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The Folding Knife (& Switchblade) Forum The materials, techniques and the designing of folding knives.

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  #1  
Old 12-09-2003, 08:19 PM
CAW CAW is offline
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why are automatics illegal?????

Hi

I have looked on the internet , but i can,t find any site that gives a reason why are switchblades are illegal(in most places).
I have found a few sites that list laws and lots of sights that are against the banning of switchblades. It seems like people would be trying to do away with the bann.



thanks,

caw
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  #2  
Old 12-09-2003, 08:26 PM
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Bob Sigmon Bob Sigmon is offline
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It started with Hollywood stereo types and became law. Mostly because they are "scary". It is tough to get laws repealed and most people want to put their energy into keeping what freedoms we have left from the hands of the extreme control freaks.

Bob Sigmon
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  #3  
Old 12-09-2003, 08:42 PM
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McAhron McAhron is offline
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racism's to blame!seriously! autos were very popular with some minorities so they were outlawed as a means to convict(undesirables) much as tax laws are putting drug dealers and mafia into prison
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  #4  
Old 12-09-2003, 09:23 PM
CAW CAW is offline
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Hi

It seems like if we got enough people intrested and to wright to our state reps, senators and so on it could be repealed.
I believe it is unconstitutional ( i hope i spelled it right ) for automatics to be banned . I don't mean to stir up trouble,but its what i think. just so you'll know i am 15 yrs old and am taking a class in government. i don't just want to be cool and have a switchblade i think they are unfairly banned. from what i have heard a failure of people to get involved is what helped it pass . many knife companies did not get involved because switchblades made only a small part of their proffit. i am new to knifemakeing and was very very unhappy when i found out about the bann.

CAW
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  #5  
Old 12-10-2003, 08:15 AM
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Jeremy Krammes Jeremy Krammes is offline
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Your not stirring up trouble, your asking a vallid question. The government needs to be kept in check. Like Bob said people think they are scary, even though there are other knives out there that can be opperated faster. Our law makers use the excuse, "They are looking out for our safty" while they stand behind armed bodyguards. Keep asking questions, write to your congressmen, let them know what you want, and don't back down to there "Common sense" laws. Here's a quote I herd, I can't remember where I herd it though.
"A dictatorship is a sheep amongst wolves, a democracy is a well armed sheep."

Jeremy


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  #6  
Old 12-10-2003, 09:02 AM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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There was a time when switchblades were the weapon of choice among street gangs as popularized by Hollywood. They were very intimidating to average people. When enough average people were held up and robbed at the point of a switchblade, our brave Congressmen decided to take ACTION and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Naturally, they decided to ban the tool rather than punish the criminal.

On the day they were to take a vote on banning switchblades (so the story goes) one Congressman walked in waving a gigantic switchblade, apparently one of those far oversized display models. He wanted everyone to know just how scary those knives were! It worked, the ban was passed, and finally the streets were safe for the people.

Or were they? Street gangs were deprived of switchblades because, as CAW said, the manufacturers stopped making them considering that they were too small a part of their business to be concerned about. If the knives had still been available the punks would have continued to carry them since, after all, they are criminals . In the absence of their favorite tool the gangs started carrying guns.

Someday, they may well manage to pass laws outlawing guns in order to make our streets safer. I'm sure it will work as well here as it has in Australia and England. And if they actually manage to remove the guns from availability so that the criminals have no guns to carry, what do you think they will do next?

Just ask the bomb making terrorist in Iraq and Afghanistan .....


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  #7  
Old 12-10-2003, 09:11 AM
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  #8  
Old 12-10-2003, 10:16 AM
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Could it be that our brilliant congressmen think the spring is the dangerous part?
If the same knife without the spring is legal, then it MUST be the spring that they think makes it more dangerous.

The constitution allows citizens to arm themselves,period.
It IS our right to do so.

The right to bear arms is the main reason the USA has not been invaded.It is not that other countries are afraid of our military, they are afraid of our citizens. They know we shoot each other in the streets, why would they be any different?

To answer your question, Why are auto's illeagal?-IGNORANCE!
Poloiticians placating the fearful few.

