WWII German Paratrooper Knife Legal to ship?

O

oldbladedude

Joined
Apr 20, 2013
Messages
5
Hi
I was wondering if anyone knows if these are legal to ship or not.
I have one that I would like to sell, but from what I have read
I am not for sure if I can ship it or not. I have seen a lot of others
being sold online. Anyone know?

Thanks


paratrooperknifeidb.JPG
 
Nice knife Bro. To answer you question depends on the state and local laws. Gravity knives are illegal in a lot of states and towns so homework would be key here. I always wanted one but were I live is one of the mean old terrible gravity knife zones. I know this is NO HELP but it really will depend on the sale.

-Sorry-
 
they have people shipping switchblades so why can't you ship that?? you need to ask yourself a question. the state that you are shipping too. is it legal in that state??
 
Your not supposed to ship an auto through the USPS I know that, even though people do it all the time. You are supposed to use UPS or FedEx IIRC, but I could be mistaken, and gravity knives are usually in the same category as autos, I would call my local USPS and ask them or look up my states knife laws as well as the state you are shipping the knives, knife laws, and find out for sure better to be safe than sorry. I was going to ship an auto out to get sharpened to Richard J. and he told me either to disassemble it or use fedex or UPS to send the knife to him, that you can't use usps, Benchmade also told me the same thing, when I was going to shio them an auto back for a blade replacement. Again no expierence with gravity knives only autos, but again they are usually in the same catergory I'll research it furtherand see what I can find.
 
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Thanks for the replies. I did a lot of research on this. It is legal in my state as long as it is open carried. I could just never determine if I could ship it across state lines.
I could ship it in state if I had a buyer from Ky, but like I said I see other people selling them off of military sites. Any help is really appreciated.
 
Is that an auto or a gravity knife?

Federal law only makes switchblades illegal to sell over state lines, but it defines it like this:
(b) The term “switchblade knife” means any knife having a blade which opens automatically—
(1) by hand pressure applied to a button or other device in the handle of the knife, or
(2) by operation of inertia, gravity, or both.

Sections 1242 and 1243 of this title shall not apply to—
(5) a knife that contains a spring, detent, or other mechanism designed to create a bias toward closure of the blade and that requires exertion applied to the blade by hand, wrist, or arm to overcome the bias toward closure to assist in opening the knife.
Click to expand...

Technically, a gravity knife opens automatically "by operation of" gravity." So yes by the letter of the law it is illegal to sell over state lines. I have observed, however, that for inertia/gravity activated knives like butterfly knives and true gravity knives like this one that enforcement is all but non-existent. Even in the rare circumstances where this shipping law is invoked, it is against true button-operated switchblades. Gravity knives are so rare these days and so obviously pose little to no threat when you examine how they work, the feds just don't care.
 
It has a button or lever that is pushed on the side so the blade can slide out if it is upside down, there is no spring or anything else to assist it.
The blade doesn't come out if the knife is upright. I myself don't think that would be an automatic knife.
It doesn't open by gravity unless the button is pushed.
I read that quote before and wasn't for sure if it applied to the knife that I have.
I would think 1 and 2 above would have to be combined into one sentence for it to
apply to this knife.
 
They are included in the ban and were actually one of the knives around when the law was passed in the 50s. There were two cases where this exact knife ( except the modern green handle ones) were deemed gravity knives ( or switchblades by federal law). One was a Gun/ammo dealer that got in some trouble for it. All that said, I do agree with Gilstam on lack of enforcement, BUT they are not legal to send over state lines, and are illegal in many states.
 
That is not a button to activate the blade but it is a lock which simply releases the blade. It is a lock that you lift up on and the blade falls out off the handle and then you release the lock and now you have a lock blade. Turn the knife up (blade up) and pull the lock up and the blade falls back into the handle. The knife was designed for paratroopers i.e. German Fallschirmjäger to cut out suspension lines on there parachute if one found themself up a tree, or simple cut what ever needed cutting.
 
It opens via gravity and is designed to do so therefore falls into the definition. There was a NYS case about three years back that ended up in Federal court. The defense lawyer showed this knife as the type the Federal law banned and all parties agreed that was the design type the law banned ( Izarry vs NY if I recall correctly). The newer shorter models have a blade that does not lock open under pressure as a safety feature. The large ones do lock open till released.
 
glistam said:
Is that an auto or a gravity knife?

Federal law only makes switchblades illegal to sell over state lines, but it defines it like this:


Technically, a gravity knife opens automatically "by operation of" gravity." So yes by the letter of the law it is illegal to sell over state lines. I have observed, however, that for inertia/gravity activated knives like butterfly knives and true gravity knives like this one that enforcement is all but non-existent. Even in the rare circumstances where this shipping law is invoked, it is against true button-operated switchblades. Gravity knives are so rare these days and so obviously pose little to no threat when you examine how they work, the feds just don't care.
Click to expand...

so name the case where a person goes to jail or even charge with shipping across state lines please?? all of the USA companys, benchmade,pargon and such are making switchbldes and don't even tell me they have plants in every state thst they are being sold it. they are crossing state lines with them. so why are they not being charge for breaking the law??
 
richard thurman said:
so name the case where a person goes to jail or even charge with shipping across state lines please?? all of the USA companies, benchmade,pargon and such are making switchblades and don't even tell me they have plants in every state that they are being sold it. they are crossing state lines with them. so why are they not being charge for breaking the law??
Click to expand...

Here: http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/Publ...y Members Sentenced for Importing Nascar.html

Happy now? You're being rather unreasonable and emotional about this matter. Let me state again: Enforcement is dodgy, rare even. But the law is the law.
 
yea import. not shipping across state lines. I am not saying anything about people getting busted for importing switchblades. I am saying about people getting busted for shipping across state lines. do you have any news about that??
 
oldbladedude said:
Hi
I was wondering if anyone knows if these are legal to ship or not.
I have one that I would like to sell, but from what I have read
I am not for sure if I can ship it or not. I have seen a lot of others
being sold online. Anyone know?

Thanks


paratrooperknifeidb.JPG
Click to expand...
not that i am a lawyer or anything, but i believe it is up to the BUYER to adhere to his local laws....at least, that's what i read on most disclaimers....:D
 
yes I put that in because of florida. I live here and switchblades are legal to carry but dade country has outlaw them in there county. if you carry one in there county you must have the wepons permint or you can go to jail. if florida did this what is it to say other state did the same thing.
 
lord grimlock said:
not that i am a lawyer or anything, but i believe it is up to the BUYER to adhere to his local laws....at least, that's what i read on most disclaimers....:D
Click to expand...

Website disclaimers mean nothing in the eyes of the law. It is also up to the retailer to follow all laws also and do his due diligence.
 
richard thurman said:
yea import. not shipping across state lines. I am not saying anything about people getting busted for importing switchblades. I am saying about people getting busted for shipping across state lines. do you have any news about that??
Click to expand...

It says they were found guilty of both importing and distributing. That's how they got them after they started skirting the import law by ordering springs and knives separately. Look it up in PACER, they have a conviction under 15 USC 1242.
 
yes becuse they imported them. that right there is the case. you take that away and they would of never been look at.spiderco did the same thing after they where told not too.
 
It does not matter if you get caught or not. No one is asking, " can I get away with it?". The question is it is legal, and the answer is NO!
 
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Sorry I posted and ran lol, Been really busy around here.
Just wondering why you and other people think it isn't
legal to ship?
 
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