Category: Newsletter

Knife Rights stands on two essential truths: "Essential Tools™" and "Essential Rights™." We stand on these sturdy legs when we work with legislatures and when we fight in the courts to advance our goal, a Sharper Future for all Americans™. Now, our Essential Rights™ enshrined in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are threatened as they have never been threatened before. The heinous criminal tragedy at Sandy Hook elementary school has opened the door to those for whom no weapons and no self-defense is the ultimate goal. We must all come together to protect these rights or surely lose both our rights and our tools.... Read More

Nov. 1, 2012 (UPDATED Dec.12, 2012): Mother Jones takes on Knife Rights in the November-December issue of the left-wing publication. While we could never have expected Mother Jones to be supportive of our positions, and their prejudices come through loud and clear in their snarky headline and over-the-top illustration, they mostly got the facts straight (with a couple glaring exceptions) and fairly presented our views. Considering the source, it is a surprisingly balanced presentation of a subject they clearly find offensive. Mother Jones declined to allow us to re-publish the article, but you can read it here with an updated hyperbolic headline, "Move Over, NRA. Meet the Knife Lobby": http://bit.ly/UPj9Td Click here to make a donation to support Knife Rights' Federal Civil Rights lawsuit against New York City.... Read More

July 11, 2012: Missouri Governor Jay Nixon on Monday signed SB489, repealing the ban on possession, sale and manufacture of switchblade knives in Missouri as long as it is not "in violation of federal law." In practical terms all that means is that you cannot do so in interstate commerce or on Indian reservations or elsewhere that federal regulations may prevent such activities.... Read More

May 5, 2012: With encouragement from your phone calls, emails and letters, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal has signed the single most important bill for knife owners and the knife industry to pass this year. With his signature, Knife Rights' drafted SB432 establishes knife law preemption in Georgia, effectively repealing draconian restrictions on knife ownership, sales and manufacturing in cities like Atlanta, home of BLADE Show, the world's largest knife show. Please note that this new Knife Preemption Law does not go into effect until July 1, 2012, so BLADE Show attendees should remain cautious this year as the old laws remain in effect until July 1st. For full details on Georgia's Knife Preemption Law, click on Read More >>>>... Read More

March 6, 2012: The Alaska House of Representatives has unanimously passed HB55 "Definitions of Gravity Knives and Switchblades," referred to by sponsor Rep. Mark Neuman as the "Knife Rights Bill." HB55 would clarify state law on the subject of assisted-opening and one-hand opening knives to ensure they are not considered gravity knives or switchblades, currently banned under Alaska statute. At Knife Rights' request, the bill was amended to include Knife Law Preemption which would make knife laws consistent across Alaska. HB55 is now in the Alaska Senate where it has been referred to the Judiciary Committee. If you live, work or travel in Alaska, please contact the Judiciary Committee members and ask them to vote in support of HB55. Click here to contact the Judiciary Committee members.... Read More

March 29, 2012: Washington Governor Chris Gregoire signed Knife Rights supported HB2347 into law this evening at a signing ceremony at the capitol. This important legislation makes Washington more friendly to knife owners and manufacturers by clarifying the definition of so-called "spring blade" knives (switchblades) so as to clearly make assisted-opening knives legal in the state. This clarification allows for sale, manufacture and possession of assisted-opening knives in Washington. HB2347 also makes it legal to manufacture switchblade knives in the state of Washington. In addition, it would expand the existing law enforcement exemption for possession of switchblades to members of the military and full-time first responders. While Knife Rights does not believe there should be any distinction between citizens and government employees when it comes to possessing life saving tools, we also understand political reality. We will be working with Washington state residents and officials to change this in the future when the political landscape is more favorable to such a rational move forward. Thanks to all of you who called and emailed throughout the process and helped to make this happen! We would like to recognize Mike Vellekamp, one of the owners of Fox Knives USA, who spearheaded the effort to get this bill passed. If it were not for his initiative and hard work, things would not be moving forward for knife owners and manufacturers in Washington state.... Read More

January 23, 2012: We have both good and bad news from Washington State. Starting with the good, two companion bills, Senate Bill 6179 and House Bill 2347, would make it legal to manufacture spring-assisted and switchblade knives in the state of Washington. These bills also clarify the definition of a switchblade, or what is referred to in Oregon law as a "spring blade knife," so as to not include assisted-opening knives that are currently subject to adverse interpretation of the state statute making them technically illegal. In addition, this bill would expand the existing law enforcement exemption for possession of "spring blade knives" to members of the military, full-time first responders and those citizens who hold a valid Washington concealed pistol license (WA is a "shall issue" state). The bad news is that last year's ridiculous anti-knife bill, HB 1006, that would make it illegal to conceal any knife over 3 1/2 inches long, even with a WA concealed pistol permit (since it is not a concealed weapon permit), has been resurrected. In a state where a long coat is a normal part of every outdoor enthusiast's, fisherman's and hunter's attire for a good part of the year, this would turn honest citizens into criminals for carrying a modestly sized sheath knife on their belt, along with quite a few common folding knives longer than the arbitrary length limit. It's time to put a stake through the heart of this asinine legislation and Knife Rights is working on that. If you live, work or travel in Washington state, please contact BOTH your Senator and Representative in Olympia and ask them to support SB 1234 and HB 2347, respectively and ask your Representative to help kill HB 1006 for good. Click here to locate your legislators, or the legislators who represent where you work or travel. For more details, click on "Read More>>>>"... Read More

