Knife Laws.....knee jerk reaction?

F

Fliegenmesser

Joined
May 17, 2008
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9
I was talking with a older knife collector the other day and he said something interesting....he said that the knife laws were a knee jerk reaction by old politicians in Washington DC to juvenile delinquent problems in the 1950s....and street gangs in the big cities....in which Hollywood dramatized in such movies as "West side Story" and "Rebel Without A Cause"!

So because of hoodlums Washington DC puts Draconian laws on the entire law abiding population of the USA!
 
Same as most other restrictive laws, it only takes a few jerks to ruin it for everyone.
 
That's mostly true. A lot of the switchblade and gravity knife laws do in fact stem from the "need" to resist the dreaded crime of "juvenile deliquency."

However, every ten years or so there's a new batch of updated laws to resist the dreaded crime of... well, whatever gets you elected.

In the 1960s, it was saps, blackjacks, and so on.

In the 1970s, it was nunchuks, throwing stars, and so on.

In the 1980s, it was balisongs by and large.

In the 1990s, we had a bit of respite as crime trends began to go down. Knives and other weapons weren't as important to outlaw as firearms.

Fortunately, we're not seeing a rise in crime again, so the law makers have again turned to firearms.

Eventually, I'm sure, the karambit will be on the list.

A good way to tell: watch a Hollywood movie and take note of whatever the colorful bad guy henchman is using... that's a tip off as to what's getting trendy.
 
In the 1990s, we had a bit of respite as crime trends began to go down. Knives and other weapons weren't as important to outlaw as firearms.
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The '90s took aim at guns. There was the 1989 import ban, followed by the '94 crime bill/AWB, the overzealous revocation of FFL's, increased dealer licensing fees, the heavy handed ATF (Waco, Ruby Ridge), the presidential directive forbidding imports of low capacity military style weapons (knee jerk reaction to columbine). Knee jerk handgun and semi-auto bans in England and Australia too.

Fortunately, we're not seeing a rise in crime again, so the law makers have again turned to firearms.
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We're seeing more liberalization on the gun front now- politicians largely realize that is too much of a politically damning issue to play with for the time being. There is also the pro-CCW/ shall issue movement as well, that gained a lot of momentum.

The new target is going to be AO and other tacical knives.
 
Aos and Tacical knives are pretty much covered under present laws if you had an officer who wanted to make an arrest
 
It was a hot day and I was helping my brother move into a new house.....after about 10 loads in my pickup....we were done for the day....I did it for gas money....but my bro knows how we both luv to collect knives....he gave me a double edge boot dagger....I put it in the tray in my pickup console...and got in my pickup and headed out to the lake for a swim to cool off after hauling furniture all day in 90 degree heat.....I was just outside of town when a sheriff stopped me for 10 mph over the speed limit....he immediately noticed the knife in the console tray....and he said that is illegal having that knife there...I explained to him that I just received it from my brother for helping him move.....he said okay and gave me a ticket for speeding.....35 in a 25....I do not know if it was illegal or not...or if the officer was just trying to mess with me?
 
It probably was illegal. Most places consider double-edged knives as being "daggers".
 
It is the same story for every law. When a problem arises, something is quickly done. Usually being over sweeping and too much. It is the nature of things. Eventually things get revised though, which is my gripe with knife laws. Forget why they were made for a sec and try to see the common day place for them and make the necessary changes.
 
I do not know if it was illegal or not...or if the officer was just trying to mess with me?
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Depends on where you live. It probably was illegal, and could get you seriously busted in many places. Best to keep it tucked away safely in your collection.
 
Fliegenmesser said:
I was talking with a older knife collector the other day and he said something interesting....he said that the knife laws were a knee jerk reaction by old politicians in Washington DC to juvenile delinquent problems in the 1950s....and street gangs in the big cities....in which Hollywood dramatized in such movies as "West side Story" and "Rebel Without A Cause"!

So because of hoodlums Washington DC puts Draconian laws on the entire law abiding population of the USA!
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There are laws prohibiting carrying concealed weapons and bowie knives in many states going back at least to the 1850's. This is not new!

The 1950's law and "West Side Story" reference probably refer specifically to the Federal laws on switchblades.
 
One of the first "knife" laws that I am aware of was in 1586 (IIRC) England. Elizabeth outlawed that carry of any sword with a blade longer than 36".

