I need your advice dopers:Do I get arrested for carrying in my backpack fairly long kitchen knife?
I started carrying this knife for my safety,because not long ago I was almost beaten without provocation from my side by some stranger on the street in downtown.
It happened 3 or 4 times when wackos wanted to hurt me on the bus ,subway and in coffe bar.From that moment I told my self I need some personall defence, so I chose knife.
Who has another idea for self defence?
Depends. Weapons laws pertaining to knives vary greatly in this country. Some times the mere act of carrying for self defence is what would make the knife illegal. A WAG is that it’s probably illegal.
Best self defence is advoidance. Don’t go downtown, to coffee bars, or ride a bus. Carrying some quality pepper spray like Fox Labs. Get some training on the subject on what to look for and how to act.
Would you really want to kill someone if a similar assault occurred on you again? Put the legalities aside, would you be willing to kill?
If not, you car carrying a knife to scare people. That rarely works. It escalates the situation.
There is little wrong with running away to save yourself. use violent or even lethal force to save others.
I would like to get rid of the knife and buy baton.Batons are quite effective in self defense.The problem is that where I live they only have those cheap crapy batons
I want the real one.I live in Canada by the way(different laws here)
In this inncident when this wacko tried to beat me I did manage to escape and I run into the hospital reception(ironic).But MAN I was really scared those couple of seconds. 
Think how scared you would be when you discover how hard it is to force a knife between a man’s ribs. Think how scared you will be when the police arrest you.
Life and death is not a game. If you treat it that way, you will do something very foolish.
Now now, nobody said anything about killing.
For self-defence, sports equipment are the most “legal”.
A baseball bat, or golf stick… or something along those lines.
You pretty much have an airtight alibi for carrying one.
Your SOL in Canada. Not even pepper spray is legal their AFAIK. I don’t think there is anything wrong with killing people who are assaulting you and you are in fear of great bodily harm, but I believe that Canadian LE would look down upon it even in self defence of your life if any illegal weapons were involved. Batons are almost universally illegal in even the more free country to your south. Avoidance is always your best option. I’m sure that there are classes teaching self-defence in Canada even though your options are severely limited by the nanny state mentality there. Remember, if you carry a weapon of any sort, it’s carried to be used and not as only a threat, especially a premature or non-justified one.
Yeah !How my supposed to carry baseball bat in my small backpack?
Perfect alibi 
If police found that I used knife in self defence ,I could tell them that I was coming coming back from barbeque and this is my favourite utensile for carving meat.
IANAL and you don’t list your location, but most (all?) states make it illegal to carry a concealed weapon.
Carrying such a weapon, with no training in how to use it, is asking for trouble.
Not really. Pepper spray is a weapon and is often legal in most US jurisdicitions with few limitations to strength and size. Fixed and locking folding knives are legal almost universally in the US, but there are limitations to size and fixed blades are ‘often’ illegal. Vermont has no requirement for licensure for carrying a concealed firearm.
It’s fairly simple to use most weapons. Most defensive use of firearms in the US by civillians are by un-trained individuals. Training can of course very helpful. Especially in understanding legality and advoidance.
In a lot of areas you are legally allowed to carry a knife only with a blade shorter than a specified length, usually around 3 to 4 inches. I suspect that there could be exceptions (a chef taking the tools of his trade home on the subway, perhaps), but carrying a large knife specifically for self-defense is almost certainly illegal everywhere. And if you did use it, do you think somebody would give you a medal? Using a deadly weapon against an unarmed person is almost always a ticket to jail. A jury might give you a break if you used a knife from your own kitchen to defend yourself against an intruder in your own home, but on the street carrying a knife means you’re looking for trouble, if not actually causing it. Pepper spray is probably a better idea. You might also carry something that has a legitimate primary purpose, like a heavy maglite flashlight or even an ordinary hammer. A walking cane can be a very effective weapon, especially if you get some training. Even a ballpoint pen or an umbrella can be used as a weapon. If you think you must have a kniife get a small folder that you can open with one hand. But the real key is to stay out of trouble in the first place, which might mean sitting near the driver on a bus, or in the car with the train operator on a subway. In a coffee bar there are staff who could call 911. And no offense intended, but is there something about you that would cause bad guys to pick you out of the crowd?
Some food for thought, especially about deadly force:
http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/lethalforce.html
Re Observer’s point. Are you getting harassed by groups of thugs or individual crazy people? Your OP isn’t clear on this. Who specifically is bothering you and why do you think they are approaching you? Once you get past high school (in the US at least) it’s kind of unusual to get randomly harassed like this on a continual basis as an adult unless you’re in the world’s worst neighborhood.
As others have indicated if you are small man or women, self defense classes are a good bet.
In the state of Illinois, I believe anything over a 4" blade is illegal. That said, my husband carries a 5" blade almost all the time. He uses it on his job and is the kind of guy who uses a blade all the time. Opening boxes, picking stuff out of other stuff…you know – a “knife guy.”
I want to know why our OP keeps getting the shit kicked out of him. How old are you? Do you live in a rough neighborhood? Do you have the option of moving to a better neighborhood? Are you a drug dealer or a hooker? What gives?
I’ve found that there are usually three or four alternatives before a person needs to be constantly armed or in the “fight mode”.
I’m normal looking cockausian(He He He) male, quite handsome in my own way may I aid 
I have propably overreacted to those threats and I’m kind of panicky anyway.
But you know what pisses me the most, randomnes of those situations.
It happened when I felt most secure in subway for example where there lots of people,same in coffe shop etc.
I try to avoid bad neighborhoods but where I live there are actually no bad neighborhood.
It always helps to include where in Canada you live. IIRC Ontario allows you to carry a pocket knife no longer than 3". I carry a swiss army knife when I remember to but I generally never have a problem (I’m kinda short but not a kid).
If it’s a big problem, carry a cell phone and call the police. If you’re a kid, then avoid the areas you get bothered in unless with friends. Also, take some self defense courses. Sure, you might still get your ass kicked, but at least you can give some punishment to your attackers.
If you have to carry something, a maglite is best. ~$40 at Canadian tire and makes a great baton, plus at night you can blind your attacker.
I’m guessing that you’re in Toronto. Subways all come with safety strips. Next time, hit one.
I’ve taken the subway at all hours and haven’t had an issue. Are you making yourself a target somehow? Do you wear a t-shirt with a “I’m a nazi” on it or something?
If I’m coming home late at night, I’ll have a long-ish metal nail file in my pocket as well as my personal alarm.
If I’m feeling PARTICULARLY “exposed” I’ll have my house keys (always a good idea to have them at the ready ANYWAY) arranged in the palm of my closed hand so that the barrels of the keys are sticking out between my fingers.
Another good idea is a metal comb - works a treat scratch-wise…
A small can of hairspray/deodorant is also a good idea - both to spray at someone’s face or to clobber 'em with.
Hit ‘em with that lil’ lot … then run like stink before they can recover!
(Please be aware that if you DO have to defend yourself using force, you might very well have to defend your actions in a court of law - esp. if your actions lead to your attacker being blinded/killed, etc, etc, etc…)