Any knife that can be opened with one hand falls on the list.    

http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=81&Itemid=1

U.S. Government Trying To Take Away Your Pocket Knives!

The U.S. Government is after your Pocket Knives! In a sneak attack, U.S. Customs has proposed revoking earlier rulings that assisted opening knives are not switchblades. The proposal would not only outlaw assisted opening knives, its overly broad new definition of a switchblade would also include all one-handed opening knives and most other pocket knives!

Knife Rights was formed three years ago because we knew it was only a matter of time before there would be a major attempt to take away our knives, as has occurred in England, Europe and elsewhere. Little did we guess that the first major battle at a national level wouldn't come head on, but with government bureaucrats trying to sneak it by everyone, avoiding a more conventional legislative battle, which they know they'd likely lose.

Knife Rights is geared up to help win this fight, but we cannot do it without your help, your emails, your letters. The fight can only be won if we raise enough hell that they are convinced they will not get away with this. YOU are the most effective arrow in our quiver, the most powerful cartridge in our gun.

Click below for more on this knife grab and to find out how you can make a difference.

Knife Rights was formed three years ago because we knew it was only a matter of time before there would be a major attempt to take away our knives, as has occurred in England, Europe and elsewhere. Up until now, the battles have been fought at state and local legislative levels, such as the recent scare in Hawaii.

It has been a battle of a million little cuts for the most part, with occasionaly court and legislative fights thrown in. Little did we guess that the first major battle at a national level wouldn't come head on, but with government bureaucrats trying to sneak it by everyone, avoiding a more conventional legislative battle, which they know they'd likely lose.

U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) just a bit over two weeks ago on May 21st proposed revoking earlier rulings that assisted opening knives are not switchblades. The proposed new rule would not only outlaw assisted opening knives, its new broad definition of a switchblade would also include one-handed opening knives and could be easily interpreted to cover most other pocket knives, even simple old-fashioned slip-joints. At this point, one-hand opening and assisted opening knives are 80% of U.S. knife sales (per AKTI industry sources). For most knife companies, they represent all or the majority of their product lines. These are the knives Americans take with them to work and to play everyday.

Note, please, that CBP's interpretation of the Federal Switchblade Act forms the basis for national, state and even local law and judicial rulings in many cases. This ruling by CBP is NOT limited to just imports. This WILL affect virtually everyone who carries a pocket knife, no matter the type!

CBP came up with this absurd proposal and then tried slipping it into their regular notices, apparently hoping nobody would become aware of until too late. They provided for only the minimum 30-day comment period, and there's no email comments allowed. Obviously, they'd just as soon not hear from us. We're intending to disappoint them in that.

CBP's proposal which would have effects far beyond that suggested in the title of the proposal, "Proposed Revocation Of Ruling Letters And Revocation Of Treatment Relating To The Admissibilty [sic] Of Certain Knives With Spring-Assisted Opening Mechanisms," which would be bad enough even if it only did that. However, this proposal would make it illegal for the estimated 40 million law-abiding Americans who own and carry pocket knives to do so. It would also cost this country dearly in destroyed businesses, lost jobs and ruined families. Thousands of jobs and billions of dollars would be lost. CBP clearly appears to not have considered the consequences of this unnecessary, inappropriate and even illegitimate action. Since CBP is not required to consider the effects of their actions, only Congress or the courts can rein them in. If left to the courts, the industry and our rights will be devastated and America will lose much, regardless of who wins the legal fight.

The definition of what is a switchblade has been clear and settled for the most part since the Federal Switchblade Act was passed in 1958 and has been reaffirmed by many years of legal decisions. The Act is very clear that a switchblade must have an activating button on the handle. Without a button, it is not a switchblade and this has been upheld by numerous cases on many levels over the years. CBP's convoluted reasoning in their proposal to reach back beyond the law and to expand their regulatory purview by rationalizing "intent"as justification for this new interpretation is a stretch, at best, and illegitimate at worst. It simply doesn't meet the common sense test.

