Okay switchblades have been illegal by the Feds by the Switchblade Knife Act of 1958 and followed closely by the UK Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act of 1959 in England... My question is why? To me it seems such restrictions of rights seemed to be enacted or spawned by law makers that played upon peoples fears. What do you think?

Switchblades are legal to possess in Missouri, and there is no federal restriction on the sale or possession of a switchblade . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

State by state thing. Legal to possess but not carry in Washington State. And I think its rooted in 50s gang lore. Kinda ridiculous since there is no problem with carrying a fixed blade.....

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Even older, even crankier....

So whats illegal about them exactly?

Nothing, as far as I'm concerned . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Legal in Texas. Though I think dagger type blades are the exception...at least for carry

The law is stupid. Street gangs were using them, so Congress banned them.

By the way, the federal law only applies to interstate commerce. If you buy a switchblade in "X" state, and you don't transport it/ship it across state lines, then the federal law does not apply. Only state law applies. Here in Arizona, they are legal.

Also, concerning the shipping of switchblades, the federal law is written against the SHIPPER, not the SHIPPEE. If he sends it, he's potentially in trouble. But if you receive it, you're not. NOTE: don't receive switchblades via U.S. mail under ANY circumstances. They are "non-mailable" items and you could serve 1 year in jail. Probably you wouldn't, but you could, if the right prosecutor wanted to make an example of you. Use a common, private carrier.



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It was the result of a fifties movie starring Sal Mineo. It would be like outlawing 9mm pistols today because, based on movies some years back, they are "the weapon of choice" for blowing grown men through windows.

People who view motion pictures should not be permitted to run for the legislature, or even to vote. We have to keep up with the times. After all, there were no motion pictures back when the founding fathers had the idea that all free men (or was it all landowners?) should be able to vote.

I'm surprised that by now the liberal idiots 'in charge' haven't gone after the multitude of assisted opening knives out there.
Maybe not quite as fast as a 'switch blade' but damn close.
Just my $0.02!

There are ways to get around that. Anything list as a "spring assisted" knife is still legal in most states. If it has a "push button" like your average switch blade

or stiletto

it's illegal but, if it merely has a "thumb tab", either on the back or side of the blade to start the initial movement of the blade which is then finished by the "spring assist", it is perfectly legal.


It's odd how this one is classified as legal and the others are not but hey..........if it works, use it. Right?

I'm glad that assisted open is legal here. Thumbs get old and don't work as well as they once did.

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Yes, and what about brass knuckles? Are tjhose also illegal where you live?

Knuckles are a problem here unless possessed under very regulated circumstances, and anything I'd do with them wouldn't fit . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Any knife big enough to make a switchblade in NJ is already a problem because of size.

Oh the land of the free and the home of the heavily regulated.

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Back to back World War Champs.

Good advice! The man always tryin to bring ya down..

LOL goofy laws.. Like I said law makers praying on peoples emotions.

Same reason Tommy guns got heavily restricted by the NFA in 1934. They got a bad reputation.

I used to carry a Spyderco Endura in my right pants pocket, using the clip. Much later, I purchased a Benchmade Emerson design auto, but never seriously considered carrying it, because it is illegal to carry in MA (legal with CW permit in FL). Since I had it, though, I played with it some. Very nice knife, but I can actually get the Spyderco out and open faster.

I don't carry either nowadays.

Kind of like Jessica Rabbit: "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way"

Anyway, Maine recently repealed laws prohibiting switchblades. Let freedom ring.

Basically anything that is fun gets restricted, registered, banned,outlawed in the peoples republic of NY. Just last year they finely allowed sparklers to be sold to celebrate the 4 of July!

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

No problem in Florida for at least 10 years now. Although I'm not bringing a knife to a gunfight. Joe

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Behavior Creates Destiny

Texas leagized the switchblade
Ether last session or one before. Now retired I take the mandatory classes to keep peace officer license active, " just in case". Hell no dept wants a 60 year old gunfighter in this day and age. I'll just set on porch with my schnouzers and pondify.uploadfromtaptalk1467667543120.jpg

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Tommy guns, silencers and switchblades were legislated against in reaction to news stories and movies. The funny thing is the Feds never really made full-auto weapons or silencers illegal, they just required anyone wanting to purchase fill out forms and pay a $200. fee. Some states, including Iowa, made full autos and silencers illegal. The reason these laws get passed is a combination of mass hysteria, political pandering and weapon-haters of all types.