The NRA’s December issue of America’s 1st Freedom magazine includes a 12-page feature article on Knife Rights: “Will Knives Fold?” The article chronicles the founding of Knife Rights and the anti-knife forces it is fighting, noting that “with startling parallels to the anti-gun movement, knife rights are under attack today. Here’s why NRA members should take note.“ Knife Rights welcomes NRA members to the Second Front in Defense of the Second Amendment™. … Continued... Read More

October 25, 2011: Florida HB 179 and companion bill SB 356, which would have made it illegal to carry a “common pocket knife” on school grounds in Florida, have been “withdrawn.” Knife Rights, along with our good friends at Florida Carry, shined a bright light on this unnecessary legislation and helped to derail it. Staying on top of anti-knife legislation like this is a critical part of Knife Rights’ … Continued... Read More

Sept. 11, 2012: In a serious blow to the attempts by New York City and NYC District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. to derail Knife Rights' federal civil rights lawsuit against them, U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones on September 10 denied their motions for judgment on the pleadings and to dismiss the case. The ruling comes on the heels of a decision by Federal Magistrate Judge Ronald Ellis on September 7 allowing victimized NYC retailer Native Leather to join the case as a plaintiff (announced yesterday - See "Read More" below). Together, these rulings affirm that Knife Rights' lawsuit is valid on its face and will proceed to trial. "Despite their attempts to make this case go away, NYC and DA Vance will now be held fully accountable in federal court by Knife Rights for their disgraceful attempts to demonize the most widely-owned pocket knives in America as contraband, and to intimidate honest knife retailers into making six-figure forced 'contributions' to the City, under threat of criminal penalty, in order to avoid prosecution," said Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter. Click on "Read More>>>>" for additional details including Judge Jones' decision and order.... Read More

January 8, 2012: Politicians rarely avoid publicizing signing of a new law or ordinance into law unless they are embarrassed or don't want to draw attention to an otherwise stupid new regulation. No surprise then that Boston Mayor Tom Menino signed into law "An Ordinance Providing for the Licensing of Stores That Sell Certain Knives" with absolutely no fanfare, no publicity and no public announcement. It is a disappointing, if not entirely unexpected, conclusion to this sordid, and likely ineffective, effort to restrict knife sales to youths. We remain opposed to any and all such regulations that in any way restrict a citizens' access to perfectly legal tools. This should serve as a warning to those who don't believe it can happen "over here." Knives are heavily regulated in Europe and those opposed to individual liberty are clearly aiming to expand these restrictions to our shores. Licensing knife retailers is just one strategy that can be used and then abused. While it is easy enough to make excuses for Boston based on its left-leaning political climate, let's not forget that many bad laws spread widely after just such an inauspicious start. The much reviled Federal Switchblade Act started out in just this way, at a local and state level. Just because it is stupid and unjust doesn't mean that politicians won't do it!... Read More

On Thursday, September 8, 2011, the Public Safety Committee of the Boston City Council held a public hearing concerning the potential licensing of businesses that sell knives. According to the supporters, the action is needed to address the “ever increasing knife violence in Boston.” Knife Rights was represented by Jim Wallace. Click here to read his disturbing report. … Continued... Read More

June 9, 2011: New Hampshire Governor John Lynch has signed into law the Knife Rights backed Knife Law Preemption Bill, HB 544. New Hampshire becomes the third state in the nation to enact Knife Law Preemption. The law takes effect in 60 days. Congratulations to NH Rep. Jenn Coffey who sponsored this bill and who worked tirelessly with her colleagues, local advocates and our lobbyist to ensure the bill passed unanimously in both houses of the New Hampshire legislature. Rep. Coffey's efforts enacted a strong preemption law which will protect knife owners from senseless local ordinances well into the future.... Read More

The upcoming NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits and BLADE Show are our two biggest events of the year. If you are attending either event, you need to make sure you stop by and see us, because you could win BIG! At the NRA in Pittsburgh we will once again be right next door to KA-BAR who generously continue to donate space to Knife Rights. Find us in Booth 1846. At BLADE Show in Atlanta we have a new location, … Continued... Read More

April 7, 2011: As a result of Knife Rights’ lobbying, the Nevada Senate Committee on Judiciary has removed all references to knives in SB171. This includes removal of the proposed new definition of “Dangerous Knives” as any knife under 2-inches long and prohibitions on possession of knives on school grounds. Thanks to everyone who went responded to Knife Rights’ action alerts and went online to voice their opposition to SB171. … Continued... Read More

