Search Results for Switchblades

February 5, 2015: Illinois State Senator Tim Bevins has introduced legislation, SB 711, that would legalize switchblade (automatic) knives for anyone who holds an Illinois concealed carry license, as well as for peace officers. It includes legalization to manufacture and sell to these individuals.

Given the long-standing prohibitionist environment in Illinois where weapons bans have been the legislature’s solution to every crime problem,

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NOTE: Progress is being made on this issue. For the very latest news please click here for more information.

U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) has proposed revoking earlier rulings that assisted opening knives are not switchblades. The proposed new rule would not only outlaw assisted opening knives, its broad definition of a switchblade would also include all one-handed opening knives and could be easily interpreted to cover most other pocket knives,

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LET’S GET THIS DONE! Regardless of your personal views of Governor Cuomo or his politics on any other issue, if you live, work or travel in New York, or plan to, please CALL Governor Cuomo TODAY and simply deliver the message that you are “calling to respectfully request that Governor Cuomo please sign S6483-A/A9042-A,” and then thank him. Please be POLITE and RESPECTFUL and REMAIN ON POINT.

This is not the time to berate the Governor about

October 12, 2016: The New York Civil Liberties Union, the state’s ACLU affiliate, and the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Education Fund have sent New York Governor Cuomo letters in support of Knife Rights’ Gravity Knife and Switchblade Reform Bill, S6483-A/A9042-A. Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter said, “this is a terrific example of how organizations across the political spectrum can collaborate for criminal justice reform and secure basic fairness for all people.” Click for letters: NYCLU – NAACP LDF

NYCLU and NAACP LDF join the Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services; the Office of Court Administration, a number of unions, the NRA, as well as the New York Times Editorial Board, in support of this bill.

Rewriting Knife Law In America™
2010-2016

Click map for larger image

21 PRO-KNIFE BILLS PASSED IN 15 STATES!

Alaska ● Arizona ● Georgia ● Indiana ● Kansas ● Maine ● Missouri ● Nevada
New Hampshire ● Oklahoma ● Tennessee ● Texas ● Utah ● Washington ● Wisconsin

8 ANTI-KNIFE BILLS STOPPED!

Florida ● Maryland ●

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TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2006   B1

How New, Deadly Pocketknives Became a $1 Billion Business

By Mark Fritz
(Click here to view a PDF of the original article printed in the Wall Street Journal)

 

A decade ago, Jim Ray brought together a champion martial artist, a former Navy Seal and a police-weapons specialist to draft designs for what he hoped would be the perfect pocketknife.

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10 Years Ago Wall Street Journal Article Ignited Knife Owners’ Civil Rights Movement

July 25, 2016: Knife Rights was born ten years ago today after I read an outrageous and highly inflammatory article headlining the Wall Street Journal, entitled “How New, Deadly Pocketknives Became a $1 Billion Business” demonizing so-called “tactical knives.” A discredit to the Journal, the overwrought and sensationalist article was filled with distortions,

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TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2006   B1

How New, Deadly Pocketknives Became a $1 Billion Business

By Mark Fritz

(Click here to view a PDF of the original article printed in the Wall Street Journal)

A decade ago, Jim Ray brought together a champion martial artist, a former Navy Seal and a police-weapons specialist to draft designs for what he hoped would be the perfect pocketknife.

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March 30, 2016: Louisiana Senator Gary Smith has introduced SB 97 which would allow the possession and carry of switchblade knives by concealed carry handgun permit holders. Knife Rights has been working closely with Sen. Smith’s staff to improve the bill by removing the ban on the possession of switchblades altogether, which is exactly what we did in Wisconsin earlier this year.

While many state legislatures are already wrapping up their sessions,

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March 6, 2016: Governor Tomblin’s veto of the Knife Rights supported West Virginia Permitless (Constitutional) Carry bill, HB 4145, that was vetoed by the governor was overridden by the legislature this past weekend. According to guidance provided by West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, the new law is effective May 24, 2016. The new law allows West Virginians 21 years old and older, who are not prohibited persons, to carry a concealed “deadly weapon,” including knives, without a permit. That includes switchblades (automatics), balisongs and gravity knives.

