Knife Law Op-Ed In The NYTimes Today

[jazub]

Glad to see such a sensible opinion in print.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/31/opinion/new-yorks-outdated-knife-law.html?ref=opinion

Refreshing to see it unequivocally written that the cops have "developed" wrist-flick opening skills in order to bust people. Also interesting to read how the DA basically shook down knife retailers for a million bucks. What a shady system. :thumbdn:

As an aside, I'm not loving the collection of confiscated knives on display in the picture. I see a Buck but most others look like junk knives.

Good luck, knife people of NYC.

 

[flowfaster]

Stupid. Not you, the law.

I bet California is next....

 

[nlewman]

I see a spyderco civilian and I think a zt.

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[Czechmate]

I see a spyderco civilian and I think a zt.

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And kershaw, Al mar etc... :thumbdn::thumbdn::thumbdn: Nice knives that are probably being carried by people who will never use them to commit an offence FWIW.

In Canada, the latest witchhunt is any assisted flipper knife. :thumbdn::thumbdn::thumbdn: No logic to any of it.

 

[jazub]

Stupid. Not you, the law.

Haha. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Yalius]

I see a Kershaw Offset there, now that must have hurt to have it confiscated.

 

[BladeCommander]

Knives in the pic.
Kershw: Bumb, Speed Bump, Blur, Junkyard Dog, Leek, Vapor, Scalion, Zing
Spyderco Civilian
Benchmade 760 LfTi
Buck Vantage
CRKT My Tighe (I think)
SOG something

Quite a nice selection actually. Compared to many other photos of random knife lots.

 

[Pardon]

Knives in the pic.
Kershw: Bumb, Speed Bump, Blur, Junkyard Dog, Leek, Vapor, Scalion, Zing
Spyderco Civilian
Benchmade 760 LfTi
Buck Vantage
CRKT My Tighe (I think)
SOG something

Quite a nice selection actually. Compared to many other photos of random knife lots.

You forgot the biggest travesty of them all: An Al Mar ND2 Nomad! I'd have been devastated.

I'm not sure if this applies to NY or not, but it always seemed silly to me that a place which allows the carry of a certain length fixed blade would outlaw ANY opening mechanism on a folding knife of similar length.

I mean, how could a folding knife with X opening mechanism possibly be more dangerous than a fixed blade of the same length?

 

[jazub]

Knives in the pic.
Kershw: Bumb, Speed Bump, Blur, Junkyard Dog, Leek, Vapor, Scalion, Zing
Spyderco Civilian
Benchmade 760 LfTi
Buck Vantage
CRKT My Tighe (I think)
SOG something

Quite a nice selection actually. Compared to many other photos of random knife lots.

Well, I guess this makes me legally blind in New York.

At a glance, I only noticed the Buck, a spider web scale knife, some M-Techs, and what looked like a Spyderco knockoff in the top of the picture. I don't follow Kershaw so my bad on those. Also, didn't notice the Benchmade or the Al Mar. Bummer to lose any knife that way, let alone something nice.

 

[ASBOB]

Getting back to the article itself, this is good news from an important source. People who might not know about knife rights or be inclined to support them will at least be exposed to new arguments.

 

[Pardon]

Agreed, it's one thing to lose a knife to a silly law, but actually getting arrested for it is a whole different league of P.I.T.A.

There's no telling how much the government is spending on this either. Think of all the labor hours involved in the arrest, paperwork, court operations, etc. All tax dollars that could have spent elsewhere on real issues.

Nevermind the inconvenience to the citizens who were arrested that these laws were supposed to represent and protect.

 

[Danke42]

You forgot the biggest travesty of them all: An Al Mar ND2 Nomad! I'd have been devastated.

I'm not sure if this applies to NY or not, but it always seemed silly to me that a place which allows the carry of a certain length fixed blade would outlaw ANY opening mechanism on a folding knife of similar length.

I mean, how could a folding knife with X opening mechanism possibly be more dangerous than a fixed blade of the same length?

The "fear" is that a folder is easier to conceal. Before you start citing easy hide fixed blades, well just don't.

