"Flippers" in Hawaii?

Wharn

Wharn

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Joined
Feb 1, 2011
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Hey folks. The Zero Tolerance 0560 Hinderer Collaboration recently caught my eye and I'm trying to decide whether or not to pre-order it. My question is given the following:

134-52 Switchblade knives; prohibitions; penalty.
(a) Whoever knowingly manufactures, sells, transfers,
possesses, or transports in the State any switchblade
knife, being any knife having a blade which opens
automatically (1) by hand pressure applied to a button
or other device in the handle of the knife, or
(2) by operation of inertia, gravity, or both, shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor.

Would this be legal to carry? I am not to familiar with flippers but it seems it would fall under the inertia part.
 
This sounds more like a threat against balisongs. I don't know anything about the ZT, but after googling it, I see that it has some sort of ball bearing system inside it. It's definitely not a switchblade. I'm not even sure if it'd be categorized as assisted opening. The only way of opening it would to apply some sort of outside manual force to it, so I think you're in the clear brother :)

Awesome knife btw.
 
Thanks! I just looked up this on the ZT website

What is SpeedSafe®?
SpeedSafe® is a patented system that assists the user to smoothly open any SpeedSafe® knife with a manual push on the blade's thumb stud or pull back on the blade protrusion. SpeedSafe® is built into many of Kershaw's best-selling knives.
How does SpeedSafe® work?
The heart of SpeedSafe® is its torsion bar. Closed, the torsion bar helps prevent the knife from being opened by "gravity;" it creates a bias toward the closed position. To open the knife, the user applies manual pressure to the thumb stud or blade protrusion to overcome the resistance of the torsion bar. After the blade is out of the handle, the torsion bar moves along its half-moon track and takes over. The blade opens smoothly and locks into position, ready for use.
Is a SpeedSafe® knife a switchblade?
NO! There are many unique features of SpeedSafe® knives that make them quite different than knives that are considered switchblades. Unlike a switchblade, SpeedSafe® blades DO NOT deploy with the push of a button in the handle or by gravity alone. Instead, the user must overcome the torsion bar's resistance in order to engage the SpeedSafe® system. Because of this, SpeedSafe® knives fall fully outside the Federal definition of a switchblade. However, due to the complexity and constantly changing nature of these laws and regulations, it is impossible for Kershaw Knives to be aware of every restriction in every location in which our knives are sold or carried. It is the responsibility of the buyer to investigate and comply with the laws and regulations that apply in his or her specific area.


So I think I'm in the clear.
 
From my educated guess, I would have to say it'd be ok. What matters, however, is how the authorities in Hawaii see it; safest bet is to email the city/county prosecutor in your area and ask them. Most wouldn't do so, but its about the only way to really find out the answer to any knife law as they vary so much from one location to the next. I did this and found out from the city attorney where I live that the city is in violation of the state law by allowing a half inch more on concealment than the state statute! :confused:

Anyways flippers are so common any more on all brands I can't see it as a problem.
 
Inertia opening knives would mean something where you flick the handle with your wrist and the blade pops out. So unless you have a loose pivot screw or weak detent in your 560, it shouldn't be a problem. I haven't had much trouble with my ZT 0301 or R.J. Martin Overkill. But then again, I don't pop my blade out in front of police.

And is the 560 a SpeedSafe opener? I thought they were using KVT for it.
 
meh. the law is a lil vague, but you should be fine. ive been caught twice with speed safe ZT's and they were just admired and returned.
forgot to mention i live in honolulu, which is probably the strictest area of hawaii since its densely populated city and there arent many reasons to carry large assisted folders.
 
i doubt you'll get in trouble for a ZT....if it was a balisong or those microtech knives then it probably be confiscated
 
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