Will it be knives next?

[dannyb]

An idiot in my college dorm at BU (way back in the pleistocene era) was deeply into Zen and (seriously) once made the comment that knives and forks should be banned as violent metal utensils and that only licensed cooks should be allowed to use them. [added by edit] Everybody else should only be allowed to use spoons and chopsticks. I mean it, this was in the great Hari Krishna days of the 70s. Why do I have a really bad feeling that he ended up high in the current administration.

[ErSwnn]

California has just, or is about to enact a ban on assisted opening knives. Odd part is auto knives under 2" are legal. Someday as I go senile I'm hoping to come to understand the thinking behind such laws.

[Defender]

Yeah, and if you become top rated in the martial arts you might even get banned! These people are ridiculous!

[JCWohlschlag]

California has just, or is about to enact a ban on assisted opening knives. Odd part is auto knives under 2" are legal. Someday as I go senile I'm hoping to come to understand the thinking behind such laws.

Can you cite a source for this potential California state regulation? The only potential regulation I know of is through U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

[CommonHighrise]

Problem: The way knives are being used (to harm others).

Solution: Prohibit the ways folding knives can be opened (button/assist).

There is just zero logic here.

Controlling the length would be slightly logical, as it would make it slightly harder to kill someone with a stab (ban long ones), or slightly harder to conceal (ban short ones). At least in that tactic I can see the vague grasp at a logical solution to the problem.

However, and I hope I'm not making a straw man argument with this, trying to solve a violent knife crime problem by controlling how the blade is opened is akin to solving speeding by controlling how all vehicles are started (no push-button starting).

This is feel-good lawmaking at it's finest. When you don't know how, or don't want to correct an actual problem, find something that the common public dislikes about an inanimate object used in that problem. Then create legislation controlling one or more aspects of that inanimate object.

Restricting the use and possession of knives strikes a hard chord with me, even more so than firearm control. I carry a firearm because it is the best tool available for the job at hand. I carry a knife because it is the only tool available for the jobs at hand.

[levib]

However, and I hope I'm not making a straw man argument with this, trying to solve a violent knife crime problem by controlling how the blade is opened is akin to solving speeding by controlling how all vehicles are started (no push-button starting).

Yea, it's very similar to the "if firearms kill, then my pencil causes bad spelling" argument against gun control.

Restricting the use and possession of knives strikes a hard chord with me, even more so than firearm control. I carry a firearm because it is the best tool available for the job at hand. I carry a knife because it is the only tool available for the jobs at hand.

This!

I at least hope with these idiotic assisted opening restrictions, they are taking the disabled into consideration. There are a lot of disabled people, including a large number of veterans! who cannot open a folding knife because they only have the use of one hand or a few fingers.

[ErSwnn]

Can you cite a source for this potential California state regulation? The only potential regulation I know of is through U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

In reviewing what I had read I see your correct. I misread the text in an email I received from my brother in CA as meaning it was legislation in CA. I took a look at www.akti.org for clearification. Either way, state or national it's bad legislation. Sorry for any confusion and thanks for sighting the error. It's people like yourself who help keep misinformation from becoming fact.

[Lone Wolf]

Not to hjack the thread, but I understand that the only knives illegal to carry (not own) in PA are switchblades, and they are in the "prohibited offensive weapon" category, along with metal knuckles, blackjacks, lead filled saps and the like. Does that mean that it's legal to carry any other type of knife on your person, anywhere you can legally carry a firearm? Ive been looking at PA laws, but the only type of knife I see mentioned are switchblades.

[JCWohlschlag]

Not to hjack the thread, but I understand that the only knives illegal to carry (not own) in PA are switchblades, and they are in the "prohibited offensive weapon" category, along with metal knuckles, blackjacks, lead filled saps and the like. Does that mean that it's legal to carry any other type of knife on your person, anywhere you can legally carry a firearm? Ive been looking at PA laws, but the only type of knife I see mentioned are switchblades.

Generally, yes, you may carry any knife that is not a switchblade in Pennsylvania, aside from schools, courts, casinos, etc.. There are no state-jurisdiction regulations on blade length. Assisted-opening knives are not considered switchblades (unless and until Customs gets away with their bullcrap). Balisongs, also known as “butterfly knives”, (at least the ones with locking latches) are also lawful as per Commonwealth v. Miles [http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/177...ly-knives.html].

However, unlike firearms, knives do not carry the protection of state preemption. Counties and municipalities can and do impose restrictions on knives, such as Philadelphia Code § 10-820 (Cutting Weapons in Public Places). Also, things like swords and other uncommonly-carried knives can get you into trouble with the “no common lawful purpose” portion of the “offensive weapons” definition under 18 Pa.C.S. § 908 (Prohibited offensive weapons)

[Lone Wolf]

Thanks for clearing that up.