Why The “NRA Of Knives” Is Fighting To Combat This Knife Law (HBO)
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- čas přidán 15. 06. 2024
- In New York City, about 4,000 people are arrested each year for the crime of carrying a common folding knife.
Many of the defendants turn out to be people who need the knives for work, including electricians, plumbers, and construction workers. But under a 1958 New York state law, they’re often prosecuted for carrying a gravity knife - defined as a knife where the blade drops out of the handle and locks into place by the force of gravity - and possession can result in a felony conviction and years of jail time.
“It didn’t make sense to me - for a pocket knife to have somebody’s life ruined is crazy. It really is." Roderick Prude, a cafeteria cook whose arrest for possession of a gravity knife was bumped up to a felony, told VICE News.
Around 84 percent of people prosecuted under the law are people of color, prompting advocates to push back against what they see as an absurd and discriminatory law.
These activists have found an unlikely ally in Doug Ritter, head of Knife Rights, a grassroots organization devoted to getting rid of knife laws across the United States that acts as a sort of NRA of knives. And they've been gearing up for a fight: Knife Rights filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in 2011 against the city of New York and District Attorney Cy Vance over the statute against gravity knives.
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“It didn’t make sense to me - for a pocket knife to have somebody’s life ruined is crazy." Roderick Prude told VICE News.
WATCH Next on NRA here: bit.ly/2EX1O6d
VICE News This is Good man.
You were arrested for being black.
Prude didn't deserve it obviously, he had a bag of knives. Those cops were searching to find something cause they're racists.
VICE News who cares!
He literaly had a bag of knives. It was probably the least dangerous of his knives. I have some chef's cutco knives and they'll cut mutherfuckers just looking at .em
Places that ban locking knives really make me scratch my head. The lock was invented to protect the user from harming themselves, why would you ban a safety mechanism
I agree. I've cut myself with a non locking cub scouts knife when I was a young man. Switched to lockers and not a problem since. And I learned my lesson :)
I agree most if not all bans aren't completely thought through. I believe there "intent" on banning lock blades was just that the fact that the blade can be locked open which would turn it into a fixed blade therefore not only protecting oneself from harming themselves but also allowing someone with zero knife skills to stab somebody multiple times without having to worry about it closing.
Same twisted logic used that makes it illegal for me to carry a 1/2" neck knife under my shirt, concealed fixed blades are dangerous but a 5" wave style opening pocket knife with locking blade is safer and harmless. SMH😕
because the lock protects the user mostly from stabbing, using a knife to cut something you have very little risk, it's the stabbing that causes the problem
Dankman9 I was trying to poke a hole in some denim and cut through my flesh and nail on my thumb down to the bone. If I knew then what I know now I wouldn't have been harmed, I was a young teen at the time. Most stabbings are domestic assaults with kitchen knives. Locking knives help keep knife users safe.
They don't ban for function, they ban for fear. Supressors are hearing safety devices, required by law on hunting rifles on some European country, but hollywood has people convinced they are tools of assassination that render a gun undetectable. So they are controlled as stringently as machine guns and outright banned in some states. Its stupid.
Chef buddy of mine went to work in the uk for a couple years. About 6 months in he got stopped by some cops with his 1000 dollar Japanese chef knife collection in his back pack. (All high carbon steel, incredibly sharp. But if you tried to stab someone with them, the slightest knick of a bone would likely break them) Even though he had proof of his employment, his uniform and everything on his person, they still confiscated and destroyed the knives, simply because he had them on his person. No chef in his right mind would leave their knives at the kitchen they work at, and no chef would buy quality knives for only home use.
The stigma around knives need to be dropped.
I feel there is more to this story as your friend would not be breaking the law taking his knives to and from work.
Agreed.
Knife laws are strict, but common sense does apply and, as the story was told, he would NOT have been breaking any law as that is the very definition of the 'good reason' exemption.
Be worth questioning the guy again to find out why he was stopped and the full story behind the confiscation.
Not buying it at all.
perkin2000 the problem is that he needs a reason at all. If a cop asks me why I’m carrying a knife, me telling him “mind your own business” should be enough of a reason
y have been arrests for carrying a butter knife in the UK. This story doesn't surprise me. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1487762/Butter-knife-an-offensive-weapon.html
Official UK government website on knife laws. See the good reason section.
A "gravity" knife is clearly an "assault" knife. Clearly. Especially if the knife is black and "looks" dangerous. Assault pencils need to be banned as well and assault scissors. Don't forget the oh so dangerous assault fork, painted black.
Joe Hanson ghost knife, Slices 100 inches per second
Dont forget about black ASSault dildo wielding libtards . Assault dildos are dangerous weapons , capable of a buttload of damage .
@@corporateworldwokeslave3589 .... Thats what Republikkklans take up their lard asses
@@trails7416 you know you take it , everyone knows . You take it with a smile and no noticeable flinch . Just goes right in like a butter knife in a jar of mayo .
I’m banning assault people.
New York City... we should move the Statue of Liberty to somewhere free.
Scandanavia has more freedoms than the US believe it or not
Texas, or somewhere in the gulf
the statue of liberty is in new jersey kinda
Alex Murphy really like what?
The statue of liberty has nothing to do with freedom.
It only stands for the U.S's responsibilities to any poor and disadvantaged populations.
He is absolutely right that the knife laws in this country are moronic. It's moronic that in my state I can walk around with a chef's knife or machete, but if I had a 2 inch automatic knife I'd go to jail.
