Why The “NRA Of Knives” Is Fighting To Combat This Knife Law (HBO) 

“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

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

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

New York City... we should move the Statue of Liberty to somewhere free.

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.

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.

So, I can carry a kitchen knife but not a swiss army knife or box cutter?

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 victim, no crime

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.

Baning knives worked with great success in UK only one person stabb every 30 minutes

Good piece. Knife laws are poorly thought out and implemented.

Any law that restricts the rights of citizens to keep themself safe is unjust and should be abolished

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.

What if the gravity knife is attached to an AR-15?

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.

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!

I would love to move to Texas solely for the purpose of wearing a full suit of armor and carrying a broadsword

😅 phew thank goodness my machete isn’t a gravity knife.

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.

It's almost like the government does more harm than good

Every once in a while you do some good journalism, Vice.

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.

wow, illegal to have, legal to buy. SMFH

So, much like gun control has proven to be, knife control is enforced around racial lines. Sounds like both need to be abolished.

It's important to remember that most murders committed with knives are done using kitchen knives.

Knives, definetely need more attention, they are the most versatile tool in the world

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.

The Second Amendment applies to more than just guns.

Did Vice just agree with a conservative topic?

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.

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.

2nd Amendment right too.

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.

All knives should be legal.

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"...

Where my knife guys at?

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.

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.

Knife laws are insanely pointless for SO many reasons

The larger web of laws helps to catch everyone for something...you are a felon in the making and dont even know it.

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 🇨🇦

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.

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”.

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.

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

Thanks you for fighting for us.

Evan F. Nappen is an attorney in New Jersey who has been working tirelessly on knife and gun laws.

Good stuff! Glad to see Vice put out something worth watching!

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%

New York has gone insane ..I would never live there or even visit there ...No wonder so many are leaving that state .

In New York City you can’t even get a pistol permit to protect yourself

I got gravity balls inside my trousers can’t visit NY :( never mind about my machete

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.

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.

Gravity knife: Every knife which opens under the Earth's atmosphere. You're under arrest sir.

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

Switch blades were illegal in Az probably 7 or 10 years ago:) I'm fucking glad that's all gone

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.

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.

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.

Spyderco fans where u at... Got my paramilitary 2 s35vn on my desk right now

definitely wasn't expecting my city to pop up on the opening screen

"...I got, um, Chucky blades in my bag..." That was funny.

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 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.

The griptillian is one of my favorite knives. I have owned multiple. The AXIS lock is amazing.

New York has some of the worst laws and politicians in the country... on all subjects.

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 !

I never leave the house without at least 3 knives. neck, pocket, and bracelet. good ol wv.

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

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.

Griptilian's rule!

I own a Benchmade Mini Grip too. Awesome blade.

thank you for bringing attention to this issue

tell me why i thought the dude at 1:12 was matthew stafford lmaooo

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...

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.

He about hurt him self trying to open the knife with his wrist funny old man

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 love you VICE. Keep up the outstanding work.

Wow, vice agreeing that laws about weapons only effect law abiding citizens

i swear he was finna say "how in the whorrld could that third cop flick it open is a mystery!" strong ass wrist.

you used to be able to order spring assist and gravity knives to NYC but they changed that :(

So in US you can carry a gun legally but not a knife? 😂

Its almost like weapons are tools in yhe hands of responsible people...

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..

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.

Just another reason to never go there

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.

The gravity knife laws does NOT protect against seriously organized criminals, who have their knives in metal boxes without a "folded" state. This law is a de facto regressive tax on the poor.

What happens if you drop a fixed blade? BOOM, gravity knife.

This pisses me off! So good people of NY don't carry a knife. Then a bad New Yorker robs or kills them with a knife.. Individuals need to be able to protect themselves and what is theirs..

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 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 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