U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office,
Attn: International Trade Regulations and Rulings,
Mint Annex,
799 9th Street,
N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20229//
Attn: Intellectual Property and Restricted Merchandise Branch//
Commissioner Ahern,
I have become aware that CBP is revoking earlier rulings that assisted opening knives (that require manual manipulation to deploy!) are NOT switchblades. Since many courts and legislative bodies rely upon these CBP knife definitions, this revised ruling will have broad and unintended consequences. Your re-definition of these folding knives will create foolish bureaucracy and regulation, criminalize millions of good people, create more economic hardship by destroying the knife and tool industry (and the military/LE access to these items as well), and in the end will only lessen public safety.
• Knives are already highly regulated with current laws, both on national and local levels. Millions of good people across the country use folding knives for duty, utility tasks, outdoors activities, emergency services, rescue operations, and for legal defensive purposes. This CBP interpretation burdens law enforcement and will instantly criminalize about 40 million good people. It is very unlikely anyone would dispose of any knives and it will create unnecessary enmity between citizenry and government.
• The economy is failing. And yet your ruling will make it worse. The outlawing of assisted opening AND most other folding Knives with this ruling will destroy a thriving industry that employs thousands upon thousands of people. This is an industry that only needs to be left alone to succeed. And for years, succeed they have despite tremendous economic challenges. It is also this knife and tool industry that supplies these items to our armed forces and law enforcement officers. The CBP ruling will crush it and lead us further towards a full-on economic Depression. The military and police will have nowhere to turn for their knives then. Is this what you want?
• A knife is a viable and legal defensive tool, often carried by reasonable and good people. This CBP revocation is a capricious assault of these defensive and utility tools legally used by millions of Americans. Like a firearm, these tools should enjoy the same Constitutional protections (arms) and the bad guys will always have such items and they always have. It is only the law abiding citizen that will be felonized by this assault on knife possession. Again, is this what you want and is this good law?
• With this re-definition, most folding knives will be interpreted as illegal despite the smokescreen of disinformation your office seems to be dispensing over this issue. This re-definition of switchblades is far reaching and carries the aforementioned political and societal liabilities. It will do nothing to increase public safety. At the very least, this matter should be open to public commentary for 120 days. Please extend this feedback period and open up the option for emailed responses. More to the point, I feel this issue will be a political liability for your office and I urge you to ABANDON this ruling immediately. For the record then, I FULLY oppose your offices actions re-classifying these knives as switchblades. I will thank you for adhering to previous switchblade definitions and in doing so you will gain my political support of your office again.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME HERE]
Duration : 0:18:27
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Its all politics, …
Its all politics,the could care less about our saftey,they cant even keep knives out of prisons how do they think they can keep em off the streets,simple,they dont.its all about feel good laws that they can put there name on to further themselves.
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
god that wrong is …
god that wrong is that also the violation of second admentment rights
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
this is the second …
this is the second part — funny part is that the knife was not legal to carry in that county. I AM A VICTIM AND I DONT WONT THEM TO BE REGULATED!!!!!! Let them argue with me about it, they dont have an argument.
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
I believe in NO way …
I believe in NO way these folding knives should be made illegal. I was over in Europe and my two brothers and my self where attacked at night with a pipe and a knife (bayonet) by 6-7 people and some lookouts. We where all slashed, I had a 1 chunk of skin taken off from my forehead including some of my hair. I bleed profusely that that night I went through 5 IV bottles. My blood felt like peanut-butter, it almost hit my eye. Back home, my rights are now going to be restricted.
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
@Blackballed34 …
@Blackballed34 Agreed. “the more things you ban, the more criminals and outlaws there will be” Eventually the only people that haveweapons/tools/means of self defense, will be criminals
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
@bobjoemagee …
@bobjoemagee Communism, Socialism its like saying tomato, toemato. Unfortunately this is the world we are living in.
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
@Blackballed34 …
@Blackballed34 techniqually speaking its communism
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
wow im from the uk …
wow im from the uk hes right rights will be taken from you if you dont stand up for them
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Welcome to …
Welcome to Socialism….
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
That sucks!!!
That sucks!!!
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
or maybe i can buy …
or maybe i can buy a delta dart? its cheap and it has a amazing penetrating power what would you do?
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
@droogkalf check …
@droogkalf check out the Coldsteel Counter Tac 1, i have 1 and its really nice from the steel quality 2 the sheath , which has a reversable belt/boot clip for a drop carry or u could do what i did and use the lashing holes 2 put a paracord through and wear it as a neck knife
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
ok sorry but i dont …
ok sorry but i dont quite understand what your saying are switchs blades outlawed or assisted or both…. like can we still have stilettos and leverlettos and concords?
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
dude that sucks i …
dude that sucks i love concord and stiletto and leverlettos
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
This is an old …
This is an old video addressing the proposed customs ruling changing the definition of switch blades. Thanks to us knife guys this ruling was not over turned and our knives are safe.
So when this video was made it was and still is very accurate.
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Please understand. …
Please understand. This is not happening.
Knives are not being outlawed.
Don’t believe everything you see or read on the internet.
I know most of you will not believe this but this is not happening.
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
NOOOOOOO! i just …
(((((((
NOOOOOOO! i just bought a Delica 4:OOOO
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
dont get me started …
dont get me started on the muslim issue. we cant have navity in community places or hospitals because it offends non christians. that was only an ornament they took on me. im still armed and carrying self protection.
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
@jhynesyahoo thats …
@jhynesyahoo thats europe for you, disarming the population and handing it over the muslims, thanks europe…at least some of you stood up to the last facist religious force that wanted to enslave you
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
what would you …
what would you recommand the s&w
820B boot knife or a kershaw boot knife?
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
WHy not just …
WHy not just legalize switchblades…then there wil be no issue
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
And these shameless …
And these shameless people are the same ones managed by lawyers, attornies and banks who decide what goes into our foods, waters, education….they will say anything to maximize profits for its own interest. And when you confront them with a question or flat out refuse to accept THEIR decisions, they become uncomfortable, unrationale, unapproachable and play dumb. This “I am up here” and “you are down there” attitude must change. Most certainly.
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Never believed I …
Never believed I would ever live to see the day when lawyers and attornies (working for the government in Washington) are doing nothing more than changing existing laws to justify their tax paid positions. This is because Washington no longer represents anything good, anylonger, for people like you and I who live free in the real world. Congress has 527 lawyers making their decisions. It would surprise me if these people even knew how to change a diaper or fix a flat. What a bunch of loosers.
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Sending a letter …
Sending a letter isn`t going to fix anything . The only thing that will fix the mess were in is retaking Washington by force.
March 10th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
one of the reasons …
one of the reasons why they outlawed the carry of “switchblades” in the first place is because around the ’50s the media portrayed that everyone with a switchblade is a juvenile delinquent