Leatherman Blade Launcher in CA

M

MSC

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Apr 13, 2006
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Hmm. Seems to me that the "switchblade" language in california knife law could potentially include Leatherman knives with the blade launcher. Anyone have an informed opinion on this?

Thanks in advance.
 
the blade launcher ia a single blade leatherman knife that uses a "flipper" type design to push the knife out of the handle and force the blade forward to open. Np springs, but in NY at least it would be a gravity knife as it flicks open easliy....
 
I'm going to chime in while we wait for a more qualified person to answer this.

The way that I see it, as long as the blade is being opened by you, the knife is legal. If there is a spring that is released when you push a button, it is a switchblade.

You must exert the energy that opens the blade, with no mechanism that stores energy.
 
there is currently nothing in the penal code that prohibits assisted or flipper openers. the leatherman looks fine to me.

if there is a detente that biases the blade toward the closed position, even a spring loaded folder is fine, per the letter of the law.

in general a switchblade must have a button which releases the blade. a thumbstud or flipper as the sole opening method on a knife is not in violation.

imo, the law will soon catch up, and i imagine we will see the prohibition of assisted openers in ca.

of course, one could easily see how an officer would believe it to be a switchblade and make the arrest. it would take a court appearance and a decent lawyer to make the argument that the leatherman is legal. and the name of the knife does not help its case.

"blade launcher" sounds like it is a ballistic knife. a decent prosecutor would likely bring this up.
 
Morimotom, quick question as you see it on your side of the country....In NY regardless of how the knife is designed to open, if it can be flicked open it is deemed a gravity knife. An AO, flipper or this type of action is designed to open a knife in a certain manner, but if the knife can still be flicked open then in NY it is still s gravity knife. The CA law does ban this type of opening also.....as listed here....For the purposes of this section, "switchblade knife" means a
knife having the appearance of a pocketknife and includes a
spring-blade knife, snap-blade knife, gravity knife or any other
similar type knife, the blade or blades of which are two or more
inches in length and which can be released automatically by a flick
of a button, pressure on the handle, flip of the wrist or other
mechanical device, or is released by the weight of the blade or by
any type of mechanism whatsoever. "Switchblade knife" does not
include a knife that opens with one hand utilizing thumb pressure
applied solely to the blade of the knife or a thumb stud attached to
the blade, provided that the knife has a detent or other mechanism
that provides resistance that must be overcome in opening the blade,
or that biases the blade back toward its closed position.....I am not sure if the detent clears you with this knife as that wording does not exist here. I somewhat doubt that an officer who could easily flick open a knife would concede that it is not a gravity knife due to a detent being present ( not sure how many officers would know what that even was)....
 
tom19176 said:
For the purposes of this section, "switchblade knife" means a
knife having the appearance of a pocketknife and includes a
spring-blade knife, snap-blade knife, gravity knife or any other
similar type knife, the blade or blades of which are two or more
inches in length and which can be released automatically by a flick
of a button, pressure on the handle, flip of the wrist or other
mechanical device, or is released by the weight of the blade or by
any type of mechanism whatsoever. "Switchblade knife" does not
include a knife that opens with one hand utilizing thumb pressure
applied solely to the blade of the knife or a thumb stud attached to
the blade, provided that the knife has a detent or other mechanism
that provides resistance that must be overcome in opening the blade,
or that biases the blade back toward its closed position.....I am not sure if the detent clears you with this knife as that wording does not exist here. I somewhat doubt that an officer who could easily flick open a knife would concede that it is not a gravity knife due to a detent being present ( not sure how many officers would know what that even was)....
Click to expand...


i was referring to the highlighted portion of the code.

the problem arises with "spirit of the law v. application of the law v. letter of the law". assisted openers like the kershaw line are widely available in ca. but autos like microtechs are normally only available to military or law enforcement.

i believe they work "around" the law by not having a button or scale release. having a thumbstud, per the definition, is not a mechanical device, so it seems the springloading is irrelevant if the only opener is a stud or flipper.

again, this is my interpretation of the letter of the law.

how i interpret this section may differ from how another officer or judge interprets it.

i believe the "flick of the wrist" was meant to ban bali songs. most locking blade folders of decent quality can be wrist flicked open.

my advice is usually to make sure the pivot is tight enough not to be easily flickable, and be well versed in the specifics of the section.

but....

my advice or interpretation is not case law by any stretch. only how i read the section and apply it in the field.
 
Thanks for the answer. Before I was trained as a NYC LEO I never considered a knife that could be flicked open to be a gravity knife , but that is exactly what they teach you...any lock back that can be flicked open is a gravity knife here. It has become worst as the courts have allowed the blade to be held and the handle flicked opened ( thanks to the Syderco method commonly used this way). It seems that it is a bit more sensible where you are, but I still bet most liner/back locks with a loose blade will get you arrested with or without a detent...
 
id say the laws are no more sensible, though i have had no specific training on flickable or gravity knives.

i apply the laws as i interpret them. since i am more familiar with these sections than most, others often ask me whether a particular knife is in violation.

also, since i have very specific interpretations, i dont "bend" the laws to apply to specific circumstances.
 
The wording that worries me is the portion highlighted by MORIMOTOM as well. In the case of the Leatherman, it is not "one hand utilizing thumb pressure applied solely to the blade of the knife or a thumb stud attached to the blade" that is opening the knife but rather a finger operating a lever-type device. So, that exclusion does not seem to apply at least according to the letter of the law (there is a thumbstud on this blade, but this operates independently of the blade launcher).

Maybe I can turn this into an excuse to buy a new knife. I've been looking at the Doug Ritter edition of the Griptillian. Maybe I'll get the one with the menacing, tactical yellow handles :-)

Regards,
Michael
 
morimotom,

i am just starting to appreciate knives and enjoy carrying them clipped to my pocket...

BUT i will stop until i can find credible info about what is legal to carry here in orange county and la county.

i like to carry only folding knives.

thanks for any info and/or links! :)
 
bergzy said:
morimotom,

i am just starting to appreciate knives and enjoy carrying them clipped to my pocket...

BUT i will stop until i can find credible info about what is legal to carry here in orange county and la county.

i like to carry only folding knives.

thanks for any info and/or links! :)
Click to expand...

here is a thread in which the la county code is posted. ive never researched orange county, but i would think it is similar.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=483748
 
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