One of the great joys of having a Bowie knife is showing it off. Bowie knives are elegant weapons, versatile tools and represent one of the legendary items associated with the American Frontier. In fact, it is not exaggerating to say that the Bowie knife is as much an American legend as is the claymore a Scottish one.
A state's gun laws are not a reliable way to determine its knife laws. Texas, for instance, is fairly well-known for having permissive gun laws, as is Arizona. In Texas, however, a Bowie knife is illegal for public carry. In Arizona, it's legal in most places. Even in a state where it is legal, however, there are conditions. If one is in a private place where weapons are prohibited in Arizona, they are obligated by law to not carry their knife on the premises.
Federal property should always be considered off limits for carrying Bowie knives. Many of these sites have security which will immediately consider this a threat. Carrying most weaponry onto federal property is a felony, in the vast majority of cases. Leave the Bowie in the car when heading onto federal property.
A Bowie knife may also be prohibited by any private property owner. In a bar, it is generally illegal to have any sort of weapon. The bar and the state will generally prohibit carrying weapons. Always observe these rules, even if able to legally carry the Bowie in a concealed fashion. That final aspect of carrying a weapon addresses a whole other feature of weapons laws.
In some places, the legality of carrying a Bowie knife will depend upon it being visible. While open carry of any weapon may be permitted, concealed carry will be illegal. Oftentimes, this is found in small towns where outdoors activities such as hunting are very common. Individuals in these places oftentimes go about their business with knives on their belts, especially around hunting and fishing season. The best advice is always to ask local law enforcement. Keep in mind that carrying a Bowie knife will almost always garner attention and, in some settings, may just be poor manners. In the right settings, however, it's likely to draw a lot of questions and a lot of curiosity about the knife. - 31499
A state's gun laws are not a reliable way to determine its knife laws. Texas, for instance, is fairly well-known for having permissive gun laws, as is Arizona. In Texas, however, a Bowie knife is illegal for public carry. In Arizona, it's legal in most places. Even in a state where it is legal, however, there are conditions. If one is in a private place where weapons are prohibited in Arizona, they are obligated by law to not carry their knife on the premises.
Federal property should always be considered off limits for carrying Bowie knives. Many of these sites have security which will immediately consider this a threat. Carrying most weaponry onto federal property is a felony, in the vast majority of cases. Leave the Bowie in the car when heading onto federal property.
A Bowie knife may also be prohibited by any private property owner. In a bar, it is generally illegal to have any sort of weapon. The bar and the state will generally prohibit carrying weapons. Always observe these rules, even if able to legally carry the Bowie in a concealed fashion. That final aspect of carrying a weapon addresses a whole other feature of weapons laws.
In some places, the legality of carrying a Bowie knife will depend upon it being visible. While open carry of any weapon may be permitted, concealed carry will be illegal. Oftentimes, this is found in small towns where outdoors activities such as hunting are very common. Individuals in these places oftentimes go about their business with knives on their belts, especially around hunting and fishing season. The best advice is always to ask local law enforcement. Keep in mind that carrying a Bowie knife will almost always garner attention and, in some settings, may just be poor manners. In the right settings, however, it's likely to draw a lot of questions and a lot of curiosity about the knife. - 31499
About the Author:
Dylan Sabot is the owner of an online bowie knifes store featuring the original bowie knife as well as humidors for storage.
