I live in Westchester County, NY, and was recently charged with possession of a gravity knife. The knife in question was a Coast FX200, which if you look it up is a pretty ludicrous, and pitiful example of trying to enforce a similar type of law. I had to try very hard not to double up in laughter as the officer repeatedly tried to open it up as a gravity knife. He would put it down, do some writing, pick it up, and swing it several times, and put it down again. Rinse, and repeat several times, until he got it to open. Then he charged me with possession of a gravity knife as an E felony. Long story short, the charge was dismissed on the first appearance in court without any real discussion. I see many people trying to get the law changed with regards to gravity knives, but I think just getting the definition of what a gravity is, is probably an easier solution. I can’t find any literature as to exactly WHY a gravity knife is illegal, but I am going to make a common sense guess that it is because they are considered weapons. If that is the case, then a knife should be judged to be a gravity knife if it meets the following criteria: 1) If opening the knife using gravity is reasonably faster than opening it normally. For example, a Spyderco Merlin has a finger hole that can be grasped, and flicked downward, thus opening the blade. However, I can open the blade almost equally as fast by merely holding the blade normally, and using my thumb to open the blade. Under current NY law this knife is considered a gravity knife. 2) If the knife can be opened using a gravity method in a manner that makes it “combat” ready. Using the same Spyderco Merlin, grasping the finger hole, and flicking it open as a gravity knife does not leave it in a position to be used realistically in a fight, as you are grasping the top of the blade, near the rear/center position with two fingers. Now maybe SOMEONE can successfully fight with a knife in those circumstances, but I am pretty certain than the average citizen, absolutely cannot. Alot of knives in this day, and age, offer knives that utilize one hand/ease of opening features such as finger/thumb holes, and thumb screws/studs, and by narrowing the definition of a gravity knife, rather than trying to legalize them, you are at least eliminating a lot of reasons for false gravity knife charges. Just sayin’....