Bad Alternate History: knife of the future

S

soupah

Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
221
Okay, here's a premise:
Knife laws in the US continue to get more restrictive, perhaps based in part on US customs law (should it apply as currently worded) affecting future federal, state and local legislation (if they use US customs criteria as guidelines when creating/amending code). Or something else if that sounds too far-fetched.

What do you think a carry knife would look like in this dismal future (say, 10-20yrs hence)? My thoughts on future knife criteria, ordered in terms of feasibility and increments of restriction:

1. No one-hand-opening devices (AO, thumb studs, thumb holes)- all two-handed opening, back to Buck 110 days (this would be in response to the aforementioned US customs law & possible resulting legislation)
2. No locking blades ala UK Pen Knife.
3. No slipjoints due to the possibility of opening by inertia (what would that leave? I think maybe something like the A.G. Russell "funny folder" style...I can't think of other styles that can't be opened by inertia)
4. No "stabbing" style blades (sheepsfoot, wharncliffe types only...)
5. No clip-carry

Did I miss anything? Is this totally ridiculous? Are some of these things likely to come to pass (I think the UK's got many of these restrictions already)? Are any knives out there with clips that even meet item #1's restrictions? I know that nothing is a forgone conclusion, but I am curious...
 
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Most slipjoints cannot be opened by inertia. Traditional folders will probably continue to be fine. SAKs will still be common. Smart designers will find ways to push the limits of whatever laws are put into place. I'm hoping the pendulum will eventually start to swing the other way with knives they way they have with guns. There was a poll on Facebook earlier today, and over 92% of the people that responded were against further anti-gun restrictions. People can only be pushed so far before they will start to push back.
 
soupah said:
Okay, here's a premise:
Knife laws in the US continue to get more restrictive, perhaps based in part on US customs law (should it apply as currently worded) affecting future federal, state and local legislation (if they use US customs criteria as guidelines when creating/amending code). Or something else if that sounds too far-fetched.

What do you think a carry knife would look like in this dismal future (say, 10-20yrs hence)? My thoughts on future knife criteria, ordered in terms of feasibility and increments of restriction:

1. No one-hand-opening devices (AO, thumb studs, thumb holes)- all two-handed opening, back to Buck 110 days (this would be in response to the aforementioned US customs law & possible resulting legislation)
2. No locking blades ala UK Pen Knife.
3. No slipjoints due to the possibility of opening by inertia (what would that leave? I think maybe something like the A.G. Russell "funny folder" style...I can't think of other styles that can't be opened by inertia)
4. No "stabbing" style blades (sheepsfoot, wharncliffe types only...)
5. No clip-carry

Did I miss anything? Is this totally ridiculous? Are some of these things likely to come to pass (I think the UK's got many of these restrictions already)? Are any knives out there with clips that even meet item #1's restrictions? I know that nothing is a forgone conclusion, but I am curious...
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None.

In the UK, EDCing a small SAK can get you in trouble if a cop doesn't like you.

I think the future down that road doesn't look too bright for knife owners... as all knives will become illegal, and most people won't even be allowed to possess any knives other than round-tip saw-serrated steak knives and butter knives.

On the other hand, we may be able to avoid that in the US. Not in NYC though. Here, we're going to be sitting on it for a good long time to come.
 
moonwilson said:
Most slipjoints cannot be opened by inertia.
Click to expand...

You're correct...but some can, and I think it could spell trouble for all slipjoints. Or not- this thread is just conjecture...but usually legislators and law enforcement tend to apply the blanket rule in my experience (if this knife [a slipjoint, say a Buck folder] can be opened with inertia, then let's just make all slipjoints illegal. No slipjoints- no problems).:rolleyes:
 
soupah said:
Okay, here's a premise:
Knife laws in the US continue to get more restrictive, perhaps based in part on US customs law (should it apply as currently worded) affecting future federal, state and local legislation (if they use US customs criteria as guidelines when creating/amending code). Or something else if that sounds too far-fetched.