March 24, 2011: Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert has signed the Knife Rights backed Knife Law Preemption Bill, HB 271, making Utah the nation's second state to enact Knife Law Preemption. Knife Rights would like to thank the bill's chief sponsor, Representative Ryan D. Wilcox and the Senate sponsor, Senator Allen M. Christensen, for their support. Knife Rights appreciates Governor Herbert's signing the bill promptly. We'd also like to thank the Utah Shooting Sport Council for all their support during our lobbying effort. Knife Rights Chairman, Doug Ritter, said, "we are very pleased to have Utah become the second state in the nation to pass Knife Law Preemption, helping to lead the way to a sharper future. Knife Rights' National Knife Law Preemption Campaign is now gaining momentum and this law is further proof that Knife Rights is leading the charge in legislative initiatives to decriminalize knife possession and improve or eliminate restrictive knife laws." The bill becomes law 60 days after adjournment of the Legislature. Click here to read the text of the bill. Knife Rights would like to offer our special thanks to Blade HQ of Lehi, Utah, for their financial support for this effort and for testifying in support of the bill at the Legislature.... Read More

April 15, 2011: Knife Rights backed Knife Law Preemption bill, HB544, will be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 20th. It passed the NH House last month. If you are a citizen of New Hampshire or if you travel there on business or recreation, please send an e-mail to the Senators on the Judiciary Committee asking them for their support. We have provided a model email for you to send to the committee members (click on "Read More >>>>" below).... Read More

As Knife Rights celebrates its fifth anniversary, the time has come to offer a Life Membership. It is clear that we are going to be around for the long haul and in response to the many requests, Knife Rights is introducing an Individual Life Membership. Since its founding in 2006, Knife Rights has set the pace in defending the rights of the individual knife owner. Our advocacy and legislative efforts have started to turn back over 50 years of adverse knife legislation and regulation and we have successfully opposed new efforts to restrict our tools. Our successes have made a difference for you and future generations. Knife Rights now invites you to become a member for life. Share our vision, share our values, and share our mission to protect our most important values and rights. From now until the end of the June, Life Memberships will be introductory priced at $850, a $125 discount off the regular cost. Act now and make the commitment to our future. The time is now to act for life. Sign up for an Individual Life Membership Today!... Read More

April 4, 2011: The Nevada Senate Committee on Judiciary has placed anti-knife bill SB171 on their Thursday morning agenda. Knife Rights' lobbyist is headed to Carson City to work against this bill, BUT WE NEED THE SENATORS TO HEAR FROM YOU! Go to this link to voice your opposition. Vote Against this bill: http://bit.ly/i224SF... Read More

February 28, 2011: ATTENTION Nevada residents and those who do business or recreate in the state. We need you to ACT TODAY! The Committee Hearing for the anti-knife bill SB 171 is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:00 AM. Nevada offers citizens a unique way to make their feelings known via an online poll with comments allowed. Go to this link: http://bit.ly/i224SF Please pass this along to every Nevada resident you know. Please post this on any appropriate forums.... Read More

March 2, 2011: The Knife Rights backed Knife Law Preemption bill is headed to the Governor after being passed by the Utah Senate. HB 271 prohibits a municipality, county, or local district from passing any ordinance more restrictive than state law. Representative Ryan D. Wilcox's bill was modeled on Knife Rights' Knife Preemption Law passed in Arizona last year. This bill is among the first of a number of legislative initiatives that Knife Rights is working on for this year. Please make a contribution to the Second Frontâ„¢ Legislative Campaign which supports our National Knife Law Preemption Campaign and other legislative initiatives to decriminalize knife possession and rationalize restrictive knife laws.... Read More

December 13, 2010: A Washington state representative has introduced a bill amending Washington law to outlaw concealed carry of knives with blades longer than 3 1/2 inches. While Arizona, New Hampshire and other states are making progress in the personal choices law abiding citizens make regarding the type of knives they carry, Rep. Sherry Appleton (D - LD23) is looking to set her state's knife laws back decades.... Read More

Nov. 24, 2010: On this Thanksgiving, one New York citizen is giving thanks to Knife Rights Foundation for a holiday without the threat of a year in jail hanging over his head. The New Yorker, whose name is being withheld to prevent possible harassment, said, "words cannot express my thanks to Knife Rights Foundation for coming to my aid and helping me gain a measure of justice when things looked pretty bleak for me." "Knife Rights is pleased that our legal team's first foray against New York County District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. is resulting in dismissal of charges against a wrongly accused citizen," said Knife Rights Foundation chairman Doug Ritter. Charges against the defendant, who was carrying a Gerber one-hand opening pocketknife used daily in his work, were resolved with an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal (ACD) in the first case in which Knife Rights Foundation lent its assistance. This citizen originally faced up to one year in jail and a criminal record which could have jeopardized his professional license and livelihood. Until the Knife Rights legal team became involved in his defense, an ACD had not been offered, even though it had been sought. After Knife Rights' research and legal arguments were stated in an extensive brief, the DA offered the ACD rather than proceed with prosecution of the case. A typical ACD results in dismissal of a case after passage of a brief period of time and satisfaction of certain conditions (often a brief period of community service), and that was the result in this first case.... Read More

