Quote:As far as I can tell the switchblade was banned in most places because it was considered being designed for violence.  It was before my time they were banned.


I'd be okay with a regulation that banned all knives except those specially designed as kitchen utensils if it was thought that it could save lives.  I'd prefer legislation requiring licensure or something like that.  Which is actually what I'd prefer with guns, but I know the idea of gun licenses is one most pro-gun people oppose.  Of course like I said, I keep my weapons locked up safely in the first place.  Knives are certainly not toys, and while I know my children know that I don't want to take the risk.   If knife attacks were frequent, I'd certainly understand the call for their banning or stricter regulation.  I'd hate to lose some of my knives, because they were given to me by my uncle.  Most of them aren't worth a whole lot, of course.  Mostly it's sentimental value plus personal interest in knives and swords.  Some of which I gained interest in when a blacksmith came to our college.  


I mean knives are a significant killer.  Not quite the same level as firearms, but the murder rate is still pretty up there.  

 

I would counter that a Switchblade Knife was designed for quickness and convenience, not necessarily for violence.  They got a "stigma" back in the 1950's as they were used a lot by violent gang members and mafia types.  However, think about this.  A common "pocket knife" can be deployed almost as rapidly as a Switchblade Knife.  I know that my own personal knife that I carry can be opened with one hand and a flick of my wrist.  The Switchblade Knife was considered in the 1950's what some consider an "assault weapon" today with regards to guns.

 

I feel bad for you in some ways.  I have a pretty good gun collection, some of them being given to me by ancestors and have been passed down through several generations (I'm the fourth generation by the way).  Those particular guns as well as some others are kept in a safe, much like your knife and sword collection, but a couple of my firearms are kept close by, many times on my hip.  I would NEVER be okay with government forcing me to give up a single one of my firearms.  The same as you, some of my firearms have more sentimental value than anything else, and there are even some that I would not attempt to fire because I'm not clear about the safety of doing so.

 

I'll let you in on a little secret.  A police officer fears a knife more (in close proximity) than a gun.  Kevlar will stop a bullet from a hand gun, but it won't stop a blade. 

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