Why certain types of knives are banned in certain countries?

[damib]

wish they would at least just come down to a size limit for fixed blades that can be " concealed ", and I only say this because a little is all they'd ever give if at all.

Let's hope that no politician reads this .

Main problem with those kinds of laws is in definitions. Let's say that you can basically carry any legally acquirable kind of knife, but you have to be in situation typical for it's use. But law doesn't give you literally any example of this type of situation.

Then the minimum concealable length sounds kind of crazy. Lots of knives can be carried absolutely concealed regardless of length. You would then basically legalize long blades to be carried concealed. And many knives are what would you consider small knives. I can assure that you can do way more damage with something like Glock FM 81. That think could be easily used to chop someone's hand right off. I don't think you could do that with a puuko. Only good regulation would be just to ban carrying concealed knives without a permission to do so (police officers, special ops...). And after all that you've got the fact that you would need really good definition of concealed carrying is and not letting court or police officer decide. Is concealed carrying carrying knife in your backpack? Is concealed carrying carrying a knife in your pocket?

 

[Hickory n steel]

Then the minimum concealable length sounds kind of crazy. Lots of knives can be carried absolutely concealed regardless of length.

I'm talking about here in California, no concealed fixed blades period and it's crazy.
That will never completely change, but it might be possible to get an exception made for those with say 3" blades or less.

It's not much or ideal, but better than nothing.

 

[gadgetgeek]

Politics are non-partisan. By that, I mean that a great many humans fall into the trap of "doing anything is better than doing nothing" if they are being watched. So easy choices get made for action rather than complex ones. Like software that has been in existence too long, all legal systems are subject to bloat as those who maintain them seek to justify their positions. It matters in so far as poor legal systems create poor outcomes for those they control. I'm sure some of it is unintended, but none of it is accidental.

 

[killgar]

Just an FYI here in California there are exceptions for disabled people.
I don't know if you need a special card or something, but as far as I know these exceptions do exist in some capacity.


The real issue is when they ban some kind of folding knife that's " faster " while still allowing a fixed blade that's potentially faster or vise versa.
When you can't have a fixed blade in your pocket no matter how small but can have as large of a folder as you want.

I sure wish they would at least just come down to a size limit for fixed blades that can be " concealed ", and I only say this because a little is all they'd ever give if at all.
Of course no knife laws save anybody or have basis in reality and I'd like to see none, but being realistic I can at least hope for just a little give back.

Not trying to be Mr.-know-it-all, but there is no exception in California state law for disabled people that allows them to carry switchblades. In fact, CA penal code 21510, the statute that defines the illegalities of switchblades specifically starts out with "Every person who..." with no exceptions mentioned at all.

I couldn't remember any such exceptions, so I went to California's official legislative website and re-read the switchblade statutes, and did multiple searches for combinations of words like "switchblade", "knife", "disabled", "handicapped", "hand", "arm", but there's nothing.

There is an exception in Federal law for people with only one arm (Section 1244-4), which allows for the carry of switchblades with blades 3" or less, but it only applies to non-state territories and tribal lands. It doesn't apply to the actual 50 states.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Not trying to be Mr.-know-it-all, but there is no exception in California state law for disabled people that allows them to carry switchblades. In fact, CA penal code 21510, the statute that defines the illegalities of switchblades specifically starts out with "Every person who..." with no exceptions mentioned at all.

I couldn't remember any such exceptions, so I went to California's official legislative website and re-read the switchblade statutes, and did multiple searches for combinations of words like "switchblade", "knife", "disabled", "handicapped", "hand", "arm", but there's nothing.

There is an exception in Federal law for people with only one arm (Section 1244-4), which allows for the carry of switchblades with blades 3" or less, but it only applies to non-state territories and tribal lands. It doesn't apply to the actual 50 states.

It must of changed, because I distinctly remember mention of disabled people in California with regards to the knife law.
There were a few other things which have since disappeared too.

I guess I should forget everything I remember about the laws, because it seems there are things that have changed which I assumed wouldn't.