+Username 1991 To be fair, open carry is legal, concealed carry requires a license, Ak47 rifles do not need to be automatic, and rocket launchers are quite illegal to own without military permits or having one be grandfathered through your family when owning one was legal.
Yeah it's dumb that you can carry around a machete, but at least when you see a dude walk at you with one you know to run. But a 2 inch knife can be concealed and I'd say thats more dangerous cause it makes it easier to stab some one with it.
It is an attempt to ban 'weapon' knives. But people love knives because they are super-useful tools and look awesome. They sure don't like them to look like kitchen knives, machetes or even utility-knives.
But what does this have to do with "gravity" knives? I can conceal a non-gravity knife just as easily. That it takes 2 hands to open is irrelevant
No permit required for a flame thrower either.
need to call it what it is: just an easy collar for a cop and an easy conviction for a prosecutor. just feeding the system. obviously not about safety, as a chefs knife is FAR more dangerous but is totally kosher. just fleecing the public.
shortbuspimp Sad but true. The Cleaver in his bag was cool but not the little pocket knife. Chances are very high the officer that arrested him had a " Gravity Knife" in his pocket. Another way to put someone on probation and take in revenue is all this is.
So stupid that pocket knives can be illegal.
you guys are messing the point of the low ,its illegal to carry a concealed weapon ,in this case a knife
Aram Alatrash it's not illegal to carry a concealed blade it's illegal to carry a gravity knife which he didn't own. He had a legal folder he did not know that flocking the knife open made it a gravity knife
Knives kill way more people than guns, if you are against gun violence why would you not be against knife violence
and hammer violence and car violence and truck violence and fist violence, ban them all
Sir, I'm going to have to arrest you for that pocket knife. The AK47 and shotgun are fine, but that loose screw on the 3 inch pocket knife is against the law.
Joe Shopper those are not ok in nyc.
lol
Cops have seen my approximately 6 in Hunting Knife in my car and dismissed it, heck I even carry it in the sheath on me sometimes. This is in California btw. Those laws are like probable cause, a way for the cops to open up the can of worms when they feel like it.
lol how is a knife illegal in America but you can get basically any gun.
you don't know anything about America
"You mean you're charging me for a 3 1/2 in knife, when I've got Chucky knives in my bag?" I really feel for Mr. Prude, that is absolutely stupid.
Those blister packs that the Home Depot knives and most small items are packaged in these days should be outlawed. I've been cut more times by those blister packs than I have been by knives and box cutters.
Norm dePlume That’s what I use to open those packs-my knife. Like your suedonim!
Norm dePlume Yup, know how you feel. But they are a perfect excuse for me to use my pocket knife! :D
Brotherhood Against Blisterpacks
Number One but if you buy a knife in a blister pack and have lost your old one, how the hell is one supposed to open the damn thing? Teeth?
Jons LG you can open them with fire.
So, I can carry a kitchen knife but not a swiss army knife or box cutter?
As long as it's sheathed then yes, amazingly that about right for this whole state too
Also not "concealed" slightest amount of a jacket on ur sheath and boom! Illegal
Marie Ji Swiss Army knives are ok (don’t cite me on this) because they are friction folders and have a huge spring bar on the back to substitute a lock, but also “locks” them closed. I’d be impressed if anyone can flick a Swiss Army knife open without using a finger to get it started.
Marie Ji u can’t wrist flick a classic Swiss army. I carry mine here all the time but who knows really... crazy
@@17industries42 There have Benn cases where knife blades were partially opened by the cops, then flicked open. Jail time
The UK Government are trying to ban online knife sales in what I think is a first step to banning them entirely. Of course they completely forget that most knife crime is carried out using knives out of a kitchen block and which are easily purchased in supermarkets and hardware stores.
No, they aren't...
Baning knives worked with great success in UK only one person stabb every 30 minutes
@Flex tape Sealin you all up they're trying to ban kitchen knives as well UK lost their minds a long time ago
@Flex tape Sealin you all up I think the original comment was speaking to the fact that knife crime is still rampant regardless of the ban. Ask anyone from the UK, they like box cutters though.
What if the gravity knife is attached to an AR-15?
You see, what if the person stabs people instead of shooting em, we can't have people running around stabbing people with a AR-15 with a knife. Ban the knife! but legalise larger magazine for the AR-15 it makes more sense.
loloj0 🤣
Than its called a bayonet...
No, if the gun is semi auto then its the gun that stabbed someone and would need to be banned. (anti gun logic)
Kugelschreibär then you good lol
I’m from California been carrying a knife on me for years. Always needed one for Work and just got in to the habit of having one on me all the time. A few years ago we were on a family vacation in Orlando Florida Disney world. Cop saw my knife on me clipped on my pocket shorts. He bolts towards me and whispers in my without making a scene and says, “you not from these parts are you? I said no sir. Then put that blade in your pocket and don’t show it again or else.” I was like you got it officer. Thank you.
no victim, no crime
John Galt well who is the victim of insider trading
Outside investors
Daniel Willets what about public nudity
Kimberly Harding Decency
oreoflavoredoreo s The child.
Good piece. Knife laws are poorly thought out and implemented.
Yea no kidding I got an assault 2 which is a strike for pulling a knife on a person who told their dog to attack me although the charges were reduced
I would love to move to Texas solely for the purpose of wearing a full suit of armor and carrying a broadsword
Yep, you'd certainly be stepping back in time by moving there.
