Compression lock - gravity knife?

[Trawlerman]

Like many states where their knife laws are pretty murky, the State of Maryland law states that 'gravity' knives are in the same classification as switchblades. Instead of a spring, the gravity knife uses the force of gravity to extend the blade. Because of this case, gravity knives are banned in Maryland as well.

So would that definition also apply to Spyderco's (or other manufacturers) compression locks where you push the compression tab and the blade falls free?

Love to hear some opinions!
Jim

 

[mauser9]

Yeah Maryland sounds to be gettin pretty crappy with their gun and knife laws lately. Don't see what the harm is with a gravity knife!!! What the hell is the difference how the blade opens? Glad we got the Internet these days. Usually send ya what you want anyway.

 

[Dadpool]

So would that definition also apply to Spyderco's (or other manufacturers) compression locks where you push the compression tab and the blade falls free?

New York City has been unfairly using the fact that many, many folders can be opened with a firm wrist-flick to claim that they're illegal and punish people for carrying them for years. The whole "gravity knife" designation is some hot BS.

IMO, if a cop or prosecutor wants to cause trouble for someone carrying a folding knife in many places in the US, they can probably find a way to do it. Until your specific locality tests "does using a compression lock make this a gravity knife?" in court there's likely no way to be sure.

 

[Elgatodeacero]

I don’t see how a compression lock is any different than a liner lock, same locking mechanism, just in a different location.

Gravity can be scary, however.

 

[mauser9]

Exactly. With all the BS in the world today one would think busting balls over a knife would be ludicrous but many making the laws are brain dead anyway.

 

[Random Dan]

I don’t see how a compression lock is any different than a liner lock, same locking mechanism, just in a different location.

Gravity can be scary, however.

The difference is that the compression lock can be pressed while the blade is closed, thus allowing the blade to swing open by gravity.

I've wondered this myself. Compression lock, button lock, axis, shark lock, etc are all equally "gravity" knives so I hope the designation would not apply to any of them.

 

[G. Scott H.]

This is the trouble with vaguely-worded laws. When I hear "gravity" knife I think of the German paratrooper type knives and similar, where the knife was specifically designed so that you hold the knife vertically, press the lever on the side, and the blade drops out into the open position or back into the closed position. I'd also class the Paragon Warlock as a gravity knife, albeit a side-opening one. A Compression Lock knife can indeed be opened or closed with the help of gravity by pressing the lock tab and letting the blade swing open or closed; however, that wasn't the intended function of the lock, just a side effect of the design, so a CL knife can be opened and closed all day without the assistance of gravity; whereas a true "gravity" knife relies upon gravity for its function.

 

[glistam]

Maryland resident here and I've spent decades researching knife laws here down to the smallest detail. I've compiled all of my findings plain English here: http://weaponlaws.wikidot.com/maryland-knife-laws

Gravity knives are not illegal in Maryland. It is not mentioned in any part of the state's regulations on weapon carry or purchase, and unlike other states, law enforcement is not permitted to arbitrarily interpret knife laws, but rather must comply with the statute itself and rulings of the high court.

I can see why this misconception persists. Many poor quality "knife law" websites have references to a Maryland case on gravity knives, but fail to provide context. Here's the real story. The case is Savoy v State in 1964. where a pimp was caught by two plain-clothes officers while carrying a gravity knife. Contrary to what is often reported, this case didn't actually make a binding ruling on gravity knives, but instead ruled on the manner that jury instructions were provided. There have been subsequent changes to the law as well as binding case law since that time which effectively make the Savoy ruling irrelevant. These include rulings that the all non-switchblade folding knives are penknives and so are excluded from the law (Mackall, 1978), the burden lies with the state and not the citizen to prove a given knife is not an exempt penknife (Anderson, 1991), as well as some changes in the phrasing of the weapon laws when they restructured the criminal code from "Article 27, Section 36" to "Criminal Code, Title 4, Subtitle 1."

 

[Hashishiin]

Maryland resident here and I've spent decades researching knife laws here down to the smallest detail. I've compiled all of my findings plain English here: http://weaponlaws.wikidot.com/maryland-knife-laws

Gravity knives are not illegal in Maryland. It is not mentioned in any part of the state's regulations on weapon carry or purchase, and unlike other states, law enforcement is not permitted to arbitrarily interpret knife laws, but rather must comply with the statute itself and rulings of the high court.

I can see why this misconception persists. Many poor quality "knife law" websites have references to a Maryland case on gravity knives, but fail to provide context. Here's the real story. The case is Savoy v State in 1964. where a pimp was caught by two plain-clothes officers while carrying a gravity knife. Contrary to what is often reported, this case didn't actually make a binding ruling on gravity knives, but instead ruled on the manner that jury instructions were provided. There have been subsequent changes to the law as well as binding case law since that time which effectively make the Savoy ruling irrelevant. These include rulings that the all non-switchblade folding knives are penknives and so are excluded from the law (Mackall, 1978), the burden lies with the state and not the citizen to prove a given knife is not an exempt penknife (Anderson, 1991), as well as some changes in the phrasing of the weapon laws when they restructured the criminal code from "Article 27, Section 36" to "Criminal Code, Title 4, Subtitle 1."

Well we learned a lot, and had some laughs, but they couldn't make us slaves, no!
They couldn't make us slaves,
Well they couldnnnnnnnnnnnn't
maaaaaaaaaakeeeeee ussssssssssss
*boom bombombom boo, boom bobobo boom*
SLAAAAAAAAAAAVESSSS!!!

 

[NG VI]

Well we learned a lot, and had some laughs, but they couldn't make us slaves, no!
They couldn't make us slaves,
Well they couldnnnnnnnnnnnn't
maaaaaaaaaakeeeeee ussssssssssss
*boom bombombom boo, boom bobobo boom*
SLAAAAAAAAAAAVESSSS!!!

What in the sweaty shartpot are you going through

 

[Hashishiin]

What in the sweaty shartpot are you going through

In response to the conclusion that gravity knives are not illegal in Maryland:

...You're right, this is stupid, I don't know what I'm doing. Welp, guess I'll give up forever!

 

[Erbenlegend]

It really depends on where you live. In California I can say with a high level of confidence that a compression lock is not a gravity knife. Here in CA, a gravity knife is a switch blade, so proving that something is not a switch blade is all that really matters.

The qualifications for that in folding knives is a detent, no matter how weak, and a means of opening it other than gravity by applying pressure to the blade. This includes flipper tabs, thumb studs, Spydie holes etc.

This is also why a knife like the warlock is in fact a gravity knife (and a switch blade here in CA), you can’t apply pressure to the blade to open it.

The Civivi elementum button lock is also a gravity knife here because they omitted a flipper tab. Probably a big mistake on their part from a market share perspective.