Ohio Knife Laws (2021) | Tekto Knives (2024)

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Ohio Knife Laws (2021) | Tekto Knives? ›

State restrictions applicable generally to the concealed carry of knives have been removed effective April 12, 2021. Any knife may be carried openly or concealed provided it “was not used as a weapon.” Location-specific “deadly weapon” restrictions for “school safety zones” and court facilities remain in place.

Ohio law only restricts the concealed carry of knives that are considered a “dangerous ordnance,” which include any knife that has a detachable blade which is propelled by a spring-operated mechanism, otherwise known as a ballistic knife.

Gravity knives are a type of folding knife that can be opened with a flick of the wrist. They have a long and controversial history, as they have been banned or restricted in many states and countries due to their association with crime and violence.

A ballistic knife is a knife with a detachable blade that can be ejected to a distance of several meters/yards by pressing a trigger or operating a lever or switch on the handle. Spring-powered ballistic knives first appeared in books and press reports on Soviet and Eastern Bloc armed forces in the late 1970s.

There is no Ohio laws that specify blade length but is generally accepted that a non-deadly blade under 2.5 inches maybe considered a work tool and therefore may be conceal carried. A knife in your pocket longer than 2.5 inches would be considered concealed carry of a deadly weapon.

In Ohio, it's legal to own any type of knife, but concealed carrying a knife considered a deadly weapon, such as a dirk, dagger, switchblade, or a knife with a blade longer than a typical pocket knife, may be illegal. Open carry of any knife is generally legal.

Effective April 12, 2021, certain types of previously illegal weapons, including brass knuckles, cestuses, billy clubs, blackjacks, sandbags, switchblades, spring blades, and gravity knives can now be legally manufactured, sold, purchased, and possessed in the state of Ohio.

While the blades of gravity knives are released by pressing a button, trigger, or lever; butterfly knives require turning and flipping of the knife's handle in order to use the blade.

Switchblade knives are outlawed in most jurisdictions. It goes back to the 1950s and 1960s when street thugs used switchblade knives. They made switchblade knives illegal and street thugs started using guns more often.

Ballistic knives are the most banned knives in the country, and the fed says there are good reasons behind the restraint order. But are there really? Let's begin with a fun quiz.

What is a Dirk knife? ›

A dirk is a long-bladed thrusting dagger. Historically, it gained its name from the Highland dirk (Scottish Gaelic dearg) where it was a personal weapon of officers engaged in naval hand-to-hand combat during the Age of Sail as well as the personal sidearm of Highlanders.

Cane sword law presents a threshold concealment issue. Some U.S. states restrict the carry of concealed weapons based on the notion that by requiring the same to be openly carried, those who might encounter the armed person are on notice. A cane or walking stick is typically obvious.

High-carbon stainless steel knives, such as chef's and paring knives, are excellent choices for those who demand long-lasting sharpness.

The Impact of Quality of Craftsmanship

The importance of precision in the design of a knife cannot be overstated. High quality American-made knives are usually produced by skilled manufacturers with a high attention to detail. As a result, the overall quality and performance of higher-end knives is elevated.

The abbreviation EDC stands for: EveryDayCarry. An EDC knife is a knife you can carry with you every day.

Blade length.

The longer the blade, the more likely it will be considered a weapon. Although there are no blade length limits in the state law, I would advise keeping the blade length of any knife you carry under four inches or so. Features such as a double edge or automatic opening.

So, Ohio knife carry laws provide citizens with the freedom to carry a knife. However, if a citizen uses that item as a weapon, its possession and use can become illegal. There remain, of course, various prohibitions regarding having knives on school grounds and other locations.

Senate Bill 156, which passed on party lines with Republicans in support and Democrats in opposition, prohibits cities from passing laws blocking citizens from carrying knives. The legislation effectively locks in a law passed in 2021 that lets Ohioans carry concealed knives.

FIXED BLADE KNIVES

Fixed blades offer such hard cut robust features that they have become favored by the likes of hunters, military personnel and nature goers. It is legal to own, open carry and concealed carry these knives regardless of blade length or size.