spring assisted pocket knives

offroaD · Dec 7, 2012

I'm posting this for clarity, because it's created a bit of confusion for me

The knife in question is a Gerben Instant.

I was under the impression that switch blade knives were illegal while pocket knifes were not, when it came to concealing them. I saw a post on here where someone said it's also okay to to conceal spring assisted. I'm not a lawyer so bear with me when it comes to interpreting some of these laws.

In this post I don't see anything about spring loaded knifes.
http://www.mdshooters.com/showpost.php?p=1695157&postcount=3

In another thread which I can't find at the moment, someone else posted something up that suggested to me that the spring assisted knives fall under switchblades, which I guess makes them illegal. So do spring loaded knives fall under switch blade or not?

In the linked I posted from what I understand switchblades(assuming spring assisted fall under this categorry) are illegal to carry concealed, so you can wear them open, and without the intend to use them dangerously. Is this correct?

If I am correct on this, what happens when state law clashes with company policy? If I carry this openly without the intend to use it as a weapon, but as a tool to open boxes and break zip ties while company policy prohibits weapons where is that road going to take me? I mean, several people including the manager do this, but I'm curious on the technicalities. Does a company have the right to go against state law?

Also, anyone know where I can get high grit wet stones? Preferably not online, but I'm kind of having a hard time finding a store in Moco and may need to resort to online stores.

hvymax · Dec 7, 2012

Spring assist is legal where you actually have to manually start the actual blade moving. Pushbutton or indirect actuation = switchblade.

ken792 · Dec 7, 2012

Spring assist knives are not switchblades simply because they do not have a button. You push the blade out partially, and the spring kicks in and does the rest.

Check out www.knifecenter.com. Their office/warehouse in here in College Park and you can call to arrange a walk-in to inspect and pick up knives.

WeaponsCollector · Dec 7, 2012

Here's a video I made showing the differences between switchblades and assisted opening knives.
These are all Kershaw knives but different makers have very similar features for assisted opening.
Assisted opening knives most often use thumb studs or flippers which are a part of the blade, or a combination of both.
All the knives in the top row are assisted opening and legal to carry concealed in most parts of MD.
All the knives in the bottom row are switchblades and are not legal to carry concealed in MD.

Company policy can ban knives(often they limit the size of the blade) because it's their own property and they can set the policy however they want even if it's more strict than state law.

offroaD · Dec 7, 2012

Okay, thanks for the answers. Hopefully this thread helps future questions. I was able to find the law on switch blade definition and it does say a "button" specifically.

Anyone know what happened to that guy buzzzyy who was charged for carrying a spring loaded knife?

WeaponsCollector · Dec 7, 2012

offroaD said:
Okay, thanks for the answers. Hopefully this thread helps future questions. I was able to find the law on switch blade definition and it does say a "button" specifically.

Anyone know what happened to that guy buzzzyy who was charged for carrying a spring loaded knife?

Haven't seen or heard from him in a while and according to his profile he hasn't been on MDS in almost a year. Have no idea what happened to him. :sad20:

Atec · Dec 7, 2012

WeaponsCollector said:
Here's a video I made showing the differences between switchblades and assisted opening knives.
These are all Kershaw knives but different makers have very similar features for assisted opening.
Assisted opening knives most often use thumb studs or flippers which are a part of the blade, or a combination of both.
All the knives in the top row are assisted opening and legal to carry concealed in most parts of MD.
All the knives in the bottom row are switchblades and are not legal to carry concealed in MD.

Company policy can ban knives(often they limit the size of the blade) because it's their own property and they can set the policy however they want even if it's more strict than state law.

You just had to post the vid again ! You know which one i want! :mad54:

Roneut · Dec 8, 2012

WeaponsCollector said:
Haven't seen or heard from him in a while and according to his profile he hasn't been on MDS in almost a year. Have no idea what happened to him.

If I recall that post he made, his encounter with the police was based on an unrelated criminal action on his part, and the knife was simply found during the conversation. I would say that the "unrelated charge" eventually caught up with him while the knife charge was probably dropped or "nolle prosequi."

It is exceedingly common for police to use incidentally found objects as "excuses" to take a suspect in. This is done when the suspect is clearly acting suspiciously or has done something illegal, but their is only weak proof. Example comes to mind with Polk v. MD, where the guy was clearly high on something but they failed to find any drugs, so they used his plain-sight bowie knife as an excuse charge (he was acquitted of the knife charge because it was not concealed). Another one I hear anecdotally from cop friends is during domestic violence calls were the one partner tries to act like nothing happened and refuses to cooperate, but was clearly beaten and is afraid of the other partner. They use it as a way to get the aggressor out of the house for the night.

pdqdog · Dec 8, 2012

wow great info thanks!

Arcamm · Dec 9, 2012

WeaponsCollector said:
.
All the knives in the top row are assisted opening and legal to carry concealed in most parts of MD.

Which parts of MD can you Not carry an assisted opening knife?

WeaponsCollector · Dec 9, 2012

Arcamm said:
Which parts of MD can you Not carry an assisted opening knife?

I'm no lawyer so I may be wrong but I think some areas might have local laws against carrying assisted opening knives and even pepper spray.
If anyone knows for sure please correct me.

Roneut · Dec 9, 2012

Arcamm said:
Which parts of MD can you Not carry an assisted opening knife?

It's theoretically possible, but I've never heard of any. Baltimore would be the most likely place to have such a thing, and they don't (I've read the city code). A more likely issue is the local police being poorly informed or just knife-unfriendly in general. But then again, you'd have to do something knuckled-headed enough that they'd even talk to you.

PKendall10 · Dec 10, 2012

No autos and switchblades, that's how I interpret it and I EDC a spring-assisted.

A1Uni · Dec 10, 2012

glistam said:
It's theoretically possible, but I've never heard of any. Baltimore would be the most likely place to have such a thing, and they don't (I've read the city code). A more likely issue is the local police being poorly informed or just knife-unfriendly in general. But then again, you'd have to do something knuckled-headed enough that they'd even talk to you.

What he said.

If you read the case law in the Maryland Criminal Laws Annotated, every other one will have a sentence that reads "except in Baltimore City."

mercop · Dec 13, 2012

Just remember if you choose to carry any knife with a spring for SD that if it fails you are screwed

- George

PKendall10 · Dec 13, 2012

mercop said:
Just remember if you choose to carry any knife with a spring for SD that if it fails you are screwed- George

This is true.

Biggie313 · Dec 14, 2012

mercop said:
Just remember if you choose to carry any knife with a spring for SD that if it fails you are screwed- George

And if you choose to use a gun in SD and it fails you are screwed... If you choose to use a belt to hold up your pants and it fails, you are screwed. If you use X for Y and it fails, you are screwed....Your argument is moot. Every single thing can fail, even a non spring assist, or heck, even a stick.

Watdahec · Dec 14, 2012

Spring assisted blade on my belt for work purposes and balisong on right back pocket just in case of emergency.

ToneGrail · Dec 17, 2012

I actually prefer non-assisted manual flipper knives like the CRKT M16-13z or the Kershaw RAM. They use index finger tension to propel the blade open. They are just as fast as AO knives and no wrist action is required. The benefit is that there are less moving parts and no springs to break.

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