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June 30, 1:45 p.m.
Graduation was not the same last month for some swordless sailors, according to an "Inside the Beltway" report by John McCaslin in The Washington Times.
Graduating midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis were told in writing to leave at home or in their vehicles all "ceremonial swords" and anything else "that might be considered a weapon or a threat by screeners" for the May outdoor commencement ceremonies featuring an address by President Barack Obama.
Inside the Beltway had obtained the academy's list of prohibited items for this year's graduation exercises, which, besides ceremonial swords, included umbrellas. Yes, cell phones and texting were still allowed.
June 24, 12:35 p.m.
Eighty (that's 8-0) representatives in Washington signed a letter sent to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano on June 22. Their signatures showed support against the Customs knife ban.
This isn't victory, but it's a step in the right direction!
To save you the time, here is a list of signatories:
Adam Putnam
Betsy Markey
Bill Shuster
Blain Leutkemeyer
Brad Ellsworth
Brett Guthrie
Brian Bilbray
Charels Boustany
Christopher Carney
Christopher Lee
Ciro Rodriguez
Cynthia Lummis
Dan Boren
Dan Boren
Darrell Issa
Dean Heller
Denny Rehberg
Doc Hastings
Don Young
Donald Manzullo
Doug Lamborn
Duncan Hunter
Frank Lobiondo
Glenn Thompson
Greg Walden
Harry Teague
Heath Shuler
Howard Coble
James Sensenbrenner
Jason Chaffetz
Jean Schmidt
Jeff Miller
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Moran
Jim Jordan
Joe Courtney
John Adler
John Boccieri
John Boozman
John Campbell
John Mchugh
John Shimkus
Lee Terry
Lynn Westmoreland
Marsha Blackburn
Michael Connaway
Michael McCaul
Michael Michaud
Michael Simpson
Michele Bachman
Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers
Mike Ross
Mike Thompson
Paul Broun
Paul Ryan
Pete Olson
Pete Sessions
Rick Boucher
Robert Aderholt
Robert E Latta
Robert Wittman
Rodney Alexander
Ron Kind
Ron Paul
Sam Graves
Shelley Moore Capito
Spencer Bachus
Stephanie Sandlin
Steve Scalise
Sue Wilkens Myrick
Ted Poe
Thaddeus McCotter
Tim Walz
Todd Akin
Tom McClintock
Vern Buchanan
Vernon Ehlers
Walt Minnick
Willy Herger
So where are the other 355 signatures? If your representative didn't sign on with this letter, where does he/she stand on the issue? Does your rep even care? As with any government proposal, silence equals acceptance.
That silence is unacceptable. There isn't a middle ground on this issue because there isn't one to begin with. Congress doesn't get to vote on the Customs knife ban. It's up to bureaucrats at the DHS to decide what happens.
Did you vote for DHS members last November? No! They don't represent you. They don't have to answer to you. Frankly, it's doubtful Secretary Janet Napolitano cares what you think. That's why it is so important your representative is proactive on this issue. Congress holds the leash of DHS, and customs is the lap dog of DHS. Contact your representative!
When this storm of authoritarian knife-grabbing crap finally flushes down the drain to join the rest of the septic ideas oozing from Washington, it'd be nice to see some consequences levied on Customs. A pleasant, "Oops, wrong idea, wrong time, sorry folks for getting you worked up" from Customs isn't enough. A precise budget cut in the line item Customs Employee Who Came Up With Knife Ban Idea should suffice.
After working closely with Representative Bob Latta (R-OH) we are pleased to announce that Rep. Latta and Rep. Walt Minnick (D-ID) have co-sponsored an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill to Restrict Funds to Implement the proposed CBP rule. You can read the amendment by clicking here.
In a nutshell, the amendment withdraws funding for Customs to enact its knife grab scheme. It does not, however, explicitly revoke the Customs proposal. Regardless if Customs can have money to seize knives, those blades are still illegal.
Which is why I'm a little hesitant to ring the bell of victory on this one. Making a law unenforceable doesn't change the fact it exists.
Just a heads up that www.blademag.com and the forum may experience technical glitches Wednesday, June 24. The site's due for open heart surgery that day. Things should be rolling smoothly June 25. Thanks for your patience.
- Ben Sobieck, online editor
June 17, 9:04 a.m.
by Ben Sobieck, online editor
There are bizarre things. There are stupid things. Then there are things so bizarre and stupid they deserve their own word. I can't think of one right now, but maybe the Home Office in the United Kingdom can.
That's because a new "no-stab" knife entered the UK market today. The tipless blade received "'very favourable' results" in tests by the Home Office, according to this article from the UK Times. Here's what the "knife" (you can't call it a knife outright) looks like:
For the equivalent of about $65, you can chop, slice, dice, julienne, uh, chop, slice and, er, chop some more! Soup and salad all around! Never mind that butchering meat or opening packaging will be considerably more difficult.
But who eats meat or opens packaging anymore? That fad is done.
Normally, I stay out of my work e-mail when I'm not at the office. Boy, am I glad I checked it tonight. U.S. Customs denied AKTI's request for an extension of public comment regarding an assisted opening knife ban.
Here's AKTI's David Kowalski's e-mail about the denial for extension:
The U.S. Customs issue has suddenly changed. There is no one claimed that is being harmed by assisted-openers. There is no burning social issue here. Yet U.S. Customs today denied the AKTI request for extension of the comment period. See AKTI counsel Matt Nakachi's attachment.
