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What would you do if assisted openers and one-hand knives were banned?

Would you simply give up and say the law is the law? Would you stand up and fight? Would you move to a place that is friendlier to individual rights (if there are any left)? Would you stand by and do nothing? Would you protest with the knife rights groups such as AKTI? If you were a knife business owner, would you let them close your business without a fight? What would you do to protect your knives?

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Scott King on August 7, 2009 at 17:38

Chase
Two points-
1) I'm am from the South and we have a history of fighting to protect our rights, and
2) “The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” Thomas Jefferson
Scott

Permalink Reply by Trent Rock on August 7, 2009 at 19:29

If it was a misdemeanor I would carry it and pay the 100 dollar fine I I got caught...................

Permalink Reply by Steve wells on August 8, 2009 at 15:14

Do what the Knife Collectors, makers,sellers are doing now CLIP it in the BUD before it comes to a law - So please support the Knife and Gun groups that keep a watch for us - and all ways E-mail your congressman and Senator in both the Federal and State levels. If we do this then we keep our rights ,but if we do not we will lose them.

So please stay alert and give support

Permalink Reply by Doug Scearce on August 12, 2009 at 17:36

I've e-mailed & mailed letters out to all my state Congress & Senators some I grow up with!!
I believe in the 2nd amendment Right To Bear Arms &
It was great that the NRA backed AKTI
And its a good thing to be an active member of your clubs!!!!

Permalink Reply by David Hawkins on August 12, 2009 at 22:35

First I suppose I would be a little emotional, a nice way of saying I would be pissed at the loss of yet another freedom. Then I would write to my representatives, AGAIN and become a more active member of protest groups. I might even seek the knowledge and develop the talent to make what I want for myself.

On a side note I would have to point out some things that are a bit obvious to me.
1) Switchblades or automatic knives should not be banned, I would like to see some initiative to get them legalized again. There is no need for them to be illegal.
2) The assisted openers fit the spirit of switchblades but fortunately fail to meet the technical description with a loophole it seems some other people see and wish to close. Its not about the fact a switchblade has spring that puts constant pressure on a blade to open and is only kept from doing so mechanically, and the fact an assisted opener has to be started first. Its about the fact that they open fast and the fact they are more easily concealed and carried because they fold up into a smaller package and thus are perceived as "more dangerous".
3) The best way to fight this in my opinion is not to be complacent and make concessions to keep the assisted and one-hand knives we have, but to broaden the protection of them by legalizing switchblades.

I have many fine slip-joint and locking folders that are not automatic, assisted, or one-handed. I suppose I would just have to enjoy those again, as I did in my younger days before, to my recollection, Kershaw figured out a way around the switchblade loophole and made AO's popular. I would also fight like hell to get them all back if they were banned. I would also like to see some knife rights group take up the call on lengthening legal blade lengths too.

Permalink Reply by Zach Grissom on August 12, 2009 at 22:36

I'd become a criminal. I'm a minor and therefore have no weight with congress as a constituent, and so couldn't really help there (if I handed out fliers I'd just become a media field day, "Young Iowan boy Member of Local Knife mob, stronger laws needed"), so I'd carry and maybe screw with whoever was enforcing the laws (cops yes, but because they were told to. I don't hate the police) by carrying fake cardboard shanks.

Permalink Reply by Tony B on August 13, 2009 at 2:58

We already lost in the UK. If the police find you with a locking knife its possible time in prison. I hate it but I follow the law. As a security officer I have to.
:-(

Permalink Reply by David Hawkins on August 13, 2009 at 12:13

Tony,
In the UK, as you indicated "locking" folders are illegal. what restrictions does the UK have on fixed blades?

Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on August 13, 2009 at 21:08

This is a point that we must not and can not give up on. I have emailed and called our congressperson and senator with opinions. I will continue to do so. As an organization and we must defend our freedoms beacuse so many may simply not understand before it's too late and the freedom is gone. HOG

Permalink Reply by Chase Williams on August 14, 2009 at 8:45

David,

Contact AKTI if you think the legal blade length is unfair in your state. With their help, the legal limit in Arkansas was repealed in 2007 and they have had great results in other states also. That's what AKTI is for, to help protect our knife rights.

