Ban on some knives ends in Indiana

[marktwain]

Knives are arms protected by the Second Amendment of the Constitution.

Some contend that the ban on knives that can be easily be opened with one hand, by the push of a button,(switchblades) was prompted by the play and movie "West Side Story".

I call these sort of laws, "trendy laws", laws that make no sense logically, but are passed as a sort of trendy effect pushed by the media. The newtimes notes:

Indiana's upcoming end to its decades-old ban on switchblades has spurred some of the state's gun stores to start taking pre-orders for the spring-loaded knives.

State lawmakers passed a bill earlier this year legalizing the sale and possession of the automatic knives beginning July 1. The state's ban had been in place for 30 years.

Knives are commonly used for self defense. It may be a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Second Amendment to prevent people with only one usable hand, or weak hands, from having access to these useful tools.

Dean Weingarten

Link to Gun Watch Article Here

[marktwain]

The laws against "switchblade" knive were part of the camels nose under the tent, used to show that the Second Amendment had no power, and that the clear language of the Constitution was meaningless, up to the courts to mangle and "interpret" as they saw fit.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

“A 1958 federal ban that remains in place forbids the manufacture, importation, distribution, transportation and sale of switchblades across state lines.”

It’s also important to note the proposed Customs and Border Patrol effort to include such knives in its 100-miles-within-American-borders buffer zone, (including NE Indiana) was overruled by congress.

The FY2010 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill on October 28, 2009, protects pocket knives. The bill included an amendment to the Federal Switchblade Act that clearly exempts assisted and one-hand opening knives from CPB confiscation in the buffer zone.

[Standing Wolf]

Speaking strictly as an old guy with a case of arthritis that’s getting worse rather than better: opening a folding knife with one hand is now impossible about half the time, and sometimes difficult even with two.

[reg45]

It’s a semi-automatic assault knife.

[CrazyIvan]

Don't know the law where you are but there are some “assisted opening” knives that are legal in Ill. that work great one handed. I used to do a lot of wiring up on ladders and they were a great help.

[Yo-Yo]

It may be a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Second Amendment to prevent people with only one usable hand, or weak hands, from having access to these useful tools.

Michigan's ban on switchblades has an exception for those with disabilities.

[chesty_puller]

I just bought an assistance opening knife made by Smith and Wesson. It’s nothing but a high quality switchblade.

[wildbill]

In Texas (and many other states) the banning of switchblade knives came long before the musical West Side Story.

In the 40s, Mexican gangs made up of so-called ‘pachucos’ in the barrios of the states bordering Mexico were accused of using switchblades and ‘zip guns’ in battles against each other and against anyone in the general populace that they fought. Pachucos wore ‘zoot suits’ and pegged pants.

In LA there was a notorious race riot between pachucos and some US servicemen sometime in the 40s. This may have produced the reaction of switchblade legislation.

At any rate, switchblade knives with a blade that exceeded 3.5 inches were banned as early as 1950 in Texas.