Camillus Lev-R-Lok legal issues

[rohare]

I recently bought a Camillus Lev-R-Lok at a Remington shop in California. I have been told by several people(including a veteran police officer) that they fall under the definition of a switch blade and are therefore illigal to purchase or posses in California for any reason other than collection. This is an important issue for me as I carry it every day. Can anyone clarify this for me?

 

[Will Fennell]

Rohare,
First off, thanks for becoming a CAMILLUS customer!

We ship thousands of LEV-R-LOK's to Cali. every year. By all the legal interpretation we can gather, the knife is completely legal under Cali. law. However, different municpalities have different laws also within the state. Be surew to check with your local laws.

One important note, LEO's enforce the law,...not interpret it. If want to know a more 'firm' legal opinion, contact your Distict Attorneys Office.

Thanks for your interest.

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Stay Sharp!
Will Fennell
Camillus Cutlery
www.camillusknives.com

 

[medusaoblongata]

From CA state penal code 653k

"switchblade knife" means a knife having the appearance of a pocketknife and includes a spring-blade knife, snap-blade knife, gravity knife or any other
similar type knife, the blade or blades of which are two or more inches long and which can be released automatically by a flick of a button, pressure on the handle, flip of the wrist or other mechanical device, or is released by the weight of the blade or by any type of mechanism whatsoever. "Switchblade knife" does not include a knife that is designed to open with one hand utilizing thumb pressure
applied solely to the blade of the knife or a thumb stud attached to the blade.

According to this definition, the lever could be considered "any type of mechanism whatsoever." I'd call it a grey area. I've been told that it's illegal because the opening mechanism is built into the handle, and I've been told that it is not a switchblade because it's manually operated. The fact remains (unfortunately) that the courts have not decided on it either way. Will Camillus send you a lawyer if you get busted with it? The law can be interpreted in many ways, I mean, a MT Halo doesn't really have the appearance of a pocket knife, but they would call that a switchblade. Within knife speaking circles, a switchblade is a certain kind of knife and the Lev-R-Lok is not a switchblade. But according to CA law it might be. It is true that LEO's enforce the law, not interpret it, but that means you might have to go to jail and then court to prove that your knife is legal.

On a side note, carrying a "switchblade" openly on your person or anywhere in the passenger area of your car is a misdemeanor (they're perfectly legal in your home or trunk), but carrying one concealed on your person is a felony. Of course carrying open on your person makes it a lot more likely that a cop will see the knife and ask you about it...

You pays your money and you takes your chances. Good luck.

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Jason aka medusaoblongata
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"I have often laughed at the weaklings who call themselves kind because they have no claws"

- Zarathustra

 

[namrepus]

Will, I live in Canada and i have been thinking about ordering a Camillus Lev-R-Lok, do you have any idea about the legality of Lev-R-Loks in Canada?