For the most part though, I find that knife laws are a result of Hollywood. All you need is a bad guy to show a knife in a popular movie and it will be on the chopping block.

If lawmakers actually based laws on what was used in crimes, the 3" kitchen knife would have been outlawed years ago. Instead, they get calls that such and such knife is a horrible threat to our saftey and that the streets are being overrun with them. Why? Well it was in that movie!:jerkit:

The next anti-knife push will not be against any single style. They are already gearing up and floating "testers" for a EU style total ban on the carry of knives.

It is going to take alot of money and man power to stop the new surge of anti-freedom legislation. We need to be ahead of the curve and not just reacting to new laws. We need to be pro-active on stopping these laws before they even get rolling.

Just as every gun owner should be a member of the NRA, every knife owner should be a member of Knife Rights. If you are not a member, you need to step up and do your part. Join!
 
R.W.Clark said:
If lawmakers actually based laws on what was used in crimes, the 3" kitchen knife would have been outlawed years ago. Instead, they get calls that such and such knife is a horrible threat to our saftey and that the streets are being overrun with them. Why? Well it was in that movie!:jerkit:
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Damn right, that IS the way it is.
Ninja movies showed the "evils" of nunchucks and shuriken, so I didn't get to play with them as a kid.:grumpy:
MEANWHILE, junkies stab folks with rusty screwdrivers and paring knives, because anything cooler who get sold for crack or heroin.
Don't you feel safer?:)
 
If lawmakers actually based laws on what was used in crimes, the 3" kitchen knife would have been outlawed years ago. Instead, they get calls that such and such knife is a horrible threat to our saftey and that the streets are being overrun with them. Why? Well it was in that movie!

And scissors, and screwdrivers, and boxcutters...

The next anti-knife push will not be against any single style. They are already gearing up and floating "testers" for a EU style total ban on the carry of knives.

We already have that in many cities. In NYC you don't even have to carry a switchblade, gravity knife, dirk, dagger, or any obvious weapon to get arrested. Any knife at all can be labeled a "dangerous knife" and of course possession of a "dangerous knife" is illegal.:barf:
 
Eventually, I see most tactical folding knives being manufactured without pocket clips, since draconian laws will necessitate very deep concealment. Most of us will become (if we aren't already!) felons for carrying our knives in public.
 
I believe new firearms laws in America will be enacted, it's a pity given you all need rid of a few rather than the opposite but the international pressure seems to be mounting from the elitists, who believe firearms should only be in use with military, and to control civil dissent.

Within Europe they are considered very threatening by the EU, and nations are encouraged to disarm the citizens for reasons mentioned earlier.

Knives in perspective are easier to defend than say a .308 SLR, and less likely to take priority over such things.
The most important aspect to remember is there are a lot of you and little apathy to the cause; if you all took the option my country does in the face of prohibition then things would be bleak but you do not ;).
 
Anaxes said:
The most important aspect to remember is there are a lot of you and little apathy to the cause; if you all took the option my country does in the face of prohibition then things would be bleak but you do not ;).
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Damn, I'm still depressed!
 
Big Brother sees criminals (fictional or otherwise) gravitate towards certain styles of knives, so they ban these knives thinking it'll stop crime. You can't think backwards that way. Let's say there's this gang that beats people up using plastic pink flamingo lawn ornaments. The kneejerk reaction is to ban plastic pink flamingos. Removing pink flamingos from the hands of gang members won't stop them from beating people, nor does ownership of a pink flamingo by someone not in the gang give them an inherent, uncontrollable compulsion to beat people with their lawn ornaments.

Then there's the matter of how certain knives like butterfly and switchblades open. They scare normal people. Partially, because they associate such knives with criminals (fictional or otherwise), and partially because they're flashy; face it, autos and balisongs do have a sort of intrinsic attitude to them. But we all know these reactions are ignorant and naive. 3" of sharpened steel is 3" of sharpened steel no matter how it's deployed, and looking flashy doesn't imbue special abilities to its wielder. Being able to look (mildly - I'm not that good) cool opening my balisong doesn't make me an expert knife fighter any more than putting on a gi and a black belt makes me Royce Gracie.

What it boils down to is the illusion of safety. The unenlightened public will think "no switchblades, the streets are safer", and the government won't likely ever change anything in our favor while the public thinks that. When it comes to things like this, the only way the status quo will ever change is to increase restrictions and penalties.
 
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