lesser restriction for colleges. I help out watching over a Church with a k through 12 school within the 1,000 feet of where I sometimes am. The local authorities hate our Church and so I don’t want to give them any excuse to cause us trouble. That’s why I’m looking for this special tool.

Basically, it can’t lock open, the blade can’t be over 2 1/2” long, and it can’t open with a button, spring, centrifugal force, or gravity. Because it can’t lock open, I’m hoping to find a wide blade, single edged, preferably a claw hook design.

Thanks for your input so far. Can’t believe nobody makes a knife like this.

[NATEWA]

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Baladeo-Billhook-Hawkbill-Folding--120720

This?

[NATEWA]

Not sure if slip joint lock excludes it

[M76]

Spyderco Pingo

[DentonandSasquatchShow]

Are you an employee or a staff member? What department do you work in?

I've worked in a school district as a Maintenance supervisor for 32 years and have carried a knife every day. I carry a Kershaw folder and have never had anyone say a thing. It is a tool just like my driver drill or level.

I suppose things are different at different districts but if it's in your pocket how does anyone even know you have it?

[M76]

didn't realize the pingo is discontinued - and pricey if found

here's another;

Spyderco UK Penknife Salt Folding Knife

List Price:
$150.00
Our Price:
$105.00
SHIPS FREE

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1023682624?pid=283486

[Lupara]

Are you an employee or a staff member? What department do you work in?

I've worked in a school district as a Maintenance supervisor for 32 years and have carried a knife every day. I carry a Kershaw folder and have never had anyone say a thing. It is a tool just like my driver drill or level.

I suppose things are different at different districts but if it's in your pocket how does anyone even know you have it?

I'm a security volunteer at our church which leases space to a private Christian school during the week, daytime and some evenings. Even if I stay on the church part of the property, there is a 1,000 foot rule that expands these rules out from the property being leased for school use. The law applies to public schools and private/religious schools so there is no "private property" exemption. Some parts of the law are, what is called, a wobbler, meaning they have the discretion to charge you with either a misdemeanor or up it to a felony.

Like I said, the local authorities hate our church because we defied them during the covid lockdowns, lawsuits going back and forth. They hate us and would do anything to lock some of us up, if they could. So my plan is to stay squeaky clean. My search for a knife was helped by member "j15w" reference to the more accurate function being called a "slip joint". Since then I've found one knife that almost fits the bill. All I need to do is grind off 1/4" of the blade length and reshape it a bit. I found this one, if anyone is interested:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00T4Y3VP4

I also want to thank you all for your help with this and encourage you to continue recommending knives that might be better than the one I found.

[Lupara]

didn't realize the pingo is discontinued - and pricey if found

here's another;





https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1023682624?pid=283486

Thanks for the recommendation M76. My trouble is that the blade is 3" long. The law is explicit, 2 1/2" or less. Cutting off 1/2" and reshaping this blade would be difficult.

[j15w]

Spyderco Grasshopper Black Non-Locking Knife with 2.30" 3CR Steel Blade and Durable Steel Handle - PlainEdge - C138BKP https://a.co/d/gD2QpIT

[Quiet]

CA legal to possess a knife with a non-locking blade that has a length of less than 2.5" on school and college/university property.
^Exemptions to this for school/college/university employees and students that require it for training/class work.

Note parts in bold below...

Penal Code 626.10
(a)(1) Any person, except a duly appointed peace officer as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2, a full-time paid peace officer of another state or the federal government who is carrying out official duties while in this state, a person summoned by any officer to assist in making arrests or preserving the peace while the person is actually engaged in assisting any officer, or a member of the military forces of this state or the United States who is engaged in the performance of his or her duties, who brings or possesses any dirk, dagger, ice pick, knife having a blade longer than 21/2 inches, folding knife with a blade that locks into place, razor with an unguarded blade, taser, or stun gun, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 244.5, any instrument that expels a metallic projectile, such as a BB or a pellet, through the force of air pressure, CO2 pressure, or spring action, or any spot marker gun, upon the grounds of, or within, any public or private school providing instruction in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, is guilty of a public offense, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.
(2) Any person, except a duly appointed peace officer as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2, a full-time paid peace officer of another state or the federal government who is carrying out official duties while in this state, a person summoned by any officer to assist in making arrests or preserving the peace while the person is actually engaged in assisting any officer, or a member of the military forces of this state or the United States who is engaged in the performance of his or her duties, who brings or possesses a razor blade or a box cutter upon the grounds of, or within, any public or private school providing instruction in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, is guilty of a public offense, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year.
(b) Any person, except a duly appointed peace officer as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2, a full-time paid peace officer of another state or the federal government who is carrying out official duties while in this state, a person summoned by any officer to assist in making arrests or preserving the peace while the person is actually engaged in assisting any officer, or a member of the military forces of this state or the United States who is engaged in the performance of his or her duties, who brings or possesses any dirk, dagger, ice pick, or knife having a fixed blade longer than 21/2 inches upon the grounds of, or within, any private university, the University of California, the California State University, or the California Community Colleges is guilty of a public offense, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.
(c) Subdivisions (a) and (b) do not apply to any person who brings or possesses a knife having a blade longer than 21/2 inches, a razor with an unguarded blade, a razor blade, or a box cutter upon the grounds of, or within, a public or private school providing instruction in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, or any private university, state university, or community college at the direction of a faculty member of the private university, state university, or community college, or a certificated or classified employee of the school for use in a private university, state university, community college, or school-sponsored activity or class.
(d) Subdivisions (a) and (b) do not apply to any person who brings or possesses an ice pick, a knife having a blade longer than 21/2 inches, a razor with an unguarded blade, a razor blade, or a box cutter upon the grounds of, or within, a public or private school providing instruction in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, or any private university, state university, or community college for a lawful purpose within the scope of the person's employment.
(e) Subdivision (b) does not apply to any person who brings or possesses an ice pick or a knife having a fixed blade longer than 21/2 inches upon the grounds of, or within, any private university, state university, or community college for lawful use in or around a residence or residential facility located upon those grounds or for lawful use in food preparation or consumption.