Buck 112 a "gravity knife" under NY law?

If you can get the blade to lock open by flicking the knife,including by grasping the blade and swinging the handle open,then it is considered to be a gravity knife in NY State. Especially so in NYC. NYC in particular requires that any knife,including multitools large and small(Vic Classic)be completely hidden from view. That includes pocket clips. I am frequently in NYC and if I decide to carry a knife I would only carry a non-locking one,like a SAK. While locking knives are not forbidden by law,most of them I know of can be flicked open in some way. No matter how ridiculous it seems,and it is,if the criminal justice system in NYC can show that the blade can be flicked open even after numerous failed attempts, it is a gravity knife and you are facing criminal weapons possession charges. makes me all warm and fuzzy inside knowing Im safe from lock-knife wielding law-abiding citizens. In the immediate area outside the city you'll find the atmosphere to be similar but not as draconian in its application. The farther away you get from the city, say in the Catskill Mountains and north, you would not likely be hassled for openly carrying the Buck ranger on your belt, as long as you were behaving yourself. Have a safe trip to NYC and if you do bring along the buck keep it out of sight. Oh and be advised that the subway system sometimes does random searches before entrance and there are some locations that have airport-style security checkpoints. good luck
 
Thanks MH13750.

Anyone tried to flick open a Buck Ranger or 110 while holding the blade?
 
Yes it will flick open if you hold the blade....Most officers would not have an issue with it....keep it in your pocket
 
tom19176 said:
Look into the locking sod buster style. Never seen one that could be flciked, and a non weapon style blade.
This style:
http://www.smkw.com/webapp/eCommerc...t=&Mode=Brand&Brand=229&PriceStart=&SKU=RR847

http://www.smkw.com/webapp/eCommerc...t=&Mode=Brand&Brand=229&PriceStart=&SKU=RR818


The second one is safer size to carry....
Click to expand...

Thanks TOM19176. I have an old Imperial "Boy Scout" style pocket knife that was my Grandfather's. Mine looks similar to the bottom one in this pic:
http://cgi.ebay.com/3-old-pocket-knife-lot-imperial-robeson-shuredge-bone_W0QQitemZ370309248140QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item563826b48c

Any opinion on that? Looks as non-tactical as possible. The largest of the 3 blade is 3".
 
That one looks fine. Just remember you are NOT carrying it as a weapon even for self defense....
 
tom19176 said:
That one looks fine. Just remember you are NOT carrying it as a weapon even for self defense....
Click to expand...
Yeah that's the toughest part,having to answer the inevitable
question that a law enforcement officer will ask if you find yourself having been searched,"What do you have this for?" With adrenalin pumping its not so easy to make the appropriate response. I tell myself periodically that if I'm ever in that situation I will try and relax,breathe and simply tell the truth,"It's just my pocketknife officer". If pressed further,"I use it for daily chores,a habit I picked up as a kid in the Boy Scouts". You could choose to invoke the right to remain silent, but I do not think my statements would make even the most zealous prosecuter very excited.
 
The right to remain silent rule is most often a good idea, however, when in a weapons case like this would be, I strongly recommend you stateing a well thought out response, as the officer could only charge you with a weapons charge if he can prove intent for use as a weapon for the legal knife you showed. Just say it is a pocket knife for normal cutting chores that you encounter at work or at home and travel, and you believe it to be a legal pocket knife. If you say nothing, and offer the same response in court then it will appear that your lawyer told you what to say. An officer believes your first on the scene response and most likely will not make an arrest in this case with this knife.
 
also a good reason to carry a SAK or similar. much easier to argue that it's a tool, not a weapon, if it also has a bottle opener and tweezers. SAKs are (mostly) sheeple-friendly too, even in the most paranoid areas.

protip: use the small blade whenever possible.
 
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