We Need Your Help Again! Knife Law Preemption Goes Before GA Senate

Those traveling to the BLADE Show through Georgia need Knife Law Preemption to be passed to protect them from a patchwork of inconsistent knife laws from one jurisdiction to another in the state. Here, Busse knife fans are all eyes at the Busse booth during last year’s BLADE Show.

According to Knife Rights, the Georgia House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee has been assigned  SB432, the Knife Law Preemption bill that would repeal all local knife ordinances more restrictive than state law. The committee will consider SB432 in the coming days.

       If you are a Georgia resident it is vital that you call the committee members.    

      If you are a BLADE Show (www.bladeshow.com) attendee from outside of Georgia, then you need to email and/or call ALL of the committee members (listed below) and ask them to vote YES on SB432.  

    Once again, we need your help to get this bill passed. Your calls and emails made a big impact in the Georgia Senate when they passed the bill last week. Now, please call or email and ask the members of the committee to vote YES on SB432 when it is before them for consideration.   

    In your email or when you talk to each representative’s secretary, tell him or her that that you are a BLADE Show attendee or exhibitor and that the BLADE Show represents MILLIONS of dollars to the Georgia economy. It also represents many hundreds of JOBS in Georgia. All those hotels and restaurants we stay at and eat in during BLADE Show employ many hundreds of people and SB432 will help support the BLADE Show! You deserve to not have to worry about local knife restrictions when traveling to and attending the BLADE Show, and even a single unjustified and highly publicized arrest could adversely affect BLADE Show attendance!

    Use Email SUBJECT: Please Vote Yes on SB432. 

Ann Purcell – Chairman Dist 159 – [email protected] Phone: 404-656-5139

Willie Talton – Vice Chairman Dist 145 – [email protected] Phone: 404-656-5116

Bob Hanner – Dist 148 – [email protected]  Phone: 404-656-7859

Bill Maddox – Dist 127 – [email protected]  Phone: 404-656-3947

Jay Neal – Dist 1 – [email protected] Phone: 404-656-5138  

Billy Horne – Dist 71 – [email protected] Phone: 404-656-0287

Scott Holcomb – Dist 82 – [email protected] Phone: 404-656-6372  

Gloria Frazier  -Dist 123 – [email protected]  Phone: 404-656-0265

Kevin Cooke  -Dist 18 – [email protected] Phone: 404-656-0325  

Darlene Taylor – Dist 173 – [email protected] Phone: 404-656- 0177

Yasmin Neal  -Dist 75 – [email protected] Phone: 404-656-0265  

Doug Collins  -Dist 27 – [email protected] Phone: 404-656-7737

Tim Bearden  -Dist 68 – [email protected] Phone: 404-656-0287

    Knife Law Preemption protects honest citizens from a patchwork of local ordinances and rules that can entrap those traveling within or through a state in possession of knives that meet state law or wherever they live in the state. A person can be charged with a violation of law when they have no intention of violating the law.

    For more information, click on www.KnifeRights.org.

For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. For subscription information click on http://www.shopblade.com/product/blade-magazine-one-year-subscripti…?r+ssfb031512#BL1SU.

Help Fight 1 Percenters’ Ban-All-Ivory Law

Brady and ivory.
Sandra Brady of the Elephant Protection Association urges citizens of Washington state to fight against a new anti-ivory initiative.

A ban-all-ivory law supported by billionaire Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and other 1 percenters is on the ballot in Washington state and will succeed unless you help stop it NOW!

The measure, I-1401, would ban not only elephant ivory but also the ivory of mastodon, mammoth and other extinct species.

Sandra Brady of the Elephant Protection Association said help is needed at the grassroots level to defeat the measure supported by rich billionaires such as Allen and other non-governmental organizations, which have raised more than $2.7 million—including $1.7 million from Allen—in an effort to pass it in the state legislature.

“It really is a David versus Goliath situation,” she observed of the fight against the 1 percenters who are supporting I-1401. She urged those who oppose the bill to write their local newspapers and use social media to voice their opposition. “On the upside we are having an impact,” she said of the grassroots effort. “On the down side, the more states that pass such ridiculous measures, the more likely other states will follow suit. This is why your help to defeat this in Washington state is so important.