As far as the switchblade act of 1958, it should have never been passed into law, but thanks to a couple of movies and people over reacting before understanding, it sadly was. I agree with you that it should be repealed and so do a lot of others, but one battle at a time. If we win the Customs battle, I think that getting the switchblade act repealed will be next to come. It would be simpler if we could repeal the switchblade act and make this all go away, but we have a better chance of getting assisted openers legalized than we do getting switchblades legalized at the moment and the banning of the importation and possibly the sale of assisted openers an one handers is more detrimental the to already failing economy and more importantly the knife industry. If Customs wins, it will put several knife makers, dealers and manufacturers out of business.

Never give up on your rights, if you give in just once they will never stop. It is folks like yourself and the others on iKC that help keep knives and guns in our lives by letting your voices be heard and for that I say Thank You!

Permalink Reply by David Hawkins on August 14, 2009 at 13:14

Maybe someone here could clear this up. It is my impression that the changes proposed by CPB would only effect "imported" assisted openers. My question is, would it effect assisted or one-hand opening blades that are made entirely in the US? If so, what American knife company would go out of business if we were no longer allowed to import these knives? Wouldn't American knife manufacturers benefit from making these knives themselves and selling to a captive American customer base in a seller's market? Would American consumers and workers benefit from buying only domestic assisted openers? Higher quality for the buyer "perhaps", keeping people employed on the supplier side?

I keep hearing that if this passes companies will fail and people will lose jobs. I think it is being told a bit too histrionically to help bolster a good cause. Wouldn't the knife companies still remain in business making legal knives for law abiding citizens? If not, then I would suggest they are filling a niche market and it could be a matter of poor business strategy and leadership causing their demise. If a knife "manufacturer" is so committed to re-selling imported assisted opening knives ONLY, isn't it their own fault for not diversifying their product line enough to survive instead of going out of business when the niche market they produce for goes away. While companies like W.R. Case may show concern out of solidarity, I don't think they have too much to worry about by the proposed legislation. A company like Case may even benefit by it.

I realize I am playing the unpopular devil's advocate here. Of course I am 100% opposed to any type of restriction, I am just trying to clarify some of the arguments for myself and throw out food for thought to others.

Permalink Reply by Chase Williams on August 14, 2009 at 14:00

The CBP's proposed changes apply to the importation and interstate commerce of assisted opening and one hand opening folders. Since this is a federal law, it would be used as a guideline in most states as far as carry laws go. The states do have the option to make this a carry law for their state or not. As far as the knife makers and companies go, there are not that many solely U.S. made companies left. There are some companies that would survive, but if you can't get the customers what they want then how could they survive. If a manufacturer as big as lets say CRKT since the border issue started with then, who's biggest dealer is the military, but has the majority of their knives made over seas, what choice do they have but to close their doors if we loose the fight. Yes there are appeals, but appeals take time. Case, while they make slip joints and fixed blades solely in the U.S., would survive the Customs proposal, but would they be able to stay in business in an already failing economy when they have already had to lay employees off. There are some knife companies that are strong enough to make it through the Customs issue, but if Customs wins they may not be able to stay afloat for long. It really depends on what they make and if they would be able to keep the market going for that. Supply and Demand. If there is no demand, they can't keep up the supply without going into the red. It is felt that if Customs wins, it will only be a matter of time before the individual states will ban the assisted openers and one hand knives. It it not a known fact, just a suspicion.

It's good that you play the devil's advocate. Someone has to do it and you don't know until you ask. It never hurts to ask and I'm sure there are others out there who have had the same thoughts, but have been too afraid of retaliation to ask.

To give another example, take a company like ours that is primarily mail order. If you ban the importation of the assisted opening or one hand opening knives, we would lose knives from makers like Al Mar, Klötzli, Spyderco, CRKT, SOG, Kershaw, Benchmade, Buck, and the list goes on. Al Mar and Spyderco have most of their knives made in Japan and Spyderco's Byrd line is made in China. Klötli is in Switzerland. CRKT has most of their knives made in Taiwan and China. Kershaw is owned by KAI who is Japanese and they have some of their knives done in Japan. Benchamade is primarily U.S made, but they do have a few of their knives made in Taiwan. SOG has some of their folders made in the U.S. but some are made in Taiwan and Japan. A.G. Russell has a lot of their knives made in Japan and Germany. Folding knives are primarily what we do, if we couldn't supply them to customers then why should they buy from us. For what we do have in stock of the banned knives we couldn't ship to anyone because the ban applies to interstate commerce as well.