Kershaw Chive under attack in Illinois

[Grover_Cephas]

How can a knife be illegal simply for having a blade over 5.5 inches?! What about kitchen knives?!

Is this "illegal knife" definition strictly for CARRY, or for simple OWNERSHIP?!

Gotta read the restof the text

"A person commits an offense if intentionally, knowingly , or recklessly carries on or about his person a handgun, illegal knife, or club."

It also makes an exception for "lawful hunting, fishing, or other sporting activity"

Courtesy of http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/sta-law.htm

 

[skstevens]

problem with the sporting activity exception and reason I didn't go into it originally is that it is very vague. Has to be type of activity where the weapon is normally used. (paraphrase) Cops are quick to say "You may beat the rap, but you won't beat the ride," because the vague way the law is written. There is also a travelling defense. Travelling is not defined. There is no exception for knife shows (they still go on unmolested normally). There is no exception for taking a knife (or handgun, since they are treated exactly the same, except you can't get a concealed carry license for a knife) to and from a store.

As they say, the law is an ass.

 

[skstevens]

peacefuljeffrey,

In reply to your question, yes, a bowie knife is considered an "illegal knife," but then, so is my 6" chef's knife and my 9" slicer. Illegal knives can be possessed and owned, but in many (not all) instances may not be carried. "Prohibited weapons" may not be owned or possessed (with some exceptions) at all. Switchblade knife is a prohibited weapon.

 

[diamdave]

Illinois is coming to you too, soon. Pervasive hoplophobia is becoming the norm, not the exception. Good Ole Mayor Daley has Chicago buttoned down with arcane gun laws, heaven forbid HIS bodyguards should have Kershaws (or guns). The only way out of this is to lobby, and lobby hard, ones' representatives.

 

[dialex]

I was glad to read the story. It is an undoubtable sign that the more serious threats for the common citizen are solved and your wise law makers can focus their attention upon secondary details. Like switchblades. No matter how big or small they are, no matter if the user has a specific need for such a knife, no matter even if he likes to carry a knife just for fun. It's obvious that such a character is an incipient criminal / psychopat whose insticts didn't emerge yet... Hmm... that makes me one of them, I also have a Chive.

 

[Josh_43]

Illinois is coming to you too, soon. Pervasive hoplophobia is becoming the norm, not the exception. Good Ole Mayor Daley has Chicago buttoned down with arcane gun laws, heaven forbid HIS bodyguards should have Kershaws (or guns). The only way out of this is to lobby, and lobby hard, ones' representatives.

Arcane doesn't even come close - it's a military state in Chicago, between cops beating people up and getting away with it, video cameras on every corner, and just about everything from pencils, pocket knives and pistols being illegal. Under Chicago laws, a kitchen knife is illegal.

The Mayor's bodyguards are armed to the teeth, no problem. If everyone had the Mayor's police protection, there wouldn't need to any concern about safety, but unfortunately, the cops are few and far between, knowing how to play the game to avoid being in tough situations.

Of course, Chicago laws allow an exception for the Mayor's pals - aldermen ARE allowed not only to carry a pistol in Chicago, but to carry a CONCEALED pistol. Also, private investigators can concealed carry (ie ex-cops, since based upon how the PI license law is written nobody else qualifies). That's a nice perq of those jobs.

The facist almost-military-state City of Chicago likes to keep people docile, unprotected (and dumb), while going after the easy meat, like folks who register their guns, or like to carry folders, but lets the gangs run rampant.

Does any rational person really think gun or knife laws will curb crime? Chicago gun laws have been ridiculous for a long time and yet Chicago is consistently in the top crime/murder cities in the US.

Gangs and criminals don't abide by any laws -they never did, they aren't members of the NRA, they never abided by FFL for purchases. It's really shocking to see how many folks buy into the political BS rhetoric about increased safety and crime prevention when the laws are made tougher and tougher? That's pretty naive.

Unfortunately, the gun-laws are spilling over into knife laws, and same ideas apply. Are you ready to register your knives in the not-too-distant future (in Chicago)?