Even if the thread is pretty old, ill get some answears for you guys.
Switzerland is not a part of the European Union, but the most things are fixed by bilatteral contracts bzw. Swiss and EU governement.
At the moment the laws are pretty easy, compared to germany and other european union memberstates.
For exact measures: 1 inch = 2,54 cm (25,4mm)
Knives:
The following knives in switzerland are forbidden:
- Daggers with symetrical blades (doesent even both sides need an edge!) until 30cm bladelength (aprox 12 inches). Over 12 inches btw. 30cm bladelength the knives are allowed, this regulation comes from our Army bayonets, we have a militia system army, and almost everyone in active duty has the army weapon (selectfire assaultrifle) and the bayonett at home if hes not in service.
Daggers with asymetrical blades are allowed, no matter if it has two edges.
As told, it's not the issue about having both side edged, it's only the thing about symetric bladeform, customs and police do a simple thing to check this: They lay the knife onto a paper, draw the form of the knife, then they fold the paper in the middle - if its symetric (folded paper gives one exact form) its forbidden.
- Automatic folding knives
Knives with a button which releases a spring who opens the blade.
This includes especially OTF-Knives.
There are two exclusions for automatic knives, which makes them legal:
If the blade is shorter than 5 cm (aprox 2 inches) and the whole knife open is not longer than 12 cm (aprox 4,72 inches).
- Balisongs
Balisongs are also forbidden, the exeption for legal ones is the same as automatic knives has:
There are two exclusions for automatic knives, which makes them legal:
If the blade is shorter than 5 cm (aprox 2 inches) and the whole knife open is not longer than 12 cm (aprox 4,72 inches).
- Assisted folding knives
Assisted folding knives, like i.e. ZT350 are something between legal-illegal.
It's really depending on the customer or policemen who decides.
In doubt: remove the spring out of the knife before shipping it, the reciever puts it back together as he likes.
- Throwing knives
exeptions:
Every swiss habitant has the opportunity to request (and maybe get) a special permit for those forbidden knives.
It needs quite a bit paperwork, ecspecially if you want to import such a knife from a foreign country.
The cost for the permit (if accepted) would be about 150$, then you would need a importpermit which costs also about 150$, those costs would make the most knives for import just unprofitable.
Allowed knives:
every other knife as those listed above, there is really no more restriction, no matter how long a blade is including non symetrical bayonets.
Knives which can be opened onehanded (no spring or button) are at the moment tolerated, they will not be confiscated by customs.
Carrying them is a different story... (depends where and why).
Firearms (AT THE MOMENT, October 2017, read below)
In Switzerland there is a simple rule for firearms:
Select fire and silencers are forbidden, bzw. need a special exeption permit (same permit as for knives *lol*) to buy them.
Hunting rifles, single-shot rifles, doublebarrel shotguns, antique weapons before 1870 can be bought by handing out a police record to the seller/dealer.
All other firearms (semiauto, pumpguns, etc.) can be bought with a weapon buying licence, which can be requested together with an actual police record at the police or governement.
No caliber restrictions, but there are many forms of ammunition forbidden i.e. expanding bullets for Pistols, Revolvers, etc. only hunters may buy them without an special permit.
Import is possible, also with a weapon buying licence, an import permit and eventually necessary export license from the foreign country, i.e. USA it mostly needs a DSP-83 form and it depends of course on ITAR-Regulations.
At the moment the EU (2017) released a new weapon law, it will affect switzerland too, but at the moment it is unclear what exactly will change (magazine restrictions, etc.).
Others:
- Knuckles are forbidden and need a special permit.
- telescopic clubs
- policeclubs
- electroshockers / taser
- teargas (OC-Peppersprays are allowed)
- shuriken
- some kinds of slings with arm support
Those all could be also bought with a special permit, but the chance to get the permit is low, you need to be a collector, otherwise its almost impossible to get it.