Reality makes these kind of laws ridiculous. Gangsters in the 1930s stole Tommy guns and BARs from police stations and Armories rather than pay. So the new laws were meaningless. Silencers were never "silent" either but in the movies they screwed one on revolvers.

It took us until 2016 to get the legislature to legalize suppressors. It wasn't easy because the haters and the press campaigned against it by trotting out all the old lies.

Our Senate is controlled by Dems 26 to 24 and the Dems routinely refuse to allow any pro-gun legislation to progress to a vote. Why? Because they know many "country" Dems would vote for it.

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

Oregon allows automatic knives, possession as well as carry as long as they are not concealed; belt pouch is okay based on advice from LEO's I've worked with.

I've never seen any appeal or usefulness in the "traditional" switchblades of 1950s/60s youth gang fashion, but I have a Gerber 06 Auto (top in photo) I really like mostly for outdoor applications. That big push button and the safety are easy to operate even with cold wet hands (not unusual here in the PacNW) and thick gloves, when opening with a thumb stud would be hard or impossible.

Attached Images

image.jpg (88.4 KB, 80 views)

Are you sure?

Schrade Scaly California Issue Automatic Knife Yellow (1.75" Black) SCAL-BY - Blade HQ

Switchblades is scary and open much faster than my kitchen knives which are harmless

Are you all aware there is a "Knife Rights Assoc." which fights various state legislation, just like the NRA does for our firearms.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Correct. There are no menacing mechanical devices in kitchen knives that make the dreaded deadly swishing clink sound.

I'm gonna start carrying a kitchen knife or a clever

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I owned a couple when I was a kid. I remember them as being junk. Blade always wobbled a bit. No real purpose to a switchblade other than stabbing someone. It's a stabbing weapon. I'd rather have an assisted opening SOG.

Haven't seen one in years. I used to have a shoebox full of knives I took off people. Never bothered locking them up. My Sgt would have ripped me a new one if I brought in a BS collar like that. When I retired there must have been about 40 knives in there. All cheap Chinese made junk that I wouldn't trust to be used more than once.

Real stupid law now as others have said as spring assist like the Benchmade 665 and Sog Trident really opens quickly anyway. Think maine just legalized switchblades.

you can carry concealed with a FL Concealed Weapon or
Firearms License

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

Part of the problem is that there is far too little praying going on by the law makers.

I have a similar recollection of switchblades when I was a kid, although the first one I owned, obtained from my next-door neighbor in the early fifties with the permission of my parents, was clearly an otherwise conventional pocket knife, NOT a stabbing tool. Some of today's switchblades, however, are quite different. The Benchmade Emerson-design "tanto"-bladed auto that I purchased is a high-quality general-purpose folder. There are plenty of others that fit this description.

The quality assisted opening knives made by SOG and others have an edged blade suitable for use. The switchblades I owned and my friends owned were very dull and were only good for stabbing. Matter of fact, I remember the blade on my first one broke off when I stabbed it into a wooden fence at my middle school during summer break. I know my brother bought me one of them at a flea market.

The City of Cheyenne recently repealed an old ordinance that made brass knuckles, slung shots, saps, and weighted gloves illegal to carry.

Same in Michigan, legal to own, not carry. The law is more than just a little outdated. I've got a few folders with assisted opening that function just as quick as any switcher I own and as long as the blade's three inches or less and not a dagger, they're perfectly legal.

The movie "Blackboard Jungle" created a lot of this histeria against self-opening knives! In 1960 I had been working as a lighting person at a local amatuer theator when I joined the army. I had used a self-opening knife as it was convenient to grab a wire in one hand and use the knife to strip the insulation with the other. Well, you can imagine how popular I was when I showed up for basic with that knife. Lying Bozos said they would "hold it for me until the conclusion of training". I guess I am still in training 'cause I never saw my knife again!

