If you make or carry knives, YOU could go to jail!!!

Darrel Ralph

Darrel Ralph

Joined
Dec 14, 1998
Messages
4,870
Have I got your attention?
Customs is trying to stop us from enjoying not only assisted opening
knives, but all folding knives. What happens in these cases is that once
they shut down the imports, then they go after the carry laws for everyday
people, like all of us. They want knives banned in the USA.
Your help is needed to stop this action.
Please read and fill out these forms in the link that Spark has posted.
This is just about the only way we will beat this issue. It will take a
grass roots effort along with organizational lobbyists and lawyers.
In addition, a letter was sent out from AKTI.
Please read the AKTI talking points before you fill out the forms. It is
imperative that we stay calm and use the right wording when we address
this issue.
We are in the sporting industry.
This effort will cost an estimated $500,000.00.
Yes ----- that is a half a million dollars. Just to address a time
extension for us to have long enough to answer the Customs filing, it will
be about $100,000.00. Then the attorneys will have to go and fight tooth
and nail to show cause and address this issue with cases that are on the
books.
AKTI needs your donations of any amount to offset our rights to carry
knives. Please donate what you can. Time is of the essence here.
They have about 10 days to answer the customs filing.
This means they need all the loot that we can afford to give them.
I have to say one thing to you. If at anytime in your life you are really
needed for a fight for your freedom, this is one. Our freedoms are slowly
being taken everyday. WE MUST STOP THIS. They are trying to bulldoze our
industry into the ground and they do not care who it effects.
All Knives will then be like switchblades.
Freedom is not free anymore. We have to fight to keep it.
Here is the link to donate. Please help!

http://www.akti.org/
Pay with PayPal pay to akti@akti.org
Credit card or check:
https://p5.secure.hostingprod.com/@www.akti.org/ssl/donate.html

This is Sparks’s link to all of the forms and other information you can help with.
Please fill out forms from every organization. We stand as a group. The more we send the more it helps. Make sure to read the talking points.
Send to your congressman, customs, and every other person that they say will help the cause. Have your children and spouse help by filing.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/announcement.php?f=741&a=138

If you have thoughts on how we can win this war, POST IT!

Thanks

Darrel Ralph
 
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Darrel Ralph said:
It is imperative that we stay calm and use the right wording when we address this issue.
Click to expand...

Very true. We must conduct ourselves as professionals. No cussing in your letters or emails, please. Proof-read before clicking "send", don't type in anger, etc.

I don't make folders but I own several and carry one everyday. This issue is important to ALL makers and anyone who enjoys a quality knife.
 
I just sent $50.00 through Paypal. It took less than 5 minutes of my time to go to the link and send the money. If you can't afford that much just buck up and send even $5.00 and if we all give a bit it will make a huge difference.

Darrel you asked for ideas:

How about seeing if Sparks' will allow knife auctions here with the proceeds all going to fight this? I would be willing to allow the winner of one for my knives to select ANY knife I have listed on my web site if this can be arranged....

I can imagine one of yours would potentially raise big $$$$$$ ...:D:D:D
 
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Unbelievable. :barf: Wonder how people are liking "CHANGE"? :rolleyes:

I am sending some cash right now, thanks for the heads up.
 
ONeill said:
James killed his OWL , hope he did not use a folder .
Click to expand...

The owl lives, my friend. :) Let not your heart be troubled! I only changed my avatar/sig to reflect my concern for this very issue.

Redrummd said:
How about seeing if Sparks' will allow knife auctions here with the proceeds all going to fight this?
Click to expand...

I have no idea what Spark's thoughts are regarding auctions; but if something like that gets going, I will also donate a knife, materials, or mod/repair work to the cause. A few months ago Mr. Jerry Rados suffered a devastating tornado that blasted his shop; lots of us around here chipped in to help. I'm a HUGE fan of that concept. Great idea, Redrummd! :thumbup:
 
Wouldn't knifemakers be the worst people to have in jail? We could make a shank out of ANYTHING
 
$25 coming your way by Paypal. I second the idea for knife auctions or maybe even raffles. Raffles would allow people who don't have a lot of money to participate and would still raise a good bit of money. I don't have any customs and am still working on my first blade, but I'm sure I could dig up a factory knife or something for charity.
 
They're really pushing to ban carrying any knife?! :confused: "The knife is our oldest tool and knife making our core technology. Knives make all other technologies possible and are part of what defines us as human." How the hell can they take that away from us? :mad:
 
Wow! I hope that doesn't happen here!

DustinHall said:
They're really pushing to ban carrying any knife?! :confused: "The knife is our oldest tool and knife making our core technology. Knives make all other technologies possible and are part of what defines us as human." How the hell can they take that away from us? :mad:
Click to expand...

