"Don't run, you'll fall." |
Posted on 10/22/2009 10:51:19 AM PDT by neverdem
Washington, D.C. – The issue is resolved, but it means an Idaho Congressman no longer has an excuse to slip out his pocketknife at a committee meeting.
Last week, the House of Representatives approved the conference report setting appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security. This final bill included language preventing spring-assisted knives from being classified by the Department as switchblades. The language was first championed by Rep. Walt Minnick (D-Idaho) and Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio.)
“This amendment was necessary to prevent commonly-used pocketknives from being branded as illegal switchblades,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA chief lobbyist. “The National Rifle Association would like to thank Congressman Minnick, whose leadership helped fix a provision that would have criminalized millions of law-abiding Americans – including many hunters and sportsmen in Idaho.”
Minnick received national attention earlier this year when, during testimony in support of the measure, he illustrated his point using a spring-assisted knife he carries in his pocket.
“Like most Idahoans, I carry a pocketknife,” Minnick said. “That shouldn’t make me a criminal. Passage of this bill means that the kinds of knives we use while rafting Idaho rivers or fishing its streams or hunting its mountains – or even just to open a stubborn package at the office – will remain legal and free of regulation.”
Minnick’s staff worked closely with other Congressional offices in championing the measure, and solicited feedback from key constituencies at home in Idaho.
“I want to thank Congressman Latta, Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), as well as Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo from Idaho for being great partners in championing this cause.” Minnick said. “This is an important win not only for people who carry these knives, but also for the workers in my District who manufacture them.”
Minnick’s district includes Buck Knives, one of the nation’s best-known manufacturers of spring-assisted knives and other knife products for hunters, outdoorsmen, collectors and enthusiasts.
So what is the difference between a “spring assisted knife” and a “switchblade”?
And why are “switchblades” illegal anyway? Seems like any bladed instrument could be dangerous.
"Don't run, you'll fall." |
if they try this again I would suggest rounding-up every wounded one armed War Veteran and filling a class action under the Americans with Disabilities Act (heh-heh!)
I was thinking the same thing. Wouldn't it be great it we could have the crime rates of the '50s?
Did he vote for Pelosi to be House Speaker?
Ownership of switchblades is legal in Oregon. They sell them at some of the high end knife shops. I bought a nice Benchmade one. I still carry my tried and true Case Copperlock though.
If you ingrain in them the methodology of arrogant (false self esteem) idiots (lack of ability to teach themselves.
They will be easily controlled by their emotions and psychology of victim-hood. Always someone/something else's fault for my circumstance.
That's why they see homeschooling as such a threat. Kids are taught to think outside the governmental indoctrination.
I'm 42 I went to public school in a small town in Texas. I was never taught anything but postmodern, socialist, victimology. (I. E. the US is bad, we traumatized the world through this or that) I never knew about the Communist Manifesto, about the founders etc. until I grew up, started listening to talk radio & looked it up for myself.
I watched my parents fight against the education decline of my brother who was 6 yrs younger and finally give up. It has gotten worse since then. My sister in law graduated with mostly A's & B's & couldn't get through 2 semesters of college graduating from the same school 11 years after we did.
It will be horrible if they ratify the rights of the child treaty. They will control it all using that as justification.
What I want to know is what Congresscritter put the language in there that made them illegal!
Automatic, assisted open, double edged and manila folders are considered illegal in Michigan. They can be sold to collectors but carry is a no. Some enforced (years ago) even to the point of waiting outside gun shows and other LEOs reportedly care less. Hope this new laws brings sense to this sinking state. AAOOOGAAAA
Probably a putzhead from NYC or other big city over 50 years ago.
Congress Passes NRA-backed Legislation Protecting Pocketknife Classification
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) proposed amending the Switchblade Knife Act of 1958 earlier this year, which would have changed the interpretation of the definition of switchblade knives to include assisted-opening knives.
Indeed, nothing better to do than meddle?
my question exactly.....I have seen and used both side opening and top opening knoves.....how is one different than the other.....
Although I must say in all honesty that with most of the top opeing knives I’ve had the blade will push in if pressed strongly, whereas a good old side opening knife stays open till you close it....
Switchblades open automatically with the push of a button.
Spring assisted requires minimal digital manipulation.
Not much of a time or energy difference between the two. My spring assisted Kershaw opens in zero flat with minimal action.
Non spring assisted requires a thumb action and a wrist flick. Also can be lightning fast with a little practice. I mostly use my knife to open UPS deliveries (very fast).
To open a switchblade you usually push a button on the side of the knife. To open a “spring assisted” knife you push the blade upwards/outwards and a spring assists the motion to finish opening the knife. It’s a pretty minor distinction, but the idea that a switchblade is illegal and a pocket knife of the same size is legal is also a pretty minor distinction.
I use a 3" Kershaw that I've carried for years and it never fails to amaze me how the people in my office respond when it comes out. A slight touch of the thumb and all the metro-sexuals around the coffee table cringe as it clicks open and I effortlessly slice my bagel.
I always smilingly remind them that I was once a Boy Scout and that makes me a trained professional. They're all a bunch of Nancy-boys.
I also own a Kershaw (scallion) spring assisted. Love it. Last American-made knife I could find.
It gets weirder - in New Hampshire it's illegal to sell them, but not illegal to buy or own them.
It depends on where you are. In Oregon, the state supreme court ruled a long time ago that switchblades and many other classic instruments (brass knuckles, clubs, etc.) could not be banned under the state constitution's right to bear arms. It was decided once and reaffirmed in a later case.
The decisions are something to read - because they specifically acknowledge, among many other things, a right to carry concealed guns for personal defense, but they pored through selected history books and included a lot of language applying a special brand of logic to make the rulings not apply to most modern guns (even though guns were never at issue in the cases). The Cliff's Notes version is any "arm" commonly available at the time of the state's founding (1859) is fair game, but the justices worked very hard to find justification for carving out the common revolver.
Now, these cases are interesting to me because they went so far in defining the state constitutional right to carry concealed weapons. I am anxiously awaiting incorporation of 2A to see how it might affect the state court, since 2A clearly does not exclude modern weapons.
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