You see the problem there is they won't think you're doing anything illegal but they probably would take you to a special place for a little bit. To see if you're alright
Julian Laureano LOL, even Jesus admonished followers to trade in their cloak for a sword, iirc.
Rafaela Mora the law was changed
geth117 lol ya
Man, this is ridiculous! I had no idea this was something that actually happened to people. I'm glad someone is working to abolish these laws. They seem more like they are designed to get people in caught up in the legal system than to keep people safe.
A knife is considered an arm at the time the Constitution was written and covered under the 2A. So was a sword and dagger. Any weapon that could be carried by an individual person was consider an arm, even early grenades, which were usually more dangerous for the user then the target. Firearms are only one segment of arms protected by the 2A.
Every once in a while you do some good journalism, Vice.
In the next episode of Vice News: Why Vice News Capitalizes Every Word Of The Title, Including Prepositions And Articles
Because It Just Looks More Visually Appealing!
yup im a republican and i liked this video
Dont worry, they will portray this guy as the devil once the guns are gone.
Kind of like in the UK, once the guns were gone....... knife crime became the problem..... google it.
CountJimbo
Remember that one time in China when 160 people were stabbed ... 30+ died... sure it was more than one attacker..... but it can and will happen.
Oh yeah, remember that time in the US where roughly 10000 lives were saved by personal firearms?
Or that time when less than 10 AR15s out of over 5000000 were used to kill less than a few hundred people in mass shootings... while the other 4900980 AR15s didnt hurt anyone.
Or how about in 2016 when knives KILLED about 1500 people... and rifles killed 248?
But yeah, I get it... 400 million guns in the hands of 100 million legal gun owners exist in a nation of 325 million..... and 11000 people were killed with guns... oh yeah. We should probably disarm the whole country ... that will solve it.
Here in Victoria Australia ALL knives are banned to be carried. Construction workers must carry Stanley knife in a locked toolbox. Cooks must carry cooking knives in a cloth/leather roll or plastic case inside a closed bag. I used to carry a Leatherman Wave, now illegal. If you have one of those credit card sized metal multi tools in your wallet you will be arrested and put straight in jail. This is the nanny state personified.
That blows. I couldn't manage daily life without a blade, I use them that much.
Love the Leatherman Wave. Nice little multitool.
Lol, I'd get arrested in most anglo countries. I always carry a knife.
Fact is if you're allowed to carry knifes the chances of getting stabbed go up. Its common sense. Engage your brain.
Im from Glasgow which was the knife crime capital of the world up until 2007. For some reason when we increased the sentences for being caught with one we lost the world record..
Hmm.. Must be a coincidence. It must also be a coincidence the rest of the globe has banned guns and america is clearly the one with the gun problem (unless its a 3rd world country)
Larry Kostopulos You Guys need to get rid of that geriatric racist old dinosaur of a queen !
Any law that restricts the rights of citizens to keep themself safe is unjust and should be abolished
It even goes beyond safety it restricts basic utility tools. Its ridiculous petty tyranny.
facts
I couldn't function without my trusty pocket knife. I use it at least 3 times a day. I go as far to put it in my checked luggage so I have it wherever I fly to.
Ah nyc is bullshit when it comes to knives. Almost any knife can be opened through centrifugal force if the pivot screw is loosened enough with exception to slipjoints and friction folders. If someone is going to stab someone with a knife they wont be buying a 200 dollar spyderco folder but a cheap dollar store fixed blade.
Cafelogis
Bayonets can be slung exposed by gravity by it's sheath, so that 5"-8" blade "might be a"gravity blade".
Right? I wouldn’t waste my benchmade’s sharpness for that shit.
In Canada, we just banned centrifugal knives. I own 10 centrifugal knives but I don't want to throw them into the garbage. They are very useful tools and I use them daily to strip wire (I'm an electrician).
Aaron Darling the soyboy/libcuck take over is the problem
Cafelogis exactly the same point is made about balisongs. They are hard to find to buy. Even though my state law says "any knife commonly used for crime" is illegal what does that even mean? Commonly used for crime is anything under 20$ not a 100 dollar worthless butterfly. It's slow to open, difficulty to stab with, and likely to come open in your pocket if not high quality.
😅 phew thank goodness my machete isn’t a gravity knife.
Apothus
LOL, substitute a wooden sheath for the canvas one & it could be deemed ILLEGAL,TOO.
It's probably too long to be legal.
Never mind the "meat axe" cleavers of chefs, the legal possesion of firearms, hammers, electrical power tools or screw drivers (a 25cm screwdriver in someone's eye is also lethal), these short bladed flick knives are dangerous! Ban cars too! They are weapons!
It's almost like the government does more harm than good
almost?
Ask Australians
Our port arthur massacre you might remember.. well did you know the car15 rifle was handed in at agun amnesty earlier for destruction?
Yep.. true story
Research wendy scurr port arthur and listen carefully.. she was first inside the cafe after the shooting. It was a big fucking filthy setup they are trying it over there now.
Dont give up USA australia is not a model for success on gun control not one fuckin criminal handed in a gun and many handed in went on to be sold to bikie gangs after the buyback.
Knives, definetely need more attention, they are the most versatile tool in the world
Just stating the facts
Rafaela Mora Well, paper of course, everyone knows that paper cuts like hell.
knives are pretty underappreciated
Positive attention I hope
i agree
It's important to remember that most murders committed with knives are done using kitchen knives.
wow, illegal to have, legal to buy. SMFH
2nd Amendment right too.