All comments on 19 CFR Part 177 must now be to Customs via snailmail by June 21 (but that's a Sunday so please get yours there by June 20 or sooner).
AKTI has created model letters for both individuals and companies on our website. Use them as a guideline. Tell your story. Clearly, calmly explain your views of how this will impact your business or you as an individual. Don't worry if it is too long. Tell your story.
Sign up FREE to be a Grassroots Supporter. That's where we will communicate on how to can save jobs and this industry.
As most blog readers have undoubtedly heard by now, U.S. Customs has embarked on redefining "switchblades" under federal law to include a wide variety of one-hand opening knives that were never intended to be prohibited. In fact, many of the knives U.S. Customs now seeks to prohibit under the Federal Switchblade Law had not even been invented at the time of its enactment!
This new proposed U.S. Customs regulation is so broad that thousands of pocketknives will fall under its sweep and millions of knife owners will be affected. The problem is not simply that imports will be banned (which is bad enough), but that the "agency determination" will be used by domestic courts and law enforcement to determine what a "switchblade" is under both federal and state laws. Many states, including New Hampshire, fail to define switchblades and simply rely on the federal definition.
Luckily, two premiere knife rights organizations, the American Knife & Tool Institute (AKTI) www.akti.org and Kniferights.org www.kniferights.orgare fighting hard on this issue, but they both need your immediate help. The AKTI suggests that to register your opposition to the U.S. Customs plan (19 CFR Part 177) to re-classify assisted openers and all folding knives; address your comments by June 21, 2009, to:
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
June 10, 9:12 a.m.
Say "Rodent Waki" in your head and what comes to mind? If you said whacking the snot out of one rat until it becomes two, you're not quite right (although that would be cool). The Rodent Waki is a new blade from Swamp Rat.
Although you can surely hack through a rodent infestation, the Rodent Waki is better suited for hands-on timber management. The video below has the proof. I wonder what else it can do?
- Ben Sobieck, online editor
June 4, 9 a.m
Chairman Doug Ritter of Knife Rights will be Tom Gresham's guest this Sunday on Tom's nationally syndicated Gun Talk radio show. The topic will be Customs' proposal to rescind earlier rulings that Assisted Opening Pocketknives are not Switchblades. This new interpretation is so broadly crafted as to endanger almost any folding pocketknife. Doug will explain the 63-page document, discuss the potential ramifications for law-abiding knife owners in the U.S., as well as how you can help Knife Rights defeat this over-reaching by Customs.
Note that this is not just an issue for imported knives, and Doug will explain how that works. This is very serious attempt to limit your right to own and carry the pocketknife of your choice. If allowed to stand, it would endanger the entire knife industry. Join over 250,000 listeners and tune in to Doug and Tom on Sunday to learn more.
Doug will appear as the first guest, starting at 1:00 PM Central Time. Some stations, including Sirius/XM satellite, carry the show on a delayed basis. Check at www.GunTalk.com for times and stations.
Additional information on this Customs ruling can be found at www.KnifeRights.org.
June 1, 2:41 p.m.
Drum roll, please ... For those of you who have been waiting to hear which BLADE Show exhibitors won the BLADE Magazine Factory Knife Of The Year® Awards, and BLADE Show's Custom Knife Awards, here they are:
Blade Magazine 2009 Overall Knife Of The Year®: Lone Wolf Knives “Defender”
Blade Magazine 2009 American Made Knife Of The Year®: Kershaw “Speedform”
Blade Magazine 2009 Imported Knife Of The Year®: Benchmade Knife Co. “Nagara”
Blade Magazine 2009 Manufacturing Quality Award: Chris Reeve Knives, for its entire line of knives
Blade Magazine 2009 Most Innovative American Design: Fox Knives USA “Rez-Q2”
Blade Magazine 2009 Most Innovative Imported Design: Columbia River Knife & Tool “Flux”
Blade Magazine 2009 Collaboration Of The Year: Spyderco “Bob T Slipit”
Blade Magazine 2009 Best Buy Of The Year: Lone Wolf Knives “Blackfoot”
Blade Magazine 2009 Investor/Collector Knife Of The Year: William Henry Knives “Anthem”
Blade Magazine 2009 Kitchen Knife Of The Year: Chris Reeve Knives “Sakayo Slicer”
Blade Magazine 2009 Accessory Of The Year: Wicked Edge “Precision Knife Sharpeners”
Blade Magazine 2009 Industry Achievement Award: Phil Lobred
Blade Magazine 2009 Industry Achievement Award: Kevin Pipes
BLADE Show Custom Knife Awards
Hugh Bartrug Best Of Show: Matsusaki Takeshi
Best Handle Design: Zaza Revishvili
Best Tactical Folder: R.J. Martin
Best Sword: Vince Evans
Best Of The Rest: Reese Weiland
Most Innovative Design: Daniel Winkler
Best Utility Hunter: J.R. Cook
Yvon Vachon Best Miniature Knife: Yoshio Sakachi
Best Art Knife: Tim Hancock
Best Fixed Blade: Jerry Fisk
Best Bowie: Mike Ruth
Best Folder: Matsusaki Takeshi
Best Fighter: Harvey Dean
Best New Maker: J.A. Bardsley
Best Knife Collaboration: Richard Rogers and Simon Lytton