 

[BladeCollector99]

damib

Hello,
I've been recently thinking about knife laws in certain countries. My question is straightforward. Why would anybody ban some knife types (OTFs etc...) if they are sometimes quite expensive or not really more dangerous in terms of possible damage? I get that you can probably hide them better and operate with them way faster, but I don't really know any petty thief that would buy 1000 dollar OTF and professional assassin would probably be able to make it's own knife regardless of the laws. There are of course other types of knives that are heavily restricted in many areas like gravity, ballistic and assisted opening knives.

Dear Author damib

I am new to this forum and probably 1hour member and this topic is very same that bothers me as knife enthusiast and collector too ...

Hence my reply ...

In my own opinion as straightforward thinking and sane person any "knife" laws anyhow implemented anywhere in the world are just absolute insane and sick and never working not effective bunch of nonsense rules set by people who absolutely don't understand criminals and criminal mind at first place,secondly even doesn't want to and doesn't need to...

All knife or edged weapons rules are practically toothless as we are living in age where there are firearms in place as favourite and most effective weapons for any criminals and criminals will never respect any laws neither bans on anything! Criminals will get their hands on firearms/knives regardless of laws everywhere and always...

Banning military daggers or ballistic knives or machetes neither ballisongs doesn't not anyhow change in any country anything because if anyone want to stab or kill someone with edged weapon-he/she will do so with pen/pencil/screwdriver/kitchen knife!

Why would anyone with bad intentions spend 300 bucks on dagger or knife when he/she will buy any stabbing or slashing edge such as screwdriver or kitchen knife costing 3 USD ????

I have actually never heard of such nonsense that assassin will go and spent 300USD for dagger in order to stab or slash someone

These sick ideas comes from people (governments) who are doing criminality and are in fear of their nations so they would love to ban just anything that can be used against them in retaliation but they are actually obsessed with disarming people having vision they can do so ,,,which is absolutely wrong because anything any objects can be used as weapons in wrong hands!

By Banning anything they are disarming ordinary citizens only - never criminals with criminal minds ...So in my opinion no knife bans will ban anyone to use kitchen knife for 3 USD very same way as collector knife piece for 500USD that maybe Dagger or Machete or Ballisong...

 

[Jaygti]

Here in the UK, Guns are almost impossible to get hold of, except shotguns, so the weapon of choice for inner city gangs is a knife.
As the politicians have no idea how to stop this, but have to be seen to be doing something, they’ve banned locking Folders and blades over 3 inches, and obviously fixed blades. You can own them ,you just can’t carry them without good reason.
Of course this makes no difference at all.
If any member of a gang wants to stab someone, they just raid their mums cutlery draw and take chefs knife with them.

The banning just makes it look like The politicians are doing something , when In really they’ve made no difference at all.

 

[BladeCollector99]

Here in the UK, Guns are almost impossible to get hold of, except shotguns, so the weapon of choice for inner city gangs is a knife.
As the politicians have no idea how to stop this, but have to be seen to be doing something, they’ve banned locking Folders and blades over 3 inches, and obviously fixed blades. You can own them ,you just can’t carry them without good reason.
Of course this makes no difference at all.
If any member of a gang wants to stab someone, they just raid their mums cutlery draw and take chefs knife with them.

The banning just makes it look like The politicians are doing something , when In really they’ve made no difference at all.

Country where I live is having also strict anti-knives laws banning nearly every carriage of any edge without having valid reason that can be proved...This didn't affect criminals and gangs in any way as they have still plenty of firepower and firearms from black market,,,when it comes to stabbing and slashing each other they use mostly screwdrivers for such purpose or any cheapest 3 to 5 euro kitchen knives easily accessible in local supermarkets,,,or they just use hammers and axes from hardware stores ...

Toothless law,that bites only ordinary law abiding citizens,martial artists,collectors,hunters-never criminals

 

[Triton]

Politics. Trying to convince the public that they, the politicians, are protecting the public from criminals armed with evil knives.

This. Look soccer mom, I made you safer vote for me.

 

[Zulus]

"My question is straightforward. Why would anybody ban some knife types?"

Because there are ALWAYS some people who wants to rule over you !!!
Topics are not even important. Only ruling counts.
Sorry