switchblades

M

Mick57

Joined
May 27, 2004
Messages
1,846
Hi guys,
Was wondering when switchblades became illegal to own & what was the reasoning behind them being banned? I'm thinking because they we're popular with gangsters during Prohibition & the Capone era, but only speculating. I'm sure someone here has the scoop. Thanks.
 
1958: Boker closes the Schrade plant after Congress bans switchblades.
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No, it wasn't a response to gangsters of the '20's-'30's, but a feel-good legislation in response to fears of leather jackets, motorcycles, and youth who were behaving outlandishly in their parents opinion ("Rebel without a cause"?). Many different knife types with many actions are available today that don't fall under that law, which open just as quickly, and really are no different other than the presence of a spring assist and lock combo. I think their target was the Italian Stilletto, the "assault weapon" of it's day. Many of the switchblades (automatics) blamed for non-existant crime and banned were short blade knives, some with fingernail files, not much different from an Old Timer or Uncle Henry. I understand that in Canada, this ban has been extended to include a knife that is "flickable", however they define that. LT has championed reform of these antequated laws for years, so he can explain it much better than I can.

Codger
 
Typical of American laws it is perfectly legal to have, buy and sell springers in a few of the states like AZ and FL. Some states allow collectors to have them others like Mass will arrest you if you think about them. Federal law prohibits the manufacture of springers in the USA unless they are for the military or law enforcement and a couple of other large loopholes.

When LT has a minute he will fill us in. I know his past posts have been archived but I will look.

TTYL
Larry
Found this old interesting little bit of history,.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=251665&highlight=switchblade
and try this for the legal stuff
http://www.akti.org/legisl.html
 
lrv said:
Typical of American laws it is perfectly legal to have, buy and sell springers in a few of the states like AZ and FL. Some states allow collectors to have them others like Mass will arrest you if you think about them. Federal law prohibits the manufacture of springers in the USA unless they are for the military or law enforcement and a couple of other large loopholes.

When LT has a minute he will fill us in. I know his past posts have been archived but I will look.

TTYL
Larry
Found this old interesting little bit of history,.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=251665&highlight=switchblade
and try this for the legal stuff
http://www.akti.org/legisl.html
Click to expand...

Thanks for those threads Irv. Very interesting. It really doesn't make any sense that these knives should be illegal. Good 'ol politicians at work again.
Thanks Codger for your response. That makes alot of sense.
 
Many laws having to do with weapons, and tools that can be used as weapons, have no basis in logic. As a Concealed Pistol license holder, I can carry my piece into city hall. But the 4 inch closed, mother of pearl toothpick has to be left with a guard.
Lt will get into the fact that the nice little handy pull ball switchblade that grandma had in her sewing basket would get her butt tossed into the pokey now-a-days.
 
It is very difficult to explain this problem in a few words. The idiot laws ( as I call them were enacted in 57 and 58.) They vary from state to state and are enforced upon the whim of whatever agency for whatever reason they choose on any given day on what they are feeling that day as to how to enforce them. This simple tool has been maligned and is treated as some kind of pariah . I write for several magazines I have gotten a bill in the New york legislature and have expounded and sought to either change these laws or at least have the way they are to be enforced defined. It is just as idiotic and from the same era as not being able to film Elvis from the waist down on the Ed Sullivan show.

If you have a particular aspect of this particular subject I will be happy to discuss it the fact is I have written hundreds of pages regarding it and spent untold hours in trying to rectify the entire situation. LT PS the main reason I wrote my book The Collectors Guide to Switchblade knives ( a historical and price guide ) as well as my CD which is a virtual museum tour was to allow people an opportunity to view and understand these artifacts and there rich history.
 
Just found out today that lock back blades are now illegal to carry in the UK as the lock makes them a 'fixed' blade. Fixed blades have always been illegal as were switchblades.
 
lt632ret said:
It is very difficult to explain this problem in a few words. The idiot laws ( as I call them were enacted in 57 and 58.) They vary from state to state and are enforced upon the whim of whatwever agency for whatever reason they choose on any given day on what they are feeling that day as to how to enforce them. This simple tool has been maligned and is treated as some kind of pariah . I write for several magazines I have gotten a bill in the New york legislature and have expounded and sought to either change these laws or at least have the way they are to be enforced defined. It is just as idiotic and from the same era as not being able to film Elvis from the waist down on the Ed Sullivan show.

