CJ Buck
Moderator
- Joined
- Apr 15, 1999
- Messages
- 898
In 1996 Buck spearheaded a proactive attempt to protect one handed knives in California. We felt that some of the switchblade definitions were a little vague. With support from accross the industry we got AB 3314 passed giving an exemption to knives designed to be opened with one hand....That industry wide support became the basis for the establishment of AKTI so we could be more prepared in the future.
Here is AKTI's official position on switchblades.
AKTI does not have a moral objection to switchblades and we hold they are no more inheritantly dangerous than other blades. Folders do not dominate any statistics in knife violence...therefore switchblades should not be illegal.
Switchblades are a pop-culture icon. They have been villified and tied to gang violence and crime, even though statistics have never supported this perception.
The only valid argument Law Enforcement has made in regards to switchblades is to keep officers from being surprised in an attack from an assailant they had perceived to be unarmed. No politician wants to be tied into making life more dangerous for our officers. Butterfly knives do not fit this argument by the way.
AKTI reviewed this position early in our existence because we have key members that make a good living in switchblades. We decided that as a fledgling organization we could not take this issue head on.
Our strategy is to responsibly partner with Law Enforcement to clarify vague and ambiguous definitions. We support stricter penalties for knife violence and volunteering for expert witness testimony.
The California issue revolves around just what is a "Gravity" knife. The recent issue in Florida was the definition of balistic knives and does that definition prohibit switchblades.
New York has been targeting lockbacks as too effective for stabbing. Targeting a key safety feature...
AKTI believes that the valid utilities of one hand knife operation deserve to be protected. Switchblades are a peripheral issue to that core value.
AKTI does not have the resources (people, time or dollars) to take on an issue of this magnitude and pull it off. Even in a single state like Caflifornia it has been estimated this would be a 3 year campaign...I am not even positive what a like this campaign could cost.
This will be a planning topic in our next board meeting this summer.
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CJ Buck
Buck Knives, Inc.
AKTI Member #PR00003
Here is AKTI's official position on switchblades.
AKTI does not have a moral objection to switchblades and we hold they are no more inheritantly dangerous than other blades. Folders do not dominate any statistics in knife violence...therefore switchblades should not be illegal.
Switchblades are a pop-culture icon. They have been villified and tied to gang violence and crime, even though statistics have never supported this perception.
The only valid argument Law Enforcement has made in regards to switchblades is to keep officers from being surprised in an attack from an assailant they had perceived to be unarmed. No politician wants to be tied into making life more dangerous for our officers. Butterfly knives do not fit this argument by the way.
AKTI reviewed this position early in our existence because we have key members that make a good living in switchblades. We decided that as a fledgling organization we could not take this issue head on.
Our strategy is to responsibly partner with Law Enforcement to clarify vague and ambiguous definitions. We support stricter penalties for knife violence and volunteering for expert witness testimony.
The California issue revolves around just what is a "Gravity" knife. The recent issue in Florida was the definition of balistic knives and does that definition prohibit switchblades.
New York has been targeting lockbacks as too effective for stabbing. Targeting a key safety feature...
AKTI believes that the valid utilities of one hand knife operation deserve to be protected. Switchblades are a peripheral issue to that core value.
AKTI does not have the resources (people, time or dollars) to take on an issue of this magnitude and pull it off. Even in a single state like Caflifornia it has been estimated this would be a 3 year campaign...I am not even positive what a like this campaign could cost.
This will be a planning topic in our next board meeting this summer.
------------------
CJ Buck
Buck Knives, Inc.
AKTI Member #PR00003
