# Why on earth are switchblades still illegal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 13, 2011, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008 "2011-12-13T06:42:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/81 "2014-10-10T17:42:55Z")
Are switchblades useful during zombie attacks? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/82 "2014-10-10T17:57:54Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Nunchaku are also illegal in many places. This is likely a direct result of the “ninjas are badasses who can kill anyone” and the “kids will kill their siblings imitating ninjas” scares of the 80s. Or from ten thousand dudes in the 70s busting _ **themselves** _ up in the ribs and midsection, upside the head, in the face or in the Delicate Regions with\*\*\* their own \*\*\*nunchucks while trying to imitate Bruce Lee or the latest Kung Fu matinée. :D. That was entertaining and you could wait to laugh until the guy was doubled over and having difficulty breathing… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/83 "2014-10-10T17:58:07Z")
> [@jsterr1](#): > > #13 > Old 12-13-2011, 11:19 AM > Czarcasm Czarcasm is offline > Charter Member > Charter Member > > Join Date: Apr 1999 > Location: Beervania > Posts: 39,521 > Quote: > Originally Posted by pkbites View Post > I wouldn’t carry a knife as a weapon, but they sure come in handy for a zillion other things. A switchblade would be even more useful. > In what way would a switchblade be even more useful? Outside of having only 2 seconds to cut the red wire(or is it the blue wire?), in what aspect of your life do you need a blade to be available almost instantly? > > yeah, because there are no people out there that have limited use of one hand/arm that might want to use a knife for a hobby. my grandfather couldve whittled a flower out of a stick. but if he had limited use of one hand/arm? a pocket knife suddenly becomes A LOT harder to open. and with the gun culture in this country, who cares what kind of knife you _might_ be carrying? a gun is a far greater threat 1. There is a “Quote” button on every post. Learn to use it. 2. One-handed knives have been around for quite a while now, and [aren’t switchblades.](http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/product/general-powells-pocketknife-69175.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/84 "2014-10-10T18:13:43Z")
One hand knives have been around a while. Knives of [this](http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/knife_store/item909-29717.html) pattern date back to the 19th century. In use, the hook part of the tip of the main blade is caught on the edge of a pocket to open the blade. Supposedly, the pattern was developed to meet the demand among Civil War veterans who had lost arms in the war. Banning switchblades, and refusing to even think about lifting the ban, is just the same nonsense we see from people who want to blame objects, rather than the other people who used them, when crimes are committed. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/85 "2014-10-10T19:52:11Z")
> [@Curious\_Mike](#): > > Thus far there seems to be support from many constituents to relax these laws so that ordinary pocket knives can’t become illegal but lawmakers have not taken any action. Well if I was a legislature you’ve just given me a good reason to investigate and see if changing or repealing the law would be a good idea. > [@Scumpup](#): > > Banning switchblades, and refusing to even think about lifting the ban, is just the same nonsense we see from people who want to blame objects, rather than the other people who used them, when crimes are committed. So far Curious Mike is the only one who offered any compelling reason for a legislature to look at the law and consider changing it. I’m not at all worried about criminals with switchblades but at the same time I didn’t see any compelling reason to waste any time fighting to repeal the laws covering them. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/86 "2014-10-10T21:36:53Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > I didn’t see any compelling reason to waste any time fighting to repeal the laws covering them. Introduce a bill, an amendment, or a rider to another bill saying "Statute yadda yadda yadda is hereby repealed. Not much time in doing that. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/87 "2014-10-11T04:41:36Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > At accident scenes I’ve used knives (folding knives) a multitude of times to cut clothing from people or even seat belt straps when I didn’t have a 911 tool handy. > A switchblade would just be a bit easier to use. > > What I don’t get, is if there is a federal law regarding them, why are they legal in a few states? How are they getting around that? All of the switchblades that I’ve owned, except for one, were absolutely worthless for cutting anything. I think that they should be legal. BTW, wasn’t their a court ruling in the late 1980s that, MOL, did away with the ban? ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/88 "2014-10-11T04:50:14Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > All of the switchblades that I’ve owned, except for one, were absolutely worthless for cutting anything. I think that they should be legal. > > BTW, wasn’t their a court ruling in the late 1980s that, MOL, did away with the ban? What the fuck is MOL? ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/89 "2014-10-11T04:58:52Z")
