Wisconsin Legalizes Switchblades And Concealed Knives

B

Badfinger

New member
http://northernpublicradio.org/post/wisconsin-legalizes-switchblades-and-concealed-knives

Wisconsin’s governor has signed a bill legalizing concealed switchblades and knives. Scott Walker signed the measure Saturday at an annual National Rifle Association gathering in Wisconsin. Walker says Wisconsin citizens have the fundamental right to defend themselves. Manufacturing, selling, transporting, purchasing, or possessing a switchblade has been illegal in Wisconsin for decades. The Republican bill eliminates that prohibition as well as permits anyone who can legally possess a gun to carry concealed knives of any length without a concealed carry license.

The bill also bars local governments from enacting knife regulations stricter than state law.
Click to expand...

Another huge victory for the 2nd amendment in Wisconsin...
 
My dad's store in the Midwest had a case of knives, including several switchblades, that were perfectly legal in that state. I would have loved to bring the whole case lot back to Washington with me when he passed on, but they are illegal here and a felony to possess. So they all went to auction with the rest of the estate.
 
Total opposite knife laws here in Illinois. I can carry a concealed handgun, but not a concealed knife. Go figure?
 
Before I retired as a USAF pilot I often flew with nuclear weapons with no special license other than the background checks etc. But I had to carry a special card authorizing me to carry a cheap switch blade that was part of the flight uniform. Go figure.
 
I thought that switchblades were outlawed as a result of stupidly bad press in the 1950's coupled with B-movies like "Rebel Without a Cause". Much like the Clinton AW Ban of the 1990's.
 
You are correct.

Between Hollywood and visions of New York City's evil Puerto Rican gangs roaming the streets of Peoria and Portland, the knives were doomed.
 
Here in FL, we are issued a concealed weapons license, as opposed to concealed handgun license. Tidies things up a bit The license technically covers handguns, electric weapons, tear gas guns, knives, and billies.
(I wonder if I could conceal an electric Dillion? :eek::D - I'd need a good cover garment)
 
Switchblades were never "outlawed." They were heavily regulated in interstate commerce. The knives were banned on Federal property only- because that's all the federal government could do.
More and more states are legalizing them, and the Knife Rights group assures me that the interstate commerce restriction will be lifted in the next few years.
If any of you use knives, you should be a member of Knife Rights. www.kniferights.org
 
Bill,

A number of States have laws against Automatic knives. Colorado, where I live, restricts them to LE/Mil only.
 
I believe Ohio restricts the sale to LE/mil/EMS/USPS/otherspecialclassesofcitizens(OSCOCs) only, limits possession the same as any knife, but not really banned
 
I'm of an age that I can remember the ban. The logic was there was such a terrible "juvenile delinquent" problem that threatened the fabric of society. If we only banned switchblades,and comic books, & discouraged duckbilled haircuts, all would return to normal and we'd live like the Cleaver family.

That worked out real well.:rolleyes:
 
JW062 said:
I believe Ohio restricts the sale to LE/mil/EMS/USPS/otherspecialclassesofcitizens(OSCOCs) only, limits possession the same as any knife, but not really banned
Click to expand...

Ohio restricts a bunch of junk.

ORC 2923.20 said:
(A) No person shall:****
(3) Manufacture, possess for sale, sell, or furnish to any person other than a law enforcement agency for authorized use in police work, any brass knuckles, cestus, billy, blackjack, sandbag, switchblade knife, springblade knife, gravity knife, or similar weapon;
Click to expand...

I find it a bit funny that the General Assembly saw fit to prohibit the "billy", aka billy club or baton, which is essentially a stick.
 
Manufacture, possess for sale, sell, or furnish to any person other than a law enforcement agency for authorized use in police work, any brass knuckles, cestus, billy, blackjack, sandbag, switchblade knife, springblade knife, gravity knife, or similar weapon;

Well, I'm just glad I can still carry my assault- spear when I'm visiting Ohio!:D
 
Anothor Silly Thing about these laws

I've often wondered why the police & military were exempt from the switchblade law. Why would they need them? I've heard of soldiers using bayonets occasionally during World War 2, but other than that, incidents involving LEOs/soldiers stabbing people are few and far between. If the answer is emergency cutting of seat belts or rope, up until recently most switchblades were of the Italian variety and while good for stabbing would be very poor cutters. Additionally the average switchblade isn't designed for rugged, dirty conditions many soldiers face.
The exemption (as well as the law) makes no sense.

Illinois makes an exemption for people that only have one arm and while that's reasonable,it's a very small market. :)
 
I've often wondered why the police & military were exempt from the switchblade law. Why would they need them?
Click to expand...

They don't, but they do (or did) like to have them.

Not all that long ago during my state's concealed carry fight, a governor who had run promising to sign a carry bill if it crossed his desk ended up vetoing it. He asked the police and patrolmen associations what governors always ask about weapons legislation, "What changes do you want?".

Back when nearly all the police in the city were from one background, one of the lads on another street asked the PO who had stopped to talk to a group of us what "that" was on his belt. It was clearly a switchblade, but a big one. The PO responded that it was "n______ repellent".

It's hard to think of brass knuckles or blackjacks as part of a POs modern equipment, but some of these laws have been around for quite a while.
 
Clock: "I've often wondered why the police & military were exempt from the switchblade law. Why would they need them?"

We carried them in a special pocket of our flight suit. We had them so we could operate them with one hand. Ever try to open a pocket knife with one hand?
 
I should have stated that the FEDERAL regulation in 1958 did not ban switchblades. It only regulated them. The law was worded to imply the knives were banned. States have banned switchblades. Those laws are being systematically overturned.
As Jim says- switchblades have been issued to portions of the US military since WW2.
 
Last edited:
"
We carried them in a special pocket of our flight suit. We had them so we could operate them with one hand. Ever try to open a pocket knife with one hand? "

As a knife collector, I've got maybe 50 knives that can be opened with one hand. These rage from 5 Sebenzas to a Buck 110 with a add on thumb stud. If I needed a one handed opening knife to cut parachute cord, I'd go with a serrated Spyderco that cuts rope like butter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top