California is a confusing place for people who want to carry a knife. I think that reader dweste summarized it best when he said "just don't flaunt it".
We have found that many peace officers in CA don't have a really clear idea of the specific knife laws themselves, and so their enforcement actions tend to be based on individual choices/bias. Bottom line is ... don't carry a knife around town, unless it has a really small blade. And definitely not in sensitive locations like schools and public buildings.
I always wear my knife so that the clip is easily visible on the outside of a pocket - if it is carried in my pocket.
Ms Nox - about your specific question. First, take a look at the Cold Steel Web site (
www.coldsteel.com) because I think they have an assisted-opening knife that they sell. And you can be pretty sure it's CA-legal, in the sense that the mechanism doesn't violate CA knife laws. Cold Steel is a CA company. BUT also remember what I said above ... regardless of what the law says in black and white, if a police officer does not "like" the design of the knife being carried, you are likely to get some kind of response (warning, confiscation or arrest). In general, you can accomplish anything you need to do with a knife using either a fixed-blade knife or a folding knife. In my opinion, assisted opening knives are not necessary for survival or defense (they are interesting, but not essential).
I thought the arrest of the 15-year old for carrying a hunting knife in lion country was absolutely ridiculous. But the greater truth is that it would be hard to defend against a hungry mountain lion using just a knife with a fairly short (4 to 6 inch) blade. Not impossible, but hard for a teenager to do. Still, if that kid was mine i would give him a big congratulations for having some decent common sense, and I'd take him out to dinner. At least he thought about protecting his younger siblings.
Pete #2
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