Saber Forum

As of recent I am a proud owner of a Dark initiate V2, and I just wanted to ask this before I get arrested... Are stunt sabers illegal to carry in public? Like in a park? I know they can be used **as** A weapon, but that's not my intention. I have a friend I'm meeting at a park and I wanted to bring my saber to show him, but I want to make sure I won't get frisked by the police for carrying it in public. I know this sounds like a silly question but I just want to be sure.

Thanks in advance

-T

Hello there. It depends on where you live. I would check your local laws around things like lightsabers which quite a few cities will classify it as a weapon.  So I would check to be sure but you can always call your local PD and ask them.

I agree, check with local officials. Something might be legal at state level but illegal in certain counties or cities. Also it might technically be illegal but your local pd might tell you it's ok. Best to check with the people who would actually be frisking you

What they said.  :-)

If/when you call them (call the desk, btw, not 911!) make sure they understand these are not the Wal-Mart toys with the collapsible blades attached to cheap plastic flashlights.  Just to avoid any confusion.  Fortunately, in my town, they're cool.  We even had a movie night last summer where they showed The Force Awakens in the park and actually handed out hundreds of sabers.  Cheap ones, but still.  :-)   Of course, there were quite a few of us with "real" sabers on hand to make everyone else jealous....  ;-)

I forgot to mention to call their non-emergency number and ask as Karmack has mentioned. Thanks, Karmack!

I have no idea where you live or even some of the other people suggesting maybe you can't but I just don't see a state law making a light saber a prohibited weapon. Now I guess they're could be a city ordinance but it would be hard to write that up a certain way. Just think any law or ordinance that prohibits a light saber would also outlaw a bat. Now who would outlaw a bat at a park?

Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk

I was thinking the exact same thing tx.  How could it possibly be illegal to carry essentially a really long cool flashlight?!?  Anything can used as a weapon but as long as you are not threatening or assaulting anyone it shouldn't be a problem to have fun at the park with a lightsaber.

Good call on this one, TX

Well, if you live in Texas you can carry a long sword in public, so don't see why a lightsaber would be any different.  But, not everyone lives in Texas.  While I wouldn't see anyone getting worked up about it, I would at least contact the parks and recreation office just to make sure, or if it a community park run by an HOA, contact them.  I know that our community park that is run by the HOA does not allow bats of any kind due to the close proximity to houses.  I guess they don't want any stray baseballs or softballs hitting windows.  They also prohibit any weapons - real or fake - at all times.  I wonder where a lightsaber would fit into the equation?

What is the world coming to? That's totally crazy that kids can't even have Nerf gun fights in the park etc..

Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk

Just like I mentioned, it depends on the area and what their laws are. 

As everybody else said, it varies by state.  In TX, they just legalized carrying swords and spears, so things got fuzzy.

Generally, your saber wasn't designed to be a real weapon (unlike a sword).  However, states often have laws prohibiting carrying game equipment (hockey sticks, bats) for a walk, and obviously not to/from a sporting event.

That's likely the clause that would be used against somebody with a sparring sword/light saber. It's possible to be misused as a weapon, so they count it as such.  Going to/from a Jedi event in the park would arguably be proof that you're OK if argued to a jury (get a lawyer) or if stopped by cops. You'd want to explain the hobby, how cool it looks and not delve into how yours is a heavy grade sparring blade... :)  A lot of times, a smile and a friendly willingness to explain the hobby will go farther.

Exactly.   The one time I was confronted I just smiled and gushed about the saber, how cool it was, and let the officer 'inspect' it.  He turned it on, swung it around a few times (it had sound, which helped) then smiled and returned it.   He did ask me for the name of the website, now that I think on it...

That was a on my way to a shoot with my daughter's company.  I decided to carry my saber "live" and swing it around on my way into the building and the officer intercepted me.  To this day I don't know if he was really concerned I might be up to something nefarious or just wanted to see the saber.  It was a campus police officer as well, so there were layers on layers of rules. 

So... with idiots being everywhere these days, and with them seeming to favor the "soft" targets like schools (from kindergarten through university-level), churches, and other gathering places, would you attend your next function with the blade (and sound) active?  Or would you, perhaps, carry the hilt on your belt and the blade in your hand or strapped to a backpack?  The "active" approach makes it REALLY obvious that you're not trying to evade detection, but sometimes that in itself can draw unwanted attention.  The "inactive" approach can be seen as either being properly attentive to other people's heightened caution levels, or as trying to sneak under the proverbial radar by attempting to look as non-threatening as possible.

I sense that Karmack and I share similar backgrounds in martial arts and such...

a hilt hanging from your belt should be non-threatening.  It's not weapon sized, it's looks like art, not a pipe wrench in hand and ready to whack.

a blade in bag should likewise be ignored, not considered a problem unless they think they have cause to search.  And again, a lawyer could argue that it's harmless, but you'd have to get to court.  So smile...


In contrast, a fully assembled saber, waving around, menacing, might catch attention and fear.  Thus causing a call to the cops as suspicious activity.  Note, I'm talking about walking 3 blocks to the Event from where you parked.  So during that time, appearing peaceful, non-threatening.  The blade over shoulder, not flailing would send a better message. Look harmless. Look friendly. Look like Star Wars fans and not strangers with sticks.

Now 2 people on the front lawn (ex. my house), with blades lit and and having fun, might not be a problem.  Sure, some idiot's gonna call the cops because they're jerk, but if it's you're lawn.  Both parties are smiling and nobody's hurt, the cops are gonna chuckle, ask questions and probably be the end of it.  Mileage may vary based on neighborhood and your relationship with LEOs.  Basically, I can get away with play-murder in my 'hood because I smile, explain, and help run the annual x-mas tour of lights with the police each year.