April 28: Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has signed the the nation’s first Knife Preemption Law, advanced by Knife Rights. The bill, SB1153, was passed by bipartisan votes of 36-19 in the Arizona House and 19-9 in the Arizona Senate. It will take effect 90 days after the legislature adjourns, expected this week, and not only prevents political subdivisions from enacting new ordinances and rules, but voids all existing restrictive knife ordinances. In combination with Arizona’s recently enacted constitutional concealed carry law, … Continued... Read More

Knife Rights on Twitter Follow Knife Rights on Twitter and receive the latest updates and notices as soon as they occur: http://twitter.com/KnifeRights Join, Renew or Donate to Knife Rights Knife Rights has quickly grown to become America's largest grassroots knife owners organization. This latest fight against Customs Pocket Knife Grab has validated the power and importance of a dedicated grass roots organization in defending your knife rights. Invest in a Sharper Futureâ„¢. Become a Knife Rights member and make a contribution to support the fight against Customs Pocket Knife Grab. Your membership dues help support our efforts to protect your rights. Invest a modest sum in A Sharper Futureâ„¢. Join at the Benefactor level to help us even more. JOIN NOW! PLEASE DONATE TO SUPPORT THIS FIGHT FOR YOUR KNIFE RIGHTS! Copyright 2010, Knife Rights, Inc. This may be reproduced. It may not be reproduced for commercial purposes.... Read More

WE STOPPED CUSTOMS Pocket Knife Grab! The President signed into law the FY2010 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill on October 28, 2009, protecting our pocket knives. The bill included our amendment to the Federal Switchblade Act that clearly exempts assisted and one-hand opening knives. This is the culmination of an incredible effort on the part of Knife Rights, American Knife and Tool Institute, NRA, Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and many other organizations who contributed. Each organization made key contributions to the effort, without which the end result might not have turned out so well. Not many folks gave us much hope of succeeding when Customs first proposed revoking their rulings and redefining what is a switchblade back in May. At a time when bipartisanship is rare as hen's teeth in Washington, we garnered support from both sides of the aisle. We succeeded because the coalition of groups that came together to fight Customs represented a broad swath of American industry and grassroots. We succeeded in large part because of YOUR contributions, letters and calls in support of our efforts. You can give yourself a pat on the back for your effort and a job well done against all odds. It is time to pop the cork on that bottle of champagne and celebrate a victory for your knife rights and for all America. Below is the amendment: Sec. 562 . Section 4 of the Act entitled `An Act to prohibit the introduction, or manufacture for introduction, into interstate commerce of switchblade knives, and for other purposes' (commonly known as the Federal Switchblade Act) (15 U.S.C. 1244) is amended-- (1) by striking `or' at the end of paragraph (3);  (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (4) and inserting `; or' and  (3) by adding at the end the following:  `(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 here to download the complete Federal Switchblade Act as amended.... Read More

On September 16th Knife Rights participated in a lobby day on Capitol Hill, along with representatives of the American Knife and Tool Institute, the NRA and the Congressional Sportsmen Foundation. Representing Knife Rights were Doug Ritter, Pete Brownell and Jason Kunkler (from www.knifecenter.com). While it was an exhausting, and at times frustrating, experience, it was clearly beneficial that House Committee and Member staff heard from us why it was so important to retain the Senate Amendment 1447 in the final Homeland Security Appropriations bill. … Continued... Read More

Time for the Final Push to stop Customs Pocket Knife Grab. We need you to write NOW! BUT, not all of you… We have a targeted list of leaders of the House committees that will be involved in the Conference Committee that will decide if Amendment 1447 is included in the final bill. We need you to write ONLY if you are from their state, OR if you travel to their states for work or recreation (hunting, … Continued... Read More