However, knife carriers may still face local restrictions on their right to carry a knife. West Virginia’s existing preemption law protects firearms owners only.

WARNING: Persons 18 years old but less than 21 years old may obtain a license to carry a concealed handgun BUT that license DOES NOT include concealed carry of a knife or any other “dangerous weapon.” The penalties for anyone under 21 carrying a concealed knife illegally have been made far tougher. It is now a felony!

Anyone who is younger than 21 should be very careful to abide by West Virginia’s 3.5-inch concealed carry limit and the total prohibition on concealed carry of switchblades (automatics), balisongs and gravity knives.

Knife Rights will be working in West Virginia next year to try and fix this absurd change in the law that adversely impacts those under age 21.

With all the oxygen sucked out of the state capitol by HB 4145, it will be a challenge to get Knife Rights’ bipartisan West Virginia Knife Law Preemption bill, HB 4541, passed this year in the remaining days left in the session. HB 4541 would ensure that knife carriers don’t face local restrictions on their right to carry a knife under HB 4145.

Mar. 2, 2016: Knife Rights’ bipartisan Maryland Knife Law Preemption bill, SB 653 has been heard by the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. No vote was held at the time, that is the next step.

If you live, work or travel in Maryland, please CALL or EMAIL the Committee Members TODAY and ask them to please vote Yes on SB 653.  That’s all you need to do, keep it simple and polite.

CONTACTS for the Judicial Proceedings Committee after the break.

November 25, 2015: Applying the Second Amendment to knives as arms and the groundbreaking Heller U.S. Supreme Court decision, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals reversed a lower court decision that it was illegal for someone to possess a switchblade (automatic) knife in their home. The court concluded that the Second Amendment protects knives as well as guns, one of Knife Rights’ foundational principles.

You can read the court’s decision here: http://www.wicourts.gov/ca/opinion/DisplayDocument.pdf?content=pdf&seqNo=155961

As such, this decision, albeit narrow as was required by Wisconsin law, held that at least with regards to switchblades at home, Wisconsin’s ban is unconstitutional. Knife Rights believes such bans are entirely unconstitutional. Having said that, Knife Rights Wisconsin Knife Law Reform bill, AB 142, would remove this prohibition altogether, as well as enact Knife Law Preemption, resolving the issue entirely. AB 142 has passed the House and awaits a vote in the Senate.

The case arose when Cory Herrmann, the defendant, was injured in his home. Showing his switchblade knife to a friend, Herrmann dropped the knife and cut his femoral artery. After 911 was called, officers responding to the scene seized the switchblade and subsequently Herrmann was charged with illegal possession.

June 23, 2015: With the adjournment of the New York legislature, the Machete Ban bill, S. 3199, has failed to pass this year after a strong lobbying effort by Knife Rights. It was initially passed by the Republican led Senate without proper consideration, but was never voted out of committee in the Democratic controlled Assembly. The bill would have added “Machete” to the same list of outlawed “Deadly Weapons” in which you will find Switchblades, Daggers and the like. Potential penalties for violations would be up to a year behind bars.

A machete, like a kitchen knife, or any other knife, is simply a common tool used daily by many New Yorkers at home, work and recreation. It is the height of insanity to try and blame the tool for a criminal’s misuse of that tool to commit a violent crime. Use of any inanimate object, tool or otherwise, to commit violence on another person is already a crime in New York. Knife Rights is pleased we were able to work with our friends in the Assembly to successfully stop this absurd bill from passing.

President Obama Declared Freddie Gray’s Knife NOT a Switchblade in 2009

by Knife Rights’ Doug Ritter with Evan F. Nappen, Esq.

May 7, 2015 – Gilbert, AZ: Freddie Gray was charged by Officer G. Miller with violating Baltimore’s “Switch-blade knives” City Code which was originally passed in 1950. Freddie Gray’s knife was described by the officer, under penalty of perjury, as “…found to be a spring assisted,

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May 7, 2015 – Gilbert, AZ: Freddie Gray was charged by Officer G. Miller with violating Baltimore’s “Switch-blade knives” City Code which was originally passed in 1950. Freddie Gray’s knife was described by the officer, under penalty of perjury, as “…found to be a spring assisted, one hand operated knife…” (link to Charging Document) In other words, the officer swore that it was a spring-assisted knife.

