Fascinating. It would seem that if you carry a fixed blade, hang it from your belt or place it in your pack (which is where I habitually place a Mora). Evidently this would be a good idea, even if your would not call the blade a dirk or a dagger. Agree?

California
Penal Code 20310 thru 21590 Y No Limit Jim March in his CA knife Law paper states there is no blade length for Pocket knives. No Knife with a blade Longer
Than 2 ½ inches on the grounds of any Private/Public College or University (626.10)
Los Angeles Co. CA 13.62.010 Y <3" shall include any knife having a blade of three inches or more in length;
13.62.020 unlawful for any person to carry on his person, in plain view, any knife
Alameda Co. CA 9.12.050 Y <3" Any knife having a blade three inches or more in length
Belmont, CA 15-22 Y <3" any knife with a blade three (3) inches or more in length,
Ceres, CA 9.12.010 Y <3" Any knife having a blade three inches (3”) or more in length,
Chino, CA 9.84.010 Y <3" Any knife with a blade three inches or more in length,
Chino Hills, CA 12.40.170 & 12,40,240 Y <3" in city parks, any knife having a blade of three inches or more in length
Citrus Heights, CA 33-73 Y <3" any knife having a blade measuring from the handle of three (3) inches or more in length, any knife that will not shut,
Colton, CA 12-7 Y <3" any knife with a blade three inches or more in length,
Colusa, CA 12-7 Y <3" any knife with a blade three inches or more in length,
Commerce, CA 9.16.051 Y <3" shall include any knife, dirk or dagger having a blade of three inches or more in length;
Contra Costa, Co. CA 9.16.050 Y <3" shall include any knife, dirk or dagger having a blade of three inches or more in length;
Corte Madera, CA 9.16.051 Y <3" shall include any knife, dirk or dagger having a blade of three inches or more in length;
Costa Mesa, CA 12-57 In "Skate Parks" No person shall have a dangerous weapon in his/her possession. Deadly weapons shall include, knives,
E. Palo Alto, CA 9.24.010 Y <3" any knife with a blade three inches or more in length
Fontana, CA 16-131 Y <3" Any knife with a blade three inches or more in length;
Glendale, CA 9.24.050 Y <3" having a blade three (3) inches or more in length,
Lake Forest, CA 13.04.010 Y <3" having a blade of three inches or more in length in any Park or Recreation Facility
Marin Co. CA 6.52.010 Y <3" Conceals any knife with a blade three inches or more in length on them on in a vehicle.
Maywood, CA 4-4.01 Y <3" any knife with a blade three (3&#8243;) inches or more in length
Mendota, CA 9.24.020 Y 2" possess a knife with a blade longer than 2" while being present in any establishment serving alcoholic beverages.
Mission Viejo, CA 13.04 Y <3" No person shall carry on his person, in plain view, any knife 3" or longer in any City Park
Modesto, CA 4-2.03.1 Y <3" Dangerous Weapon ... Any knife having a blade three inches or more in length
Morro Bay, CA 9.04.030 No Possession or Carrying of Knife during declared Emergency.
Mountain View, CA 21.9 Y <3" any knife with a blade three (3) inches or more in length,
Newark, CA 12.16.240 In Parks knife other than pocket knife, capable of cutting, defacing or mutilating trees or shrubs
Oakland, CA. 9.36.010 Y <3" Any knife having a blade three inches or more in length,
Orange, CA 5.72.075 During Special Pageant no carry of any knife
Pasadena, CA 9.84.020 Y <5" in a concealed manner, any knife or other similar instrument with a blade or sharp edge 5 inches or longer
Patterson, CA 9.36.010 Y <3" Any knife having a blade three or more inches in length
Perris, CA 7.22.040 Y <3" In Parks. Recreation Facilities: No person shall carry in plain view, any knife with a blade in excess of three inches
Pismo Beach, CA 9.16.030 Y <3" No person shall wear or carry in plain view any knife upon any public street or place or place open to the public.
Pittsburg, CA 9.92.040 Y <3" unlawful for any person to carry concealed upon his person any knife having a blade three (3) inches or more
Plumas Co, CA 5-7.01 Y <3.5" Carry on Fairgrounds any knife with a blade over three and one-half (3½") inches in length
Redding, CA 10.56.010 Y <3" “dangerous or deadly weapon” means any knife with a blade three inches or more in length
Richmond, CA 11.12.010 Y <3" Any knife having a blade three inches or more in length
Sacramento Co. CA 9.32.010 Y <3" any knife with a blade three inches or more in length;
Salinas, CA 21-44 & 21-56. Y <3" The term “dangerous or deadly weapon” includes, or knife other than a pocket knife,
San Anselmo, CA 4-5.03 Y <3" any knife with a blade three (3") inches or more in length
San Juan Capa, CA 5-21.01. Y <3" blade of three (3) inches or more in length
San Mateo Co. CA 3.16.010 Y <3" any knife with a blade three inches (3”) or more in length,
Sierra Madre, CA 9.28.020 Y <3" any knife with a blade three inches or more in length
Temecula, CA 12.04.010 & 12.04.110 Y <3" having a blade of three inches or more in length
Windsor, CA 15-32 Y <4" Knife with a blade length in excess of four inches, not allowed in City Hall
West Covina, CA 15-32 Y <4" Knife with a blade length in excess of four inches, not allowed in City Hall
Westlake Vill., CA 4.3.005. Y <3" carry in plain view on his or her person any knife having a blade of three or more inches

In light of the legislative history of the 1997 amendment to section 12020, particularly as expressed in Assemblymember Martinez's letter, the apparent intent of the amendment was to avoid criminalizing the carrying of knives that are not capable of ready use because they are carried in a closed, secured state. The usual practice in interpreting criminal statutes requires a strict construction of "dirk or dagger." (People v. Bain (1971) 5 Cal.3d 839, 850 [97 Cal.Rptr. 684, 489 P.2d 564]; George W., supra, 68 Cal.App.4th at p. 1214.) Although they may not have folding blades, small knives obviously designed to be carried in a pocket in a closed state, and which cannot be used until there have been several intervening manipulations, comport with the implied legislative intent that such knives do not fall within the definition of proscribed dirks or daggers but are a type of pocketknife excepted from the statutory proscription.

The object containing appellant's knife fits readily and compactly into the pocket of any article of clothing. And whether housed in a loose or tightfitting pocket, we conclude the knife blade cannot, given its snug fit, be easily extracted from its slot without using both hands: one hand or a substitute vice-like mechanism must hold the container steady, while the finger and thumb of the other hand pull at the designated ridged circles. As such, it constitutes a pocketknife exception to section 12020, subdivision (a).

5) When are Dirks and Daggers Illegally Carried Concealed ?

a) Case Law . Under current Section 12020, dirks or daggers
are considered to be illegally carried only if carried
concealed upon the person. Case law suggests that this is
under the person's clothes.

b) AB 78 . At the request of the Buck Knives, AB 798 also
provides that a dirk or dagger is not illegally carried
concealed if it is carried in a backpack, tool belt, tackle
box, briefcase, purse, or similar container that is used to
carry or transport possessions. This appears to be
consistent with current case law.