Where does Cold Steel get their information?

3Guardsmen

3Guardsmen

Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
3,652
I was looking at Cold Steel's new "Paradox," the 'non-balisong' if you will, and came across this rather interesting statement in their ad copy, on this http://www.coldsteel.com/pasba.html page: "Many U.S. states soon followed suit including our home state of California, where mere possession of a Butterfly knife is a FELONY."

I really have to wonder where Cold Steel got that information.

For reference, here is California Penal Code section 653k., which covers "butterfly knives":
http://leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate?WAISdocID=31388914168+6+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve

653k. Every person who possesses in the passenger's or driver's
area of any motor vehicle in any public place or place open to the
public, carries upon his or her person, and every person who sells,
offers for sale, exposes for sale, loans, transfers, or gives to any
other person a switchblade knife having a blade two or more inches in
length is guilty of a misdemeanor.
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.
For purposes of this section, "passenger's or driver's area" means
that part of a motor vehicle which is designed to carry the driver
and passengers, including any interior compartment or space therein.


Regards,
3G
 
I've talked to three different police departments here in Northern California, and all three said basically the same thing: you can have almost any type & size of knife you want, it's the issue of carrying it that's restricted. For the most part, they won't say anything at all about folding knives, in your pocket or in belt sheaths, up to Buck 110-size knives. Even some fixed blades are okay, like the type used by contractors for duct-work insulation. When you get into subjects like butterfly knives, the bigger issue here is drawing attention to yourself.

Cold Steel does make some nice knives, but I don't take any of their ad copy seriously. Some of it's outright laughable.

thx - cpr
 
the 653k section is the correct one, and it is indeed still a misdemeanor.

however, possession of a bali on a k-12 school campus would be a felony, as are all locking blades. i know, the part that locks are the handles, but that's the only time it could be a felony.


as far as where they get their info, it seems they just make some of it up and claim it as fact.
 
MORIMOTOM said:
the 653k section is the correct one, and it is indeed still a misdemeanor.

however, possession of a bali on a k-12 school campus would be a felony, as are all locking blades. i know, the part that locks are the handles, but that's the only time it could be a felony.


as far as where they get their info, it seems they just make some of it up and claim it as fact.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Mark. I'm very familiar with 626.10 PC, though I deal with subsection b where I work. 626.10 PC is a wobbler, and in the area where I work, I've yet to see it charged as a felony.

As far as Cold Steel's ad copy, I don't really know what to think except that maybe they're trying to play up the severity of possessing a butterfly knife in California in the hopes of selling more of their new 'faux' balisongs.:confused:

Regards,
3G
 
This belongs in the Knife Laws forum, unless its purpose is simply to start another thread about how [place pejorative term here] Cold Steel is.
 
So....the "feature" of their super mega "Custom" balisong is that...it takes two hands to open?

What makes the paradox special is its lack of the most important feature of the balisong, which is the fun of flipping.

They're going to need one hell of a marketing strategy.

"All the convenience of your car, except you must walk!"
 
It's not a new idea, either; there are other cheap knives on the market whose purpose is to ape the appearance of balisongs, but they're just locking folding knives. I guess the assumption is there are people who want to own knives that appear to be balisongs who cannot legally own the real thing. I can't see a reason to buy one.
 
Sharp Phil said:
This belongs in the Knife Laws forum, unless its purpose is simply to start another thread about how [place pejorative term here] Cold Steel is.
Click to expand...


Thanks Phil. Yes it does belong in the knife laws forum.

Even though I am not enamored with some companies and their business model, after a while it gets to the point where threads like this are viewed more as attention seeking or trolling for a silly thread where the same things are repeated again and again. (Oh boy, I am going to start another Cold Steel bash in General, is getting kind of old.)
 
Bastid said:
... after a while it gets to the point where threads like this are viewed more as attention seeking or trolling for a silly thread where the same things are repeated again and again. (Oh boy, I am going to start another Cold Steel bash in General, is getting kind of old.)
Click to expand...

Cold Steel bashing was my first thought, but I figured since I've actually addressed the possession & carry issue specifically with the local police, I'd chime in on that part of it.

My issue was more with bayonets, double-edged knives, large hunters, etc. None of which I'd carry, but with the foster-to-adopt process we're in, I didn't want to have somebody freak on me if they see grandpa's war relic on my desk.