In response to Customs’

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 1, 2015 – Gilbert, AZ: In the case of the arrest on a knife charge and subsequent death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby charged that Freddie Gray was falsely arrested and that the knife in his pocket was not an illegal switchblade. Mosby is filing murder charges against one officer while others are being charged with crimes including manslaughter and assault.

April 27, 2015: Patrik Jonsson, a writer for the Christian Science Monitor, asked a very insightful question in an April 22 story on the recent questionable death of Freddie Gray while in custody of the Baltimore police: “Should it really be illegal to carry a knife in the city?” It should come as no surprise that Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter’s response is, “no, it should not be illegal to carry any knife, only actual use of a knife for criminal purposes should be illegal.” Doug is quoted several times in the article that explores the absurdity of knife bans and the adverse consequences that often result. Click here to read the article.

UPDATE 5/1/2015: State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby has indicated that Freddie Gray was falsely arrested and that the knife in his pocket was not illegal. Mosby said she will file murder charges against one officer and manslaughter and other charges against others.

According to news reports, Freddie Gray was arrested after a police officer supposedly found a “switchblade” in his pocket. But, the court documents reveal something else: “The officer noticed a knife clipped to the inside of his front right pants pocket. The defendant was arrested without force or incident,” the documents say. “The knife was recovered by this officer and found to be a spring-assisted, one-hand-operated knife.” (Emphasis added.) Note that the officer did not refer to the knife as a “switchblade.”

Click “Read More >>>>” below for additional details on the arrest and differences between a legal assisted-opening knife and a switchblade.

February 8, 2016: Knife Rights’ Wisconsin Knife Law Reform Bill including Knife Law Preemption, AB 142, was signed on February 6th by Governor Scott Walker. Wisconsin is the eleventh state in which Knife Rights has repealed a switchblade ban and the ninth in which we have passed Knife Law Preemption. The new law was enacted when it was officially published on February 7, 2016.

The signing ceremony was held during the annual meeting of Wisconsin FORCE, the state NRA affiliate. Wisconsin FORCE and Executive Director Jeff Nass played a critical role in passage of the bill and Knife Rights is appreciative of their support for our efforts to forge a Sharper Future for all Americans.

At the signing, Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter presented Governor Walker with a Pro-Tech TR-4 automatic (switchblade) knife specially engraved with the state seal and his name and dedication during the signing ceremony (photo after the break).

June 2, 2015: Knife Rights’ Nevada Knife Law Reform Bill, SB 176, was signed by Governor Sandoval on June 1st. This act repeals existing bans on switchblade knives (longer than 2-inches), dirks, daggers and belt buckle knives and becomes effective on July 1, 2015.

Unfortunately, because preemption was dropped from the bill, citizens and travelers will still have to be wary of local regulations more restrictive than the new state law.

Nevada is the tenth state, the third this year, where Knife Rights has repealed knife bans. Knife Rights would like to express our sincere appreciation to our bill sponsor, Nevada State Senator James Settelmeyer, who guided this bill through a difficult legislative process.

May 15, 2015: Knife Rights’ Texas Knife Law Preemption bill, HB 905, that would rid Texas of its patchwork of local knife laws more strict than state law, has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice. Time is short and we need your help to get this bill heard and passed out of this committee.

If you live, work or travel in Texas, we need you to ask Chairman Whitmire to hear HB 905 as soon as possible and we need you to also CALL and WRITE the committee members and politely ask them to support HB 905. Click on “Read More >>>>” below for a list of committee members with contacts.

October 15, 2015: Maine’ LD 264, “An Act To Restore the Right To Possess Certain Knives That Are Used by Many Citizens as Tools,” repealing the state’s ban on switchblade (automatic) knives is now in effect. Maine is the ninth state to allow switchblades since Knife Rights started it Sharper Future™ campaign six years ago.

