Idaho Sen. Crapo wants to make switchblades legal in interstate commerce

[TexasTowelie]

At the behest of Buck Knives in Post Falls, Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo has introduced legislation to lift a decades-old ban on interstate commerce in switchblade knives.

Switchblades, also known as automatic knives, have a mechanism allowing one-handed operation to easily open the blade. They’ve been illegal in interstate commerce since 1958, but are legal in 27 states, including Idaho. They’re illegal in 23 states, including Washington.

A 2009 amendment to the 1958 ban allowed “spring-assisted” knives to be sold through interstate commerce, but not fully automatic ones that don’t first require a manual push to open the blade.

Crapo’s bill wouldn’t make any changes to state laws. It would just allow people in states where switchblades are legal to buy them from out-of-state U.S. firms – and allow firms like Buck Knives to market them in those states.

Read more: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/sep/13/idaho-sen-crapo-wants-to-make-switchblades-legal-i/

[left-of-center2012]

1. Legal to states that allow them

Not sure I see that as a problem.

[Zambero]

2. Has he started hitting the sauce again?

If there's a demand for these things, why not allow local markets to manufacture them in places where they are legal? This wouldn't end the trade deficit by any means, but one has to wonder why Crapo would go out of his way to cater to foreign interests, unless he wasn't thinking rationally for some unknown reason.