are balisongs legal in maine?

[harleyd182]

hey this is harley Im confused on this not realley shure what this means but all im trying to do is find out if balisongs are legal in maine so if you guys or girls could help me that would be great. you could email me at dirtbikerdudecool@yahoo.com only if you know the answer though thanks.

Maine - Chapter. 43 17-A Section 1055. 1. A person is guilty
of trafficking in dangerous knives, if providing he has no
right to do so, he knowingly manufactures or causes to be
manufactured, or knowingly possesses, displays, offers,
sells, lends, gives away or purchases any knife which has
a blade which opens automatically by hand pressure applied
to a button, spring or other device in the handle of the
knife, or any knife having a blade which opens or falls or
is ejected into position by the force of gravity, or by an
outward, downward or centrifugal thrust or movement. 2.
Trafficking in dangerous knives is a Class D crime.

 

[glistam]

My initial impression on reading the statute seems rather dim:

...by an outward, downward or centrifugal thrust or movement.

That would seem to me, to imply the special twirling move used to open a balisong. On searching the Maine Court of Appeals system I was able to find a case that addressed the issue: State v. Michael M.

This case makes reference to an older case, State v. Riddall (1991) wherein the balisong was ruled to fit within this definition, based on the following commentary:

To use a typical butterfly knife, the wielder releases one of the halves of the handle and through a combination of gravity and centrifugal force, the latter generated by a movement of the arm or wrist, the wielder swings that half of the handle around until it meets the other half. . . . These forces also swing the blade into position.

Sorry man, but it looks like their illegal.

 

[harleyd182]

damn it lol its weird because there is this one store i know of that sells them of what you guys are saying that they are (illegal) which realley sucks because i wanted to go into flipping them but looks like i cant unless i move or if they changed the law but at this time in history thats a definet no.

 

[glistam]

Overrated knives if you ask me. A person with a fixed blade will get the draw faster every time than any balisong or automatic.

Before anyone calls "sour grapes" on me, balis are legal in my state. But I still don't care for them.

 

[PoIsoN]

In most states they are just illigal to carry, not illigal to own. And in some places they are even illigal to ship. Such as Canada, and California.

 

[Dakkar]

Not to resurrect an old thread, just figured it bore mentioning that these old blue laws have since been repealed. (though I've been arrested for "trafficking" in dangerous knives before.. damn waspy bored mothers getting scared and damn west side story scaring 'em).. anyway, all legal now.