CBP's reaching beyond the clear language of the Act in making this proposal is particularly questionable and irreconcilable because it flies in the face of virtually unanimous recent state court rulings (including several cases in California, Texas, Illinois and Michigan) where the issue of assisted-opening knives has already been decided in favor of the existing clear interpretation, that they are not a switchblade. They cherry-picked a few bizarre and untypical rulings from New York state from some years ago to provide support for their proposal, ignoring the many more recent rulings.

For CBP to ignore this overwhelming existing body of law is inexcusably arrogant and borders on a reckless abuse of their power. For them to suddenly do an about face is akin to moving the goalposts after starting the game, and then completely changing the rules of the game besides, making every play ever devised illegal.

Beyond that, their significantly expanded interpretation of gravity and inertia knives, also included in the Act, would clearly make one-hand opening pocket knives illegal and according to industry sources, 80% of pocket knives sold today are one-hand or assisted openers. Beyond even that clearly excessively broad seizure of authority, we know from past unfortunate experience in many cases over the years that this sort of misinterpretation leads to potential abuse by law enforcement where even the most simple and innocuous Boy Scout folding pocket knife can be opened one-handed by use of dangerous and unsafe tricks, so that these too would be covered under this expanded federal definition. This ruling would therefore make almost all pocket knives subject to being considered switchblades.

The impact of this CBP ruling would go far beyond just imported knives because this "agency determination" will be used by domestic courts and law enforcement to determine what is a "switchblade" under both federal and state laws. Many states do not themselves define switchblades and simply rely on the federal definition and interpretation, which is only found in rulings by CBP. Since interstate commerce in switchblades is prohibited, except under very limited conditions, simply driving across a state line with a pocket knife in their possession would make someone a federal felon.

Knifemaking in the U.S. has enjoyed a renaissance in the past decade or two as the genius and innovation of American knifemakers, designers and manufacturers has created a booming and vital American industry with thousands of exciting new knife designs that improve the function, utility and safety of the lowly pocket knife, one of man's oldest and most useful tools. Millions of Americans have responded to this innovation, creating a vibrant industry. For the most part these are family owned businesses that are American success stories, the core of America's economic strength. This proposal by CBP would destroy all that for no good reason. They don't need a bailout; they just need to be left alone to prosper.

The knife industry tells us they employ nearly 24,000 Americans and have a nearly 6 billion dollar annual impact on our nation's economy. If this proposed ruling is allowed to stand, thousands of jobs will be lost at the direct cost of billions of dollars. That doesn't even begin to cover the enormous cost to the country of those that would become unemployed, the ruined businesses, foreclosed homes, years of litigation by both industry against CBP and who knows how many criminal trials and appeals as law-abiding Americans fight this abusive attempt to take away their knives, as well as many other devastating unforeseen effects of this ill-considered proposal. Thousands of American citizens' lives would be ruined. Millions of Americans would be impacted. The cost would be tragically huge, more so because it is neither necessary, nor desired by the vast majority of Americans.

Just why the hell are switchblades illegal in the first place?

That's not going to happen.

Lol, i'll just open carry an AR 15 pistol to make up for it.

West Side Story.

Cause they scare the sheeple.  

They were the TEC-9 of the 50's.

Same reason why machine guns and sound suppressors are - hollywood.  When brought to view they provoke an emotional response, and logic goes out the window.

That's the first question that came to my mind. Ok, so some of them can be opened a fraction of a second faster than some other knives. I'm sure someone who is well practiced could open a regular folder just as fast. A knife is a knife.... Of course, I guess it's the same deal as with "assault weapons.' It's for the kids!

Customs tried this once before with CRKT knives being imported, it got smacked down. I wrote my senators back then and one of them investigated and sent me a copy of the letter he fired off to Customs concerning the incident. I don't think they will get much traction in this.

