Kershaw "switchblades" under attack in Illinois

This is very disturbing, but unfortunately,not that surprising under the present state of affairs.

Kershaw should jump into this situation with major legal/financial help for this individual. They have alot riding on the ultimate outcome of this situation.
 
Sorry to hear about Kershaw's problems. :( They make some damn good knives and their customer service is top.
Now for the question: there's this idea of mine about a folder that can operate both manually and automatic. Not new, I know, but this one has a slider that comutes between auto and manual. I wonder what legal issues would occur in this case. I mean, you can carry the knife, with the slider in "manual" position and it will perform like an ordinary folder, so it isn't an auto, right?
 
There wouldn't really be any difference between that and a normal double action, would there? I think it'd still be considered a switchblade.
 
AKTI has been monitoring this as Kershaw is one of our board of regents and a faithful contributor to the cause.

Obviously, AKTI takes the position that assisted opening knives are not switchblades based on clear definitions in the law, that were even clearer after our work with California. We would love for other states to adopt the language we worked out there.

We will be working on clarifying definitions for illegal knives to offer to law enforcement so that they won't mistake legal knives with illegal knives. Terms like Dirks and Daggers, switchblades and gravity knives etc... We will be utilizing verbage from California in some of the definitions.

This is all about protecting a very functional utility for us as citizens. It would be easy to eliminate traffic fatalities if we forced all cars to not exceed 5mph...but there is an important utility being guarded there, the ability to get somewhere fast.

We can all manufacturer folding knives that can not be opened with centrifugal force however they would be impossible to open with one hand (or maybe two hands...) so it is important to establish a description for gravity knives that separates one hand operational folders...etc.

We will be avoiding creating definitions on new knife categories as the easiest way to get something controlled is to define it. We will stick with knives that have already been labeled.

cj
 
...but you've got to admit there's some fact-based substance in the following opinion: Spring-assisted openers, while fun to play with, are/were a bad idea. Sorry Mr. Onion. There are few practical advantages of a spring-assisted opener over a manual; in fact, a relatively simple design has been made more complicated.

The worst part is that with the evolution of spring-assisted openers have the potential to bridge the gap between fully-automatic knives and manual-openers. They create the gray area in-between.

Everytime I look there's yet another production knife company introducing their version. While I'm all for stirring things up when there's good to come of it, I believe that spring-assisted openers are going to be the catalyst for manual-openers becoming just as much the object of scrutiny.

This wasn't easy for me to say, as I've been a knife proponent for over twenty years. But certainly I cannot be the only one who feels this way.

Professor.
 
Professor The worst part is that with the evolution of spring-assisted openers have the potential to bridge the gap between fully-automatic knives and manual-openers. They create the gray area in-between. Professor.[/QUOTE said:
I think that's great! Kershaw has introduced thousands of people to the fact that assisted openers don't turn you into an evil gang banger. That there may be usefulness to a knife that is easily opened with one hand.

The real issue is why are assited opening knives banned at all. They are legal in some states. Are they the evil "knife of choice" for criminals? have they surpassed kitchen knives as murder weapons?

I hope every American buys an assisted opener. Then after thay all become attached to them, tell them they have been using switchblades. I think most would see that banning switchblades was and continues to be a stupid way to control criminal behavior.
Click to expand...
 
Unfortunately, I don't think it'll quite happen that way. I wish it would, though!

Professor.
 
Professor said:
Unfortunately, I don't think it'll quite happen that way. I wish it would, though!

Professor.
Click to expand...

I don't think it will happen quite that way either. However, if in 1968 (year of the first modern attack on gun rights) you predicted that by 2004 there would be 46 States where the average law abiding citizen could carry a concealed handgun, you would have been laughed at.

I've been licensed to carry in four states ( I move a bit in my job). It's rather stupid that in all four I could carry a handgun concealed but a switchblade was still illegal. They trust me with a handgun but not a switchblade :rolleyes:

We must continue to challenge the Government when the risk is to our freedom, especially when it tries to take away our ability to defend ourselves to make it easy to punish criminals through the mere possession of weapons.
 
Finally ,someone gets it !! No reason to live in a free country if your to much of a sissy to exercise your freedoms.Great job Roshi! you my brother get it .
 
Love to see AKTI piggyback the NRA with some lobbying. That's expensive stuff, though. Those politician's aren't cheap!

:D

Professor.
 
The single most dangerous thing a free citizen can do is not own/carry/make something because it 'might piss people off.'

Even in Illinois (now known as the State of Chicago, thanks to Gov. Blago) we have a little disclaimer in the criminal law-if an action/activity is not specifically prohibited, it is allowed. That's a limit some thinking citizens got put in there years ago to protect us from the government. Let's not start voluntarily 'banning' things from ourselves, shall we?


Larry
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top