Can you wear a sgian dubh in Boston?

**DougC** · 12th January 10, 06:59 AM

Here is the Texas Statute. It looks like it prevents fixed blade knives with BLADES over 5 1/2 inches. Dagger is also defined--I not certain, but, it appears dagger only applies to longer fixed-blade, slender knives.

(6) "Illegal knife" means a:
(A) knife with a blade over five and one-half inches;

hand instrument designed to cut or stab another by
being thrown;
(C) dagger, including but not limited to a dirk, stiletto,
and poniard;
(D) sword; or
(E) spear.
(7) "Knife" means any bladed hand instrument that is capable
of inflicting serious bodily injury or death by cutting or
stabbing a person with the instrument.
- 46.03. Places weapons prohibited.
(a) A person commits an offense if, with a firearm, illegal
knife, club, or prohibited weapon [includes switchblade
knives], he intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly goes:
(1) on the physical premises of a school [or school bus];
(2) on the premises of a polling place...
[(3) a court; (4) a racetrack; (5) secured area of an
airport].

Edit--Not sure why there is a beer mug in the Statute--it's wasn't there when I posted it!

**walkerk** · 12th January 10, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by DesertCeltic

I will be traveling to Boston and wanted to make sure I wouldn't get myself in trouble by wearing a sgian dubh. Being from Arizona where almost anything goes I just wanted to find out about the rules in Boston.

This is probably the forum you were looking for: http://www.bladeforums.com/

**CDNSushi** · 12th January 10, 09:46 AM

Out of simple curiosity, has anyone ever taken a "sgian don't" through airport security before? If so, how did it go?

**Brother Falldown** · 12th January 10, 04:06 PM

Sure, I become fonder of Arizona with every day that passes!

**SteveB** · 12th January 10, 06:27 PM

Interesting....

I live in Boston and commute on the MBTA, and have never been bothered about my sgian dubh during the last fifty years. I wear the sgian every time I am in a tartan kilt, which is every day that ends in a "y".

I guess an old man in a kilt doesn't raise much on the radar screen.

I am also employed in a retail establishment that sells knives. The ever popular folding pocket knife. The City of Boston regulation is that a folding knife must have a blade less than 2.5". We also sell fixed blade knives that are legal and longer. Several for outdoor sports have six inch single edge blades. We have a large carribean immigrant population that regularly purchases their favourite lawn and garden tool from us... the 18 or 22 inch machete.

Sale of any knife is restricted to persons over eighteen years of age with a government issue photo I.D. (Boston city regulation)
Sale of Pepper Spray is restricted to persons over eighteen years of age with government issue photo I.D. (State regulation)
Sale of aerosol paint is restricted to persons over eighteen years of age with photo I.D. (Boston city regulation)
The list goes on...

Slainte

**Brother Falldown** · 13th January 10, 06:32 AM

Here in Arizona I believe our toughest restriction is that handguns must be worn in plain sight (unless of course you obtain a concealed weapons permit). Swtich blade knives are prohibited, but I'm not aware of any other bladed instrument restrictions.

**Fit2BKilted** · 13th January 10, 07:27 AM

Originally Posted by Brother Falldown

Here in Arizona I believe our toughest restriction is that handguns must be worn in plain sight (unless of course you obtain a concealed weapons permit). Swtich blade knives are prohibited, but I'm not aware of any other bladed instrument restrictions.

Arizona is sounding like a State I'd be happy to emmigrate to---although, it still seems odd that the authorities would remain touchy about knives or bladed weapons of any description when compact firearms are commonly available! ;-)

**D.A. Guertin** · 13th January 10, 08:30 AM

I pulled up the regulations again last night, and it looks like things have changed!

**Zardoz** · 13th January 10, 08:36 AM

Switch-blade knives are covered by very specific laws. In the US it mostly started in the late 50's, when films like Rebel Without a Cause and High School Confidential, and the Broadway play West Side Story and 12 Angry Men all featured switchblades used by gangs or "the criminal element", this prompted the US Switchblade Act of 1958, limiting their import and sale.