Knife Rights News Slice Vol. 2 Number 18 (08/29/2009) We are still over a week away from Congress returning from recess, but we’ve been receiving an increasing number of emails, so an update seems to be in order. While Congress has been home being beat up in Town Halls and the like, Knife Rights has been diligently lobbying key Congressional staff and conferring with our coalition partners, as we indicated we’d be doing in our last News Slice email, "Customs Officially Backs Off." This effort is ongoing and we will continue towards the final push when Congress returns to get the Amendment to the Switchblade Act that was passed in the Senate retained in the final Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. Our meetings with staff have been productive and encouraging. I believe we have been successful at conveying the critical importance of this legislation to the millions of knife owners, their constituents and voters (YOU!), which we represent. We have also been encouraging the Administration (meaning Customs) to communicate their support for this amendment directly to the House Conference Committee leadership. Our meeting with staff of Senator Inouye, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a key player in this battle, gave us a good deal of encouragement that the Senate leadership of the committee is solidly behind keeping this amendment in the final bill. I'd like to especially thank Knife Rights Knifemaker member Ken Onion for his help with Senator Inouye's office. Personal relationships are always a critical part of legislative solutions and this is but one example where that has helped get us to this point. I have received numerous emails asking if it's time to write letters to House members and in our opinion, and that of most of our coalition partners, it is not yet the right moment to do so. It isn't yet clear that inundating House or Conference Committee members with letters will be helpful and the timing certainly isn't yet optimum for a letter writing/emailing campaign, even if that is required. Congress isn’t even back from recess until Sept. 8th. Congress needs to get back to work and actually schedule a date for the Conference Committee to meet before we should make that effort. Timing is critical and we do best to keep our edges sharp, but wait to use that edge to best advantage. If and when we need you to write, we will let you know, along with providing model letters. As the return of Congress approaches, we'll be starting up again the regular telephone conferences with our coalition partners that we originally initiated in an effort to streamline and coordinate lobbying efforts and develop strategy, a crucial effort that helped to get us this far. Knife Rights is proud to have provided the leadership in developing this cooperative approach; encouraging collaboration and partnership in this fight for our rights. We will be in touch as soon as anything critical occurs or if we need your assistance in writing your Members of Congress. Things won’t really start popping until Congress returns. Follow Knife Rights on Twitter and receive the latest updates and notices as soon as they occur: http://twitter.com/KnifeRights Pete Brownell Joins Knife Rights Board Knife Rights is pleased to announce that Pete Brownell has joined the Knife Rights Board of Directors. Pete is President of Brownells, Inc., the "world's largest supplier of firearm accessories, gun parts and gunsmithing tools." Pete has been a supporter of Knife Rights since early on as a Cornerstone Charter Member. Brownells is a Cornerstone Corporate Charter Member. In accepting the position as a Director, Pete noted, "in the firearms industry and as a gun owner I have battled for decades over issues that knife owners and the knife industry are now facing. I am honored to put my experience to use in support of Knife Rights and to serve its grassroots knife owner members." Chairman of Knife Rights, Doug Ritter, explained, "the ongoing fight over Customs Pocket Knife Grab has validated our original concept of Knife Rights as the grassroots knife owners’ organization. Pete Bownell brings to Knife Rights a lifetime of involvement and connections in support of Second Amendment issues and organizations as well as his success in operating and growing a successful business. Pete’s knowledge and commitment will be a huge asset as we grow Knife Rights to expand our services to our grassroots supporters, America’s knife owners." More: Knife Rights at Blade Show West Doug Ritter Speaking on Knife Rights at GRPC       ... Read More

In a letter to Representative Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Customs has officially backed off their proposed revocations in recognition of the Amendment that was passed by the Senate (see below), at least until the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill is acted upon in Conference Committee. You... Read More

NOTE: Progress is being made on this issue. For the very latest news please click here for more information. The letter has been deleted as it is no longer necessary. Amendment Revising Federal Switchblade Act Introduced, Supported by the Administration. We now have a a bi-partisan amendment that has the critical support from the Senate committees which have responsibility for the FSA and which is endorsed by the Administration (Customs and Border Production have signed off on it). That gives it a very good chance of making it through the process, but first we have to get it voted into the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. We're going to ask you to write yet again, because your letters and emails and faxes are WORKING. You are the ones who have made this happen. Read on...... Read More

NOTE: Progress is being made on this issue. For the very latest news please click here for more information. The letter has been deleted as it is no longer necessary. There does seem to be some confusion, based on emails we have received and posts on various online forums, as to what happens next. So, just to clear up any questions, this proposal does NOT now take effect. The comment period ended June 21st. … Continued... Read More