What do you think a carry knife would look like in this dismal future (say, 10-20yrs hence)? My thoughts on future knife criteria, ordered in terms of feasibility and increments of restriction:

1. No one-hand-opening devices (AO, thumb studs, thumb holes)- all two-handed opening, back to Buck 110 days (this would be in response to the aforementioned US customs law & possible resulting legislation)
2. No locking blades ala UK Pen Knife.
3. No slipjoints due to the possibility of opening by inertia (what would that leave? I think maybe something like the A.G. Russell "funny folder" style...I can't think of other styles that can't be opened by inertia)
4. No "stabbing" style blades (sheepsfoot, wharncliffe types only...)
5. No clip-carry

Did I miss anything? Is this totally ridiculous? Are some of these things likely to come to pass (I think the UK's got many of these restrictions already)? Are any knives out there with clips that even meet item #1's restrictions? I know that nothing is a forgone conclusion, but I am curious...
Click to expand...

This is too complicated. Law need to be simple:
Only slipjoint, with dull blade under 1.5" long, not sharpened, blunt radius 1" tip, locked in closed position (main lock + secondary), to prevent opening faster than 1 minute will be allowed to carry inside zipped pocket. To open locks you will need to buy two special issued by Federal government keys.
 
soupah said:
Okay, here's a premise:
Knife laws in the US continue to get more restrictive, perhaps based in part on US customs law (should it apply as currently worded) affecting future federal, state and local legislation (if they use US customs criteria as guidelines when creating/amending code). Or something else if that sounds too far-fetched.

What do you think a carry knife would look like in this dismal future (say, 10-20yrs hence)? My thoughts on future knife criteria, ordered in terms of feasibility and increments of restriction:

1. No one-hand-opening devices (AO, thumb studs, thumb holes)- all two-handed opening, back to Buck 110 days (this would be in response to the aforementioned US customs law & possible resulting legislation)
2. No locking blades ala UK Pen Knife.
3. No slipjoints due to the possibility of opening by inertia (what would that leave? I think maybe something like the A.G. Russell "funny folder" style...I can't think of other styles that can't be opened by inertia)
4. No "stabbing" style blades (sheepsfoot, wharncliffe types only...)
5. No clip-carry

Did I miss anything? Is this totally ridiculous? Are some of these things likely to come to pass (I think the UK's got many of these restrictions already)? Are any knives out there with clips that even meet item #1's restrictions? I know that nothing is a forgone conclusion, but I am curious...
Click to expand...

The Buck 110 like almost every lock back can, with practice be opened by holding the blade and snapping the handle down. U. S. Customs calls this "Human Assist" - Therefore an Automatic. Fun Huh?
 
This is not in the far future. If the House of Representatives does not respond to your calls, You have called your representative and talked to his/her assistant, have you not?

If you do not call your rep now this may become law by next year!

to find your rep go to http://AKTI.org
 
Effem, I'll carry what I want.:cool: If all that crap happens I might as well carry an auto.;)
 
Relax... knives are the least of your worries. In 10-20 years I expect the majority of us will be shipped off to FEMA death camps for being "troublemakers".
 
None, no knives will be allowed. that is the way Britian is heading and we seem to be following suit. The gun issue is coming the dems just haven't figured out how to do it yet, but they want em and want them all. Same goes for knives.

By the way what do the Britians do about kitchen cutlery, how do they prepare foods and cook?
 
This is actually something I think about a lot. I've got many, many thousands of dollars worth of knives here, and I can actually foresee the day when the government says "you're not allowed to own those any more." OK, maybe that's pushing it, but even something as simple as "you're not allowed to sell those any more" would create some major headaches.
 
MikeC said:
None, no knives will be allowed. that is the way Britian is heading and we seem to be following suit. The gun issue is coming the dems just haven't figured out how to do it yet, but they want em and want them all. Same goes for knives.

By the way what do the Britians do about kitchen cutlery, how do they prepare foods and cook?
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As I understand it, contrary to what the hysterical ones say, Britons are allowed to carry a regular pocket knife like what your fathers and grandfathers carried. A sak, or any other slip joint pocket knife is fine, or else Sal Glesser is delusional about the U.K. Spyderco's he's selling over there. Last time I was in England, I saw a number of sak's on keyrings.

As far as guns, the government can't take them if you don't let them. Numbers count, and your vote matters. Mobilize like you did with the AO issue and it won't happen. The U.K. does not have a 2d amendment in thier laws. Look at how you all stopped the AO ban.

Unfortunatly, there are those among us who are fear mongering for thier own ends.
 
flashlife said:
A fixed blade...probably a round-tip deal like a butter knife....Alas...
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Actually, some places in the US already arn't fixed blade friendly (with folders being ok).

