You will soon be able to carry your Claymore in Texas

[NavyVet1959]

Don't know how I'm managed to survive this long without having that ability. :)

http://www.khou.com/news/politics/new-state-law-will-allow-knives-swords-in-public-places/454796421



A new Texas law will soon make it legal for anyone to walk down the street carrying a sword or even a machete.

House Bill 1935 was recently signed into law, and come September, long knives, daggers and even spears can legally be taken into public.

The author of the bill, Representative John Frullo said its main purpose is to simplify the laws pertaining to knives and to limit their restrictions.

“Accidents happen and people misuse things. So any of that can apply to a knife just as well as it could to a gun," said Mike Clark with Collectors Firearms.

Any blade over 5.5 inches, which is currently illegal, can soon be carried in public by law. That includes daggers, spears, swords, Bowie knives, and even machetes.

“But I don’t think you’re going to see a lot of it. People aren't going to use these big knives. They’re cumbersome. You don’t want to walk around with one of those every day. But if you want to, it’s your right," Clark said.

The only places they won’t be allowed include schools, bars, hospitals and churches.

Clark said most of these knives are used for hunting and fishing, but some people buy them for self-defense.

However, locals aren’t so sure.

“What would be the purpose like, are you trying to work out with it? What are you trying to do with it, besides intimidate?” said Nadia Cousins.

Some say they may need to be the ones who need the protection.

“Even if the person was no threat, I would automatically start assuming and starting to kind of look at the situation," said Mark Cousins.

The law will go into effect on September 1, 2017.

Representative Frullo also said as a business owner, you are allowed to post signs prohibiting anyone from bringing a knife on your property

[JimB..]

It's a law to eliminates other laws, yeah!

That said, I don't expect a sudden jump in renaissance festivals.

[NavyVet1959]

It's a law to eliminates other laws, yeah!

That said, I don't expect a sudden jump in renaissance festivals.

Texas still is trying to get rid of those laws that were forced upon us during the Yankee Occupation after the War of Northern Aggression. One of the laws that this one got rid of prohibited "Bowie Knives", but nowhere was there a definition of what constituted a "Bowie Knife".

We have another one that is still on the books that prohibits "zip guns", and their definition of a "zip gun" would include any personal built firearm, even ones that started out as an 80% kit. They define a "zip gun" as:



... a device or combination of devices that was not originally a firearm and is adapted to expel a projectile through a smooth-bore or rifled-bore barrel by using the energy generated by an explosion or burning substance.


And a "firearm" is defined as:



... any device designed, made, or adapted to expel a projectile through a barrel by using the energy generated by an explosion or burning substance or any device readily convertible to that use. Firearm does not include a firearm that may have, as an integral part, a folding knife blade or other characteristics of weapons made illegal by this chapter and that is:
(A) an antique or curio firearm manufactured before 1899; or
(B) a replica of an antique or curio firearm manufactured before 1899, but only if the replica does not use rim fire or center fire ammunition.


http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/PE/htm/PE.46.htm

So, even if you started out from just a block of steel, that would meet that definition.

[Tom W.]

That's not what I had in mind when you said claymore.........

[rondog]

That's not what I had in mind when you said claymore.........

Same here - I was getting all excited.....

[NavyVet1959]

That's not what I had in mind when you said claymore.........

Well, assuming that sort of Claymore is classified as an "explosive weapon" by Texas, then it is already allowed as long as it is NFA registered.

[KenH]

I didn't think of the Claymore mine, but of the Scottish Claymore sword.

Did Texas also include the much needed item of state law supersedes county/city laws on knifes, etc? That's the problem we've got here in Alabama, while the state might allow carrying a knife, some cities have outlawed "any" folding pocket knife. I don't remember the city it was, but do remember reading that somewhere..... on the internet.... So, it MUST be true:kidding:

[Smoke4320]

hassle fee bat'leth open carry .. My time is finally near :)

[Jack Stanley]

I suppose poor Nadia Cousins has never heard of anyone being intimidated by a shotgun ?

