# Is it legal to carry kitchen knife? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 5, 2004, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-carry-kitchen-knife/258407 "2004-08-05T04:20:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2004, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-carry-kitchen-knife/258407/21 "2004-08-05T16:05:01Z")
Carrying a knife for defense, what a horrible, horrible idea. If you use it against someone who is unarmed you should get arrested. If you use it against someone who has a gun you will get shot. If you use it against someone with a knife, well, you are an idiot by definition. Only idiots get into knife fights. No one wins. Unless you are leaving out that you are the reincarnation of Bruce Lee or that you trained as a ninja. BTW do not pull out a deadly weapon unless you are in a situation where you have to kill someone to protect the life of yourself or someone else. If you pull a knife because someone is bothering you then expect a long stay in jail. If you pull it on someone with training or talent it might just piss them off so then expect a severe beating or worse. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2004, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-carry-kitchen-knife/258407/22 "2004-08-05T16:09:32Z")
In case you ever visit Florida, I’ll let you in on how we do it here. A “common pocket knife” or pepper spray can be carried concealed in your backpack. A club or large knife cannot. There are no limits to blade length. If it’s not a “common pocket knife” it’s illegal. But, FWIW, this is only a misdemeanor. However, you can legally carry that knife if it was not concealed. Like in a sheath on your hip or something. You could walk around downtown with a freakin sword on your back, as long as it wasn’t concealed. : D ---
**Author:** ![Gulo\_gulo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bcef8e/32.png) [@Gulo\_gulo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gulo_gulo)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2004, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-carry-kitchen-knife/258407/23 "2004-08-05T18:43:36Z")
You _can_ get pepper spray in Canada. You should be able to find it in military surplus shops marketed as a bear or dog repellant. [Kodiak Security Products](http://www.macecanada.com/) ---
**Author:** ![nonpolar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@nonpolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonpolar)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-carry-kitchen-knife/258407/24 "2004-08-05T19:23:58Z")
> [@Gulo gulo](#): > > You _can_ get pepper spray in Canada. You should be able to find it in military surplus shops marketed as a bear or dog repellant. > > [Kodiak Security Products](http://www.macecanada.com/) Wow! They (kodiak) have all kind of interesting stuff, I think I’m gonna get me some pepper spray.Thanks a lot for the link. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-carry-kitchen-knife/258407/25 "2004-08-07T06:27:47Z")
> [@nonpolar](#): > > 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. By any chance was one of those individuals harassing you in the metro a prematurely balding, red headed young man who was talking to you in a strange moon language that sounded like bastardized admixture of English, Spanish and Latin? Just if it was, well… just do what he says. ---
**Author:** ![PaulFitzroy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2acd7d/32.png) [@PaulFitzroy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulFitzroy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-carry-kitchen-knife/258407/26 "2004-08-07T06:49:42Z")
The worst drawback of using a knife as a self-defense weapon is that it’s easy for someone to take it away from you, and once that happens, you’re screwed: YOU may have reservations about shanking someone, but a street thug sure as hell won’t have any reservations about shanking you. And you’d better believe he’ll be pissed off after he gets a knife pulled on him. Furthermore, with AIDS being the problem that it is, who needs a weapon that will result in copious quantities of blood being drawn at close quarters, spilling all over you? I disagree with the idea that you should stop going where you want to go and live your life in fear because of the risk of being attacked. Just be more cautious and assertive. The best self-defense move is probably a swift knee to the groin. Don’t think of it as a wimply, un-gentlemanly thing to do; it’s pretty low to randomly attack someone on the street or in a subway car. Throw the book on gentlemanly combat out the window and hit him with full force in the testicles. When he doubles over in pain wrap your hands around the back of his neck and knee him in the face (a Muay Thai move known as the ‘Plumb,’ for some reason.) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-carry-kitchen-knife/258407/27 "2004-08-07T12:56:59Z")
The best self-defense move is probably a swift knee to the groin. Don’t think of it as a wimply, un-gentlemanly thing to do; it’s pretty low to randomly attack someone on the street or in a subway car. Throw the book on gentlemanly combat out the window and hit him with full force in the testicles. When he doubles over in pain wrap your hands around the back of his neck and knee him in the face (a Muay Thai move known as the ‘Plumb,’ for some reason.) I have a different favorite move. _Disclaimer_ Use only if your life is in danger and you can articulate the situation to the police and in a court of law. If attacked in the street, run to the nearest car and break off the antenna. Turn around and beat the holy hell out of your attacker. Of course its not much of a defense against firearms. ---
**Author:** ![Beauty\_Personified](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Beauty\_Personified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauty_Personified)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-carry-kitchen-knife/258407/28 "2004-08-08T02:02:16Z")
Don’t forget “thumb to the eye”. :smack: Goes great with “knee to the groin”. :eek: I believe those are the first two areas to go for, when defending yourself, according to Bruce Lee. The throat and neck in general is another good target. As are most joints. (Of course, attacking these areas with a blade can be deadly for your attacker, and it’s already been pointed out that carrying a blade for the purpose of self-defense is a bad idea for numerous reasons.) Anyhoo… ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-carry-kitchen-knife/258407/29 "2004-08-08T04:58:48Z")
Check to see if you need a permit card to carry pepper spray. That’s what I got, and it kept back a roommate who needed keeping back. If that’s not good enough, go get the card to carry mace, and carry it. It fits everywhere. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-carry-kitchen-knife/258407.md?page=1)