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Old paratrooper in NC

NYS does allow an exemption for possession and carry of a switchblade or gravity knife

265.20 Exemptions
a. Sections 265.01, ... 265.10, ... 265.15, ... shall not apply to:
...
6. Possession of a switchblade or gravity knife for use while hunting, trapping or fishing by a person carrying a valid license issued to him pursuant to section 11-0713 of the environmental conservation law.

But when not engaged in those licensed lawful activitys:

265.01 Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree
Class A Misdemeanor
A person is guilty of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree when:
(1) He possesses any ... switchblade knife


The knife law is a screwy as the pistol permit laws in NYS,,

Just be happy with your new Sparklers that Uncle Andrew gave you
and don't ask for anything more...

I live in Arizona where, naturally, switch blade knifes are legal. I have a Boker Magnum which are made in Taiwan and it's a quality knife. However I usually carry my S&W opener which works with one hand and is even more substantial. I only carry a knife when I'm going into a location where firearms are prohibited.
Jim

Sure? My reading of MI law was that any possession is illegal, felony in fact.
So no self openers even in your domicile and how would you get it there since transport, shipping etc is illegal.

tactical batons

Whip chains

nunchuks

umbrella sword

brass knucks

Wild Kat keychains

My Dad told me it was illegal to tie a hangman's noose because it's only use was to hang people. I think the law actually only restricts using one as intimidation or using one in a lynching.

PS Before you open a switch blade it's advisable to crouch over and snap your fingers for a while.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Who makes this, and is it automatic opening?

When you're a Jet you're a Jet all the way.

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Not in jail.

Looks like it might cut off your fingers if it is.

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Not in jail.

Interesting post. In the state of Georgia, not too many years ago, there was a case (at the time, our CCW was called a "Firearms Permit") where a man was stopped for a traffic violation in Atlanta. The man had a clean record and was the holder of a valid, Firearms Permit. The officer (I am a former police officer and deputy and are very pro law enforcement) after noticing a Firearms Permit card (the man was going through his wallet trying to find his insurance card) asked if the man had a firearm on his person or in the car. The man said yes and showed his the Firearm Permit license. No problem. Yet. A moment later the officer noticed that he had a large folding knife in his front pocket, (at the time GA law stated that any knife with a blade more than 3 inches cannot be concealed) the officer then proceeded to arrest the man for "carrying a concealed weapon". According to the officer, while he could carry the pistol, he could not carry the concealed knife. Of course, when this went to the initial hearing, it was dismissed despite the objections of the officer who stated that the man had a "firearms license and not for anything else". Because of this and other ambiguous terms, GA changed the name of the license to its current title, "Georgia Weapons Carry License". Now, with this permit, unless you are carrying a federally or state prohibited weapon (without the proper additional paperwork/permits necessary for a Class 3 weapon) basically, any weapon is covered. Interestingly, while GA carry rights have been greatly expanded in the last 2 years, the state did revoke the decades old right to carry a handgun, openly, with no permit (unless specifically prohibited in an area or location and not a convicted felon or otherwise prohited). Now, any carry, open or concealed must be accompanied by a permit. With that said, GA retains the law that we have had for many years that does allow for a person who is not prohibited by law (convicted felon, under age,) to carry in their car, home or place of business, a firearm without a permit. The firearm may be concealed but it is limited to the glove box or console. In fact, the word "console" was added due to a court case where a man was arrested for carrying a pistol in the console of his car without a license. In this case, the car did not have a glove box, but instead, a console. The law was amended. I have studied state and federal carry laws for many years and I can tell you that, while many states reciprocate permits, state laws vary considerably. One point many carry holders forget or are not aware of is that when carrying in another state that honors their state permit, one must follow the regulations of that state, not their home state. Be sure to check state laws before you carry in another state. There are states that do not honor other states permits. In addition, some states have very clear restrictions on carry, even with a permit.

Here in SC, legally carry any blade you like, as long as its not used in a crime.

Thank you to South Carolina! We in Georgia can now carry (with our Georgia permit) in your grand state! Thanks to the people of South Carolina.

After new knife laws were passed in KS a couple of years ago, many such knives are now legal. Outlawing such knives was another knee jerk reaction that punish law abiding citizens, for the evil intent and misuse of such by criminals. KS is also a constitutional carry state.