Jack

[dragon813gt]

Texas still is trying to get rid of those laws that were forced upon us during the Yankee Occupation after the War of Northern Aggression. One of the laws that this one got rid of prohibited "Bowie Knives", but nowhere was there a definition of what constituted a "Bowie Knife".

So explain to me how the "Yankee" state I live in has had the exact law that you may get in the future? You guys really need to drop the north versus south BS. The gun laws in PA are better than ones in Texas IMO. Same for hunting laws, but then again I don't like paying for a place to hunt. You just got open carry, w/ a permit, where as I don't need one and did just that from 18-21 until I could legally get my CCW permit.

I won't pretend that preemption that doesn't exist in this state. W/ both knife and gun laws. The state has ruled that preemption is illegal and it's currently working its way through the courts. It's always been this way but the courts have allowed it. Maybe it's because I work w/ a guy from Texas. But I'm tired of hearing how great the state is when it has many faults and is behind the times w/ lots of laws.

[jmort]

Funny enough, CalIfornia has very reasonable knife laws
If there was a folding sword and you could conceal it, you good.
Want to roll around with a sword, a machete, spear, whatever, no problem.
We get 4" folders here in Missouri
When I visit Colorado for example, I break out the 3.5" max size folder.
Knife laws are all over the place.

[NavyVet1959]

So explain to me how the "Yankee" state I live in has had the exact law that you may get in the future? You guys really need to drop the north versus south BS. The gun laws in PA are better than ones in Texas IMO. Same for hunting laws, but then again I don't like paying for a place to hunt. You just got open carry, w/ a permit, where as I don't need one and did just that from 18-21 until I could legally get my CCW permit.

I won't pretend that preemption that doesn't exist in this state. W/ both knife and gun laws. The state has ruled that preemption is illegal and it's currently working its way through the courts. It's always been this way but the courts have allowed it. Maybe it's because I work w/ a guy from Texas. But I'm tired of hearing how great the state is when it has many faults and is behind the times w/ lots of laws.

The prohibition against open (and concealed) carry was a result of the Yankee Occupation after the War of Northern Aggression. The fact that you have always had open carry just proves it. We had it before the Yankee Occupation also.

As far as whether PA has better gun laws than TX, according to Wiki, handgun sales between private individuals requires a background check. In Texas, it's a simple FTF transaction where you probably should check to see if the person is a Texas resident and is 18+.

Don't know about the hunting laws in PA vs TX. The only thing I hunt these days is hogs and since they're considered a pest, you can hunt them day or night, with spot lights, over a baited field, from the air, fully-automatic weapons, basically any way you want to do it. The deer around here are just too damn tame to hunt. Hell, we've got them where they will actually use the crosswalks when they cross the streets in our neighborhoods.

[NavyVet1959]

Funny enough, CalIfornia has very reasonable knife laws
If there was a folding sword and you could conceal it, you good.
Want to roll around with a sword, a machete, spear, whatever, no problem.
We get 4" folders here in Missouri
When I visit Colorado for example, I break out the 3.5" max size folder.
Knife laws are all over the place.

When I was visiting the UK and Scotland awhile back, I learned that the folder that I always carry with me was illegal even though it wasn't very long (slightly less than 3"). They have rules against *any* lock blade knife. Not that it stopped me from carrying it.

[Hamish]

https://kniferights.org

Carrying whatever the Sam Hill you want to defend yourself with shouldn't have ever been allowed to become one of the Kings licenses,,,,,,

I remember as a kid never feeling safer than the time we walked into a Huddle House type place in Arizona and some cat was setting there with one of Sam Colts finest and a Bowie. I knew that if **** went down, that dude was going to TCB.

Like NV1959 says, when it comes to types and sizes of blades, don't ask, don't tell,,,,,,

[toallmy]

I was kinda hopeful about the claymore mine , just so people understand the ( get off of my lawn ) sign .

[trapper9260]

I was think it was about claymore mines also. I would say now that will be good for the hog hunting.How many you can get and then clean up after if you like.

[NavyVet1959]

Awh, we could probably use claymore mines on hogs, but they would have to be registered with the ATF, so you're looking at $200 per shot. Kind of expensive ammo.