NOTE: Progress is being made on this issue. For the very latest news please click here for more information. The letters have been deleted as they are no longer necessary. Write your Senators NOW to STOP funding for Customs' Pocket Knife Grab. As you are aware, Customs is proposing to prohibit the import of assisted and one-hand openers and in the process has broadly re-defined what a Switchblade is to cover almost all pocket knives, with potential far-reaching consequences. Our best bet to stop Customs in the short term is for Congress to prevent them from spending a dime to implement their proposed ruling. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Bill will be taken up by the Senate on Tuesday, July 7th. We need your help NOW to rally support for an amendment to stop funding for this Customs rulemaking. Timing has not worked in our favor as D.C. has become a ghost town due to the July 4th recess. We will have only two days to make this work upon their return. Your emails to Senate offices will get their attention upon their return and will be a huge help as our lobbyists and legislative representatives work Monday and Tuesday to get an amendment introduced and voted into the DHS Appropriations Bill. Click here for letters to email to your Senators. DO IT TODAY! (NO Longer Necessary) More News: Our representative in Washington reports he was told that CPB has received 8 Postal Service tubs and estimated 2,000 comments. Knife Rights was told to expect an opportunity to inspect the comments during the second week of July after CBP has had the opportunity to open and classify the comments. Thanks to everyone who made the extra effort to mail in their comments to Customs. One must assume that this is about 7.9 tubs more than they expected. Breaking News: Customs' Pocket Knife Grab makes the front page of The Washington Times. You can read the article here. Breaking News: House Rules Committee kills Latta-Minnick Amendment. While disappointing, other options are being pursued. After working closely with Representative Bob Latta (R-OH) we are pleased to announce that Rep. Latta and Rep. Walt Minnick (D-ID) have co-sponsored an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill to Restrict Funds to Implement the proposed CBP rule. Our thanks to Reps. Latta and Minnick for taking a leadership role in this fight. This is just the first step in a complicated process, but it is important. We will post more information as soon as we get it. The amendment is now posted here. What Happens Next? Here's a preview of what comes next in this fight. Breaking News: Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus has urged U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to withdraw CBP Proposal.        Click here to view the Congressional letter with 80 signatures. Breaking News: National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) submitted Comments opposing CBP proposal. At 3:50 EDT this afternoon, our Comments on Customs and Border Protection's Revocation and Ruling proposal was sent off by FedEx for delivery tomorrow by CBP's deadline. It has been a difficult task to put together a coherent brief on their proposal in the ridiculously short time they allowed. But, of course, that's what CBP was counting on in providing only the minimum comment period and denying any extension. My special thanks to Evan Nappen and Richard Gilbert, and the rest of Evan's law firm, who managed to make time for us in an already full schedule and who worked long hours and late into the night because they care about this issue personally.        Click here to read our Comments submitted to CBP. Click to read the rest of this News Slice Newsletter...... Read More

Knife Rights News Slice Vol. 2 Number 5 NOTE: Progress is being made on this issue. For the very latest news please click here for more information. The letter has been deleted as it is no longer necessary. Breaking News: We have received word that U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) has DENIED the numerous requests for extension that it had received from Knife Rights, AKTI, manufacturers and citizens like you, and is planning to stick with the June 21 deadline for comments. CBP's denial of an extension seems to be a clear indication that they do not intend to act in a fair and reasonable manner on this issue and have already made their decision to go ahead. That may be a somewhat cynical viewpoint, but given the history of CBP, it seems like a good bet. That means we have to set the stage for the next act, which will likely be conducted both in court and in Congress. The battle is far from over; your comments will play a key role in both efforts. If you haven't yet submitted comments, you need to do it NOW! Your comments on the record will make a difference and the more the better. CLICK HERE to read the rest of this News Slice newsletter for important developments.... Read More

NOTE: Progress is being made on this issue. For the very latest news please click here for more information. The letters have been deleted as they are no longer necessary. The U.S. Government is after your Pocket Knives! In a sneak attack, U.S. Customs has proposed revoking earlier rulings that assisted opening knives are not switchblades. The proposal would not only outlaw assisted opening knives, its overly broad new definition of a switchblade would also include all one-handed opening knives and most other pocket knives! Knife Rights was formed three years ago because we knew it was only a matter of time before there would be a major attempt to take away our knives, as has occurred in England, Europe and elsewhere. Little did we guess that the first major battle at a national level wouldn't come head on, but with government bureaucrats trying to sneak it by everyone, avoiding a more conventional legislative battle, which they know they'd likely lose. Knife Rights is geared up to help win this fight, but we cannot do it without your help, your emails, your letters. The fight can only be won if we raise enough hell that they are convinced they will not get away with this. YOU are the most effective arrow in our quiver, the most powerful cartridge in our gun.... Read More

"You've Got to be Kidding?" That was the most common response to Knife Rights, by far, from the crowds at the NRA Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, last week. We assured them we were not kidding in the least, though we wished we were. Blade Show Next - Win the Knife Rights Sebenza Next stop is Blade Show in Atlanta, May 28-30. Come see us at booth 148 and win the Knife Rights Sebenza! Chris Reeve has generously donated a one-off custom Sebenza to Knife Rights to help us raise funds to support the organization and we will raffle this beautiful knife at Blade Show. This unique Sebenza is decorated with the Knife Rights logo and features a raindrop damascus blade. Join or renew an annual membership ONLINE before May 28, 2009 and receive three chances to win! More information and higher resolution images of this beautiful unique knife here.... Read More

Senator Ihara emailed the following response to our concerns about SB 126: From: “Sen. Les Ihara, Jr.” To: Doug Ritter Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:23:12 -1000 Subject: RE: SB 126 Doug: I am opposed to SB 126 and would vote against it if I ever voted on it. Because the Hawaii constitution allows only legislators to introduce bills, my policy has been to introduce bills on behalf of my constituents whenever requested. … Continued... Read More