I've had some form of a pocket knife on me since I was like... 5? idk. I used to carry them on planes too until that one day. I use it constantly, mostly for Amazon boxes TBH, but I've also come across 3 different car accidents, two of which I had to cut the battery cable with fuel spilling out, one to cut a seatbelt off to pull a kid out and one to break that window of the mini van on its side spilling fuel to get said kid and old man out. I also open bottles with it. lol. Just sayin... it's a very useful tool; looking at them as some terrorist weapon is fucking stupid.
Also I never knew a knife lobby existed. Interesting.
If anyone could carry a gun in America gun crime would go down. Would a mass shooter rather shoot up a school (guns are not allowed in there, but do you think the mass shooter will obey the law?) or a police station (armed police everywhere)? It's not like a criminal's weapons get vaporized as soon as they walk through the door, or even illegally obtains them (and its not hard to get a gun illegally).
You all do have problems: acid attacks, trucks running people over, bombings, robberies, and no guns to stop it. The criminals don't even need their guns to commit crime. But back when we had guns everywhere, we had to call them shootouts, not mass shootings, because there was an armed public fighting back. The criminals had to group up in order to even have a chance to be successful. The police usually only had to be brought in to make arrests, or in the rare case the fight still continues by the time the police got there, to provide backup. Mass shootings are just now possible because the criminals are enabled to do so by these gun laws.
Putting an insult behind your argument only shows that you have no facts supporting it. Next time, please come with some logic holding your statements together.
Chuck Reynolds 3 wrecks... Common denominator... Lol jk
pron Mate.... look at England, especially London. Strict knife laws and barely anyone carries knives (Those who do either are law abiding and have a pen knife or are gang membersand carry kitchen knives they steal.), but the knife violence is.... bad. And some idiots over here think there's no reason to carry a knife, and would happily criminalise it, even though the laws already are strict, in that you can only carey a non locking blade (slip joint) and it must be under three inches. If you have a "Good reason" you can carry a locking or fixed blade (Not sure if any length limits, doubt it though?), but through like a forest, or if you're a fireman, carpenter, construction worker, wood worker etc.
3 different car accidents? You sound like a jinx. Remind me to steer clear of you.
ambivalent ambiguity Plot twist: He's just a really bad driver. :D
Did Vice just agree with a conservative topic?
travis ruble I know plenty of liberal minded folks that love and carry knives.
travis ruble everybody needs edged tools.
i'm an authoritarian communist and i support the carriage of knives, but even if you make them illegal, something as vague and up to chance as the wrist flick test is very obviously unjust. carrying a knife shouldn't be gambling with your life.
Knives aren't conservative or liberal. They are AMERICAN!
What is an AUTHORITARIAN COMMUNIST?
Every folding knife is a gravity knife. If it isn't now, it will be a few weeks or months from now, as you use it and the screws loosen up.
We even have the same problem in Oregon and almost all types of knives are legal to open carry. The problem is that if you call some police stations, they will tell you that having certain knives in your pocket is considered concealed carry, others will say that if your pocket clip is showing than it is okay. Others will then tell you that if your shirt covers your pocket clip it is illegal again. With so little clarity, it would be very easy to pick and choose who gets punished for carrying knives.
Where my knife guys at?
Tom Garcia one on me or near by at all times
right here, keep a bali for protection, not likely to have to fight but pretty intimidating
Benchmade 940 in my hand right now
spyderco manix 2 boi
xabalba555, same here. Love that knife.
Its funny that gravity, spring assisted, and auto knives are banned but fixed blade knives are the easiest and deadliest knives to use. No worries about opening any kind of folding knife, or malfunctions, or mishaps, just unsheathe and slash or stab. You don't need some 8 or 10 inch kabar, a simple single edge 3 or 4 inch fixed blade you can get for 5$ is more than enough.
That gets me more than anything.
The only thing folding does is make it easier to store.
But they're working on that, too. In some U.S. jurisdictions a lock-back knife is illegal because it can be used like a dagger.
In my state open carry is legal, so I have multiple butterfly knives just hanging off my belt.... You need a license to conseal knives... Pretty dumb
It's funny because it's all politics.
The Second Amendment applies to more than just guns.
Try to look past politics, and left and right. Neither party in your country has it correct, and neither of them have your intrests at heart. Unless you are a major campaign funder, or have a team of lobbyists you are no more than dryer lint. The second amendment is important, but while everyone is focused on gun rights, they are undermining every other constitutional right without so much as a whimper from the public. They took away your right to privacy and right to innocence without trial, and also detention without cause with the swipe of a pen, with the patriot act. And no one said shit, or did a god damn thing about it.
Absolutely!
True, but the second amendment does not allow access to all weapons. There is precedence in the supreme court that if a weapon has no purpose or use in a well regulated militia, then the second amendment does not protect it. Somehow, I find it hard to believe that these types of knives serve any use in a well regulated militia.
@@thegrayghost1786 umm.... maybe you should read the constitution again... the right to bear arms shall not be infringed....
@@leviwilliams9507 Tell that to the supreme court who ruled otherwise, and good luck getting your hands on nuclear weapons. The constitution also says you have free speech, yet you can't go on airports and yell bomb, nor can you verbally harass people.
So, much like gun control has proven to be, knife control is enforced around racial lines. Sounds like both need to be abolished.
This comment deserves all the likes.
knife laws came into force in the 50's with the scare tactics of automatic knifes because of white teenage gangs using them.
