I think im going to start carrying a huge *** knife

[birddseedd]

One thing that i came to know after i started carrying is that it is illegal to carry a knife in a sheath. perhaps above a certain length or something, i dont recall. else sheathed small knives just arnt enforced. but this law is just absured. its dangerous. and does more harm than good. a sheath is obvious, and is not concealment. but yet they expect you to put yourself and others in danger to abide by their own fear mongering foolishness.

i will likely conceal my firearm when doing so, as a guy with several visible weapons moves away from a guy protecting himself into tinfoil hat land.

As an obvious protest, where and how would this best be accomplished? in a visible place, not likely to have many children, but still open enough to keep a safe distance from folks.

Knife is probably about a foot and a quarter long, hilt to tip. almost 2' with handle.

[CV67PAT]

Knife laws are not preempted. Any knife could possibly be unlawful to carry in certain communities and venues. And if a person is carrying a gun at the same time, severe problems may arise.

[birddseedd]

Local municipalities ordinances are civil?

[birddseedd]

I think knives should be covered under the 2nd amendment since at the time they were used in war more than guns. All be it attached to a gun.

[SD40VE]

i carry a machete up north for clearing the hunting trails before hunting season
of course its on private property

[Glock9mmOldStyle]

Knife laws are not preempted. Any knife could possibly be unlawful to carry in certain communities and venues. And if a person is carrying a gun at the same time, severe problems may arise.

THIS^^

Better to leave it at home when OCing. Why? Makes it really easy on shady PD's to hassle a otherwise legal OCer. If you really want to carry a knife, work with others to get knife preemption laws passed in MI. There's a reason most cities and villages have knife laws on the books, just as they still have outdated gun laws on their books. It is just one more thing a "bonus" local charge/violation to be hurled at someone who they don't like. Many local PD's don't like OCers, so you do the math.

My mind goes back to a member Fatman/Chuckwagon, who carried a pocket knife while OCing. He got jammed up in Southgate MI, while at a restaurant with his family. One of the local OEO's (opinion enforcement officers) took issue with his OC. Not being able to do anything about it legally, the officer noted a "suspicious bulge" in his front pocket & searched him for "officer safety". Turned out to be a very small pocket knife, that which many MI men carry daily. No matter, this was enough for the officer to arrest him, and take him to jail for a short while until bail could be posted. Bogus? Yes. Technically legal? Yes. The judge tossed the concealed weapon charge on the basis that the search was based on the legal activity of OCing, therefore, fruit of the poisonous tree.

My point - is carrying a $10 - ?? Dollar knife worth the thousands of dollars it could take to defend against "technically legal" charges brought by a "OEO"?

In the end Fatman sued them, and won a small settlement. Was it worth the hassle and time lost from work and family? Only he can answer that.

As always YMMV, you maybe a lawyer, with infinite time on your hands to file legal actions.

[birddseedd]

Ymmv?

[birddseedd]

The problem is with mi law. Although I do agree that any law that deals with weapons should be preempted

[Glock9mmOldStyle]

Ymmv?

Your milage may vary..

More slang from the cool kids, like NutNFancy off YouTube.

Don't mean this badly, but your posts always get my "troll alert" buzzing.

[Glock9mmOldStyle]

The problem is with mi law. Although I do agree that any law that deals with weapons should be preempted

Yep. Preemption is the key. AZ has good knife preemption on the books. It should be a template for MI knife preemption, IMHO. (In My Honest Opinion).

[TheQ]

Knife laws are not preempted. Any knife could possibly be unlawful to carry in certain communities and venues. And if a person is carrying a gun at the same time, severe problems may arise.

And that's all you need to know about knives. The City of Center Line, IIRC, bans the carry of any knife in public, regardless of length or purpose.

[birddseedd]

Wow

[TheQ]

I think knives should be covered under the 2nd amendment since at the time they were used in war more than guns. All be it attached to a gun.

It's an interesting argument. It might fly, it might not. Willing to chance it? Got the lawyer fees ($2,500 - $30,000) to fight it?

[birddseedd]

technically if they are going to do a jail sentence they have to give me a lawyer the question is is the lawyer good enough to actually accomplish change

[Glock9mmOldStyle]

technically if they are going to do a jail sentence they have to give me a lawyer the question is is the lawyer good enough to actually accomplish change

You are not given anything, you will be charged for and forced to pay a crappy lawyer for crappy service. Do as you will, but be advised, often there is little "just" in our justice system, and you will be held financially responsible, period! Innocence or guilt, is a after thought. Good luck! Looks like you may need it.

[gryphon]

Yep, you will be billed for your public defender.

[TheQ]

technically if they are going to do a jail sentence they have to give me a lawyer the question is is the lawyer good enough to actually accomplish change

They have to provide you with council, if you can't afford it (they have a formula to figure out if you can afford it). Court appointed lawyers will advice you to plea the case out as quickly as possible and will give you the crappiest defense and do as little as they can get away with ....

.....but it's your life and property. Your decision.

[Scandiacus]

The City of Center Line, IIRC, bans the carry of any knife in public, regardless of length or purpose.

There are a number of cities in Michigan with similar rules.  It's technically illegal to carry a knife in Jackson, period, though I can't say how well that's enforced; I would certainly be cautious of it when OCing a firearm.  From the city ordinance (emphasis mine):

A dangerous weapon means a weapon, other than a firearm, such as a knife, razor, taser, self-defense spray, gas-ejecting device, club, bludgeon, or other similar item.

It is unlawful to transport, carry, or possess a dangerous weapon in any vehicle or public place unless it is done under any of the following conditions:

The conditions listed only cover on personal property, transporting encased weapons from purchase location to home, etc.  I carry a knife daily, but always have to alter my routine a bit when I'm in Jackson, particularly when OCing.  It's similarly bad over by Detroit, where blade length restrictions seem to change arbitrarily from township to township.  Michigan needs knife preemption badly; I've been told that AKTI has plans to get such a bill introduced in Michigan next legislative session, so be sure to prod your reps and senators about it when the time comes.

[birddseedd]

There is injustice in our courts because Americans no longer fight against injustice. People hate their government, but live too uncomfortably to do anything about it

[birddseedd]

There are a number of cities in Michigan with similar rules.  It's technically illegal to carry a knife in Jackson, period, though I can't say how well that's enforced; I would certainly be cautious of it when OCing a firearm.  From the city ordinance (emphasis mine):
The conditions listed only cover on personal property, transporting encased weapons from purchase location to home, etc.  I carry a knife daily, but always have to alter my routine a bit when I'm in Jackson, particularly when OCing.  It's similarly bad over by Detroit, where blade length restrictions seem to change arbitrarily from township to township.  Michigan needs knife preemption badly; I've been told that AKTI has plans to get such a bill introduced in Michigan next legislative session, so be sure to prod your reps and senators about it when the time comes.

Who is AKTI? That sound like a good start. I should wait to see what happens with that.

And then after carry a huge *** blade until they make it legal to put it in a sheath