TexasCHLforum.com

Just curious, what is the status of the legality of an assisted opening knife (not a switchblade or dagger but something along the lines of a Gerber FAST)?

I carry a Schrade now - but would like to get an assisted opening knife for better deployment

Thanks

Keith

If no one asks...don't tell.

I would assume they are legal, Wal mart sells the kershaw knives, which reminds me I need to send mine out for warrenty

As far as I know, assisted open is completely legal.

http://www.texasguntalk.com/forums/kniv ... al-tx.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The correct criminal code is cited there so I would do additional specific research and NOT take the word of one specific poster on any message board.

I have done the above research myself and consider a spring-assisted knife legal in most areas of Texas. San Antonio has some local knife regulations, I believe, so if you are going to be there, you may want to look into them as well.

I live in the Dallas area and my EDC is a spring-assisted Kershaw.

laked3 wrote:http://www.texasguntalk.com/forums/kniv ... al-tx.html

The correct criminal code is cited there so I would do additional specific research and NOT take the word of one specific poster on any message board.

I have done the above research myself and consider a spring-assisted knife legal in most areas of Texas. San Antonio has some local knife regulations, I believe, so if you are going to be there, you may want to look into them as well.

I live in the Dallas area and my EDC is a spring-assisted Kershaw.

Asking if someone knows offhand if something or some action is lawful or unlawful is a common and reasonable practice, especially here on the Forum. Your link wasn't to the statute, but to a thread on another site and only to "the word of one specific poster." If you were concerned with accuracy, why didn't you post a link to the Texas legislative site for TPC §46.01 as did TxLobo?

Please don't discourage people from asking questions. That's one of the main reasons the Forum exists.

Chas.

I used to, but I no longer own any "switchblades" as defined by
Federal Law

U.S. Code Title 15C
Chapter 29 – Manufacture, Transportation, or Distribution of Switchblade Knives
Sec. 1241. Definitions
http://uscode.house.gov/download/pls/15C29.txt" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Which I used to own...
Under the FEDERAL exception provided by
Section 1244. Exceptions
Sections 1242 and 1243 of this title shall not apply to –
(4) the possession, and transportation upon his person, of any switchblade knife with a blade three inches or less in length by any individual who has only one arm;
...

This situation making legal under Federal Law to a one-armed person (and I have 2 arms, just one hand, so it'd be an arrest and court .. I'd be the "test case" ) that which is illegal under State TEXAS Law (not registered under National FIREARMS ACT, so doesn't qualify for that exception, I figured I'd hold onto them, those curios, until they were antiques) but the whole thing was just too silly to deal with, simple is better ...
As I grew older, I decided the novelty had worn off and I broke the springs to render them non-functional, and I bought better knives for carry which were legal under all Federal, State and City laws.

Simple is good.
With the right knife and carrying method, one can be opened faster ... or as fast as, or almost as fast as, a switchblade.
Still, I won't need a knife until after I use 63 rounds of 9mm, so ... not worried.

See below though
=====================================================================
Note for people wanting a "slow to open switchblade"
If you would like your knife open and in your hand faster than people who have switchblades ...

I used to wear my knife sheath upside-down, the knife fell into my hand and I could open it.

About 1989-ish at the Renaissance Festival: Biker dude sees me and comments on it... he had a special knife sheath/scabbard/holster which opened the blade as you drew it.

We both drew, like a showdown (attracted a crowd I wasn't crazy about)
It was close to a tie, but I was impressed with that sheath which opened the blade for you as you draw the knife out ... it like held the blade and as you drew out the knife, it opened.
How it works
http://www.quickdrawsheath.com/Quick_Dr ... WORKS.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There is no law at all against having the sheath open the knife as you draw it out.

I'm not *endorsing* this product/company, I don't own one at the moment (I might soon since I'm pretty sure this is the guy on one of the videos below)
This is the only guy who was ever faster than my upside-down carry
The biker dude's knife sheath was similar in design to
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=-lEE0kd7Kfg[/youtube]
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=AeHnhTYP0UY[/youtube]
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=gqmH-7XoJDc[/youtube]
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=awQFnk6202Y[/youtube]
how to make your own (He uses a chicago style screw, but you should use a nylon bearing roller, or, could use 2 roller-sharpener wheels so it sharpens on each draw )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALNNp4gtOaU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and a company that now makes such, with nylon bearing I believe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOpeWQ-U ... ure=fvwrel" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Simple and unquestionably legal are best.

This is why I don't get why automatic knives are still illegal. They are much safer and slower than spring assisted. However if this was brought to the attention of a legislative member, they would probably just seek to make assisted/spring knives illegal rather than making automatic knives legal. I have an automatic knife for my work, I wish I could legally carry it outside of work.

I own a Kershaw Tanto Blur, which used to be my EDC knife. I actually have nothing bad to say about this knife, and it has some kind of assisted opening/closing mechanism, which I believe is legal in Texas. However, I have since replaced it as my EDC knife with a CRKT M21-14DSFG, which has no assisting mechanism. I am able to deploy and open this knife just as quickly as I could the Kershaw, and I don't face any of the potential legal issues from an ignorant cop. Also, as well made as the Kershaw is, it's just not as rugged as the CRKT. I still carry the Kershaw when I need to be more discreet about having a knife, because it is smaller and will slip into a pocket more easily.

I used to carry a CRKT which had the 'Carson Flipper'. More recently, I bought a SOG Twitch XL, which is assisted opening. The design is very similar in that both have the tab extending from the back that is operated by the finger.

I agree that the CRKT is just as fast, possibly faster than the SOG. One serious gripe I have with the SOG is that frequently the lock has engaged, preventing it from opening.

I bought one of the smaller Kershaw assisted opening knives and really liked it. I then bought one of their very large assisted opening knives. You can grow old waiting for it to open.

Mike1951 wrote:
I bought one of the smaller Kershaw assisted opening knives and really liked it. I then bought one of their very large assisted opening knives. You can grow old waiting for it to open.

I have one of the medium size Kershaws and I love it. I will have check on there larger model.

RPB wrote:
=====================================================================
Note for people wanting a "slow to open switchblade"
If you would like your knife open and in your hand faster than people who have switchblades ...

I used to wear my knife sheath upside-down, the knife fell into my hand and I could open it.

About 1989-ish at the Renaissance Festival: Biker dude sees me and comments on it... he had a special knife sheath/scabbard/holster which opened the blade as you drew it.

We both drew, like a showdown (attracted a crowd I wasn't crazy about)
It was close to a tie, but I was impressed with that sheath which opened the blade for you as you draw the knife out ... it like held the blade and as you drew out the knife, it opened.
How it works
http://www.quickdrawsheath.com/Quick_Dr ... WORKS.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There is no law at all against having the sheath open the knife as you draw it out.

I'm not *endorsing* this product/company, I don't own one at the moment (I might soon since I'm pretty sure this is the guy on one of the videos below)

Simple and unquestionably legal are best.

My Spyderco endura wave works on a similar principle.
the notch at the top of the blade hits the hem on the pocket as its pulled out so the knife deploys.

It works wonderfully.

Assisted open is fine.

So are switchblades, and other knives, just don't carry them around in public.