If you have a particular aspect of this particular subject I will be happy to discuss it the fact is I have written hundreds of pages regarding it and spent untold hours in trying to rectify the entire situation. LT PS the main reason I wrote my book The Collectors Guide to Switchblade knives ( a historical and price guide ) as well as my CD which is a virtual museum tour was to allow people an opportunity to view and understand these artifacts and there rich history.
Click to expand...

Well, maybe your untold hours in trying to rectify the situation hasn't fallen on deaf ears completely. As everyone knows, switchblades are readily available on any number of sites on the internet. I can't believe the Feds aren't aware of the situation, so maybe your persistance has paid off & they're softening their position. I certainly don't see any effort to shut these sites down. (as of yet anyway) It would be nice to see some common sense displayed by the lawmakers, & get these archaic laws off the books.
Is your book & CD available through certain bookstores, or directly from you? I'd like to pick up a copy of each. Thanks again to everyone for the replies.
 
The knife is mans oldest tool. Mankind is not the largest predator or natuarally endowed with claws or fangs ect instead he has survived by using his mind to create tools like knives . To outlaw a knife is akin to outlawing rocks or sticks. Now to further elaborate on this stupidity while a 100 year old knife with a 1 inch blade may ( depending on area and mindset of the enforcing agency ) be illegal. swords, military (bayos which are built and whos original purpose is violence as well as regular folding knives which may be able to open even faster ( with modern ratchet and bearing mechs ) with out a spring are perfectly fine. It is simply a left over idiot law like hanging someone for spitting on the street someplace in Montana. 26 years working in jail has taught me that if someone wants to do harm to themselves or someone else and is dedicated enough to persue the endeaver almost any mundane item ( a can of tuna fish in a sock works good) may be used as a weapon. We live in an age of dirty bombs, anthrax weapons of mass destruction so immense that to contemplate there use is to consider the possibility wiping out civilization as we know it. However these idiot laws against 100 in some cases 200 year old knives are what we have laws against. Why any one would use an archeic antique if they did want to commit some act of violence is beyond me. It is like saying lets go get us some flintlocks and go rob a bank. It like many things in our world is just plain nuts. The Aussys, with in the last couple of years, just increased there rules and regulations on gun ownership ect. The result is that violent armed crime has increased. However they did make the ownership of automatic knives ( as collectables ) under very strict rules allowable to those who meet the strict criteria and apply and receive a licence to do so. There have been ( to my knowledge ) no incidence of the use of one of these OLD artifacts being used in a violent crime. I could babble on and on about this subject however it seems no ones cares and frankly I am running out of time to get it rectified. I guess in an age of so much being wrong, with wars, natural disasters, crooked politicians and a myriad of other idiot happenings many of which we bring or legislate unto ourselves this small inequity will continue to be shunted aside. I will tell you this law enforcment loves the nebulous nature of these laws so that they can be used and enforced as fits there needs or wants. These laws have not been clarified and will not be for that reason and these laws will never becaome a supreme court issue because it ever was brought before the high court these laws would certainly be found to be in violation of second amendment rights and would all be thrown out. So until then agencys will confiscate ( often deface or worse ) and then drop the charges and return the items. It like many things makes no sense and frankly after 50 years of pointing this out to a largely couldn't care less population I am tired of repeating myself. LT
 
Mick57,
I knew we could count on LT for a great response.
His CD is available from him directly. Email him at lt632ret@frontiernet.net
I am not sure if he has copies of the book to sell but they can be gotten on EBay, Amazon and other internet book sellers.
TTYL
Larry
 
