Are automatic knives legal in Tn

[Joe86]

This may be an old topic but I'll ask again anyway. What is the law about carrying an automatic knive in TN?

How about knives like Kershaw?

Thanks

Joe

[Defender]

Well, the dealers at places like the gun shows say they are fully legal...you don't think they are biased at all do ya? lol.

[TripleDigitRide]

I'm pretty sure there is a law on the books that says civilians are not allowed to carry automatic knives. However, assisted opening are legal. I actually prefer the assisted over automatic.

I could be wrong, but I'm fairly sure someone at Hero-Gear explained it that way to me.

[Joe86]

Thanks for the info. I suspected that was the law. Same as VA, where I used to live.

Joe

[LagerHead]

I don't know about auto knives (I think they're illegal, but don't quote me) but assisted opening is fine. I carry my SOG everywhere I go.

[Guest SUNTZU]

How much training does an LEO get a year on automatic knife operation? Stupid law.

[Guest Muttling]

Yep, it's illegal....

TCA 39-17-1302

(a) A person commits an offense who intentionally or knowingly possesses, manufactures, transports, repairs or sells:

...

...

...

...

(7) a switchblade knife or knuckles

[Guest (BH)]

Oh yes my friend, they are illegal. I know from personal experience.

I was pulled over for a rolling stop on my own street in a nice neighborhood at 3:00 pm with my nine month pregnant wife two days after I lost my EDC knife. That day i decided to carry a knife that a friend gave me as a b-day gift a few years back (and yes, it was a 3" auto open). I was with him when he bought this and being ignorant, i never looked into the laws. So anyhow... My wife was not wearing a seatbelt, as it was very uncomfortable at 9 mo pregnant and 4'11" tall, so when she saw the lights she buckled up.

So the officer comes to the window, asks for the usual stuff along with an explanation as to why we were shifting all over the car the minute we saw him (ie: my wife buckling up). We explained that that she was not buckled etc. So he decides it's time for me to step out for a good ol' fashioned searching. I tell him as I step out that I have a knife. He takes it and tells me it's illegal, but because I was being so cooperative and obviously ignorant to this fact, he would not charge me with it as long as he could search my car and it was clean. Well, this seemed like an alright sacrifice being that there would be nothing illegal in my car. He told us that he had pulled over plenty of pregnant crackheads in nice cars before so it wouldn't surprise him if we had drugs, especially due to the way my wife was shifting around as if she was hiding drugs.

So then he calls for backup and asks my very pregnant wife to stand in the summer heat and wait instead of walking a half block to our house so she could use the bathroom (which she really needed to do at the time). The minute the other two officers come one proceeds to start ripping the paneling out of my wife's car, one puts me in the back of a cruiser, and one of the other writes me a citation for possession of an illegal weapon (convenient how that works huh?).

So they find nothing in the car, all of my neighbors got to see me look like a felon (and BTW we had just moved into our house two months prior), and I left a weapons charge. And BTW, this was an hour and a half ordeal that made me late for work.

In the end the charge was dropped and expunged, but that's my story in relation to auto open knives. I only wish that sometime before the one day I carried that knife I would have looked up the laws.

Edited October 31, 2009 by (BH)

[Guest HexHead]

The button to open it can't be on the handle of the knife. If it's on the blade, it's fine.

My Kershaw Ken Onion Cyclone has a switch enabling me to turn the "assisted opening" on/off. When it's on, there's a little nub on the back of the blade that I can nudge (pull) and the knife opens automatically.

[Fallguy]

Yep, it's illegal....

TCA 39-17-1302

(a) A person commits an offense who intentionally or knowingly possesses, manufactures, transports, repairs or sells:

...

...

...

...

(7) a switchblade knife or knuckles

Just for further clarification.

39-17-1301 Part definitions

(17)

“Switchblade knife†means any knife that has a blade which opens automatically by:

(A)

Hand pressure applied to a button or other device in the handle; or

(

Operation of gravity or inertia

[Guest marionandjohn]

Correct me if I am wrong and I very well might be but I was under the impression that you could carry it with a weapons carry permit or with military purpose or does a weapons permit only cover firearms? I know in GA the state carry permit only covers firearms and it says that in the law directly.

[Oh Shoot]

Correct me if I am wrong and I very well might be but I was under the impression that you could carry it with a weapons carry permit or with military purpose or does a weapons permit only cover firearms? I know in GA the state carry permit only covers firearms and it says that in the law directly.

TN does not have a "weapons carry permit".

Only a Handgun Carry Permit.

- OS

[EMTRN]

Yes, they are legal. You can own one as part of a collection, it can only be carried if you are a LEO, EMT, or Military. I have one that I bought at Hero-Gear that I carry on duty, I carry a non-automatic off duty to avoid any hassle.

[TMMT]

So he decides it's time for me to step out for a good ol' fashioned searching. I tell him as I step out that I have a knife. He takes it and tells me it's illegal, but because I was being so cooperative and obviously ignorant to this fact, he would not charge me with it as long as he could search my car and it was clean.

My friend if this is exactly what happened and he did infact say these words, then he phuked up. You were coerced and that is a huge no no!

Court have long frowned upon circumstances affecting the voluntariness of searches and the threat of arrest, even for an actual crime to obtain CTS is not tolerated.

Some of the most famous words from the US Supreme Court, "Where there is coercion there can be no consent".

Edited November 1, 2009 by TMMT

[Guest (BH)]

TMMT, I'm aware that this was a big no no but the charges were dropped and I didn't feel like fighting it. I never should have said yes in the first place, but considering the circumstances I just wanted to wrap this whole scene up as quickly as possible (all of my new neighbors were watching from their porches, I had to work in 30 min, and my wife was about to pee on herself).

His exact words were: "You have been very polite and honest so far, and I don't see any reason to charge you with this as long as you remain compliant throughout this stop. You are not under arrest, but I will need to do a quick search of this car." I imagined him opening the trunk, glove box, console, etc.. not detaining me, calling for backup and trashing our car.

Yes, I probably should have done something about it, but I had alot going on at that time (clinical internship, full time school, work, and a new child). It was just too much trouble.

[Mike.357]

sounds like typical KPD BS. Oh how I know it well.