Stupid Texas legislators. Why is a Bowie knife illegal? Or a poniard?
The law was passed in 1873 by the carpetbaggers in the reconstruction government.
They did not want any opposition from the former Confederates. After they got booted from office (an impromptu militia forced the reconstruction governor to flee the governor’s mansion while he was calling for federal troops to keep him in office), the Democrats soon decided that the law was handy to crack down on freed slaves and Hispanics.
So, there you have why they banned Bowie knives and poniards. They were weapons that could be worn, and were banned along with pistols.
http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2013/08/txcome-and-take-it-means-to-restore.html