Why must I "un-arm" myself to watch my childs play at school?
Shouldn't the schools know the constitution and what rights they are violating by such a rule?
Soon fingernail clippers will be considered dangerous, a nail file could send you to jail, what's next, rubber car keys?

More proof where a few ruined it for all.
James Dean you scoundrel,you! Get a haircut!
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Old 12-10-2003, 11:13 AM
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Jeremy Krammes Jeremy Krammes is offline
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You said it Geno!!!
Laws are ONLY for honest people.

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  #10  
Old 12-10-2003, 03:12 PM
CAW CAW is offline
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In the end we are effected the most by the bann. We need to act now. My voice alone will not do much good. please research this topic and wright to your officials. I believe it is against the constitution for switchblades to be banned. If we don't do something then who will?????


guns, cars and airplanes ,but not automatic knives..............
we really need to do something!!!!!!!!

thanks for your help,
CAW
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  #11  
Old 12-10-2003, 06:54 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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I agree it's assinine but it's not unconstitutional any more than outlawing saps, blackjacks, brass knuckles, or heroine. Outlawing all knives might be uncontitutional but not a specific kind of knife. Personally, I would not want the question of switchblades to be considered as a Second Ammendment issue. The Second Ammendment is about having an armed populace, i.e., weapons. For our purposes especially, we would not benefit from the perception of automatic knives as weapons - indeed, that is the perception and it does hurt us. We want autos to be considered the same as any other knife with a clever opening mechanism.

As was mentioned in an earlier post, getting a law removed is nearly impossible once it is on the books. I have heard that there is still a law in some state (I forget which one) that requires that someone carrying a latern preceed an automobile on foot when the vehicle is driven in a populated area. Obviously, it is not enforced in this day and age but it serves as a hint about what we have to face.

In effect, we do benefit from the same situation with automatics as that state does with it's archaic automobile law - it is not agressively enforced. Federally, the law only prohibits selling autos across state lines but many fancy custom autos get sold that way without incident or interference from the government. Each state and many smaller jurisdictions have their own laws about autos and it would be easy to run afoul of them if you try to carry one. But, in almost all places I've heard of, simple ownership of an auto is legal - you just can't carry it.

If you really want to make a difference on the question of automatic knives you should join the American Knife and Tool Institute. The AKTI is the only lobbying group I know of for the knifemaking and knife using community. They have had some successes so far and I know that they are aware of our feelings concering automatic knives.

The explanations I have offered here concerning Federal and state laws dealing with switchblades are my understanding of the issues and should not be considered as legal advice or correct for all locations and all situations .............


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  #12  
Old 12-10-2003, 07:33 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by Geno
Soon fingernail clippers will be considered dangerous, a nail file could send you to jail, what's next, rubber car keys?
Clippers and nail files already are dangerous weapons to airline security, aren't they? Make the wrong remark if they "catch" you with one and go to jail......

Alot of new model car keys have a security chip embedded that allows the key to work. Soon the terrible danger of a metal car key will be eliminated, too, and we'll just stick the chip in a slot.

I'm thinking that lady's pocket mirrors provide an absolute national hazard, too......
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  #13  
Old 12-10-2003, 08:21 PM
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On a federal level switchblades are illegal because of the Federal Swithchblade Act, which was forced into law despite the Justice Department recommending against it. In some states switchblades are not illegal, but because of the federal law it is illegal to ship them across state lines even from one legal state to another.
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  #14  
Old 12-10-2003, 09:11 PM
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Buddy Thomason Buddy Thomason is offline
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Even legislators and law enforcement people understand that we all suffer under an out-dated incoherent set of wepons laws. When it will get addressed is anybody's guess. But if you like knives of any kind, I challenge you to explain why you do not belong to the American Knife and Tool Institute. They will be involved in any reform of these laws, but their voice will be stronger and more effective if we swell their membership by all signing up. Seriously! Does anybody disagree?
Here's the link to AKTI: http://www.akti.org/


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  #15  
Old 12-10-2003, 09:23 PM
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Buddy,

Thanks for the push! Just joined.

Bob Sigmon
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