My book is available through Paladin Press it can be ordered through any bookstore. Usually there is at least one book dealer selling them ( New on ebay ) . retail is 39.95 this is for the second edition soft cover printing. First editions are out of print ( sold out) and were 49.95. The ones on ebay are usually discounted and are usually buy it now at around 35 dollars.The CD's are 10.00 plus 2.50 shipping. I have them. They are different than the book and are a virtual museum tour. I had them made to so that they could be copied. I did that because my main reason for doing the CD was to allow some understanding of this subject to a larger audience, my publisher put the price on the book ( which again is a historical price reference ). I felt that the price might be out of some peoples range so I did the CD so that it would be within the means for most people and could be passed around by copying.
I was told when I made that decision that I was nuts for doing it that way and that I would make more money by not allowing them to be easily copied. I responded by saying that I knew I was nuts and if money was that important to them I could loan them a few bucks but that it was not my primary concern ( at least at the moment ). For anyone who ever wants to do a book let me give you some advise unless your name is Monica Lewinsky, Hillary or Bill Clinton, Or you come upon something like Harry Potter do not write a book as a massive monetary persuit I was pretty lucky with mine and after 4 years have barely made a few bucks ( considering time and aggravation originally expended ) however I have busted a lot of balls with it to begin with there had not been a book on the subject for 20 years prior to my book since mine came out 3 more books on the subject have come out. Mostly by people who had been saying they would write one for years seeing mine ended there procrastination I consider that positive. Also dealers had been ripping off the general public by paying pennies to sellers who did not know what they had and then selling at giant profits to collectors. This book finally allowed the general public a chance to understand what there knives ( historically ) were and a idea of there true value. Again this is not an earth shaking subject in lew of the inequities of the world none the less it aggravates me mainly because of its stupidity. This continuing tilting at windmills is my way of lighting one candle however I shall continue to curse the darkness.

I guess this is as good of time as any to announce my little surprise. The village of Ellenville ( where Schrade was located since the mid fiftys ) has a public library and museum. I will not go into all that has transpired however suffice it to say that I received authorization and for the last couple of weeks have been installing an exhibit of personally owned items in an allocated area in the museum. While it is a fairly generous amount of room the amount of items I have available have forced me to simply concentrate on the approx 50 years Schrade was in Ellenville ( rather than being able to encompass the complete history of the cutlery industry in the Huidson valley. Which goes a hundred years further back.) I simply have to much stuff.

It should be noted that this exhibit ( aside from a couple of very limited and legal dispalys is sans automatic knives. ). Inclusive of this display are original Schrade Walden display cases. Filled with original bone Schrade Walden NEW (OLD STOCK ). The original corner stone of the building and much more I will be going further into detail as the project continues. LT PS the exhibit should be officially open in a week or two it is mostly there now however the written documentation ect will be a few days and it will be there through most of February.
 
Congratulations Rich!! :thumbup: :thumbup:

I'll bet it will be a wonderful bit of cutlery history and Americana. I hope to some day make it to the area and see the exhibit.

Bill
 
What is the title of LT's book so I can find one?
Sorry if I missed it somewhere.
 
Thankyou all. This is one of those situations where I feel it is a least a very small step forward in the right direction. LT
 
I hope that you can show us some pictures of the display when done. If not, then maybe the newspaper will do a feature we can see. I wish it was not such a great distance to travel from here. I would like to see the display in person, and even have a chance at seeing the real Langston collection. The CD is great, but it is like just having a sip of good burbon. It makes you want more now that you've had a good taste. And we both know that knives are tactile, they need to be touched and looked at closely to be truly appreciated.

Codger
 
Hopefully there will be pics in fact perhapes more, it is a crap shoot I have to see what happens. You are right anout knives kind of like a woman. pictures are ok BUTT er I mean but, touching, is a lot better. I know that is true of knives and if I remember that far back also with the fairer sex. LT
 
LT,
All I can say is "what took them so friggin long!"
Congrats. I know some of the trials and tribulations you have been through just getting this 1st display going. Nice Job!
So I have until Feb to come down and visit again?

TTYL
Larry
 
You are welcome anytime. Bring whiskey I have venison. LT PS Heck you don't have to bring anything.
 
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