Though In my state at least, when the whole customs thing came up, one of my first thoughts was...Assisted Open and thumb studs? pffftt...I EDC a RAT Izula.
 
The whole point of this stuff is, Jackknife, freedom and liberty. Your own post says Britians are allowed by whom, the government. I thought the govt is supposed to be by, of and for the people, hmnn? These things should not even be up for discussion right now, I mean for petes sake a knife that can be opened with one hand is an automatic and a knife that can lock is something to be kept out of the hands of law abiding citizens. See here is the thing partner, when you can no longer have a knife that locks, or a knife that can be opened with one hand, and you no longer listen to a certain show on the radio, or espouse a certain view, or own a gun. Your no longer a citizen but a subject.

Our constitution, declaration of independence and bill of rights all are intertwined with the system of inalienable rights and freedoms that our fore fathers wrote were endowed to us by our creator, not by the government. The whole point of my hysterical rant is look at where we came from, whats going on now, and what is likely to happen in the future and to say none is not a far stretch. Hard to argue with the fact that this world has gone upside down. It wasn't three (3) months ago that a Hawaii politician tried to outlaw all pocket knives, search this site. The guy was interviewed and had a sak in his desk and said he didn't support the bill at all, but one of his constituency asked him to run it up the flat pole and so he did. Now that is hysterical, no not really just insane. My point was and is, none of this should have ever even gotten to this point, hell we now have to knife rights lobbying group in D.C.

My apologies for being hysterical.
 
Based upon the recent vote in the U.S. Senate, to amend the Switchblade Act to exempt assisted and one-hand opening knives, I am under the impression (perhaps naively) that the OPINIONS OF VOTERS COUNT. And, as a resident of the state of Texas, I am aware that not all states (and the citizens thereof) are willing to have the opinions of the Federal Government shoved down their throats, with regard to the legality of certain types of knives. Thanks to the efforts of organizations such as AKTI (Thank you, Mr. Russell) and KnifeRights.org, the state of Texas didn't waste much time in amending their own state laws in this regard (exempting assisted and one-hand-openers), to the benefit of knife owners and users.

Because I have seen that the rights and opinions of individual states still have some influence in policy (thanks to the U.S. Constitution), I am still hopeful that things won't necessarily be as gloomy as some might think, IF (AND ONLY IF) we continue to be insistent (and VOCALLY so) about our knife rights. There is a wide variation in knife laws on a state-by-state basis, and I assume this is only because of a corresponding variation in the opinions of the citizenry of each state. If a particular state or locality has more restrictive laws than another, I can only assume that it's because the voters within that state or locality either wanted it that way, or they didn't care enough to prevent it from becoming that way. If the states assert their own rights with regard to their local laws, then the narrow-minded view of the Federal Government could be rendered essentially moot.

So, if the majority of us (voters) actually believe that knife owners in the U.S. will eventually be screwed over, then that's probably what will happen. I think apathy or complacency, with regard to our knife rights, will be the end of us. If, on the other hand, we choose to be very LOUD about our opinions on the matter, things could turn out a little differently...

Don't give up yet...
 
MikeC said:
The whole point of this stuff is, Jackknife, freedom and liberty. Your own post says Britians are allowed by whom, the government. I thought the govt is supposed to be by, of and for the people, hmnn? These things should not even be up for discussion right now, I mean for petes sake a knife that can be opened with one hand is an automatic and a knife that can lock is something to be kept out of the hands of law abiding citizens. See here is the thing partner, when you can no longer have a knife that locks, or a knife that can be opened with one hand, and you no longer listen to a certain show on the radio, or espouse a certain view, or own a gun. Your no longer a citizen but a subject.

Our constitution, declaration of independence and bill of rights all are intertwined with the system of inalienable rights and freedoms that our fore fathers wrote were endowed to us by our creator, not by the government. The whole point of my hysterical rant is look at where we came from, whats going on now, and what is likely to happen in the future and to say none is not a far stretch. Hard to argue with the fact that this world has gone upside down. It wasn't three (3) months ago that a Hawaii politician tried to outlaw all pocket knives, search this site. The guy was interviewed and had a sak in his desk and said he didn't support the bill at all, but one of his constituency asked him to run it up the flat pole and so he did. Now that is hysterical, no not really just insane. My point was and is, none of this should have ever even gotten to this point, hell we now have to knife rights lobbying group in D.C.

