New US law to ban locking folders !!!

[cockroach]

Not really, but I bet thet got your attention
Seriously, how long do you think it might be until this happens?
This is already the case here in the UK (EDC has to be non-locking and sub 3 inch cutting edge), and in a world of ever tightening knife laws, and ever tightening enforcement of existing laws, I can only see the US going down the same route, I believe some states/cities are almost there already.
Let's face it, these sort of laws are NEVER relaxed.
I think Sal should be supported for his efforts to introduce modern, quality non locking knives, like the UKPK and the T-Mag, with others in the pipeline (orange G10 Urban anyone?), and maybe US buyers should give them a go, you might be surprised how useable and secure they are, with "notch-joints" and finger choils, the old fear of the knife closing on your fingers is a thing of the past.
Please support Spyderco's non locking folders :spyder: :spyder: :spyder:

[WOTANSON1]

[quote="cockroach"]Not really, but I bet thet got your attention ]
I'm off to the UK this August with a UKPK firmly clipped to RF pocket. :) Personally I don't see the US going down the totalitarian road in the near future. The UK is strange as not only are the knife laws bizarre, but the gun laws used to restrict ownership to people of sufficient "breeding" and barred Catholics from owning guns. :eek: :mad: Add the fact the government can send you to jail for telling an ethnic joke :eek: , very scary. Not to say that the US is perfect. :rolleyes:
Cheers,
Rob

[Bolster]

With the political clouds that are forming on the horizon, I can easily see a new wave of P.C. nay-sayers enacting numerous new restrictions in America. I would not find a carrying ban on lockbacks remotely surprising.

What's interesting to contemplate is what happens to the value of your collection of illegal lockbacks and illegal knives over 2" blade length. One possibility is that an underground black market develops. Another possibility, which I would find more believable, is that the worth of your collection plunges to $0.00 as the buyers dry up.

Ebay could hasten the process in the absence of legislation by issuing another of their arbitrary P.C. decrees that knives can no longer be sold there.

With no powerful interest group defending knives, Sal would suddenly be in the business of building some of the best tiny slipjoints in the land and selling them to a greatly reduced marketplace. Although medium and large locking knives would certainly still be sold to law enforcement.

But the rest of us will be told "You really don't need a locking knife with more than 2" of blade unless you are planning to use it in a crime--which includes the crime of defending your own life or the life of your family."

[The Deacon]

For the USA, I think laws like that are far more likely on a state level than a national one. I would not be terribly surprised if there was at least an attempt to pass such a law, or at least one to expand the definition of a switchblade to include any locking knife which can be readily opened with one hand, in New York, California, and perhaps a couple more of the most liberal infested states within the next few years.

[Bolster]

For the USA, I think laws like that are far more likely on a state level than a national one.

I dunno, Deac, maybe, hope so...but the anti-gun laws have been historically fueled by federal rather than state legislation. Even if you're correct, with leftist majorities in house, senate, oval office, and possibly governor's mansions, you'll be hard pressed to find a state that isn't "infested." Also, you have to remember that the left prefers federal over state legislation. In general, socialism (in the name of equality for all) ironically prefers control concentrated at the top, in the hands of a few. "States Rights" are not a popular concept on the left (except when it's occasionally convenient to the agenda du jour).

[cockroach]

One good thing has come out of this, we've now got the UKPK :D
What an excellent knife, and not once have I thought "If only this had a lock".
Apart from getting you worried about new tighter laws, part of my point here was to say how good the UKPK is, and bring on the Urban!!!
Sure, lockers (or fixed blades) are necessary for some tasks, and even in the UK I can carry them if I can justify it, like kayaking or camping, but there is a place for slipjoints as well, even if the law doesn't require it just yet.

[doubleclaw]

The most ironic thing about banning any kind of locking bladed knife is that the lock is a SAFETY FEATURE. Just goes to show you how ignorant and technically inept most ban-mentality types are.

People who support bans on tools and other inanimate objects are scarcely worthy of my scorn, and I wish them the best of luck when trying to build, repair or cut anything with their fingernails and teeth. We are all better off when such morons fall victim to their own stupidity.

[Spydiman]

I think the US Gov might have a (slightly) harder time banning knives, because they, unlike guns are not strictly weapons. Knives are tool which CAN be used as weapons. Then again, we don't have anything like the NRA......

[Jeff2112]

http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?op ... 3&Itemid=1

[The General]

One of the many great things about the UKPK is you can't flick it open... Would be a VERY sound choice for NYC.

[zenheretic]

.

Ebay could hasten the process in the absence of legislation by issuing another of their arbitrary P.C. decrees that knives can no longer be sold there.

An astute prediction except that the more items eBay disallows from selling just opens up more opportunities for competitors to step up to the plate. Internet auctioning is almost ripe for a few big dog competitors as it stands.

[smcfalls13]

Seriously, how long do you think it might be until this happens?

