Carrying or concealing butterfly knives/balisongs?

[Paligo]

I live in the state of Florida and I want to know if carrying or concealing a butterfly knife is illegal. The reason I ask is because ive gotten into the hobby of flipping them and I want to practice all I can instead of home. Ive looked around but im not positive if its illegal or not.

[marinepilot]

Paligo, in Florida there is no specific size or type of knife that is illegal to carry, other than an auto knife, or switchblade which are illegal. You simply have to be able to explain why you're carrying it reasonably, and it can not be concealed. As for practicing opening and closing it, you would have to be careful where you do that, because if someone could misconstrue your purpose and think you're threatening them, you could be arrested for assault. Otherwise, the explanation is again the key. As long as you can dispel my suspicions about why you're carrying it / opening and closing it, more power to you and don't cut yourself!

[Citicop]

Fast way to have the police locate, detain, and question you:

1.) Find populated urban or suburban area (street corner/mall/park, etc.)
2.) Stand around flashing a butterfly knife while you practice opening and closing it.

This is a very bad idea for many reasons. Practice somewhere private, and no place is better for that than home.

-Citicop.

[Gutwrench]

Do you need attention that badly? Try Toastmasters instead.

[mcsap]

And for what reason do you have to be proficient in " flipping open " your butterfly knife ? Did you see a movie where it looked cool and you want to be that person ??

[Legoate]

And for what reason do you have to be proficient in " flipping open " your butterfly knife ? Did you see a movie where it looked cool and you want to be that person ??

Maybe he wants to imitate the 9 year old purple haired heroine from the movie Kick-***: HITGIRL!

[DeltaV]

You can't carry a concealed butterfly knife without a CCW permit in Florida. Florida Statute 790.001(13) defines a weapon as the following:

“Weapon” means any dirk, knife, metallic knuckles, slungshot, billie, tear gas gun, chemical weapon or device, or other deadly weapon except a firearm or a common pocketknife, plastic knife, or blunt-bladed table knife.

A butterfly knife is not a "common pocketknife." A pocketknife, plastic knife, and blunt table knife are the only type of knives that you can carry concealed in Florida without having a permit.

As to "flipping" the knife, just become familiar with the statute that governs improper display of a weapon:

790.10 Improper exhibition of dangerous weapons or firearms.—If any person having or carrying any dirk, sword, sword cane, firearm, electric weapon or device, or other weapon shall, in the presence of one or more persons, exhibit the same in a rude, careless, angry, or threatening manner, not in necessary self-defense, the person so offending shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

[marinepilot]

DeltaV, thank you for the statutes. I'm going to put those in my bag of tricks.