Automatic knives are now legal for civilians without restriction in 28 states, and legal with various restrictions in 10 more. Nine of those 28 states have been added by Knife Rights since 2010. Knife Rights passed the nation’s first repeal of a automatic knife ban in 2010 in New Hampshire and has since passed repeal of automatic knife bans (and repealed other knife restrictions) in Alaska, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, Tennessee and Texas. In Oklahoma,this year Knife Rights’ legalized concealed carry of an switchblade (automatic) knife which goes into effect on November 1st.

November 1, 2015: Knife Rights’ Oklahoma Knife Law Preemption bill, HB 1460, takes effect today. Combined with Knife Rights’ Oklahoma Switchblade Carry Ban Repeal bill, HB 1911, that also takes effect today, preemption ensures that switchblade (automatic) knife carriers will not have to deal with local restrictions on automatics and that possession of all knives will be legal throughout the state.

Knife Law Preemption repeals and prevents local ordinances more restrictive than state law which only serve to confuse or entrap law-abiding citizens traveling within or through the state. Preemption ensures citizens can expect consistent enforcement of state knife laws everywhere in a state.

Daggers, Bowie knives and dirks are still prohibited from general carry in Oklahoma. Knife Rights still has some clean-up work to do in Oklahoma, but enactment of these two bills this year is a huge step forward for Oklahomans.

June 15, 2016: Knife Rights’ Gravity Knife and Switchblade Reform Bill, S6483-A/A9042-A, passed the New York Senate today on a unanimous vote of 61-0. Knife Rights’ Director of Legislative affairs, Todd Rathner, has spent many weeks on the ground in Albany this session working closely with our friends there to shepherd this bill through politically treacherous territory. All that extraordinary personal attention has paid off with this unanimous vote. The Assembly previously passed this bill 99-12.

However, it is not over yet. S6483-A/A9042-A still needs to be signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo. The Governor will not officially receive the bill for his consideration until it is transmitted. Transmission of the bill could take a few weeks, so please be patient with the process. When the time is ripe, we’ll ask for your help, but until then there’s no benefit to contacting the Governor about this bill.

Knife Rights would like to thank the following people who played a key role in helping to get this legislation through the legislature. Assembly Member Dan Quart (D) our primary sponsor in the Assembly, Senator Diane Savino (D) our primary sponsor in the Senate, Senator Michael Nozzolio (R) who made passing this bill a priority this session and Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan (R) whose staff worked closely with us to get the bill to the floor for a final vote.

Knife Rights would also like to acknowledge the invaluable assistance and support of The Legal Aid Society of New York, as well as the many other organizations that supported this bill. We’d also like to thank all of you who called or emailed Leader Flannigan asking for a vote on this bill. Your calls and emails make a difference.

Oct. 8, 2014: New York City’s The Village Voice newspaper has published a front-page article, “Blade Stunner,” slamming the City’s persecution of knife owners. Journalist Jon Campbell’s in-depth research provides a historical perspective and personalizes the unfortunate and serious impact the City’s irrational and unconstitutional enforcement has had on citizens arrested and prosecuted for simply carrying a common folding knife.

One of the most shocking revelations in this article confirms Knife Rights’

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July 1, 2014: July 1st is Knife Freedom Day in Tennessee. Knife Rights’ repeal of the ban on automatic (switchblade) knives and the carry of knives over four inches in length “with intent to go armed,” a vague law subject to abusive interpretation, goes into effect today. Combined with Knife Law Preemption that Knife Rights passed in Tennessee last year, which rendered null and void all local laws more restrictive than state law, this means that all law-abiding citizens of the Volunteer State can now own and carry the knife of their choice.

Knife Rights cautions that not all law enforcement officers may be aware of the change in the law, so be respectful, polite and cooperative if stopped, but suggest they may want to check before trying to enforce a law no longer on the books. All Knife Rights members should review attorney Evan Nappen’s recently updated article, “Knife Arrest! How Knife Owners Can Protect Themselves“

This Knife Owner’s Protection Act FAQ can also be downloaded as a PDF document.