To big brother:

Thanks, I feel soooo much safer now.

They make that noise that scares women carring purses

Movies.

They have a hand thing that goes up

You can have my OTF and Pirhana Bodyguard if you can pry the blades from your cold dead corpse...

Fortunately AZ is a state where guns laws are good and we can have scary automatic knives...

Isn't England trying to do the same thing?  Actually, I think they are going after fixed and folding knives.

Run, hide!

It's the finger thing duh.

From my cold, dead pocket!!!

fine.. fucking outlaw them

i can hide my KA-Bar just as easy and pull it twice as fast.. and its bigger.....  


open carry a fucking ninja sword

Well hell guys, I guess I'll just have to register my assisted openers just like I will my guns when the time comes. In other words, FUCK THEM!

Fuck that.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Come 'n git me, copper.  

That makes two of us, apparently. Yay me.

Cliff notes please.

Is my Scallion in danger?

I'll just carry my homemade shank then.

tag

These ideas, knife control, gun control, they are all the same.

I can only believe these people have good intentions.

But their logic is flawed as their resolve. Don't take away my freedom for something I didn't do. Don't punish me for your fear.

Take my freedom, my knife, my gun, or fuck with any of the hard working Americans that manufacture/service these things... And I will take your life. It's that simple. I will enlist the help of my brothers in this duty, but I cannot demand their service.

Bear with me as I jump to this solution: That only a reduction in population will solve these problems and restore freedom.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news to them, but pretty much anyone can open any knife that has a decent handle weight with one hand. stupid fucks.

meh......fixed blades are faster

I lost all my folding knives in a tragic boating accident

Yes, fudd.

They can fuck themselves, simple as that.

Is it time yet?

West Side Story

Its time guys.......

So fucking stupid.

Even Kalifornia (as fucked up as it is), understands that an A/O knife is not a switchblade.

If Kali can figure it out, these guys must be really stupid....

(((SIGH))), one more thing to stock up on (love my Kershaw Leek).

Sigh the more stupid shit that the .gov is doing the more

Some of the most important parts got cut out of the OP:

Knife Rights is asking everyone to contact CBP NOW (I mean Monday, ASAP) to get an extension on the comment time, otherwise all public comments are cut off as of June 21st, 2009.  (Model letters and contact info at kniferights.org)

Second, Knife Rights wants everyone to contact their Senators and Congressmen RIGHT NOW (there are model letters at the KnifeRights.org site) to let them know how displeased we are with CBP's proposed changes.  In the final analysis, while we can beg CBP for more time to comment, and hope they take our comments to heart, in all likelihood we are just buying time for a few 'motivated' Congressmen/Senators to change CBPs mind for us.  Remember how the 'spent .mil brass scrapping' regs got KOed by the intervention of a few Senators?  That is the goal here.

Let's also be clear, if we do not get a reprieve THIS IS A DONE DEAL!!!  There is no 'it might pass', this is Federal Regulatory Rulemaking done by the CBP, without any additional oversight from Congress.  If we don't object, IT HAPPENS!!! No questions.

So, get your asses in gear and let's stop this thing.

FluxPrism

Since when does Customs( ICE ) make US law. If it's legal, how they not let it in the country?

Yep. Leads to gay dancing.

I am really getting sick of this shit. Where's that button?

My Sebenza stays.

So are box cutters included in this?

Exactly.

Early example of Hollywood provoking knee-jerk reaction in hysterical sheeple lawmakers and voters.

Proto-soccer moms throwing a hissy fit over a stupid-ass 1950's movie about gang members with switchblades.

No, seriously.

Don't those fat slimey gutless bastards have anything IMPORTANT to do???

Welcome to Texas.

 

...and while we're at it, we need to outlaw guns that can be used with one hand!  

Them assult knives should be illegal.  Them are just good fer killin people.  

As long as double handed knives are allowed I have no problem.