I seem to remember them having something like a 16 meter danger zone *behind* them, so that would kind of take away the capability of using them as a personal defensive weapon for day to day use. :)

[RogerDat]

Ok I'm missing something was part of this thread based on a debate of what state gun laws were in the 1860's as compared to what they are now? North or South I'm pretty sure things have changed just a bit since then. And it might not be fair to ascribe these changes to either the administration of Abe Lincoln or Jeff Davis.
:kidding:

And if your going to use mines on hogs they have to be designed to leave the hams and bacon undamaged.

[NavyVet1959]

Ok I'm missing something was part of this thread based on a debate of what state gun laws were in the 1860's as compared to what they are now? North or South I'm pretty sure things have changed just a bit since then. And it might not be fair to ascribe these changes to either the administration of Abe Lincoln or Jeff Davis.
:kidding:

There were no gun laws at that time because they understood that SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED meant exactly that.

After the War of Northern Aggression, we had various laws forced upon us during the Yankee Occupation (known to the liberal Yankees as "Reconstruction").



Now, back to the concept of Claymores...

It's only been 8 days, but I have yet to see anyone carrying one. Maybe it was just Hurricane Harvey that prevented them from doing it. With all that rain and flood waters, maybe their swords would rust? If that's not the reason, then I guess all the gloom & doom by the people who are so vocal against it was unfounded. :)

[lefty o]

its been over 150yrs, if you have stupid laws on your books still, thats on texas, no one else!

[popper]

Naw, still on the Texas Gov. Back in the 70 they passed laws making taking a rifle to the range illegal. Meant to keep you from leaving your rifle in the window of the P.U. Mostly big city PD against anyone having a gun. Don't believe? Go check out the lobby effort by them on O.C. & no LTC.

[Kosh75287]

it's been over 150yrs, if you have stupid laws on your books still, that's on Texas, no one else! I'd bet that every state more than 150 years old has some stupid 150-year-old law on its books, somewhere.


Back in the 70's they passed laws making taking a rifle to the range illegal. Meant to keep you from leaving your rifle in the window of the P.U. An excellent example, though obviously not 150 years old. I think I was in high-school when that law got passed. I remember hearing of an incident on the Fort Worth traffic circle (in 1978 or thereabouts) of two good ol' boys getting intercepted, pulled from their vehicles and put on the ground by DPS, at the behest of Jimmy Carter's secret service team, because they had rifles on their gun-rack. Apparently, the Praetorian Guard viewed the pair (who were evidently oblivious to the proximity of Peanut-Boy's motorcade) as a clear and present threat to him, for their open and blatant display of firearms, which they (Praetorian Guard) believed was a violation of the law. According to the scuttle-butt I heard afterward, the Praetorian Guard were amazed that there was no law in Texas (not yet, anyway) preventing the good ol' boys from doing exactly what they were doing.

PERSONALLY, I see nothing wrong with a racked rifle in a pickup truck except that nowadays, that's just BEGGING for it to be stolen. I also surmise that, these days, it might fall under the "permitting access of firearms to a minor" law that was, I believe, enacted when that dried-up dipso Ann (Bouffant Betty) Richards was in office. Locked doors on the vehicle might be an affirmative defense, but I'm not at all certain of that.

[Geezer in NH]

TX is even a new CCW permit state even freaking MA had CCW licenses TX did not. Now newly you can carry unconcealed wow NH has always been open carry and now it is also constitutional carry.

For what it is worth the Yankee stuff sucks TX is not that great IMHO and you will never have to worry about me even visiting.

[starmac]

This whizzing match reminds me of a time I was driving down 287 in the Bowie area. There was 2 yankee truckers hamming it up on the cb, apparently their first trip to Texas. After listening to how unimpressed they were with Texas for 20 or 30 miles, one finally said he would be embarrassed for anyone he knew to know he owned any part of this country. I had not said anything up to that point, but mentioned, I would sure hate for anyone to know that I owned those oil wells that were pumping for as far as the eye could see. One of them said, you do have a point, and there was no more said about Texas the rest of the way to FT Worth. lol