One of the interesting things to me is how much variability there is in edged weapon laws, even in states that have pretty clear-cut and lenient with regard to firearm laws. That even extends to what constitutes an edged weapon vs. just a pocket knife.
Although this is policy and not law, I look at my own employer-a public university-as an example of this. There again, even though their knife rules are institutional policy, in some ways they're as good as laws as they're enforced by fully deputized officers, although the punishment for violation is expulsion/firing/removal from campus depending on your particular affiliation.
In any case, they say that an "ordinary pocket or hunting knife" is okay. Kentucky law has no bade length guidelines that I can find, although 3" is popularly cited. In any case, I don't think that any reasonable person would consider a Case Medium Stockman with a 2 3/4" primary blade(what I almost always carry, although I have several knives in this pattern) as anything other than an "ordinary pocket knife." Heck, I've even lent it to more than one campus police officer(granted folded
) At the same time, my Case Trapper has a 3 1/2" primary blade that is also much more "substantial" but I think it would also be considered an "ordinary pocket knife." What about an 8" Bowie knife, though? I could easily say that it was an "ordinary hunting knife"-something that it is-but it might cause a lot more alarm.
Similarly, a lot of modern knives, including the now ubiquitous open assist knives, look "scary" but at the end of the day a good sharp folder that looks like grandpa's pocket knife can slice you up just as badly. Unfortunately, though, I think you have to tread carefully as the wrong person can make a case out of it.
BTW, asking the police for legal advice is generally a bad idea and even if they know the laws word-for-word they will often give you the most strict interpretation. With that said, most officers are genuinely good guys(and ladies). When it comes to knives, I doubt anything is going to be an issue unless they feel threatened by you or if they're nailing you for another offense and are trying to make whatever charges they can stick. At the same time, you can't be too careful.
As a side note on switch blades-of course you have to know your state laws. Here in Kentucky, they are perfectly legal to own, carry, and use. You only get into Federal laws against them if you sell them out of state. I don't own any because most of the ones I've handled generally are pretty poor quality.