Not before I stage a Revolution in honor of the second amendment. :cool:

[Bolster]

...the more items eBay disallows from selling just opens up more opportunities for competitors to step up to the plate. Internet auctioning is almost ripe for a few big dog competitors as it stands.

I pray for that day to come soon. eBay is not shy about its political agenda and I would love to see them lose business due to their attempts to impose political correctness on the world.

[smcfalls13]

I think the US Gov might have a (slightly) harder time banning knives, because they, unlike guns are not strictly weapons. Knives are tool which CAN be used as weapons. Then again, we don't have anything like the NRA......

The more I think about this, the more I think knives as "tools" is a bad idea. Guns are purely weapons, and for that reason it's easy to apply the second amendment to them. Knives can be used as tools as well as weapons, and unfortunately, the Constitution does not give me the right to bear tools.

A lockpicking set is a tool, but I can't have one unless I'm a locksmith. Tools can be regulated by the government and there's nothing that protects them. The right to bear arms doesn't apply to a chisel or a hammer, even though they CAN be weapons.

Just my random thought for the day. :o

[zenheretic]

The more I think about this, the more I think knives as "tools" is a bad idea. Guns are purely weapons, and for that reason it's easy to apply the second amendment to them. Knives can be used as tools as well as weapons, and unfortunately, the Constitution does not give me the right to bear tools.

A lockpicking set is a tool, but I can't have one unless I'm a locksmith. Tools can be regulated by the government and there's nothing that protects them. The right to bear arms doesn't apply to a chisel or a hammer, even though they CAN be weapons.

Just my random thought for the day. :o

Are you certain? Just like knife laws, the laws for other tools seems to vary all over.

[peacefuljeffrey]

Not really, but I bet thet got your attention ]

Wait wait wait, it sounds like you're saying that just because the UK has made stupid mistakes like this, the U.S. is destined to do the same?

What about the idea that we might be carefully studying and learning from the example set by the U.K.? You know, escalating rates of robbery, burglary, violent crime, handgun murders... Maybe we're over here saying, "****, that crap ain't working for them real well, is it."

There are millions of us over here who are aware of the failure of U.K. prohibitionist laws. As it stands now, in the U.S., in 20 years we have gone from ONE state having shall-issue concealed weapons carry laws to something like 40. That's a **** of a climate in which to expect us to ban a kind of knife of which there are surely tens of millions in the public's hands.

The idea of me giving them up at any point in my life is, to me, quite laughable. So is the idea of anyone succeeding in taking them from me. :cool:

I think Sal should be supported for his efforts to introduce modern, quality non locking knives, like the UKPK and the T-Mag, with others in the pipeline (orange G10 Urban anyone?), and maybe US buyers should give them a go, you might be surprised how useable and secure they are, with "notch-joints" and finger choils, the old fear of the knife closing on your fingers is a thing of the past.
Please support Spyderco's non locking folders :spyder: :spyder: :spyder:

The British ban on locking pocketknives is just asinine, and does not address crime, but does certainly make the knives less safe. But, here you are trying to pursuade us all to believe that it's just fiiiine to have NO CHOICE to have locking-blade knives. It sounds like you're saying hey, even if they ban lockblades, it's not so bad. Sort of like slavery; as long as they feed, clothe and shelter you, and don't beat you too bad, it's not that uncomfortable, right? :rolleyes:

Sorry, rather than ask us to give non-lockers a try ("Here, try slavery, it's not so bad...") why don't you work to reverse the moronic British laws? You sound too comfortable with them.

Let's face it, these sort of laws are NEVER relaxed.

Have you tried to challenge them?
They certainly don't change when people just accept them and won't summon the courage to challenge them, I guess.


-PJ

[peacefuljeffrey]

I think the US Gov might have a (slightly) harder time banning knives, because they, unlike guns are not strictly weapons. Knives are tool which CAN be used as weapons. Then again, we don't have anything like the NRA......

Maybe it's time that the knife community asked for the help of the NRA to stave off this kind of nightmare scenario.

Dja ever think of that?

The bigwigs of the knife industry really ought to talk it over with the NRA. After all, you will scarcely find a gun owner, whether he be a hunter or a CCWer, who doesn't also like and own knives. And the NRA recognizes the need to weed away these kinds of legislative abominations when they in their initial stages and haven't gained momentum.

-PJ

[smcfalls13]

Are you certain? Just like knife laws, the laws for other tools seems to vary all over.

Nope, not certain at all :p Pretty sure I can't have one in MD though

[zeus]

[quote="cockroach"]Not really, but I bet thet got your attention ]

I heard that Great Britian was dropping all their knife laws!!!



















(Not really, but thought I'd use your technique)

[peacefuljeffrey]

Yeah, but the irony is that in many places, if a person is picked up for attempting to break into a house, for example, if he has a simple flathead screwdriver on him, you'll read in the papers that he was charged with "possession of 'burglary tools'" in addition to the burglary itself.

-PJ