Okay, you might think gun regulations are too soft or you might think they’re too strict. That’s a debate for another day. But thinking there should be no regulations around owning and buying guns at all is jus silly.
Anthony Gretton nope it’s exactly the same
I use my Benchmade 940 'osborne' everyday. To have a knife I can open and close safely one handily has saved me so much time and convenience.
The larger web of laws helps to catch everyone for something...you are a felon in the making and dont even know it.
The feds don't even know how many laws there are! Let alone the state! I've asked all my elected officials. Yet ignorance of the law is no excuse.
I can walk down any street in my city with baggy blue clothes and a bandanna. If the police don't like the way I look, they use that web of laws to charge me on something. They could confront anyone and do the same. That is not justice at all! As long as the justice system targets minorities and white people like me who could only afford junk cars, no one cares around here.
Not a criminal yet? Don't worry, you will be sooner or later.
Not enough criminals? No sweat, just make more of them!
Is imprisonment any better than slavery? Less work involved but you're a caged "animal". I don't care if someone sells 20lbs of weed or carries a gun. As long as no one gets hurt I don't see the criminality of it. The government has overstepped it's authority IMO.
All knives should be legal.
Omni Prism I can understand like switchblades and shit but even that is kind of eh
Omni Prism How are we going to cut some carrots and cheese with? Spoons?
I just carry my knife in a secret pocket, it's a OTF switchblade, the scariest type... Unless I get a metal detector test, or am forced to remove my clothes, they'll never find it
Nevermind I had misread that.
you can open most flip knives that are legal almost every state open as quickly as a switchblade the ban was like most weapon laws used to target poor people.
The force of gravity can be measured. If you have to whack the knife around like a madman, it's not the force of gravity that opens the knife, but rather the momentum of the blade driving it out of its handle upon accelleration(deceleration).
The law states "gravity knife"...
@CANTSiR I think you missed the centrifugal force IS NOT GRAVITY bit.
I carry that same bench made knife for years it’s an awesome knife WhT most people don’t realize is a knife is a tool to a lot of people. I’m a 60 year old farmer I’ve carried a knife In my pocket since I was about 7. I don’t think you can find a farmer anywhere without a knife on him. I carried it every day even to school. Because I lived in a rural community this was accepted I worked before school and after school like many kids. I would feel naked leaving the house without out my knife in my pocket in the morning. I can’t imagine getting hassled over my pocket knife. But I don’t live in New York City I live in Canada 🇨🇦
Bob Ivanski Same
Yeah I've carried knives for the past 20 years of my life. For the past 5 or so years, its been a benchmade 930. I haven't been able to find one that can kick it out of my pocket. And not for lack of trying.
You can legally carry a 4 inch fixed blade knife in New York but not a 2 inch “gravity knife”. Absolutely ridiculous. I fucking hate this state.
i can understand some knife laws. i'm a knife-sharp, after all, so it's kind of s.o.p. for me. that said, it boils down to fearmongering: i live in europe, where blades are "scary". you pull out a spyderco or anything remotely tactical, you're up to no good. you pull out a fixed blade, and you're out for blood. you pull out a box-cutter, and you're gonna go mug someone. once, i was in a milsurp, sharpening their blades, and even telling a cop about the shop's selections, their legal status, and details about some pieces he liked. as soon as i left the shop, i was stopped by his buddies and submitted to a search. they found 8 or 9 knives in a locked case in my backpack that i was taking home for more maintenance. they still wanted to take my perfectly legal slipjoint until the cop told them to drop it on account of my job.
most europeans view blades as weapons, not as tools. some are weapons (daggers, stilettos, punch-blades, trench knives...), but it's only a fraction of all knives made that have only violence as a first purpose. you can kill someone with a straight razor, but then again, you can do the same with a tree branch, a pickaxe, or a spoon.
in my opinion, butterfly knives shouldn't be widely available, since they pose a non-negligible risk to the user without proper training. the same goes for automatics or spring-loaded ones: most are cruddy quality that will harm you, but they look cool enough for a kid to fool around with. i'm not saying "ban them all", i'm saying make sure that kids don't have easy access to them until user-inflicted accidents are minimized.
finally, i don't think the solution is to ban knives, i think the solution is to emphasize education so as to avoid having knife-point fights or muggings in the first place. why do people use knives to mug? is it because it's too tempting? no! it's because of a lack of education and civility. give a kid a means to a job or a future, and they'll avoid mugging. i've carried a knife on me for over twenty years, and never has it crossed my mind to assault someone because i had one on me. it's basic manners, and knowing a trade.
it's about time Europe legalized concealed carrying. banning anything isn't the solution
I was a victim of a gravity knife arrest. I was on my way to work with the clip hanging out. Had 4 cops come and flicked the folding knife as hard as they could so the blade came out. I told them that’s not how you used it. Next thing I’m in cuffs and behind bars. My public defendant saw my case and said “oh, this again”.
I got gravity balls inside my trousers can’t visit NY :( never mind about my machete
revistadearmas need a roommate? Lol get me out of here please
lmao
I might be wrong here, but I believe as long as you are not displaying the machete to the public it's completely legal. The cook for example could carry all the kitchen knives because they were not folding knife and they were in a bag(not displayed to public). NYC laws are completely messed up, and they really need to redraw out what is and isn't illegal.
I don't believe those are gravity balls. You must allow me to wrist flick them to be sure !
revistadearmas
U A funny guy
Good stuff! Glad to see Vice put out something worth watching!