Wouldn't the oldest tool be a hammer? :D I get the point, im just saying...
 
Lets get some donations going here. I'm sure some us have a few extra $$$ lying around. Speaking our minds is great we also need to act if we have the means.
 
Here are some of the forms.
Please use your name and addy in the right places.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Office of International Trade, Regulations and Rulings
Attention: Intellectual Property and Restricted Merchandise Branch
Mint Annex, 799 Ninth St. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20229

RE: Opposed to 19 CFR Part 177

To whom it may concern:

I am a knife owner. I am not a criminal. I use a folding knife for utilitarian purposes. (Your personal story.)

Your proposal, 19 CFR Part 177, is so broad in its proposed definition of a switchblade knife that it would outlaw multi-tools, traditional pocket knives, one-hand openers, and assisted-openers. Quite frankly, the size and style of a knife has nothing to do with any criminal intent.

Your proposal would make de facto criminals of me and more than 35 million other Americans who carry and use some type of utilitarian knife that opens with one hand. We are not “thugs and delinquents” as you try to portray us in your proposal letters. We use knives on the job in law enforcement, as EMTs, firemen, military personnel, construction workers, hunters, fishermen and women, hikers, bikers and gardeners. We use knives to save lives, to make our jobs and recreation easier and safer.

Your proposal would put America deeper into an economic crisis. There are nearly 4,000 people directly employed in the U.S. sporting knife industry. Another 19,000 people support them by providing materials, packaging and shipping services. The industry generates nearly $1 billion annually at the manufacturer level and nearly $6 billion of total economic impact.

I am asking you to extend the official comment period to at least September 30, 2009. I want to provide more comment on your very detailed proposal. And 35 million Americans should have the same right.

Sincerely,

 
Here are the talking points.
http://www.akti.org/PDFS/AKTI-CustomsTalkingPoints.pdf

Please read these for an idea on making the right "splash" with your letter.
Please send your letter to Customs and YOUR Congressman and Senators.
Your help is needed.

Kniferights.org has a campaign for this project also.
I am not choosing sides by any means. Please choose the organization that you feel says what you want to say and help all that you can. Remember this, these politicians and the likes do not respond to whining and threats.
You must say what you want to say in a respectful, clear, concise manner. They have NOTHING to loose, YOU do.

It is important that we raise the funds in to fight this issue.

Please email Spark to answer the question about the raffles and auctions.
We "Darrel Ralph Designs" will gladly donate 5 of the new Meyerco Maxx Q folders for this purpose.
Please spread this to the general, and other forums to get the ball rolling.

To clear up one comment from above about banning ALL folders and knives......
The issue is about banning the importing of folding and assisted opening knives generally.
What was discussed in the AKTI meeting at the Blade show with attorneys was this.
History dictates that if customs wins this battle, after this act is put into place, it will have a domino effect on most knives in general. What the government will do according to the attorneys is use the customs decision “if they win” to build cases that will ban all knives over time like they did switchblades. The switchblade act has never been overturned. Once they get their way, it’s over. The way we stop this is to stop the first line of action.
That is this one. If we stop Customs, we will have the ammo to keep them in line for a long time.

Your help is needed now. Send your letters. Make one out for each of your family members, friends, everyone you know. Make sure to send it to Customs, your congressperson and House of Representatives persons. They have to know we mean business.
We have been printing out a form letter that is ready to go.
All people have to do is put their name and address at the bottom of the page.
We mail them to the right people for them.

If you have any questions that you feel we can be have help with please email me personally at dralph@earthlink.net.

 
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I emailed the Indiana governor, but got a response that he can't do anything because this is a federal level. I just emailed again, with a special note to the secretary who forwards it to him, that I hope they don't have any box cutters in his/her house, as that is a one-handed opening knife too.

I am hoping that Mitch Daniels (the governor) can at least make a public address that the switchblade proposal is wrong. If he does that, I believe many more will follow.


And by the way, I sent over 150 emails to Indiana senators and legislators.


And if spark is fine with a raffle, I'd love to pitch in. I could do like 25 blocks of wood, and all of the money, less shipping, will be donated to the cause.
 
Great Mike,
We have to stir it up and get them talking.

One note.
Customs ... in an attempt to bulldoze us over fast, will not accept and email replies or positions.

It is imperative that we MAIL the customs forms that we have posted above.
They will just say that we did not respond because we did not mail the form.

They did this and gave a VERY short reply time thinking that we would not have time to stop them.

We need your help.

Send your customs letters. Have your friend sign one. Have your kids sign one. Send as many as you can.

Please help.
 
Hello:

Ok I am a "nobody" in the knifemaking world...No one knows me from Adam but I would gladly add one of mine to the auction.. Let me know where to send it...

NVHammerHead
 
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