Nobody thinks anybody has a laser sword that can cut people in half. So it's mostly about where/how you're swinging it.

I would have never guessed that a pretend Light Saber could be considered a weapon, let alone dangerous, and have restrictions. This is a bit sarcastic but by this logic a yard/sprinkler company must have an entire truck full of potentially dangerous tubing. Maybe the problem is that ours lights up. We used to use all kinds of things as swords and shields when we were kids.

Sorry, I think this sounded like a bit of a rant.

The problem, I suspect, is that we were kids before Heath and Columbine.  Now the world has gone crazy (or perhaps it always was, but now the press puts it on display more).

This common sense statement is a great answer.

I carry mine all over the place. Public transit, college campuses, malls, churches, airports, parks, Ubers... I actually carry it because it can be used as a weapon if necessary since I live in a relatively dangerous area. Also makes a great flashlight for ill-lit places. Mine are always blade-in heavy-grade (except going through airport security because they have to fit in my carryon). Never been questioned about whether it was permitted to carry except for once by a drunk guy outside of the grocery store (which would fall under reasons why I carry it) and two idiot teens at the airport who jokingly asked if it was a pipe bomb. It's a great conversation starter though! Either people ask "What kind of instrument is that" or "Excuse me, but is that a lightsaber?" Granted, I am a tiny female who barely weighs 100 lbs and is relatively unintimidating at a glance, so profiling isn't really an issue, but it might be for some.

Ultimately, I think common sense is the issue. Be aware of your surroundings and if you think it might be perceived as a danger to others, keep it stowed as possible.

I live in Columbus,OH. I've carried my hooked to my belt and the blades in a bag. I've done training at parks. About the only time cops bother me is to check them out and ask where I got them at which point I whip out the trusty US Business Cards lol

Echoing the above.   Most people just want to know what it is and then where I got it.    I did have a guy whip out a plastic toy saber once and want to duel me.   I tried to decline and ended up dueling as light-contact as possible to keep from breaking his blade.   My daughters and I are planning a choreographed duel as well, to use with our churches' block party outreach missions to draw in a crowd for the puppet teams and story time.  :-)  IF we pull that off I'll try to get some video and post it...

An alternate viewpoint occurs to me.  In shopping for the wife's "Happy Birthday/Don't Be Mad That I Got a Saber First" gift, I saw some pretty pointy looking hilts.

The War Glaive, the Raven all have what looks like knife blades on the end of a handle.  Walk around with that in hand, and somebody's gonna call the cops

I've been stopped a few times, but once the officer/security/whoever figured out 1) they aren't sharp and 2) it's just an over glorified flashlight, they have all let me go unobstructed

"Over-glorified flashlight" lol

I would imagine you would be fine. I've carried one on my belt, in my car, fully assembled in hand, etc and not had any problems, although I live in a rural area, and like LR I have the "pretty un-threatening looking female" thing working in my favor...

That is actually the description I give to security peeps when they ask me about it

I wear mine on my belt all the time, and because I am definitely not a "pretty unthreatening looking female" I get stopped quite often. never lasts more than 5 minutes though.

Some of my ACTUAL flashlights* get me unwanted attention from the neighbors and the police, I am neither petite nor female, and while I feel pretty non-threatening, my beard seems to offset that in many people's minds.




*Comes from being a flashoholic (https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/content.php), but what are you going to do?

I'm not petite either. I guess "pretty girl with lightsaber" isn't threatening at all. XD

Depends on the audience... when I was in high school, a pretty girl was always VERY intimidating, light saber or not!  LOL

I have researched several places across the US for travel purposes and found nowhere that even covers our toys. They could be considered a type of club or bludgeon by some overreaching authorities but it shouldn't go beyond a brief questioning. I have carried them around in several states and 3 countries with the blades both in and out. I nearly always wear on one my belt without a blade installed, including onto domestic airline flights, not just in the terminals which I also do regularly, and at work where I am specifically prohibited to carry any sort of weapon.
The ONLY place I have ever been told they are not allowed is Cinemark owned theaters but they usually don't notice them and when they do they just remind me its not allowed for next time.

Funny story: at a meet in a park with some friends I was asked by an individual I though was park personel whats different between ours and the less expensive toys. I replied "Cause we can beat people with em," just as we came under a street lamp and I saw that his uniform was actually local PD. He laughed and told us to be careful.

Another time I started a duel with a frined of mine in the middle of a side walk. A town police officer approached us and when we paused to see what he had to say he pulled out his phone and sat on a bench and said "I gotta film this. The other guys arent gonna believe me."

Here is what the TSA says about "Sabers on a Plane" (https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/light-saber)

Note also that every inquiry is annotated with the following:

I just want to be sure I'm reading this right. You nearly "always" wear on?  I should say that would be awesome. Even though we have many Star Wars fans at work we still limit who we share our interests with. Not a very inclusive work place environment here. But still, it makes one think of the possibilities.

You are reading it correctly. The only time I leave the house without a lightsaber on my hip is if I'm in a very big rush and forget to grab it. In the two years I've been working here I think there have been 6 or 7 days I didn't have my saber with me.

Here it is while I'm on lunch break right now:

(https://i.ibb.co/dJ50Dzb/20190526-174052.jpg) (https://ibb.co/847D9Sz)

A true Jedi!