I usually ignore anything with Cold Steel in the title. Not sure why I even clicked that thread...

thx - cpr
 
the only advantage to this knife is that it has the balisongs strong lockup. because the hinges oppose each other, and the locking bar effectively joins the two grips together, a balisong has a strong locking system, that is only reinforced when you add an extra locking force by holding the grips. but that system is allready employed in their black rock hunter model, which seems to have a more comfortable grip shape, and doesn't look like a balisong (which could get you in trouble)
 
I know in New York City the luxury of having a spring propelled folder activated by a button or switch (switchblade) of any blade length can get you a class D felony rap as well as the distinct possibility of free room and board in one of the many new or old properties of our rapidly expanding prison real estate
 
I balisongs get redefined as switchblades can this also be possible. Can a legal expert correct me if I am wrong.
 
greater said:
I balisongs get redefined as switchblades can this also be possible. Can a legal expert correct me if I am wrong.
Click to expand...

not sure what you are asking here, if anything.

but in ca the verbage "flip of the wrist" within 653k pc defines balis as switchblades.

depending on the language of the law, balis could certainly be included as autos anywhere.
 
Bastid said:
Thanks Phil. Yes it does belong in the knife laws forum.

Even though I am not enamored with some companies and their business model, after a while it gets to the point where threads like this are viewed more as attention seeking or trolling for a silly thread where the same things are repeated again and again. (Oh boy, I am going to start another Cold Steel bash in General, is getting kind of old.)
Click to expand...

Thanks for moving the thread to the appropriate forum, Bastid. I had completely forgotten about the "Knife Laws" forum. I do think my question is a valid one though. I would like to know where Cold Steel got the legal information they posted in their ad copy for the Paradox, because it is incorrect.

Regards,
3G
 
Sharp Phil said:
This belongs in the Knife Laws forum, unless its purpose is simply to start another thread about how [place pejorative term here] Cold Steel is.
Click to expand...

The thread's purpose was clearly spelled out. What you decide to make of it is entirely up to you.

Regards,
3G
 
I know in New York City the luxury of having a spring propelled folder activated by a button or switch (switchblade) of any blade length can get you a class D felony rap as well as the distinct possibility of free room and board in one of the many new or old properties of our rapidly expanding prison real estate
Click to expand...
Under NYS law, if an individual has no prior criminal record, they would be guilty of 4th degree criminal posession of a weapon, which is is an A misdomeanor rather than the D Felony 3d degree charge your referencing.
 
In Connecticut, butterfly knives were for a while enumerated as dangerous weapons per 53-206. Posessing one outside of your home or fixed place of business was a D Felony. IIRC, there was a permit to carry a dangerous weapon available (issued by the CLEO in the applicant's town of residence, valid in that town only) that permitted some public carriage - but I don't know how (un)common those permits would have been. CLEO's no longer have the authority to issue those permits and none are still valid. In a recent statuatory revision, they were removed (along with a couple of other implements) as well as the requirement that sellers of dangerous weapons report their sale (description of implement and buyer) to the CLEO of the town in which the buyer resides [the sales notification violation was an unclassified misdomeanor (IIRC) punishable by a $99/ day fine for each day that the transfer went unreported].

While there is case law that has been incorporated into the statute specifying specifically that knives not defined in 53-206 are not inherently dangerous weapons. The intention of that caselaw is to prevent knives from being swept into a catchall "any other similar dangerous or deadly weapon" verbiage. I recall reading of an individual being charged last spring with 29-38 (weapon in a motor vehicle, relies on the 53-206 definition of a dangerous weapon) for a butterfly knife in a vehicle. The charge were dismissed not too long after the defendant's initial appearance- but I'm not sure what the grounds were- it could have been anything at that stage of the game.
 
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orca8589 said:
Cold Steel bashing was my first thought...
Click to expand...

Why wouldn't it be? It's COLD STEEL. Have you SEEN Lynn Thompson??

When I first saw the Paradox, the only thing I could say to myself was "WHY?!". It's another lame attempt at a balisong that isn't a balisong. Balisongs are never going to be legal in most places, so just get over it. Don't make a second-rate ripoff to cash in on the craze and call it gold. It's a piece of garbage.

Middle aged mall ninja fails again...
 
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