“Write letters to the editors of the state’s newspapers, use your voice on Facebook and other social media. Help us get the word out that I-1401 is a bad law and should be voted down.”

A small organization, the Legal Ivory Rights Coalition Committee (LIRCC), is fighting against Allen and the other fat cats who are supporting I-1401. However, the LIRCC has no budget and relies on people contacting newspapers and working social media to spread the word. The good news is that editorial pages across Washington state are calling I-1401 misguided. While acknowledging the noble goal of preserving elephants, many editorial pages recognize the futility of a state law designed to stop crime in Africa and Asia. It would punish the state’s citizenry without stopping poachers. They also recognize the redundancy with existing federal laws that prohibit import of ivory and other endangered species, together with the unnecessary burden it would place on the state’s fish and wildlife officers.


The latest issue of BLADE is on newsstands now!Recommended:

Stay abreast of the latest developments on this and many more knife rights issues with a subscription to BLADE.

Knife Industry Opportunity: Steel Will Knives Seeks Sales Representation

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Steel Will Bruiser Knife
Steel Will Bruiser Knife

New York, NY- STEEL WILL KNIVES, a premium knife manufacturer, fuses the finest steel with extremely practical and innovative designs, producing the highest standards of quality by using the most modern methods of production. STEEL WILL Knives currently has three distinctive lines, Tactical, Outdoor and Urban, creating over 25 quality cutting tools.

STEEL WILL’s mission is to become the world’s best-selected knife producer and provide the upmost experience of class and style while doing so. They are pursuing a sales representation group that will share the same goal when representing STEEL WILL’s complete line of premium knives. This innovative and professional company has a dignified family of knives that consists of exquisite, premium, and classic materials with many more knives in the development stages.

A company representative of STEEL WILL will be attending the NASGW Show in Little Rock, Arkansas in October and would prefer to schedule interview meetings for the show. If your sales agency is interested and would like to learn more or schedule an appointment for NASGW, please e-mail Boris Shekhman at [email protected].

Hank Rummell: He Will Be Missed

Long-time custom knife purveyor Herman “Hank” Rummell of New York Custom Knives (www.newyorkcustomknives.com), who was killed Jan. 29 in a tragic accident when he was struck by a car while walking his dog, is remembered fondly by those who knew him.

    “I considered Hank like a brother and our relationship grew over the years from customer/client to one of great friendship,” noted Irv Lehman, one of Hank’s many long-time customers. “He will be missed greatly and the knife shows will never be the same.”

    “Hank was at almost every single knife show I attended,  going all the way back to 1991,” knifemaker Phil Booth recalled. “I used to hang around to look at the quality knives he kept on his table until I was brave enough to ask to start picking them up and looking closely. Through the years, I showed him my most recent knives to see if they were getting better, and he would critique them and give me hints on how to better my work. Then the day came when he bought a Minnow [one of Booth’s knife models] and set it on his table! He sold that knife and many more. Had it not been for Hank’s watchful eye,  my knifemaking would not be where it is today.”

    According to Lehman, in lieu of flowers, Mrs. Helen Rummell requests that you make a donation to honor Hank to an animal rescue in your local area. “Helen and Hank were very much dedicated to their dogs and Hank lost his life in keeping his dog safe,” Lehman observed. “That was the ultimate sacrifice for the love of his dog and, knowing Hank, he would do it again.”


Jensen Knives To Be In S.F. Art Exhibit

Award-winning knifemaker John Lewis Jensen will have two knives on display at 724 Studios in San Francisco Nov. 4 through Nov. 19, according to Jensen’s e-mail newsletter.

The knives will be exhibited in a show entitled “MOveMENT” sponsored by the Metal Arts Guild of San Francisco in celebration of the guild’s 60th anniversary, and will coincide with the one-day symposium, “Forging Communities.”

A story on how Jensen makes his “Desk Daggers” will appear in the upcoming book, “BLADE’s Guide To Making Knives, Vol. 2.” The book has a tentative release date of late April 2012.

For more information visit Jensen’s Website at www.jensenknives.com or e-mail him at [email protected]. Or, call him on his cell at 323-559-7454 or his alternate cell at 401-829-9959.