My apologies for being hysterical.
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What happens in the U.K. is actually totally immaterial to us, as they do not live in a constitional republic like we do. Our government gives us more power than any other on erth, IF WE CHOOSE TO EXERSISE OUR RIGHTS.

The example of the Hawaii rep was a good one. He was bound by prosess to introduce the bill by his constitant, but it went nowhere because it was so ridiculous it had zero chance of going anywhere to start with, and he knew that. If Americans get off thier duffs, our government can do nothing unless we let them. So far, a majority of the new democrats from the western states have already put Eric Holder on notice that they will not back any new attempt to resurect the A.W ban. They did this because of the people they represent, made themselves heard to them. Even rabid ant gunner Diane Fienstien has backed down form any new anti laws at this time. Yes they are waiting, but so are we. Same with any new knife laws. Only if we sit apatheticly on our rear ends will we loose anything. We have watchdogs like the N.R.A. that are keeping a close eye on the enemy, and we can mobilize if need be to make our wishes known to those who would try to rob us of any rights. The brits, don't have our rights to start with because our constitution is more comrehensive than thier government. If they chose not to have a revelution like we did, that's thier lot.

The enemy is us and our inaction. With 40 million gun owners in this country, but only 4 million members of the N.R.A., the enemy is us. How many knife owners are in this country? They need to be as watchful as gun owners. There will always be those who wish to take our freedoms away, but our system of government privides us with a means to defeate them, IF WE USE IT.

Under even thier parlamentry govenment, the brits can do something about it, and even get thier right to bear arms restored, but they don't bother. It's thier choice. Yet I don't see a million man march on parliment over there. They don't even protest video cameras in thier life. If they choose to be sheeple, then that's thier choice. Hell, I don't even see a million man march on Washinton here. If people get that lazy, they deserve what government dishes ut to them. I beleive it was Lenin who said people get the government they deserve.

I believe the election of Barrak Obama is one of the best things to happen to us. If for no other reason to shock people to wake T.F. up, and mobilize as is thier right. Americans are lazy, and in the past have paid more attention to who's the top NASCAR driver or NBA star, than whats going on is Washington. Now, they are taking notice of just WTF is happening in D.C. Thats a good thing long past due. Americans need to start paying more attention to our elected officials and what they are going than the bread and circus put on the boob tube for our amusments. And we need to make said officals aware that we are watching them. Letters, even a visit now and then from someone back home. How many gun owners have just bellyached and then went out and bought yet another AR they didn't need? Instead, for the price of an AR, get a cheap ticket to Washinton, and go knock on the door of your rep. Hand him a letter signed by a bunch of people from back hme. They figure for everyone that bothers to cme see them, there's 20 back home feeling the same way. What's gong to happen when they start getting regular visits from thier people back home? It's going to make one hell of an impression. The biggest wish of any politian is to be re-elected. If they get the idea the folks back home are not going to stand for any BS involving more anti-whatever laws, those laws won't get passed for fear of loosing thier covetted job.

The government can't do anything if we make it clear to them we won't stand for it. After all, they work for us, not the ther way around. Sometimes we just may have to go a little distance to point that out to them. But that is our right after all. Other countries don't have that option, so using the Uk as a comparison is not a good move. That piece of parchment hanging downtown makes us different. We just have to remember that.

We have to ask ourselves how important an issue is to us, and act accordingly. In theroy, what happened over there, can't happen here if we stay vigilant.

I just get tired of hearing the hysterical screaming of "Thier gonna take our ---- away!"

"They" can't take a damm thing if people just understand that we can say no.
 
Charlie Mike said:
Relax... knives are the least of your worries. In 10-20 years I expect the majority of us will be shipped off to FEMA death camps for being "troublemakers".
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LOL... Yep, that would be my response too. My gun will have a secret hole in my backyard. I will make whatever knife I want and break all the restrictive laws and either be shot for threatening society with my dangerous tools (simply for owning them), or put into a re-education (death) camp just like the you said.

You guys should check out this video by nutnfancy if you have a half-hour to waste. It is right on point about this kind of stuff. hergo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dE4UgY7lgI&feature=channel_page


P.S. I vote that we should have no restrictions. Full autos even, and any bloody knife in the world.
 
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