Yup
Faith Rox only because it involved blacks and Hispanics in cities being "discriminated" against...
Knife laws are insanely pointless for SO many reasons
same with guns and drugs
Evan F. Nappen is an attorney in New Jersey who has been working tirelessly on knife and gun laws.
The right to keep and bare arms shall not be infringed I guess most people usually default to firearms but this cover any and all weapons
"bare arms". Jesus.
Cannons, knifes, assault rifles, everything is A-okay.
Heck if you are doctor of nuclear physics with a military rank of X, I see no reason not to let this hypothetical person own a nuke
firekram a nuke is a bit much imo but hey second amendment
Alan Mac
Yea bare arms....short sleeves are a no-no...except in the summer time.
raysiris
Correct. You are the first person I've seen, in a long time to actually make this distinction. Most idiots only think firearms. "ARMS" does not mean "GUNS" but can equate to any weapon.
BTW, it's BEAR arms. And no it's not the furry animal we are talking about here.
Thanks you for fighting for us.
Actually the laws in NY are straight forward. If there is anything that you can possibly be used to defend your life, it's illegal.
I use to live there and now I do not like to even visit. If you have a whistle and blow it for help you might be charged with a noise violation.
New York has gone insane ..I would never live there or even visit there ...No wonder so many are leaving that state .
good for this man. I have carried a knife every day for 30 years and have seen laws encroach more and more. I support him 100%
These laws are sick! Makes me so glad I live in AZ. My knives are my tools. At times I NEED a knife I can open with one hand quickly, and an auto knife fits the bill best.
I live in New York and have long been boggled by the obscure nature of so many of our laws, and I used to work as an investigator with the Public Defender's office. I say more power to this guy, getting rid of even one or two ridiculous laws is a help.
Knife rights has really helped out Wisconsin. The courts thought this was a frivolous matter, but it was hard with such a giant gray zone.
Switch blades were illegal in Az probably 7 or 10 years ago:) I'm fucking glad that's all gone
Sweegy Swag why do you need a switch blade though? I had an illegal one as a teen and honestly it wasn’t all that useful compared to my other knives
Allie Doak It's not a matter of why you need one, I mean some people prefer them (there's a lot of automatic knives that aren't the stereotypical switchblade). The question is, why shouldn't you be able to have one?
Allie Doak The only reason they were illegal was because people were stupid and accidentally cut themselves a ton
Allie Doak it's not the bill of needs. We should not be restricted from owning any small arms or armor mention we desire.
Your right about the otf knives though. They are a bit shit, but the switch is an interesting mechanical function
no, they were illegal over a bunch of irrational fears whipped up by a Broadway musical. and I'm not even kidding.
Spyderco fans where u at... Got my paramilitary 2 s35vn on my desk right now
Sold my PM2 a few months back. Was just too chunky for edc. Love my delica though. I really want a matriarch 2 though (among many other spyderco's). Tbh, my all-time favorite edc is my Benchmade 930. Perfect size and weight imo.
Same fam
I’m rocking my manix 2 translucent blue bro!
I carry and use my Benchmade automatic Bedlam like everyday. Alaska now has knife preemption thanks to kniferights.com. Thank you Doug Ritter!
Dragonfly 2 ( Illegal to carry in Uk )
Years back, a friend of mine worked nights. He sometimes faced harassment and wanted protection. He didn't feel he could be responsible with a gun and wanted to carry a knife. He wanted to be right by the law; so he spoke with the sheriffs office about a Concealed permit. He discovered that Washington state only has a "Concealed Handgun license". He would only be legally allowed to conceal a handgun as a weapon.
Another point to note. I've been a collector of these knives for 10+ years now, and lemme tell ya. Nobody (or at least very few people) is going out committing stabbing crimes with 200 dollar Spydercos and Benchmades or some Chris Reeve custom. Many of these knives are marketed for work yes, but many are also art pieces that a lot of guys and gals in our niche community have been collecting for years with no incident. Not to mention this hurts business. A fantastic knife designer by the name Gavko who was from NY but moved due to their stringent knife laws, has made a very successful career in knife making and now some of his blades sell for 1400+ dollars on auction.
Aside from switch blades, knife bans are pretty stupid. Here in California it's illegal to get a Balisong (Butterfly Knife), not because they're dangerous weapons, but because people keep hurting themselves with them. Let us suffer the natural consequences of our own stupidity, it's like they're trying to baby us.
Jeffrey Samuels Why are switch blades so bad? The spring assist looks scary, but once deployed it doesn't differ from any other blade.
In terms of being a substantially more effective weapon for stealhily harming people. I excluded them because switchblades can be a topic of genuine subjectivity regarding their safety. You can sneak em around a lot easier as well.
i am a knife guy, all knives can be deployed relatively quickly, i own automatics, OTF, spring assited, axis locking, compression locking, liner locking, frame locking....
you name the type of knife I most likely have it.
switchblades/automatics aren't any more dangerous than any other knife, heck i could deploy an "Emerson wave folder" from my pocket quicker than any switchblade...
akui88 It's not the speed, it's the discrete capabilities of the switchblade. Say, put it up to someone's hip closed, flick the switch, and the power of the spring will instantly jab the person. People have died from being poked by a knife in the right place once.
I'm not anti-switchblade, I'm just stating that I understand why there might be legislation surrounding it.
um, none of my switchblades or OTF knives have that ability...
if something gets in the way, its gonna stop its motion or fall off the tracks.
i don't think you have a great understanding of these knives, please look up "otf" and "automatics knife."
a 5 inch buck knife will do more damage than any switchblade...
switchblade are meant to be deployed with minimal force and relatively quickly...