& yes it's a pretty dumb kneejerk law, and it's made worse by the police methods. Pretty sure with some practice I could flick open a SAK that way.

If you go down that rabbit hole you might as well cite everyone with a car for speeding since almost any car has the potential to exceed the legal limit.

 

[Daniel Dorn]

Getting back to the article itself, this is good news from an important source. People who might not know about knife rights or be inclined to support them will at least be exposed to new arguments.

Agreed. Great to see such a positive piece placed so prominently.

Bet Ritter is doing a little jig.

 

[Goosey]

In Canada, the latest witchhunt is any assisted flipper knife. :thumbdn::thumbdn::thumbdn: No logic to any of it.

The article applies in Canada as well, we have a similar "gravity knife" law and police may attempt to flick your knife open. If they succeed, it's a prohibited weapon.

"Memorandum D19-13-2: A centrifugal knife is one that opens automatically through the use of centrifugal force. Centrifugal force may be defined as a force, arising from the body's inertia, which appears to act on a body moving in a circular path and is directed away from the centre around which the body is moving. That is, centrifugal force is established when the blade of the knife may be opened with the flick of the wrist. Note that extra manipulation and a requirement for some skill to release the blade do not prevent a knife from being a prohibited weapon."

 

[killgar]

Stupid. Not you, the law.

I bet California is next....

Knives that can be wrist-flicked open are perfectly legal in California, and they always have been. Provided that they posses a detent or other mechanism or design feature that must be overcome in order to open the knife.

Back in 2012, in the case of the People vs. Gilbert R., the California Supreme Court ruled that such knives are legal, both to own, and to carry. Unless someone in California wants to appeal that ruling to the US Supreme Court, and unless the US Supreme Court overturns that ruling, the decision of the CA Supreme court stands as the law of the land here in California. And since that ruling was made over three years ago, and no appeal to the US Supreme Court has been filed, such knives remain legal here.

Whether or not an LEO here in California can wrist-flick a folder open has no bearing on it's legality. And if an LEO in this state were to arrest someone for carrying a folder merely because it could be wrist-flicked open, and if that folder had a detent, etc, then that officer, his department, and the county could be sued for wrongful arrest and unlawful imprisonment.

And here is a link to the actual law from the official California government website that makes such knives legal- http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/f...ctionNum=17235.&highlight=true&keyword=detent

 

[Critter]

Glad to see such a sensible opinion in print.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/31/opinion/new-yorks-outdated-knife-law.html?ref=opinion

Refreshing to see it unequivocally written that the cops have "developed" wrist-flick opening skills in order to bust people. Also interesting to read how the DA basically shook down knife retailers for a million bucks. What a shady system. :thumbdn:

As an aside, I'm not loving the collection of confiscated knives on display in the picture. I see a Buck but most others look like junk knives.

Good luck, knife people of NYC.

See: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...for-Passage-of-Bill-to-Stop-Bogus-NYC-Arrests

Call or Email to help get this bill passed!

 

[Roamad]

This. The NYT editorial pages, as everyone knows, are known to be liberal in mindset. And their editorials often support gun control in various forms. To see them espouse such a rational view on knife possession is very refreshing and heartening.

Getting back to the article itself, this is good news from an important source. People who might not know about knife rights or be inclined to support them will at least be exposed to new arguments.

 

[jazub]

See: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...for-Passage-of-Bill-to-Stop-Bogus-NYC-Arrests

Call or Email to help get this bill passed!

Called and they were very friendly. Thanks for your work on knife rights, Mr. Ritter! :thumbup::thumbup:

 

[Critter]

Agreed. Great to see such a positive piece placed so prominently.

Bet Ritter is doing a little jig.

We're quite happy. These sort of editorials don't just "happen."

Editorials are nice, but only getting the law changed counts.

Please Call and Email to help get this bill passed: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...for-Passage-of-Bill-to-Stop-Bogus-NYC-Arrests

 

[mauser9]

Figures N.Y. city would have some moronic laws concerning knife laws. Doesn't really matter if you manually open or flip it. Will do the same damage. I would not go near that toilet of a city. Stupid laws and a rip off to visit.