Need legal advice for my US and Canada trip

Woz · **on:** August 21, 2011, 11:43:12 AM

Hi mates.

I will visit the US of A and Canada in March 2012. We plan to fly to NYC, spend some days there, then rent a car and visit WDC, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, the Niagara Falls and Toronto, then Boston and finally NYC again to fly home.

I'd love to carry a MT or SAK there, but I know that some places have very strict laws on knives. So my question is, is it legal to carry a Leatherman Juice or maybe a Spartan EVERYWHERE on that trip, or are there any places where I might get in trouble? We want to visit the Empire State building, the White House (outside only), a Broadway show, Liberty Island and some other monuments, maybe there are controls at the entrances? I eo not want to get in trouble, but 3 weeks without any tools seems to be impossible.

Thanks for your answers, mates!

Mr. Whippy · **Reply #1 on:** August 21, 2011, 01:48:19 PM

Short answer is yes. You can carry in public. No problem with Juice or ANY Victorinox product.

Other than court houses and some government buildings, I don't know of any knife restrictions at national parks or monuments.

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Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #2 on:** August 21, 2011, 02:07:52 PM

Same as above here- the only restrictions in Canada are no balisongs, no auto's and nothing deliberately concealed. Carrying a pocket knife in your pocket is not considered concealed though, but if you are caught trying to smuggle a knife into a courthouse or airport then you'll have issues.

For the most part any Swiss Army Knife or multitool is going to be considered legal, and provided you don't use something as a weapon it's not likely to be classed as one.

Def

Singh · **Reply #3 on:** August 21, 2011, 06:02:41 PM

You could buy a SAK when you get here, and then you'll have a souvenir.

Sazabi · **Reply #4 on:** August 21, 2011, 07:51:10 PM

It's worth saying that since you're flying into NYC, do not have a pocket clip showing, whether on a SAK or other knife; furthermore, you do not want to have a OH knife on you. Police have been known to seek out seeing a pocket clip, and then classifying a lot of non-gravity knives (ie Spydercos) as such, and confiscating them. Keeping a Spartan in your pocket, however, should be fine. Don't expect to carry it to the Statue of Liberty, though.

jzmtl · **Reply #5 on:** August 21, 2011, 08:54:37 PM

In Toronto and Niagara falls, there's no attraction that have restrictions as far as I know, knife clipped to pocket is fine.

In NYC any sort of indoor attraction, empire state building, , statue of liberty, museums, etc. will have metal detector and will not allow any sort of knife inside, so leave them in the hotel (or car if you are driving).