I am not a lawyer. This is not legal advice. If you need to know the details, for sure, without error, go ask a lawyer. This is just my attempt at a readable summary of the legal code. I’m not even trying to cover case law. Verify, verify, verify!
This covers common dojo toys only. I’m ignoring anything related to actually carrying weapons. I’m leaving out stuff I’ve never seen, stuff that blows up, firearms, etc. Except when I felt like leaving it in. If you need more details, go read the actual code. No, I don’t know whether any other codes apply as well. I am not a lawyer.
California Penal Code Section 12020-12040
You may not:
- Manufacture or cause to be manufactured
- Import into the state
- Keep for sale, offer for sale, sell
- Give, lend
- or possess
Any of the following objects:
- Cane gun, wallet gun, or other disguised gun
- Ammunition containing a flechette dart
- Anything containing an explosive
- Ballistic knife
- Nunchaku — The definition of these includes all stick-and-chain weapons containing more than one stick. It does not include stick-and-chain weapons with only one stick.
- Metal knuckles — The definition specifies protection of the striking hand, and being at least partially made of metal. Metal etta cappo with projections between the fingers, as I’ve seen sold as keychain-attached defense tools, would meet this definition. I don’t think a standard one fits this definition, since it’s pretty much just a really short stick. A separate section specifies the same for “hard plastic knuckles”.
- Belt buckle knife
- Leaded cane
- Shuriken — The definition specifies metal, three or more points, no handle. Bo shuriken are thus not covered. Neither are practice ones, being made of rubber. Given how often people carry metal ones as harmless trinkets, it bears repeating that in California they are not allowed.
- Lipstick case knife, cane sword, shobi-zue, writing pen knife, or any other knife hidden in a stick.
- Metal military practice or replica hand grenade
- Instrument commonly know as blackjack, slungshot, billy, sandclub, sap, or sandbag. This does not refer to instruments of flood control or the viscous output of trees.
All of these are classified as “nuisances” and will be confiscated and destroyed.
Relevant exceptions:
- Possession of nunchaku on the premises of a martial arts school with a business license. Manufacture of nunchaku for sale to, and sale of nunchaku to such a school.
- Use of devices in filming movies, television, or such entertainment.
Points I’m curious about:
The last time I read through this, I recall seeing “weighted chains” as a banned item. This would have included kusari fundo, and training kusari fundo that had weights in the ends rather than simple knotted cord. This time reading through it, I didn’t see any mention of weighted chains. Is it in another section, did they remove it, did I misread previously? I don’t know.
I also don’t see anything specific about katana, aside from the usual dirk-or-dagger stuff. I know anecdotally that California is heavily anti-katana, and have heard that the relevant tidbits are somewhere else in the code, but I haven’t seen them, so I don’t know. It’s probably safest not to bring metal toys out in public, in general.
I’m pretty sure there’s stuff about switchblades, gravity blades, etc. in the dirk-and-dagger sections, but I’m not up for dredging it out right now. Any assisted open knife is probably a bad idea.
Also banned:
- Blowguns (12582)
