Louisiana Switchblade Ban Repealed

If you live in Louisiana — the same great state Knife Depot is based in — then we have good news for you.

Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a bill that repeals the state’s antiquated ban on switchblade knives. Although the bill was signed by the governor on May 25, it doesn’t officially take effect until August 1.

The repeal was another victory for the knife community spearheaded by Knife Rights. The knife advocacy organization lobbied to get members of the state’s congress to draft and pass the bill.

The bill — titled HB892 — legalized the buying and carrying of switchblades as long as there is no “intentional concealment on one’s person.” The wording is a bit vague, but Knife Rights said it was necessary to add so sheriffs and state police wouldn’t oppose the bill.

“Allowing for the concealed carry of a switchblade in Louisiana is complicated because it would require a significant change to Louisiana’s concealed carry law,” the organization said in a press release. “Knife Rights will continue to look for opportunities to fix this aspect of the law in the future.”

So, does this mean you can carry the knife clipped to the inside your pocket? The answer is undoubtedly complicated, but I tried to tackle it here. My advice is to carry it as visible as possible. I’m sure police would just use this language in order to trump up charges on people they’re already suspicious of so if you’re a law-abiding citizen, it shouldn’t be a big deal.

Still, be cautious with how you carry your automatic knife in Louisiana.

Louisiana joins the vast majority of states where switchblades are legal. If you want to continue supporting Knife Rights in their endeavor to give all Americans a sharper future with less stringent and confusing knife laws, donate to the organization’s 2018 Ultimate Steel Spectacular today.