Article in the NY Times on state laws on knives. From the photo, I am, as a NY state resident, apparently breaking the law...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/us/05knives.html?pagewanted=1&hp

TW

It's hard even to imagine that such a raid happened in America. Pretty soon, people will want to ban all self-defense classes that teach how to protect yourself effectively. When there's nothing left, chefs will be forced to use dull knives in the kitchen. In order to stay sane, I have to be in denial about how lame many people in power are.

This article hits close to home, as I live just outside of NYC. It inspired me to make a donation to Knife Rights.

This is a great article and an even better win for the Knife Rights group!!

Thank you to all of you who work so hard to keep us who see knives as tools and not weapons viewed in the eye of the law as tools and not weapons.

I certainly don't look at my EDC knife as a weapon (currently a Spyderco Native). If I were down to only that pocket knife for defense, I figure I'd be a goner. Mostly, my Native serves very mundane duties - typically just cutting open bags of horse feed. Not a very glamorous life for the Spyderco. Nothing like the excitement of raping and pillaging like the knives in NY must be doing.

I too have never used a knife as a self-defense tool. I have used a knife as a tool for cooking, fishing, cutting open boxes, etc. However, I don't blame anybody who carries a knife for self-defense and for nothing else. By the way, I'm 37. I would not be able to out box (or outrun) the 21-year-old version of me. I would need a tool to cheat and defend myself. A knife is always on me, so that may have to do.

My understanding is that the Florida's Concealed Weapons License allows handguns, knives, and other weapons.

This doesn't mean that I think the law shouldn't be changed -- I think any competent adult should be allowed to safely carry whatever sharp objects they choose.

An article about knives or guns in the NY Times and no editorial slant? I can hardly believe it!

Well, kind of. The photo caption says "illegal knives" when, at least based on my eyesight, many appear to merely be normal folders not gravity knives or switchblades. OK, so maybe I'm splitting hairs, but the paper is offering a conclusion about the knives not merely "just the facts" information.

HJ

According to the way NYC interprets their law, the knives pictures ARE considered gravity knives/switchblades.

That's the whole issue here. People are buying and carrying the typical one-handed opening locking knives that are sold all over the place, then getting arrested in NYC for carrying a switchblade/gravity knife. Guys that carry locking razor blades for their work are getting arrested and charged.