New York Knife Laws?

reviving this discussion!

Any true gravity knife, as the term is understood everywhere but in New York City, will still be prohibited by the “released from the handle or sheath thereof solely by the force of gravity” portion of the definition, but common folding knives could no longer be considered gravity knives.

https://kniferights.org/legislative-update/new-york-gravity-knife-reform-bills-filed-again/

any fellow new york residents want to discuss the following?

1. how far is this from actually coming to fruition, and what are our barriers? who should we be calling/e-mailing now to move it a long?

2. if this passes, what is now legal to carry? spydie hole liner/frame/back locks? chris reeve and other thumb stud folders with liner/frame/back locks? non-assisted flippers seem to be the gray area now...? anything else i may have missed that could possibly become legal to carry? in my opinion axis locks and compression locks might still be considered gravity knives, since they do actually literally drop open when the button or compression is engaged. What do you guys think?
 
josh yu said:
1. how far is this from actually coming to fruition, and what are our barriers? who should we be calling/e-mailing now to move it a long?
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It's one signature away from coming to fruition (the Governor's). Knife Rights will make a post in the general forum with contact info when it's time to start calling/writing.
 
SpySmasher said:
It's one signature away from coming to fruition (the Governor's). Knife Rights will make a post in the general forum with contact info when it's time to start calling/writing.
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Join Knife Rights, call your elected officials today!!
 
anyone want to discuss what this means for the popular mechanisms out there? If anyone knows a little more about what the interpretation and application would be for the new wording, please chime in!

1. NON-flippers with liner locks, frame locks, and back locks seem to be the big win here. We will be able to start carrying a lot of our Spydercos and CRKs (and much more of course, just throwing out a couple examples).

2. flippers (non-assisted) will probably still be out. Unfortunately, i feel like these will be misconstrued as automatics/switchblades, which in our world is ridiculous, but i can totally see NYPD going in that direction. So, our ZTs and Shirogorovs will be staying at home...

3. the gray area i'm curious about are Benchmade axis lock. yea, it's a folding knife on a washer, but the action the axis lock still really resembles a "gravity knife". You can disengage the axis lock, and the knife can be flung open and closed. as a matter of fact, i'm not a huge fan of thumb studs, so sometimes i remove my thumb studs completely, and operate my benchmades solely with the axis lock.

these were my initial reactions, let me know what you think
 
The NYPD has a totally unrealistic view of knives. Their legal division says assisted openers are switchblades ( they are not), and any flickable locking knife is a gravity knife. The law if signed should change the gravity knife definition, but always remember there is the "dangerous knife" that is not defined and refers to both design of the knife and intent. Then there is the NYC admin Code that limits blades to 4". My money is on NYC passing an additional Admin code restriction on "gravity knives" if the state law gets passed. The reason the City likes to charge STATE law has to do with funding ( follow the money folks). The state allocates funds based on enforcing state laws, where as the city has to fund its enforcement of city laws.....If the City does pass a law banning them, I suspect enforcement will be less active.
 
I recall seeing something allowing assisted opening. Not sure if it was a lawsuit or a clause.

If this does pass the governor's desk, I think there will be a better awareness in the NYPD of knife laws and therefore less likely to just arrest and let the courts decide. The problem of a turf war between the governor and mayor will have a large impact on the outcome but this has been brought up as a bipartisan bill so we will have to see how this plays out.
 
I don't see why a flipper would be out. They neither operate automatically by the force of a spring nor solely by the force of gravity. They require the force of a human finger to open, just like any other common one handed opener.
 
The only assisted opener court action was a jury trial in Queens in which the jury agreed with the defense that the flipper pressed start the blade opening was in fact part of the blade and not the handle. Therefore it was not a switchblade. The flipper should not be an illegal feature as it isn't now, but once again the danger zone here is the "dangerous knife" term as many knives could be looked at as weapons for different reasons.
 
tom19176 said:
The only assisted opener court action was a jury trial in Queens in which the jury agreed with the defense that the flipper pressed start the blade opening was in fact part of the blade and not the handle. Therefore it was not a switchblade. The flipper should not be an illegal feature as it isn't now, but once again the danger zone here is the "dangerous knife" term as many knives could be looked at as weapons for different reasons.
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interesting. Even though it may not be classified as a switchblade/automatic, they still fail the current "gravity knife" test and I wouldn't dream f carrying one yet. However, if/when the new bill is passed, combined with the ruling you referenced that flippers are not automatics, it sounds like we may be able to carry flippers under the new bill!

of course, the "dangerous weapon" isn't going away... let's see how that plays out, once the "gravity knife" loop hole is fixed
 
Take the time to read this:

http://law.justia.com/cases/new-york/other-courts/2016/2016-ny-slip-op-26325.html

It shows one of the main issues with the NYPD's policy. The officers made 80 weapons arrest 75 of which were for gravity knives......With almost 30,000 officers all of whom are judged by how well they perform, and weapons aresst being praised by the brass you see why there are so many like this....

and this:

https://www.newyorkcriminallawyer-b...late-new-york-penal-law-265-01.html#more-3151
 
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tom19176 said:
The only assisted opener court action was a jury trial in Queens in which the jury agreed with the defense that the flipper pressed start the blade opening was in fact part of the blade and not the handle. Therefore it was not a switchblade. The flipper should not be an illegal feature as it isn't now, but once again the danger zone here is the "dangerous knife" term as many knives could be looked at as weapons for different reasons.
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Thanks, I thought that I saw this in a court ruling.
 
Are cops in NY just grabbing people randomly and frisking them for knives all day? No, they're not. Why not just wear one behind your belt, like clipped to your underwear? That's how I wear my mini 7 at work as I wear a suit. I was in NYC a couple times and had mine on me all day. I don't care for that city and if I ever have to go back it'll be with a gun to my head...

Criminals don't care about these stupid laws, and I prefer being prepared than defenceless, even if it takes a little longer to deploy.

I'm not saying one shouldn't obey the law, but all laws are not equal. Stupid laws are for stupid people to obey. I'll take my chances.
 
Monday Night (10/23) at midnight the law MAY change if the Governor sign the revised wording of a gravity knife into law ( or he just allows it to become law by not vetoing it )....Write or call if you have not done so ! Last year on New Years Eve he vetoed the other proposed change......Keep the request on!
 
I once owned a NIB Spyderco ti-slabbed UK pen-knife...just in case I ever went (again) to...or through...New York State.
Decided NOTHING there is worth the hassle or giving up my right to protect myself and my family.
Sold the knife. If I want to get some Maine lobster, I guess I'll have to fly.
 
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