4:30 when you realize that the guy on the right has a gigantic hole in his pocket. HIs hand just slips right through his jacket LOL
Here in Washington, there are over 15 jurisdictions that have different knife laws. In Seattle, the law says no fixed blade knives. If someone is taking their kitchen knife somewhere in Seattle, they should be aware that they could be arrested for that knife. A few years ago, they busted some woman for carrying a concealed weapon. She had a kitchen paring knife in her pocket.
In New York City you can’t even get a pistol permit to protect yourself
This happened to me too. Luckily I had no priors so they expunged it after no trouble for 6 months. Nonetheless I got arrested and spent a night in jail because of this it's so dumb !
Philly head here. Ask 5 different cops what knives are acceptable to carry and get 5 different answers.
Seriously, try it -- it's no myth.
I generally carry a pocket knife,and have since I was 12 (my first was a cheap little boy scout knife). The only blood I ever spilled was my own, by accident. the knife was too dull, which anyone who uses a knife in their work can tell makes it more dangerous. These laws are just a way for cops to get around probable cause when they target someone.
I almost got arrested by Toronto police for a "centrifically operated knife". The screw in my small folding knife was loose, and it allowed to the knife blade to open up with a flick of the wrist. I never planned or really paid attention to that. But the cops let me go because I was a nursing student. SMH Any folding knife you buy at Walmart, if the screw becomes lose over time, can be classified as a "cetrifically operated knife". SMH
I am not a big knife guy, but i decided to buy a pink minigrip (people dont steal pink tools)as a daily knife about 5 years ago and it has held up against use and abuse like no other tool I have ever bought. Just spend the money folks you will not be dissapointed.
"(people dont steal pink tools)"
I ONLY (and always) steal pink tools. Not sure what's wrong with me, but something definitely is.
Griptilian's rule!
JustElvin there cool ish
I love my Benchmade 930, but could never warm up to the grip's chunky handle and plasticy feel. I'll take a Delica over a Grip, imho.
cops took mines
Why? Cops took my CS Recon because they thought I was in the "wrong neighborhood " 5 blocks from my house.
Gavin Reddig yeah especially the Ritter ones, m390 on a griptillian is incredible
here in brazil a couple of year ago, they passed a law on my state(minas gerais), saying that you couldn't carry a blade bigger than 4 inches
they arrested a 72 year old lady, with a kitchen knife in her pocket, that she had bought as her sons bithday present
sortly after, they put the law down, and almost no one talks about that anymore
"...I got, um, Chucky blades in my bag..." That was funny.
New York has some of the worst laws and politicians in the country... on all subjects.
you misspelled america
Its almost like weapons are tools in yhe hands of responsible people...
John Doe There used to be gun clubs in Western societies not all that long ago. Even in Europe. You could go hunting before school and even bring your kill to show and tell. Now kids eat Tide Pods and don't know how to hammer a nail.
John Doe - Knives actually have many other uses as tools rather than being used as a weapon.
Guns? Not so much.
nokturnal02 Guns are tools when you live out in the sticks. Not trying to start an argument with you but protecting livestock and/or your family when the police are an hour away is no joke.
Guns can be used for target practice, 3 gunning, hunting, protection, line throwing, flare guns, and a skeleton key (only legally though).
Guns have at least one use: self defense. Good enough for me.
I am from Virginia and joined Knife Rights because I cannot buy an automatic opening knife from Smokey Mountain Knife Works in Pigeon Forge, TN and have it shipped to me. They refuse to ship the auto knives to me. I collect automatic knives, some of which cost north of $1000 each. It is an old stigma that only gangs carry switchblades and dirks. I am pretty sure you can own a Switchblade in VA but you better not get caught carrying it or you will go to jail. We have legislation to legalize in the VA Senate right now. We need to legalize them. SB 758
Gravity knife: Every knife which opens under the Earth's atmosphere. You're under arrest sir.
I live in NYC and im scared to tote a knife just for this reason... Knives are largely used as tools, If someone uses the knife to harm someone, then it should be charged as a weapon... not when you just have it on you...
Why can't this logic also apply to firearms?
For years I carried a spring assist, granted I live in Texas, any time I got stopped cops only checked for length, and so long as it isn't OTF, Butterfly, or stilleto youre good. Now length restrictions are gone so I mean we can carry anything.
which really sucks if you've got big hands and you just want to carry something thats not too small in your hands
Most times cops get it, open it, and usually start discussing preferences, manufactures, etc.
Their main concern were fixed blades so long as they weren't pass the 3.5 inch mark, so long as you didnt carry large in public. But you can carry them in your vehicle.
Like a buddy of mine, he carried a sword, a machete, a kendo sword, and 5 different knives in his car all before the law was repealed, cops never gave a shite.
Last time I was questioned by the police I had an AR and a Glock on my hip. We talked gun builds for a few minutes and parted ways. I love Kentucky. It actually feels like I live in America here
We have good weapons laws here in Australia. There are proscribed weapons, which are clearly defined and banned. These generally involve combat features like blood groove, bayonets and daggers, nuncha, switch and butterfly blades, etc. Swords are not included because noone gets around with concealed swords making trouble, so no need to ban it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Then we also have 'offensive' weapons, which is literally any object which is carried as a weapon. If you have a legal excuse, you are fine. So if you carry a machette, but you do gardening work with it, you are fine, but if you go in to a nightclub with a screwdriver in your hand they'll charge you for it.
