What's the legal blade length throughout MD?

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  • Alexp08

    Active Member
    May 16, 2013
    143
    So If I wanted to be legal all throughout Maryland what's the max blade length? 2.5in?
     

    Alexp08

    Active Member
    May 16, 2013
    143
    Well yeah, locally. I know some counties have as small as 2.5, but do any have smaller?
     

    Jed195

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 19, 2011
    3,901
    MD.
    I carry a 5 1/2 inch folding knife, carried a 4 1/2 inch for a decade before that. Had them taken from me when being questioned by police, traffic violation and other interactions, officers gave them back to me every time. One asked why I carried such a large knife, I replied because it was impossible to get a ccw permit in this state unless you're rich or politically connected. I also stated that I can do small things with a big knife but can't do big jobs with a small knife. Just my experience. Spring assisted knives are a no go in some areas.
     

    SWO Daddy

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 18, 2011
    2,468
    So If I wanted to be legal all throughout Maryland what's the max blade length? 2.5in?

    Maryland....where a concealed exacto knife ("fixed blade") is illegal, but a 6" or 60" knife is OK so long as the blade folds ("pen knife")
     

    tmo8320

    Active Member
    Mar 31, 2019
    296
    Yeah,

    I won’t even wear a Sgian Dhub with my kilt...because they are fixed blades (though the handle DOES poke out of the top of your kilt sox, so don’t know if that counts or not for “concealed”)

    Correct me if I’m wrong...but even if you were to totally take off the edge of the Sgian Dhub, it is still not okay.
    600e4207757950f0ad9094aec826c5d5.jpg
     

    smokey

    2A TEACHER
    Jan 31, 2008
    31,412
    Yeah,

    I won’t even wear a Sgian Dhub with my kilt...because they are fixed blades (though the handle DOES poke out of the top of your kilt sox, so don’t know if that counts or not for “concealed”)

    Correct me if I’m wrong...but even if you were to totally take off the edge of the Sgian Dhub, it is still not okay.
    600e4207757950f0ad9094aec826c5d5.jpg

    Carry a claymore on your back and you're good to go.
     

    Roneut

    Active Member
    Oct 10, 2010
    279
    I've not seen a city or county statute with a blade length limitation smaller than 3 inches, and even that is only one city, Cambridge, MD. There used be be a rumor that Cheverly had a 2.5" limit but that was either repealed at some point or was never true in the first place according to the most recent copies of the law. In my experience, county level knife laws are rather unusual. Most of the time they are confined to major urban cities.

    There are statutes related to mechanism (Baltimore and Ocean City) as well as location and intended use. Obviously certain places are going to have an outright ban on all knives, like schools or court houses. Of note is that federal buildings located within Maryland prohibit knives other than folders 2.5", but each facility is within their rights to ban all knives if they choose. These buildings tend to have a security checkpoint to get in.

    I see there is still some myths and misinterpretations out there about state law in this thread. It may be time for me to make a page specifically devoted to Maryland knife law on my page where I can present all the research and case law I've accumulated.
     
    Last edited:

    Cold Steel

    Active Member
    Sep 26, 2006
    801
    Bethesda, MD
    I carry an old style 6-inch Cold Steel Vaquero Grande serrated blade. If I go anywhere that I may have to enter a building with a metal detector, I carry a 5-inch plain edge Maxam cheap model -- something I can ditch in a bush until I can come back for it later.

    I used to not carry any long knife until I was set upon by two dogs one day on my way home. That's why I carry a long knife now. My boss called me in one day and told me one of the secretaries had complained about my large knife, which she asked to see. I always carry two types of the same model, a 4-inch and a 6-inch. So I showed her the 4-inch. She asked me to stop carrying it, and I asked her why I couldn't carry my 4-inch, yet the secretary could use two 7.5-inch blades in her pair of scissors? She just sat there a moment and repeated her request. I continued carrying both knives.
     

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