Obama To Outlaw....Pocket Knives ??

Remember when your dad gave you your first pocket knife? The thrill of the bone handle, the awe of the two sharp blades, and the glow of knowing your were respected enough, and trusted enough, by your parents that they were willing to present you with one?

Well, apparently, Barack Obama and his administration do not trust your parent's judgement, or you, and are proposing changes in knife classification that would make approximately 80% of all knifes -including multifunction tool-knifes - illegal.

U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) has proposed revoking earlier rulings that assisted opening knives are not switchblades. The proposed new rule would not only outlaw assisted opening knives, its broad definition of a switchblade would also include one-handed opening knives and could be easily interpreted to cover most other pocket knives, even simple old-fashioned slip-joints.

Note that CBP's interpretation of the Federal Switchblade Act forms the basis for national, state and even local law and judicial rulings in many cases. This ruling by CBP is NOT limited to just imports. This WILL affect virtually everyone who carries a pocket knife, no matter the type!

Apparently, despite the fact that recent awareness has caused many concerned citizens to want to voice their objections to this bizarre and unnecessary regulation, the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) has denied the numerous requests for extension that it had received... and is planning to stick with the June 21 deadline for comments.

Sounds like we are going to see this pushed though a la the stimulus bill (" it is critical that we waste no time in eliminating knives of all sort from the hands of an untrusworthy American population. Only then will have economic security and peace"), and with little complaint from a metropolitan-based news media.

So remember, the next time you participate in that time honored tradition of handing a young boy or girl their first pocket knife, and sitting with them to review safety and usage....you are a lawbreaker.

Request for change in knife classifications by the CBP can be found in this PDF document....