Why do we need KOPA?

Those who travel across the country with common knives for work, recreation, and self defense are presently subject to arrest and prosecution under a confusing patchwork of inconsistent state and local laws and regulations. What is perfectly legal in one place may be a serious crime in another, carrying significant penalties including jail time.

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Knife Rights is spearheading a Federal Civil Rights lawsuit, originally filed in June 2011, against New York City and New York County District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. over their wrongful harassment of knife owners, retailers and manufacturers.  As this lawsuit works its way forward, we will post newsworthy events and links to articles, motions and other relevant information here (Click on "Read More >>>>" below for links).

Lawsuit Summary: The lawsuit challenges New York City’s and District Attorney Vance’s attempt to criminalize as contraband the most widely-owned pocket knives in America — one-hand opening and assisted opening folding knives — under state laws prohibiting switchblades and gravity knives. The case seeks a judicial determination that the New York State laws regarding switchblades and gravity knives are unconstitutionally vague as applied by NYC and the DA to these common pocket knives (which are distinct from gravity knives and switchblades because of their bias towards closure). Knife Rights’ lawsuit intends to stop New York City officials from abusing this vague state law to make bogus arrests of law-abiding citizens carrying common pocket knives, and from coercing knife retailers into making huge payments to avoid prosecution.(Click on "Read More >>>>" below for links to background articles)

Status Summary as of June 10, 2016: Attorneys representing Knife Rights’ plaintiffs and the defendants New York City and District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. will square off in Federal Court in Manhattan on Thursday morning, June 16. The oral argument portion of the trial on the merits will finally be held before U.S. District Court Judge Katherine B. Forrest five years after our federal civil rights lawsuit was originally filed. The public is welcome to attend. Click here to read article with full details.

2013 has been our most productive year yet, building upon our prior successes to create an even Sharper Future™. With your help:

Some naysayers argued that political reaction to the Newtown tragedy would make it impossible for us to make headway this year, but we were not convinced. Turns out we were right!

For full details on our five-year record of extraordinary success, click on “Read More >>>>”

The first ever scholarly analysis of knives and the Second Amendment has been accepted for publication by the University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform. Researched and written by highly respected Second Amendment legal scholars David Kopel, Clayton Cramer and Joseph Edward Olson, the article makes the case that “Knives are clearly among the ‘arms’ which are protected by the Second Amendment.” This supports one of the foundations for Knife Rights’ efforts to protect our rights, “Essential Tools – Essential Rights.”

July 24, 2013: Knife Rights has recently received numerous emails and calls seeking clarification of the new Texas law (HB1862) repealing the ban on automatic (switchblade) knives that Knife Rights passed this year. This new law goes into effect on September 1.

The Texas Legislature will be back is session in 2015 and Knife Rights will be there working to remove the remaining restrictions and to get Knife Law Preemption passed. In the meantime there are still limitations that Texas owners of automatic knives must be aware of.

Click on “Read More >>>>” for all the critical details.

June 21, 2013: After two years of effort, Alaska Governor Sean Parnell has signed HB33, Alaska’s Knife Rights Act, which enacts sweeping reform of Alaska’s knife laws. HB33 legalizes the possession, transfer and carrying of automatic knives (switchblades). It also enacts knife law preemption repealing all local knife laws as well as preventing new ones from being enacted. The effective date of HB33 is September 18, 2013.

At the invitation of Governor Parnell, Knife Rights Director of Legislative Affairs, Todd Rathner (far right in photos), attended the signing ceremony in Palmer, Alaska.

Knife Rights would like to thank Governor Parnell for recognizing and expanding the rights of everyday Alaskans as well as the millions who visit Alaska every year to hunt, fish and recreate. We would also like to thank the sponsors of the HB33, Representative Mark Neumann and Senator Fred Dyson, for sponsoring this important legislation.Knife Rights would also like to thank Pro-Tech Knives for their support in helping to pass this legislation.

