Janisong...

[Liquid Cobra]

I remember when the Janisong was first released the plan was to wait and see if the sales were strong enough to warrant making it in Golden thereby making it legal to own within the United States. Has enough time gone by to make a fair assessment?

Living in Canada I'm not able to own one but if they were available in the U.S. I would at least be able to handle one during a trip down there.

It's honestly one of the greatest knife designs I've ever seen. It's function and operation is ingenious. It would be a pity for it not to be made available to all my knife loving friends down south.

Micheal or Sal care to chime in?

[ZrowsN1s]

I'd love to see one in person.

[Spydersense]

:eek: Please make this in Golden! I must have one.

[JAfromMN]

Please

[The Deacon]

Sadly, I doubt it will happen, regardless of overseas sales. At least not unless unless the current Federal law that restricts the manufacturer and sale of such items is repealed. That's because the reason the Janisong is only available overseas is that it would be considered a restricted item here and, given the special set of hoops Spyderco is forced to jump through regarding such items by the Feds, sales here would not justify the change. The Bi-Fold may have failed in the marketplace because it was a weird and somewhat impractical design, but the SmallFly, second generation SzaboFly, Citadel, and Embassy only failed because the sum total of sales to law enforcement, the military, and those few dealers willing to "bend the rules", were simply not enough to keep them going.

[VashHash]

That $500 MOD version seems like a steal now. I wish i had snagged it but back then $500 seemed ridiculous. I can't even remember what website that was available on but I think it's gone now. Must have been close to 10 years ago.

[Evil D]

I still don't quite understand how the action works on this knife.

[bearfacedkiller]

I would buy one of these.

[Liquid Cobra]

I still don't quite understand how the action works on this knife.

Without actually handling one it's pretty confusing. I've asked for pictures and videos from some people that I know have one. That helped a bit. Eventually it bugged me enough that I looked up the patent and figured it out that way. It's very cool. I wish Michael Janich would design more knives for Spyderco.

Sadly, I doubt it will happen, regardless of overseas sales. At least not unless unless the current Federal law that restricts the manufacturer and sale of such items is repealed. That's because the reason the Janisong is only available overseas is that it would be considered a restricted item here and, given the special set of hoops Spyderco is forced to jump through regarding such items by the Feds, sales here would not justify the change. The Bi-Fold may have failed in the marketplace because it was a weird and somewhat impractical design, but the SmallFly, second generation SzaboFly, Citadel, and Embassy only failed because the sum total of sales to law enforcement, the military, and those few dealers willing to "bend the rules", were simply not enough to keep them going.

I guess I don't have a good understanding of those laws. Are balisongs not in the same restricted category as automatics? Spyderco makes the Autonomy in Golden, what's the difference? Other company's make balisongs, benchmade comes to mind. How do they do it?

[J32A2]

There were a few on the bay last week.
$350 and up.

[carl3989]

I still don't quite understand how the action works on this knife.

There's a video on Youtube which shows what I think is a Janisong being deployed. Could be Mr. Rube Goldberg had a little input in this very complicated design. :D

[The Deacon]

I guess I don't have a good understanding of those laws.

Don't feel bad, I suspect very few Americans have a good understanding of them. At the Federal level, you're talking a law passed 60 years ago and the duty to enforce it given to an agency that had neither the manpower or the inclination to enforce it. Fast forward to post 9/11 America, and responsibility for it is passed to Homeland Security/ICE who, at least in some of their field offices where there's not much action in the way of illegal aliens or customs violations, being enforcing it. At the state level, you're talking a patchwork of laws passed around that same time in response to the promise of "free money for police departments" from the Feds if they did so. At both levels, the rhetoric used to pass the laws was rife with racist fear mongering and politicians, always looking to be re-elected, saw them as a way to appear to be "doing something about crime".

Are balisongs not in the same restricted category as automatics?

At the Federal level, yes, although far fewer states restrict balisong ownership. Up till the time left, you could find them being sold openly In upstate New York, while autos were strictly verboten.

Spyderco makes the Autonomy in Golden, what's the difference?

Military and law enforcement interest, for one thing. I could be wrong but, aside from a few "knife nuts" who just happen to be in those groups, I just don't see the Janisong penetrating those markets.

Other company's make balisongs, benchmade comes to mind. How do they do it?

In a nutshell, Spyderco screwed up 12 years ago, by having some parts for the Spyderfly made in Japan. Feds caught wind of it, Spyderco got fined, and has been under intense scrutiny by ICE ever since.

[425KRS]

Here is a good video that shows how the Janisong works (youtube link): https://youtu.be/EUwg1vcHaZw

[ZrowsN1s]

even though I can only legally own, but not legally carry it in my state, I'd still take a trip out to golden to get one (can't ship across state lines), it would be the most bad a** letter opener in my collection. :D

[timlara]

... I wish Michael Janich would design more knives for Spyderco.

I second this! Even though I am far too mild-mannered / uncoordinated to dream of using Michael's designs for the self defense role they were intended, the Yo2 is seriously the best utility knife ever and just fun to carry. I still hold out hope it gets the "Blurple" treatment one of these days.

+++

And while I don't want to go down the political rabbit hole surrounding all of the history leading to the legislation, if you just think logically about the fact that guns are very easily obtained in the USA, but somehow the Janisong is considered too dangerous to own...just wow...logic fuse blown!

[PSquared]

I still don't quite understand how the action works on this knife.

Opening the blade, everything rotates clockwise around the pivot in the photo above. Closing will always be anti clockwise.

The blade nests inside the inner handle and can only travel 180 degrees in this handle (internal stop pin?) - i.e. maximum movement of the blade within the internal handle is shown in the photo. The internal handle and the blade are pretty much a non locking knife without a spring or other friction stop preventing closing like you might find in a slip joint.

The internal handle can only rotate 360 degrees around the pivot (i.e. cannot rotate more than a full circle) and nests again inside the G10 handle so when the internal handle has rotated full circle, the blade will have rotated 180 degrees into the open position. By gripping the G10 handle normally, the internal handle is kept in place and cannot rotate backwards. There is also a lockbar in the heel of the knife (operated by the switch on the G10 handle) that locks into the notch that can be seen on the end of the internal handle. This locks the system in both open and closed positions.

Hope that helps / makes sense

[Ed Schempp]

Support Knife Rights, maybe we will see changes to allow the import of this fantastic design!...Ed

[Liquid Cobra]

Bump!

[brj]

Great design, I've been edc'ing mine quite often

[Liquid Cobra]

Great design, I've been edc'ing mine quite often

Sure, sure. Rub it in why don't ya?