Owning a "switchblade" for your collection

J

j22knife

Joined
Nov 18, 2006
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I understand that the state laws for carrying a switchblade (or any automatic blade) are numerous and complicated - but what if you just want one for your collection and it'll never leave your home.

That can't be illegal.

Is it difficult to buy such a knife? Can it legally be shipped by UPS/USPS?

Thanks
 
Most any state you can own one as a "curio". Don't us USPS, as interstate commerce is federally regulated and using a federal medium is very illegal. UPS/FedEx isn't exactly legal in most cases either, but at least you aren't using the mail.

What state are you in?
 
I'm in Los Angeles, Calif.

I've followed some links to what appear to be the federal statutes and it seems you can't ship one of these things across state lines.

Does that mean I can buy one from a Calif. seller?

I get the feeling I'm treading in semi-legal territory here.

Thanks for the response.
 
many california dealers only sell to law enforcement or active duty military.

try out of state, arizona, utah, etc. autos are perfectly legal for you to own, a misdemeanor for you to carry, in your car or on your person.
 
Thanks. I'll look into it further.

I only carry a little pocket knife with me. I stay out of neighborhoods where you need a weapon to be safe.

It's ironic - the law has no problem with my .357, but a little knife ....

Gotta love this country.
 
j22knife said:
Thanks. I'll look into it further.

I only carry a little pocket knife with me. I stay out of neighborhoods where you need a weapon to be safe.

It's ironic - the law has no problem with my .357, but a little knife ....

Gotta love this country.
Click to expand...

not exactly, a loaded concealed firearm could be a federal offense. and los angeles has a muni code prohibiting, and the penal code also prohibits concealed firearm carry.


for your auto, try arizonacustomknives.com. they carry many types and brands.
 
AFAIK 2.5" or smaller switchblade knives are legal to carry, but at the least you can own one and keep it in a locked containter in your house, locked so that cops know you don't use it.
 
In Cali, you can own and carry a sub-2" auto and be 100% legal. There's an entire submarket of CA legal autos, so you've got a pretty wide choice. Benchmade has the Benchmite, Protech has several including the Runt and Stinger, Dalton has several, Piranha has one or two, DKD has a couple, heck there's even a company called "California Knives".

For non-legal (in CA) autos, the laws get weird. It's illegal to sell, make available to sale, lend, give, etc a switchblade (including balisongs/butterflys), but it is NOT illegal to buy one. Go figure.

Interstate commerce laws are goofy too. For example, a 1.95" switchblade is legal in California, and any switchblade is legal in Arizona. But it's illegal to take the knife across the AZ/CA border. Go figure.

Of them all, I would recommend looking at a Protech Stinger. Cool little knife. You can get them in nearly any variety under the sun (including $350+ custom versions).
 
Planterz, It agree with all you have stated above, but for one item. If you buy the knife and cross a state line with it, you are NOT in violation of the Federal Law ( Title 15) as you now own the item and therefore you are not involved in interstate merchandise, you are simply moving your property across state lines. The ban federally only considers the knives as banned when they are moved as merchandise and for possession on Federal land. I will check again but beleive I am right here.
 
I re read Article 15 and the amendment in 1988 is a little confusing, but it seesm that the introduction still remains intact, and therefore it remains legal to move one you own across state lines. Tell me what you think ?
 
Yeah, maybe the it only applies if you're shipping it across state lines for sales purposes.
 
OK - thanks for all the fedback, everyone. It's getting clearer.

There's still one important point I don't understand.

I can own the knife (even if it's over 2 1/2 inches) as long as I keep it at home [my actual intention], but how do I get it in the first place? I've read some web sites and it seems it's illegal to send one across state lines. Many of the online dealers are out east and I live in Calif. Does this mean I have to order from a Calif. dealer in order to avoid shipping across state lines?

Thanks
 
j22knife said:
OK - thanks for all the fedback, everyone. It's getting clearer.

There's still one important point I don't understand.

I can own the knife (even if it's over 2 1/2 inches) as long as I keep it at home [my actual intention], but how do I get it in the first place? I've read some web sites and it seems it's illegal to send one across state lines. Many of the online dealers are out east and I live in Calif. Does this mean I have to order from a Calif. dealer in order to avoid shipping across state lines?

Thanks
Click to expand...


once it is purchased, it should be fine shipping across state lines. i think the law refers to transporting for the purposes of sale, not shipping already sold items. ive bought autos from arizona custom knives, and no problems. though they are in florida, i believe.
 
j22knife said:
I understand that the state laws for carrying a switchblade (or any automatic blade) are numerous and complicated - but what if you just want one for your collection and it'll never leave your home.

That can't be illegal.


Thanks
Click to expand...

Sure it can.

You might want to have - well, let's say, a handgun.
In - let's say - your house in New York City.

But it's illegal! You can get busted and do time just for possessing it.

In other words, there are certain things that are just illegal to possess. There are federal laws against many items of possession, and also varying state and local laws.

Certain types of animals...
certain drugs...
certain other substances (rhino horn, some types of ivory)

etc.
 
MORIMOTOM said:
once it is purchased, it should be fine shipping across state lines. i think the law refers to transporting for the purposes of sale, not shipping already sold items. ive bought autos from arizona custom knives, and no problems. though they are in florida, i believe.
Click to expand...

Oh, so the "sale" occurs when I call and give them my credit card #, then the subsequent shipment is of something I already own, so it's not for the purpose of sale - the sale has already occured.

This is making my head hurt.

Then the dealer could just as easily ship me the knife for the purpose of the knife visiting a California beach, the I could buy it after it's already here, as a separate transation.

We have too many lawyers.
 
rifon2 said:
Sure it can.

You might want to have - well, let's say, a handgun.
In - let's say - your house in New York City.

But it's illegal! You can get busted and do time just for possessing it.

In other words, there are certain things that are just illegal to possess. There are federal laws against many items of possession, and also varying state and local laws.

Certain types of animals...
certain drugs...
certain other substances (rhino horn, some types of ivory)

etc.
Click to expand...

That's true. I originally stated that "this can't be illegal" based on the fact that there are countless dealers that will sell you an auto - unlike a rhino horn.

My experience with potentially dangerous products is that they are regulated and not banned outright. For example, I can keep my .357 at home and I can take it to the range to shoot, but I can't drive around with it under my car seat.
 
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