For those who claim that we are paranoid, I present Hawaii Senate Bill 126. It was introduced by Democratic Senator Les Ihara and would ban the manufacturing, transfer, sale, possession or transportation of folding knives “suitable for carrying in the pocket.” Click here to review the full bill as proposed. Being somewhat gracious, one might conclude that Senator Ihara is seriously misguided and the more widespread presumption by many in online forum posts is that he is an idiot. The reality is that he's just being a politician. Still, the fact remains that this is symptomatic of attacks on our knife rights of which we can expect to see more in coming years. You’re not paranoid if they really are trying to get you. Senator Ihara Responds to Knife Rights. Read the Senator's welcome response. View a great video with Ken Onion and Senator Ihara on the Pocket Knife Ban bill. Make sure to note the email shown in the video! (Video removed from news site, link removed) -->... Read More

There's no such thing as an unimportant presidential election, but some years more is at stake than others. This is one of those years. The ink has barely dried on the landmark Heller decision affirming the Second Amendment as an individual right and that you have a right to self-defense, but this historic victory is but a first step in a battle that's not even close to being won. The results of the coming election could easily undo all the gains made with Heller. While we prefer to think of knives primarily as essential tools, the Constitution doesn't protect your right to a tool, per se. However, knives, as a particular kind of tool used in a particular fashion, are clearly and explicitly covered by the Second Amendment's right to keep and bear arms. The Second Amendment is our ultimate protection and guarantee of "a Sharper Future." We now face a clear and present danger. Despite attempts to placate Second Amendment voters, the voting record reveals that the Democratic Party candidates are not just no friends of the Second Amendment, they have been ardent opponents. Given half a chance, a Democratic Congress and Democratic President will be far more than that; they will gladly take away your right to carry a knife and your right to self-defense, just as anti-knife proponents have done in England, Europe and elsewhere.... Read More

As I sit here over the July 4th weekend composing this newsletter, it's hard not to reflect on the incredible freedom we enjoy compared to virtually anyplace else on earth. I am eternally grateful I was born in this great country. Having said that, one only has to look at recent events to realize how fragile that freedom is. There are always those who feel they have the right to restrict your freedoms to fit within their definition of freedom, however skewed that may be. The recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold an individual's right to bear arms is both a victory for common sense and freedom and a warning about how fragile that freedom is. One vote was the difference. The most important lesson to be learned from this case and decision is that few things will impact our freedoms more than who sits on that court. That's something to seriously think about come November 4th. Read further about the Heller Decision, our Blade Show Report and a Special Offer for new Knifemaker Members.... Read More

A Boy Scout Chooses A Sharper Future Knife Rights had a booth at the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Louisville, Kentucky this past week. Bill Manger volunteered his time to help man the booth and we gave out thousands of handouts and spoke to many of the attendees. We signed up a few dozen new members and we've had additional signups online, including one $250 Cornerstone membership since we returned. One of our new members from the show, however, stands out. On Saturday, a young Boy Scout stepped up to the booth with mom in tow. He asked what Knife Rights was and why we were there. It took only a brief moment for him to grasp the issues. At that point we had a somewhat upset and concerned Boy Scout on our hands, one who obviously had a love of knives as well as firearms and one who wasn't pleased to discover that his knife rights were as threatened or more threatened. The young man asked about memberships and we told him about out $15 Student Membership. He looked to mom, who sagely told him he'd have to make a choice. Seems he had a limited budget and already had his eye on a new knife at a price that would use up every penny. Mom was not going to bail him out, a position we both silently applauded.... Read More

...and best wishes for a healthy, prosperous and very sharp 2008! It’s been a while since our last newsletter, for which I must apologize. My wife’s stay in the hospital, including three days in ICU, shortly after Blade Show West put everything behind and I am just now starting to catch up. So, having got that out of the way, here’s where things stand with Knife Rights. A lot has happened in the past few months and more exciting things are in store for the New Year We attended Blade Show West in Portland, Oregon, and enjoyed meeting many of you who attended. It was a good show for us, in that we signed up a good number of members, handed out a lot of Knife Rights buttons and explained to many knife owners that, yes indeed, they are out to take away our knives. Thanks very much to Chuck Gollnick and Pete Conway who helped man the booth.... Read More