Knife News Wire 12/15/17 – Japanese Swordsmithing Going Extinct

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Burns's big blades

This is the first installment of the Knife News Wire, a regular series that takes a wide look at the world of knives.

Regulations Hurting Traditional Swordsmiths in Japan

The centuries-old tradition of sword making in Japan is under siege by Japan itself. As a result, the swordsmith trade is nearly extinct. From the Gulf Times:

One reason for their dying art is that swords are today officially regarded as dangerous weapons, falling together with firearms under Japan’s Weapons Protection Act.

By law, the swordsmith featured in the article can only sell two swords per month. Without taking off my shoes and socks to count on my toes, that sounds like a hard way to make a living. 

Read the full article here.

Is It Time to Repeal the 1958 Federal Switchblade Act?

With nation-wide concealed carry reciprocity under consideration in D.C., are switchblades about to get the same treatment?

The American Tool and Knife Institute (AKTI) seems to think so. It’s put together the Freedom of Commerce Act as a model for legislators to work from. The goal is simple:

This legislation will repeal the Federal Switchblade Act of 1958, and allow consumers to purchase any automatic knife legal in their state.

To be clear, the Switchblade Act only impacts interstate commerce, and does not supersede state laws. Some states already decriminalized switchblades separately.

Knife Rights is also pursuing similar legislation.

A Second BLADE Show?

In the Everything Old is New Again Department, it looks like BLADE Show West is making a comeback. Due to the incredible popularity of the BLADE Show, organizers are looking to add a second show somewhere on the west coast.

BLADE Show staff kindly requests you fill out this survey.

Total Ivory Ban in China Goes Into Effect Next Year

While the knife world continues to wrestle with the ivory issue, and the uncertainty of the ivory issue, the end of 2017 marks the complete shutdown on the stuff in the People’s Republic of China. 

From the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post:

Under the ban, 67 of the country’s 172 accredited ivory stores had to shut before March 31 this year with the remaining ones forced to shut by the end of December.

This is significant because the PRC is one of the world’s largest consumers of ivory. The ban marks a leap forward in the push for world-wide ivory prohibition.

That means the ivory issue in the United States, regardless of who is president, isn’t likely to go away any time soon. Stay tuned.

Are Knifemakers Too Secretive?

Most knifemakers are happy to share tips and offer guidance for newbies, but not all. That’s the problem Jared Williams, of Salt Lake City, ran into when starting out. From KSL:

“There was a bit of a thing with knifemakers that was still kind of secretive, almost,” Williams said. “It was like ‘No, these are my trade secrets, I don’t know if you’re worthy of it.’ There’s still a little bit of that in parts of the industry. Not all of it, and maybe it was just kind of a hard thing to find and maybe I just met the wrong guys.”

Williams got the last laugh when he appeared on Forged in Fire. Read the full story here.


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    Website Details Knife Laws By State

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    The American Knife and Tool Institute has launched a revised version of its website, www.AKTI.org, with improved features for members and accurate information about the laws that impact knife businesses and owners in every state.

    “Making state knife laws available online to our members and easily accessible has been a priority for AKTI in the last year,” explained AKTI Executive Director Jan Billeb. “Ensuring that the information is complete and legally accurate has been our primary goal.”210

    Members of the organization are able to see knife law information for any state, while non-members can see quick legal facts about each state. The information was compiled and written by AKTI’s legislative consultant, Dan Lawson, a lawyer who has been involved in the knife industry for more than a decade. Topics include which knives are prohibited, which knives can be sold or manufactured, critical dimensions, major cities with ordinances and more.

    The website also features news and action alerts; education on knife use for kids, the general public and law enforcement officers; popular resources like AKTI’s approved knife definitions and guide to traveling with knives; and a monthly fundraising auction that supports the organization’s ongoing legislative efforts. In addition, visitors to the site can buy or renew their memberships, give memberships as gifts and purchase AKTI merchandise online.

    “Every year we see more and more people – both our members and the general public – looking for information about safe and legal knife use,” Billeb said. “Our website has been redesigned to make it even easier for visitors to learn more about all facets of knife use in the U.S.”

    Access the site at www.AKTI.org. For more information on knives, click here.

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