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Even small pocket knives like the one pictured above would be illegal.
Most martial artists have a small legal pocket knife that they carry daily in addition to a few decorative knives that they may collect at home. They could all soon become felons.
Not only martial artists will be affected if the US Customs and Border Protection Agency is successful in its attempt to expand the federal definition of a switchblade. This would make most utilitarian pocket knives illegal affecting campers, gardeners, woodworkers, anyone who keeps a pocket knife handy. The current definition has been in place in federal law since 1958. The change would make it a federal offence to be in possession of many common pocket knives, making the 35.6 million Americans who now own one-hand-opening knives subject to arrest and prosecution. The CPB is accepting comments from the public on this issue; however, all comments have to be in by June 21st in writing. They have denied all requests for extensions.
Switchblades are currently illegal in Illinois, both possession and carrying. The current definition of a switchblade is:
SWITCHBLADE – A knife with a blade that is exposed in an automatic way and moved from the closed position to the open position exclusively by the release of a compressed spring. A switchblade knife does not include a knife that opens with one hand, utilizing thumb pressure applied to the blade or to a thumb stud or declivity on the blade, nor does switchblade include a knife with a blade that can be opened by means of inertia or other such force produced by hand, wrist, arm or other bodily movement, provided that the knife has a detent or other system that provides resistance which must be overcome in opening the blade, or that provides a bias or spring load toward the closed position.
Simply carrying a pocket knife from one state to another will become a federal offense punishable by prison time and marring your permanent record. This affects all knives, pocket knives, camping knives, etc. For more information please watch the video below.
Send letters to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of International Trade, Regulations and Rulings, Mint Annex, 799 9th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20229, Attn: Intellectual Property and Restricted Merchandise Branch.
Comments
Thank you Meredith for helping to get the word out! What happened to our "right to bear arms"? Isn't that in the constitution?! Go to: akti.org. the front page of the site is abuzz with this and how we can help to stop it!
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