With Governor Parnell’s signature, all of Knife Rights legislation passed this year has now been signed into law. Alaska becomes the 7th state to enact Knife Rights’ signature Knife Law Preemption.

Knife Rights Scorecard This Year:

May 13, 2013: Indiana Governor Mike Pence has signed HB1563 which repeals the state’s irrational ban on switchblade knives. The new law takes effect on July 1, 2013.

Please note that this repeal did not include Knife Law Preemption, we’re going to see about that next time around, so any local laws banning switchblades are still in effect.

Thanks again to Senators Jim Tomes and Johnny Nugent for their tireless efforts working with Knife Rights to pass this repeal.

June 9, 2011: Knife Rights has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit to stop New York City from arresting law-abiding citizens carrying common pocket knives.

The lawsuit challenges New York State law on “gravity knives” and switchblades, and New York City District Attorney Cyrus Vance’s attempt to mischaracterize the most widely-owned pocket knives in America as contraband. The case seeks a judicial determination that the law is unconstitutionally vague as applied to these ordinary pocket knives.

“District Attorney Vance is trying to advance his political career by exploiting a vague state law to demonize common pocket knives,” said Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter. “In the process, hundreds of law abiding knife owners are being arrested and Vance has extracted nearly $2 million from retailers to avoid prosecution on bogus charges. This lawsuit intends to put a stop to Vance’s abusive and unconscionable civil rights violations.”

“One-hand opening pocket knives are legal tools, used and carried every day by millions of law-abiding citizens for work, recreation and self-defense,” said Ritter. “Shame on D.A. Vance for demonizing common tools and turning honest citizens into criminals for purely political ends.”

If you are a retailer or individual who has been targeted for the sale or possession of so-called illegal knives (one-hand opening and assisted opening knives inappropriately claimed to be gravity knives or switchblades), we urge you to immediately contact Knife Rights at: email nycity@KnifeRights.org or call toll-free: 1-866-889-6268.

Click below on “Read More >>>>” for additional details and a link to the Federal Complaint as filed.

Federal Switchblade Act as Amended by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on October 28, 2009. The amendment added exception (5), shown in red below, which specifically allows for one-hand opening and assisted opening knives:

U.S. Code

Chapter 29 – Manufacture, Transportation, or Distribution of Switchblade Knives

Section 1241. Definitions

As used in this chapter –
(a) The term “interstate commerce” means commerce between any State,

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Dear Knife Enthusiast:

Today, in many parts of the world, knife ownership and carry is severely restricted. In many so-called civilized nations the one-hand opening, lock blade pocket knives that represent 80% of the knives sold in the U.S. today are either outlawed entirely or their carry is illegal except in very restricted circumstances. Even simple non-locking traditional pocketknives are illegal in some places or their length severely restricted.

If you don’t believe that these sorts of restrictions common elsewhere in the world cannot come to the U.S.

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The Knife Rights Foundation has successfully launched its Knife Rights Sharper Future Legal Fund™ with contributions from twelve industry leaders plus other donors, some anonymous. .

The Fund will be used to pursue litigation in support of knife owner civil rights, initially aimed at stopping New York County (Manhattan) District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr’s illegitimate assault on one-hand opening and assisted opening knives in New York City.

“This initial backing by leaders of the knife industry recognizes that knife owners do not take their civil rights lightly, that we have the will, and the means, to fight back,” said Knife Rights chairman Doug Ritter.

“I applaud these industry leaders who stepped up, as true leaders will in times of crisis, to jump-start the Fund.”

Platinum-level $30,000 donors include Benchmade Knife Co., Blue Ridge Knives, Taylor Brands and United Cutlery.

Gold $20,000 doors are Buck Knives and Columbia River Knife & Tool

Silver $15,000 donors are KnifeWorks.com and Wenger NA.

Smokey Mountain Knife Works is a Titanium donor at $7,500.

Bronze donors Ethan Becker and KA-BAR Knives each gave $5,000.

Additional money has been donated anonymously, including a $10,000 donation from an Internet knife retailer.