> [@Wolf333](#): > > What the fuck is MOL? More Or Less ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/90 "2014-10-11T05:49:03Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > All of the switchblades that I’ve owned, except for one, were absolutely worthless for cutting anything. I think that they should be legal. > > BTW, wasn’t their a court ruling in the late 1980s that, MOL, did away with the ban? Not on the state level it didn’t. I was dispatched to a show about a year ago on a report of a guy selling switch blades. They were actually “spring assisted” knives but the AG’s office has determined those fall under the switchblade law. Anyway, they seemed quite nice for cutting. BTW, we warned the guy he could not sell the knives but did not charge him or confiscate the knives. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/91 "2014-10-11T07:30:08Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Dave Perlman, the Assistant Attorney General for the state of Wisconsin, said that it is his legal opinion that Kerhsaw knives fall under the states switchblade laws and are therefore illegal: > \*\* It varies wildly by state. For some states there can be county/local ordinances on top of it that further limit certain knives. In a lot of places assisted open skirt the switchblade law (some of which are phrased close to yours) since they have to be manually opened part way and aren’t just operated by a button or switch. Some places if it’s too easy to open even a simple thumbstud or flipper knife quickly it falls foul of knife limitations depending on the officer/DA interpretation. Then you get in to blade size, folding vs fixed blade… It’s generally easier to carry a concealed handgun statewide and across state lines than a pistol. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/92 "2014-10-11T15:40:44Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > It’s generally easier to carry a concealed handgun statewide and across state lines than a pistol. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/93 "2014-10-11T16:10:14Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > It’s generally easier to carry a concealed handgun statewide and across state lines than a pistol. Wut? ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/94 "2014-10-11T22:48:00Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Introduce a bill, an amendment, or a rider to another bill saying "Statute yadda yadda yadda is hereby repealed. Not much time in doing that. We’ve been over this. The little effort it takes to even put a rider onto a bill simply isn’t worth it. It’s unlikely to gain me any constituents, it doesn’t help get my bill passed, and my opponents might use the rider as leverage against the bill. At least it’s not worth the effort unless I take Curious Mike’s article into account. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/95 "2014-10-12T01:16:52Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > We’ve been over this. The little effort it takes to even put a rider onto a bill simply isn’t worth it. It’s unlikely to gain me any constituents, it doesn’t help get my bill passed, and my opponents might use the rider as leverage against the bill. At least it’s not worth the effort unless I take Curious Mike’s article into account. Nonsense. A couple of states have legalized switch blades recently and it didn’t seem like it was the big ado you make it out to be. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/96 "2016-02-08T06:44:12Z")
[It is done](http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/gov-scott-walker-signs-switchblade-bill-into-law-b99665709z1-367932081.html). I worked closely with my State Assembly Rep and State Senator to get this ridiculously archaic law changed. This brings to 36 the number of states that have re-legalized these useful tools. The system is slow, but it sometimes works. Sorry for the zombie. Pull out your knives and stab it to death if you must. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/97 "2016-02-08T07:57:35Z")
Legal in Nevada as of July as well. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/98 "2016-02-08T08:08:03Z")
Good job, **pk**! Congratulations on getting the system to work. It doesn’t happen without people like you. Which, as I suppose you’ve amply demonstrated, was the real answer to your OP. ---
**Author:** ![T.M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ad7895/32.png) [@T.M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.M)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/99 "2016-02-08T14:31:01Z")
In the U.K. we are not allowed to own a gun let alone carry one what we do have is growing knife crime so there is a move by some to outlaw all knives which in theory would stop knife crime but is not practical as there are many uses for knives, my old lock blade which had a legitimate use is now illegal and is now limited to sharpening pencils when I am sketching. The only way to treat knife crime is by using harsh sentencing it does not matter if you attack someone with a gun, knife or an axe handle you are still going to course serious damage ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008/100 "2016-02-08T14:51:42Z")
Bad ass, **pk**! That’s some goddamn civic engagement in action right there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-are-switchblades-still-illegal/606008.md?page=4)