> It seems to me a knife is a knife. Why ban any of them?
Well, that’s a good question. I don’t know the answer. Spring-loaded knives became popular after the Civil War with amputees. WWI too. They became illegal after WWII because of the same teen hysteria that tried to ban comic books.
You are correct.
Switchblades were banned in 1957 in response to the fact that teenage gang members liked to carry them.
They looked "scary" so hence a federal ban.
Sound familiar?
I'm trying to think of a modern example. Hmmm...
Looking scary= nobody can possess one.
Even though they perform the same function as non-scary knives.