U.S. Customs is Targeting YOUR Knife Rights! Stop Them NOW!

U.S. Customs is trying to revoke several letters of exception that have allowed assisted-opening knives to be imported. In doing so, they are also trying to re-write the definition of a “switchblade” knife to be so broad and vague that it could be interpreted to apply to ALL one-handed-opening knives.

Although Customs decisions apply specifically to the importation of goods, if their efforts are successful, this decision–and the new definition–could establish a dangrous legal precedent. If individual states or other jurisdictions decided to follow suit, they could cite the Customs decision and their definition as justification for the adoption of similar laws. Obviously, this would endanger our rights to purchase, own, and carry knives that are currently legal.

A little history lesson:

**”Switchblades” were defined in the 1968 Federal Switchblade Act that prohibited their importation and interstate shipment. That law was based on the earlier 1958 law intended to end gang violence and juvenile delinquency (that obviously worked well…).
**When assisted openers came into being, Customs ruled on them several times and declared them to be exceptions to the 1968 law and therefore legal to import.
**Customs now wants to revoke the letters of exception, making it illegal to import assisted openers.
**In addition to assisted openers, the revocation would include new wording that would redefine prohibited knives and could easily allow any one-hand-opening knife to be considered a switchblade and therefore illegal to import.
**Most state laws that prohibit switchblades use the exact same wording as the 1968 Federal law. If the states follow suit again and use the U.S. Customs definition as a model, that would spell disaster for our rights to own and carry knives.

If you care about your knife rights, make your opinion known to Customs NOW. They are trying to railroad this process and have already denied an extension of consideration of this issue. To have your say, you need to write a LETTER to Customs (they have clearly stated that they will not accept e-mails on the topic) expressing your objection to their actions.

Both the American Knife and Tool Institute (AKTI) and kniferights.org have sample letters on their web sites that you can copy and tweak to express your personal perspective on the issue:

http://akti.org/legislation/uscustoms.html

or

http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=29

Once you’ve printed out your letter, mail it to the address below so it will arrive NO LATER THAN 21 JUNE 2009.

19 CFR Part 177
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Office of International Trade, Regulations and Rulings
Attention: Intellectual Property and Restricted Merchandise Branch
Mint Annex, 799 Ninth St. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20229

The proposed Customs rulings could not only affect your ability to purchase, own, and carry folding knives, it would also have disastrous effects on the U.S. knife industry and the many proud companies associated with it.

PROTECT YOUR KNIFE RIGHTS AND WRITE U.S. CUSTOMS TODAY!!!

Thank you for your support and prompt action.

Stay safe,

Mike