Legal responsibility when selling knives?

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Gideons

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Hello BF Community,

I was wondering... what are your legal responsibilities if you sell a knife? For example; could you be sued or charged if that knife was used in a crime? I know in Canada people on probation sometimes aren't allowed to carry knives (not sure how buying is treated) but, if somebody on probation commits a crime with a knife the law says they shouldn't of had but bought from you. I'm wondering in a situation like this, how legally responsible are you?

-Gideons
 
As long as they are of age to own it and it is legal in their area, I can not see how you would be any more responsible than a car dealer selling a car to someone that had a wreck. the disclaimer of "it is your responsibility to make sure this is legal in your area, you are of legal age, etc." should suffice, but then people do love to sue.
 
Do you register knives in Canada? If not I wouldn't worry about it, who are the police going to believe, you or someone with a record.
 
No, however it is pretty easy for anybody especially the police in an investigation to track down who sold them a knife (or anything). Money transfers via email or emails discussing the sale etc.
 
What would you if you were selling an old bike or some exercise equipment ? A knife is just an ordinary object.

how would you be selling these knives, and are they high end knives ?
A criminal isn't going to respond to an online listing to buy an expensive knife, they're going to make a duct tape blade cover for a steak knife and carry it, or buy a cheapo flea market folder.
 
Hickory n steel said:
What would you if you were selling an old bike or some exercise equipment ? A knife is just an ordinary object.

how would you be selling these knives, and are they high end knives ?
A criminal isn't going to respond to an online listing to buy an expensive knife, they're going to make a duct tape blade cover for a steak knife and carry it, or buy a cheapo flea market folder.
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While I believe that it is just an object, in comparison to a bike they bike doesn't have the stigma or probability that it could be used as a "weapon". Just from a moral standpoint I sometimes also wonder whom I'm selling to. I was referring to knives I may sell on this website, which are all high end knives.
 
Gideons said:
While I believe that it is just an object, in comparison to a bike they bike doesn't have the stigma or probability that it could be used as a "weapon". Just from a moral standpoint I sometimes also wonder whom I'm selling to. I was referring to knives I may sell on this website, which are all high end knives.
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Well a criminal isn't going to buy a high end knife to use as a weapon, let alone off the blade forums. again they'll just grab a steak knife from their kitchen , or use a pos flea market folder.
The stigma is only what you make it, and the probability is almost nonexistent, I'm willing to bet that 99% of the time if a high end knife was used as a weapon it was buy whoever stole it.
BTW if someone has a knife but isn't supposed to, nobody's gonna wonder where they bought it from as they're everyday objects you can buy anywhere.
 
Let's be real guys. No one gives a s*** if you think your knife is a tool. Sheeple see it as a weapon. The system sees it as a weapon. Try saying your knife is a tool in a courtroom and you'll look like a tool.

From what I have seen, some retailers don't ship to certain locations (knifecenter/TNK and NY for example, with locking folders). I would check with the buyer's location knife laws if possible to be 100% safe (just to prevent that nagging worry that it might happen).
 
Let's be even more real. If you stick a pencil in someone's temple they'll be just as dead as if you used a screwdriver.
Humans are rather ingenious creatures, and have found a way to turn almost anything into a weapon.
The yo-yo was a hunting weapon for knocking monkeys out of trees long before they were re-purposed as toys.
Intent is more important than the object used as a weapon. And as long as you don't sell a known felon a tool/weapon that you know he's not legally allowed to possess, you liability stops there. Hammers kill more people each year than knives. And nobody considers a hammer to be a weapon until it's used as one. Same with a knife. At least, it should be....
 
This thread seems like it should be in PracTac, legal ramifications and use of knives as weapons isn't really a GD topic.
 
Damn fine post, Justjed.

I always say the same thing. Every year thousands of people try and run over people with a vehicle. Yet no one second looks a car and it isn't considered a weapon until used as one. Irrational fear.
 
justjed said:
Let's be even more real. If you stick a pencil in someone's temple they'll be just as dead as if you used a screwdriver.
Humans are rather ingenious creatures, and have found a way to turn almost anything into a weapon.
The yo-yo was a hunting weapon for knocking monkeys out of trees long before they were re-purposed as toys.
Intent is more important than the object used as a weapon. And as long as you don't sell a known felon a tool/weapon that you know he's not legally allowed to possess, you liability stops there. Hammers kill more people each year than knives. And nobody considers a hammer to be a weapon until it's used as one. Same with a knife. At least, it should be....
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Has anyone ever asked someone why they drive such a dangerous weapon ? No I'm sure they haven't, but more people are killed by cars each year than anything.
 
As long as the knife was legal to sell in that area, there shouldn't be any liability for actions committed with that knife. No more so than an auto dealership is responsible if a car they sold ran over someone because the driver was texting at the wheel.
 
Cutlover said:
Let's be real guys. No one gives a s*** if you think your knife is a tool. Sheeple see it as a weapon. The system sees it as a weapon. Try saying your knife is a tool in a courtroom and you'll look like a tool.

From what I have seen, some retailers don't ship to certain locations (knifecenter/TNK and NY for example, with locking folders). I would check with the buyer's location knife laws if possible to be 100% safe (just to prevent that nagging worry that it might happen).
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where i am the law says as an example of how a knife is not a weapon.....a 4" folder is not a weapon. with case law backing it. so the law and case law determines what is and isnt a weapon.
 
This thread is funny as hel. look op if this subject concerns you this much to buy a gold membership and then start a thread about selling and the ramifications of selling here you might just want to suck it up and look elsewhere. I'm shaking my head as I type this thinking a person even has the time to put the thought into this. Grow some walnuts and do what ya have to do . I mean how many flea market knives are sold every year without a thought. You also have 9 good feed back scores which all are good. So just bored ?
 
My personal responsibility in regards to what one does with something I sell them ends when they take possession and hand me the cash. Now there are people who may differ in their opinion, but I don't really give a rats ass. Those people and the sheeple mindset are what is wrong with the world today.

So in the words of gonebad395 gonebad395 "Grow some walnuts and do what ya have to do."
 
There are no legal responsibilities. If it's legal to own and sell, you're good to go. The buyer is the one who must be concerned, if they're underage and found with a knife they may face legal ramifications. As far as I know there are not any "selling knives to a mjnor" laws :P
 
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