# Is it legal to wear a sword? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 3, 2004, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-wear-a-sword/272741 "2004-11-03T13:28:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-wear-a-sword/272741/61 "2014-06-18T23:19:44Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > I wear mine all the time, well, actually, only to or from restraunts while in my S.C.A. garb. It varies from state to state but I’ve learned that if people look at you and see “Oh, he’s wearing a costume” they will not get a bad vibe from you and they will ignore you. > > In California (Los Angelese) they had an ordnance that you could carry a sword if it was for “Theatrical Purposes”. > > I am not a lawyer, but I own alot of swords. Is it “Theatrical Purposes” if part of a religeous/cultural procession? Knights of Columbus Parade [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2013-03/18/132241954\_701n.JPG](http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2013-03/18/132241954_701n.JPG) ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-wear-a-sword/272741/62 "2014-06-19T02:01:09Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > Is it “Theatrical Purposes” if part of a religeous/cultural procession? > > Knights of Columbus Parade > [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2013-03/18/132241954\_701n.JPG](http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2013-03/18/132241954_701n.JPG) That picture does not depict Knights of Columbus from the United States. Therefore, my initial guess would be they’re not in California. Your question is still a good one – I just wanted the Adrian Monk moment of identifying the service baldrics as missing a blue stripe, which means they’re not US Knights. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-wear-a-sword/272741/63 "2014-06-19T02:42:58Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > Is it “Theatrical Purposes” if part of a religeous/cultural procession? > > Knights of Columbus Parade > [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2013-03/18/132241954\_701n.JPG](http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2013-03/18/132241954_701n.JPG) I have heard that members of the Sikh faith are allowed have their knives in schools in L.A. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-wear-a-sword/272741/64 "2014-06-19T03:05:08Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > That picture does not depict Knights of Columbus from the United States. > > Therefore, my initial guess would be they’re not in California. > > Your question is still a good one – I just wanted the Adrian Monk moment of identifying the service baldrics as missing a blue stripe, which means they’re not US Knights. I was attending Mass in a RC church years ago involving KoC members…with uniforms and swords much like depicted. ---
**Author:** ![Ispolkom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47774/32.png) [@Ispolkom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ispolkom)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-wear-a-sword/272741/65 "2014-06-19T19:44:02Z")
Minnesota Statutes, section 624.61, forbids the formation of private armed groups with certain exceptions. One of the exceptions: “members of social and benevolent organizations are not prohibited from wearing swords.” I’ve always thought that was a KoC provisio, though I don’t know if the Knights of Columbus were active in Minnesota in 1897, when the provision was enacted. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-wear-a-sword/272741/66 "2014-06-19T19:56:03Z")
> [@Ispolkom](#): > > Minnesota Statutes, section 624.61, forbids the formation of private armed groups with certain exceptions. One of the exceptions: “members of social and benevolent organizations are not prohibited from wearing swords.” I’ve always thought that was a KoC provisio, though I don’t know if the Knights of Columbus were active in Minnesota in 1897, when the provision was enacted. I wonder how “social and benevolent organizations” are defined. Say a bunch of friends start up a club with a nominal charitable purpose as an excuse to wear swords. E.g. run around wearing a big-ass sword all week, then have a weekend ritual where at the end, each member provides one can of food to be donated to the food bank. Legal? Does the group have to be registered in some way or is the organization’s existence in a practical sense the most important thing? ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-wear-a-sword/272741/67 "2014-06-19T20:40:47Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > I was attending Mass in a RC church years ago involving KoC members…with uniforms and swords much like depicted. RC? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-wear-a-sword/272741/68 "2014-06-19T23:36:41Z")
> [@Ispolkom](#): > > Minnesota Statutes, section 624.61, forbids the formation of private armed groups with certain exceptions. One of the exceptions: “members of social and benevolent organizations are not prohibited from wearing swords.” I’ve always thought that was a KoC provisio, though I don’t know if the Knights of Columbus were active in Minnesota in 1897, when the provision was enacted. It’s possible. The Order itself was founded in 1882, and I know at least one council in Minnesota with a founding date of 1904, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to learn of an 1897 presence. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-wear-a-sword/272741/69 "2014-06-19T23:47:57Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > I was attending Mass in a RC church years ago involving KoC members…with uniforms and swords much like depicted. Sure. I have regalia almost identical to that picture – white cape and chapeaux, which signifies that I am a Past Faithful Navigator, with a white-handled sword. The difference is in the colors of the service baldric, the sash that is worn from right shoulder to left hip and holds the scabbard. Mine is white, with red and blue stripes – the colors of the American flag. Canadian Knights’ service baldrics are white with red stripes only. > [@BMalion](#): > > RC? Roman Catholic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-wear-a-sword/272741.md?page=3)