The New York laws have been changed since May 2019. But Washington state still has the same laws prohibiting knifes opened by "outward, downward, or centrifugal thrust or movement." But there is a specific exception for spring assisted knives. Makes no sense at all.
I never leave the house without at least 3 knives. neck, pocket, and bracelet. good ol wv.
c f neck(?)
They might ban long finger nails too. Injuries can be nasty!
+ c f The bracelet knife is one I haven't heard of. I have a nice Alan Folk minimalist neck knife, but haven't encountered a bracelet knife before. What's the maker/model?
Just another reason to never go there
Back by the mid 90’s I used to run a tool route with a Snap On van.
I had this client of mine , a Dominican , who owned a restaurant, some real estate , and a collision shop. Mostly shipping cars to the Caribbean, your worthless salvage title Stateside and fixed up and then out to the freight vessel. He dressed dapper. Made good money on this trade.
So he bought the necessary tools for his mechanics and body technicians. Most of which couldn’t afford them anyways.
So I had the small van back then. Thursday afternoon was my collection and sales stop with him. With the small van the only way to generate
Sales was through a loaded canvass tote. Or as in Snapon lingo , “tote and promote “. So I stuffed my daily bag with all the necessary itens and stashed my Kershaw knife set or a single piece at the bottom.
Now the rank and file mechanics loooved those knifes. “ ohhh que cochilo conho!” = shit what a knife. No matter what I had in the bag, the knifes brought exclamation with my Latino customers.
So the Don comes around , sits in a tucked desk behind the Cash Register counter , his compadres gathered around for pay day and ring kiss. And I am doing my part pulling the goodies out of my tote , just entertaining the king and his entourage of dirty working clothes compadres.
And all of the sudden comes this shiny knife with the scabbard out if the tote. Boy did he jumped out of his chair!!!!
“Who do you think I am? A Sicário ? “.
I’ve must done it 2-3 times afterwards. I couldn’t laugh , but boy oh boy did that gave me a boat or what ?
After the collection was done I would head back to my van with a smirk on my face all giddish.
Those where the days. I loved my Latino customers, they gave me money and all kinds of stories to remember.
I get it, switchblades are bad news. But pocket knives ?????? Geeeesh
thank you for bringing attention to this issue
I own a Benchmade Mini Grip too. Awesome blade.
Wow, vice agreeing that laws about weapons only effect law abiding citizens
Where I live, In the state of Georgia, It is perfectly legal to own any kind of knife. However, It is Illegal to carry (both openly or concealed) ANY Knife over 5 inches long (overall length of the knife, not the overall length of the blade) without a weapons permit.
Knife bans were big in the 50s due to Rebel Without a Cause and a few other movies. Much like Cannabis being banned over Reefer Madness. I guess "don't believe everything you see on the internet" applied theaters 70 years ago too.
i love you VICE. Keep up the outstanding work.
I always carry a knife on me for years. A pocket knife that is clipped on the edge of my pocket. I went to a Boston vs. NY game in NY and was stopped by the cops and forced up against a wall and had my knife taken away. I was completely surprised by this. Oh, I guess I am one of those rare white people that were stopped and frisked and fortunately not arrested since I was from out of state. I was extra lucky since when I left the game I saw the cop and asked nicely for my knife back and he gave it back. I grew up in a hick town in CT and everyone had a pocket knife, so it seemed weird to be stopped in NY. It is crazy that Texas had knife laws, but you can carry a rifle in the open.
I look at all these laws and its all a legal downward spiral. It makes so little god dam sense. I wanted to get a “wall hanger” (non firing) M1 Garand but found that in Connecticut and fo firearms of a production past a certain date are illegal. I don’t understand. It’s just a pice of medal... are they afraid I’m going to bludgeon someone to death with it?
A cop once told me that he has seen prosecutors in court almost break their wrist trying to open a knife with one hand to prove that it is an illegal knife so that they culd charge someone with a felony. This is in NYC. The city where "EVERYTHING" is illegal.
I live in Gilbert, AZ. I have a large collection of knives, including several spring operated switchblades. It is illegal to import them into the U.S., but once they are in the U.S., and you live in a knife friendly state like AZ, they are legal to own and even carry.
Vice you should cover the black slave trade in Libya
Ian Cornell you may have missed the episode but I think they did already
Tommy X Lourdes I know they did a few years ago but it has only grown since then, with zero effort to stop it
I carry two folding knives on me virtually anywhere.. What the hell does a knife being "flickable" or 'spring-assist opening knife' have to do with how "dangerous" it is..? It is much easier and faster to open most folding knives by flicking them open with the thumb (or even using both hands) rather than by relying on gravity and/or centrifugal force. 😑 Most fixed blade knives are also must sturdier and therefore generally more "dangerous" than folding knives anyway.. 😄 At least legal restrictions on blade length, width, and weight (and/or the number of sharpened edges on a knife) make the effort to *appear* to be reasonable. (Though, I do not agree with those, either).
We will be outlawing hands soon.. 😑
Here in Luxembourg, you're allowed to have a folding knife that is below 9mm. But if your blade is fixed it can exceed that length. Which make no sense.
I used to teach woodworking/cabinet making and sharpening a plane iron to a razors edge was something every student did..some students would bring in a pocket knife which they could do as well..no big deal at the time... before people started going completely nuts..