We're back from Blade Show in Atlanta and pretty excited by the response we received. This was our first effort at having a Knife Rights booth at a show and we learned a lot. Special thanks to those Knife Rights members who came by and spelled us in the booth from time to time, and especially to Denis Bechen (left in photo) who committed his entire weekend to assisting us with set-up and take-down and manned the booth for most of the show. Volunteer dedication like this is the foundation upon which we will build a strong and effective organization. We handed out about 2500 Knife Rights buttons and by Saturday you couldn't look in any direction in the main hall without seeing a dozen buttons being worn by attendees and knifemakers. Two significant announcements came out of our participation at Blade Show. Brigade Quartermasters of Kennesaw, Georgia, has joined as a Cornerstone Charter Member and beyond that, made a significant additional contribution of funds to help us build Knife Rights. Brigade's President, Mitchell WerBell IV, said, "our Second Amendment rights mean more than just owning and possessing firearms...the right to own edged weapons was also our Founding Fathers’ intent, and that right is under assault in every state...Much like the NRA, we need a strong group that is our legislative advocate, organizer and protector of our rights. Brigade is honored to join Knife Rights because they have it RIGHT." (read more in the full newsletter) We are very pleased to welcome to Knife Rights a company of Brigade's reputation for "delivering the Goods to the Good Guys." We will be working with Brigade to publicize Knife Rights to their customers, almost all of whom are knife owners. I participated in a Blade sponsored panel discussion, "How To Protect Your Knife Rights" that included David Kowalski, Communications Coordinator of AKTI, and renowned 2nd Amendment attorney Evan Nappen (www.evannappen.com). Of more significance is that Evan Nappen not only joined Knife Rights, but has volunteered to help us build our Knife Laws portion of the Knife Rights web site. I view this as one of the most important services we'll be able to offer our members and Evan's assistance will make it happen quicker and the results will be far more useful with his commentary and explanations that will cut through the legalese.... Read More

Blade Show is fast approaching (Atlanta, June 8-10) and Knife Rights will be there! (Click for more information on Blade Show) On Saturday at 10:00 AM in Room 103, Blade Magazine is sponsoring a panel discussion: How To Protect Your Knife Rights. They have invited AKTI, Knife Rights and renowned 2nd Amendment attorney Evan Nappen. I will be there to speak on behalf of Knife Rights and I hope you will be there to support our grass roots effort. It should be an interesting and lively discussion. Knife Rights will have a booth in the Foyer, before you actually enter the show hall. We will be taking membership applications and everyone is welcome to a KnifeRights.org button to wear to show your support for Knife Rights. We are also bringing along some Knife Rights caps and anyone who wants to upgrade to a Benefactor or Cornerstone Charter Membership can pick up their cap right then and there. We do need some volunteers to help man the booth. Please contact me at dritter@KnifeRights.org if you can spare a few hours during the weekend to help.... Read More

Knife Rights News Slice Vol.1 Number 3 Knife Rights director Alan Romania and I attended the NRA annual meeting in St. Louis. Our goal was to do what we could to get the word out about Knife Rights. We relied on the Knife Rights buttons again, this time handing them out to attendees in the aisles. I’d like to thank Knife Rights members Steve Van Dyke and Tim Craft for their able assistance ((L to R: Steve, Alan, Doug and Tim). Between the four of us we handed out a bit over 2,000 buttons that we had on hand in the first two days. By Sunday, it was encouraging that you would be hard pressed not to see a button on at least one person, no matter which direction looked from anywhere in the hall. We’ve already had a rash of new members and hopefully that will continue as NRA members get home to their computers.... Read More

Knife Rights News Slice Vol.1 Number 2 It is the one month anniversary of the launch of Knife Rights and it seems like a good time to update you on progress to date. Reaction to the SHOT Show launch was very good, especially considering we had only a couple weeks over the holidays to get ready and couldn’t schedule a press conference on such short notice. We gave out about 6,000 KnifeRights.org buttons and it was hard to look anywhere without seeing one or more pinned to an attendee’s badge holder or shirt. … Continued... Read More

Happy New Year! The New Year brings new beginnings and very exciting news. One important piece of news is that we have changed the name of the organization to Knife Rights (and this newsletter thus becomes your “Knife Rights News Slice”). Same organization, new name. The U.S. Knife & Tool Association name was a quick response to a developing situation when we first came up with the insane idea for this organization. … Continued... Read More

I'd just like to briefly update you on the status of the United States Knife & Tool Association before I head off to the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market trade show tomorrow. We have over 600 persons who have signed up in the past 8 days to support the formation of USKTA. We have accountants and lawyers working on developing the foundation for this organization's corporate structure. We are putting together a mission statement that will clearly articulate our aims and our dedication to serve knife and tool owners' … Continued... Read More

I'm back from Outdoor Retailer Summer Market where I took the opportunity to speak with many members of the knife industry about the nascent United States Knife & Tool Association . Virtually all the response I received was positive and much of it was very supportive. That was most encouraging. Among those I met with was Mike Jones of Gerber, the President of American Knife and Tool Institute www.AKTI.org, the industry's advocacy group. … Continued... Read More

I was in Portland, Oregon, a week ago, in large part to talk with knife manufacturers about USKTA. That included holding a briefing for industry during Blade Show West. The fine folks at Blade made available a meeting room and we had a good sized group in attendance. That briefing turned into an hour and a half long meeting with a lot of valuable discussion, suggestions and input. Speaking of Blade Magazine, Editor Steve Shackleford wrote an excellent editorial, … Continued... Read More