Said Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter, “Litigation is only one aspect of our efforts to protect your civil rights. With your continued support, you can be sure that Knife Rights will forge ahead with our legislative initiatives to enhance protections for knife owners in New York and throughout the U.S., with efforts to clarify or do away with restrictive knife laws and through our National Knife Law Preemption Campaign.

Read prior articles on the NYC DA Vance’s persecution of Knife Onwners:

     Manhattan District Attorney Shakes Down Honest Knife Retailers
     Knife Rights Contests DA’s Claims, Tactics in Knife Retailer Shakedown
     Will DA Vance Arrest Stephen Colbert?
     New Yorker Gives Thanks to Knife Rights Foundation

Please help us stop this insanity. Make a Contribution to our fight against the DA’s assault on our pocket knives.

If you are a retailer or individual who finds yourself targeted for the sale or possession of so-called illegal knives (one-hand opening and assisted opening knives inappropriately claimed to be gravity knives or switchblades), we urge you to immediately contact Knife Rights at: email nycity@KnifeRights.org or call toll-free: 1-866-889-6268.

You have a constitutional right to seek help and counsel.

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Will DA Vance Arrest Stephen Colbert for Switchblade Possession?

August 29: Given New York District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr.’s campaign to shakedown and prosecute those selling or possessing so-called “illegal knives” (locking one-handed and assisted openers) in New York, one has to wonder when his goons will show up on Stephen Colbert’s doorstep to arrest the self-proclaimed liberal TV satirist. On the August 18 Colbert Report, which is produced in New York City, Colbert flicked open a Benchmade Barrage assisted opening knife, which would be a switchblade according to DA Vance’s self-serving distortion and abuse of New York State’s switchblade and gravity knife statute. Click here to watch Colbert demonstrate his knife skill (at the 38 second point of the video segment).

We aren’t holding our breath for that to happen, however. Vance clearly operates to a double standard when it comes to his prosecutions and your civil rights. Which explains why Paragon Sports in NYC is still displaying and selling its hundreds of thousands of dollars of custom knives, many or most of which are locking one-hand openers that operate exactly the same as the lower cost production knives that Paragon handed over to Vance when they paid a six-figure “contribution” to Vance to avoid prosecution for selling so-called “illegal gravity knives.” Apparently it’s only illegal to sell these so-called “illegal knives” when the customers are just plain working folks. If you are wealthy enough to afford a high-end custom knife from Paragon, then that’s fine. The hypocrisy is apparently lost on Paragon which seems perfectly comfortable with the DA’s double standard on civil rights.

NYC Knife Persecution Developments

Ace Hardware has apparently been targeted by Vance and in furtherance of another one of those deferred prosecution agreement shakedowns, has sent a memo to all of its dealers and co-op members in New York State, not just New York City, requiring that they “must remove all one-handed opening knives from their shelves.” They will no longer ship such knives to their dealers and co-op members in New York State.

When I spoke to Ace Hardware’s attorney at their headquarters, he didn’t argue that Vance’s interpretation of New York law was flawed, but rather he noted that they were protecting their many independent dealers and co-op members, a unique business model compared to others Vance has shaken down, none of which could have stood up to Vance had he attacked them each independently. He declined to explain why they agreed to restrict one-hand openers from the entire state, which clearly falls outside Vance’s jurisdiction. Once again, Vance’s mafia-like shakedown scheme scores a win because the major retailers will not risk the potential for harassment by Vance and his goons. Knife sales simply do not represent enough business to be worth it to them. In this case, his reach outside the city itself to take a swipe at your rights is even more troubling.

DA Vance’s assault on folders has also driven the 32-year-old New York Custom Knife Show out of New York City. It’s moved across the river to Secaucus, New Jersey. For more information: http://bit.ly/9SWJgN

Read prior articles on this issue:

     Manhattan District Attorney Shakes Down Honest Knife Retailers
     Knife Rights Contests DA’s Claims, Tactics in Knife Retailer Shakedown

June 20: New York District Attorney Vance’s dramatic press conference on Thursday was quite a show with a very impressive array of so-called gravity knives and switchblades displayed, but political grandstanding doesn’t change the fact that the claims made by Vance had little basis in truth.

Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter said, “the outrageous claims made by Vance to rationalize his shakedown of honest knife retailers during his press conference were all deliberate misrepresentations or half-truths, if not outright lies. If the general media in attendance wasn’t so unfortunately uninformed of the issues and the law, as well as the technical aspects of folding knives, he might have had a more difficult time getting them to swallow the unmitigated fabrications he was dishing out.”

Since the industry’s numbers put the pocket knife-carrying population in the area of forty million, and 80% of the knives sold in America are one-handed openers of one design or another, for certain the majority of these millions understand just how absurd the DA’s claims are when they see a display of the same knives they carry and use everyday deemed to be illegal. The increased practicality and safety of these commonly used tools over more traditional pocket knives accounts for their widespread popularity.

Said Ritter, “It’s hard to imagine how Vance could be further out of touch with both the law and mainstream America.” Ritter goes on into detail on the misleading information from the DA.

Doug Ritter, Chairman of Knife Rights, presented Sharper Futureâ„¢ Awards to three recipients at the inaugural Sharper Futureâ„¢ Awards Breakfast at BLADE Show in Atlanta, Georgia.

New Hampshire State Representative Jenn Coffey was the recipient of the inaugural Freedom’s Edgeâ„¢ award given to honor a local, state or national elected representative who has demonstrated their commitment to a Sharper Futureâ„¢ by leadership in the fight to protect or enhance our knife rights.

Evan Nappen was the recipient of the inaugural Freedom’s Pointâ„¢ award to honor an individual citizen who has demonstrated their commitment to a Sharper Futureâ„¢ by leadership in the fight to protect or enhance our knife rights.

Sarah Buduson, a reporter for KPHO (CBS affiliate) in Phoenix, Arizona, was the recipient of the inaugural Freedom’s Voiceâ„¢ award given to honor a journalist or journalistic team in general media that has demonstrated a commitment to fair, accurate and insightful coverage on an issue involving knife ownership.

June 5, 2010: Knife Rights chairman Doug Ritter today announced the appointment of Todd Rathner as Director of Legislative Affairs at Knife Rights’ Sharper Future™ Awards Breakfast at the BLADE Show in Atlanta.

Ritter said, “It is indicative of our priorities to protect and expand knife owners’ rights that our first paid position is one to coordinate our aggressive legislative agenda. Todd proved his effectiveness this year in the successful passage of the Arizona Knife Preemption Law in Arizona, which launched our National Knife Law Preemption Campaign.”

The American Knife and Tool Instsitute (AKTI), the knife industry’s advocacy group, has compiled the statistics below.

U.S. Sporting Knife Industry – $5.9 Billion Economic Impact on U.S. Economy

• 3,881 direct U.S. Employees at 61 Companies
• 19,405 Ancillary Support Jobs in other industries
• $986.87 Million Gross Revenues (2007) at manufacturer/importer level
• $5.921 Billion Total Economic Impact on U.S. Economy

Source: 2007 Report – The AKTI State of the Sporting Knife Industry

Anglers and Hunters Spend Nearly $65 Billion Annually

• 30 Million people fished in 2006 (16 and older)
• Anglers spent $42 Billion
• 12.5 Million people hunted in 2006
• Hunters spent $22.9 Billion

Source: U.S.

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On Friday, March 9th, 2007, in the case of Parker v. Washington, D.C., a three judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms. This has been seen as a major victory for Second Amendments supporters. While the case involved handguns, knives also are “arms” and the decision is equally of interest to knife owners.

We asked attorney David Wong, author of Knife Laws of the Fifty States: A Guide for the Law-Abiding Traveler, to review this decision and put it into perspective for knife owners:

Why did you form Knife Rights?

We organized Knife Rights in December of 2006 as a result of an article that appeared in the Wall Street Journal article (read the WSJ article in PDF format (1 MB download) or in standard web format as published in another paper). This article served as the catalyst that focused our attention on the threat. We recognized that those with an anti-knife agenda strategically planted the seeds for this article with a reporter they knew would likely end up writing it with the slant they were looking for.

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