Bali Illegal in NYC???

[Dan GSR]

Say it aint so.....
Anyone have documentation to back this??

Now someone is gonna say its illegal in Long Island too.....it isn't right???

 

[Uranium]

Nope... not legal, considered a gravity knife. You can order them to your heart's content, just don't carry em unless you can handle the heat

 

[Dan GSR]

But I thought that the bali was not considered a gravity knife in NY state...

 

[tonyccw]

Sorry, like I said before, NYC rules overrule NYS laws. Just as you follow the 4" blade limitiation that only NYC has, you'll have to follow the bali's-are-gravity-knives-in-NYC rule. I don't like it, but thems the rules.

 

[RDT]

Yup !, it's true. They've been illegal to carry in N.Y. since the 70's I believe. You can buy em' and own em' in home but outside is a no, no. You get caught with one you'll be lucky just to have it taken away from you. I hate that but I Love N.Y. so just gotta deal with it. I wish it were'nt so and in the current state of affairs I don't imagine it will ever become legal. heck, depending on the Cop and his or her understanding of the law (this varies)you can't even carry a folder with a thumb stud on it. Most cops won't read into the laws on auto's and gravity knives that much to consider a thumb stud an auto knife. Yet you can carry a fixed blade provided it's under the legal limit and not dual edged......argh ! Good luck.....RDT

 

[tonyccw]

Originally posted by RDT
They've been illegal to carry in N.Y. since the 70's I believe.

No, they were legal to carry up to around 1988/89 when the US Attorney's office classified them as gravity knives. NYC was quick to follow suit, and stayed there ever since. NYC is a lot more sheepish when it comes to weapons, and therefore will probably not overturn that ruling and follow the rest of NY State any time soon.

 

[RDT]

Hi Tony,
Really ?, even when I was a kid I'd buy a cheapie bali from this Store in Brooklyn. That was say like 1980 to about 1984 or so and they (owners) would tell me that they were'nt legal but that I could own them. As well as the infamous 007 cheapie knife that was so popular back then. Then I had always heard the "rumor" that they were illegal to carry ever since. People carrieed them anyway but you know how that goes.I guess they were wrong (me too), they were'nt supposed to sell em' to me anyway because I was too young. My bad.....RDT

 

[ybalice]

Just curious as to what the current laws regarding bali's are in ny state and federal?

 

[Dan GSR]

In NY state the bali is not considered a gravity knife...therefore legal to carry

 

[tonyccw]

Clarification: Certain counties in NYS does not consider the bali to be a gravity knife, and thus is legal carry. But not all municipalities in NYS permits legal carry of the bali. NYC is one, Westchester County is another. Check with your local police department to know for sure.

 

[epigram79]

I know that in Nassau County they are legal. At least to purchase. I remember seeing Bear MGC's in Roosevelt field and in another Remingtion's store where I grew up. Also, there was this guy in Massapequa who carried cheapies and a few old taylors and BM. So, at least in Nassau, I'd say they are legal. Probably in Suffok too.

 

[Dan GSR]

Do you recall the names of the stores.....I would love to go check out some stuff locally...

I live in Nassau

 

[PeaceFrog]

No, they were legal to carry up to around 1988/89 when the US Attorney's office classified them as gravity knives.

So Tony, are balisongs legally gravity knives federally? I was banking on the idea that they are not gravity knives for the support to my belief that they're legal to carry here in VA...

 

[epigram79]

Dan GSR:
Both of them were called Remington Knives. One was on Franklin Ave. in Garden City. The other was in Roosevelt field mall on the second floor by the food court. The place in Massapequa, I can't remember. It was like an indoor flea market. I couldn't tell you exactly where though.

PeaceFrog:
What I was told is that they are not concidered gravity knives (at least on long island) because the cannot be openned and locked (latched) in one movement. That was the explanation given to me by someone at Remington when I asked how it was that they were legally able to sell Bali's.

Aside from that, I really don't know too much of the laws on Bali's in long island. And that is just what someone who worked there told me about 6 or 7 years ago. But lets be honest...you're going to stick it in you pocket anyway right?

 

[tonyccw]

Originally posted by PeaceFrog
So Tony, are balisongs legally gravity knives federally? I was banking on the idea that they are not gravity knives for the support to my belief that they're legal to carry here in VA...

From my understanding of the Federal Switchblade Act, bali's in general are not gravity knives. See this thread for prior discussion, look for one of Chuck's post: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=177357

But as for fighting that crusade, I'd only say that local municipalities have to power to go against Federal statutes as they see fit, so using the Federal classification by itself isn't going to be enough. And that type of a battle can take many years to fight, and still lose.

 

[ixpfah]

Just what is a gravity knife, and why is that illegal to carry?

 

[Nash The Slash]

The best example of a gravity knife is the German paratrooper gravity knife from the Second World War. You can find photos of them on the internet. They are illegal in many countries because they can be opened with one hand like an automatic or a balisong.

Gravity knives resemble an OTF automatic except there is no spring inside. It operates by gravity-point the handle down to open or up to close and there is a lever to lock/unlock the blade. I have one from the war but it had the lever removed to make it legal.