What is the difference between switchblade and spring assisted

In Congress passed the Switchblade Knife Act. There were two problems with this act. The first problem was that the act did not distinguish between different types of switchblades.

There were many switchblades that were designed for utility use and general purpose use. Ask any electrician or plumber how handy a switchblade can be when one hand is busy.

But the new law banned all switchblades even those not used by criminals. Stilettos without a spring were legal. Nothing stopped the gangs from carrying legal stilettos. With the flick of the wrist the blade of a legal stiletto snaps out as fast as any spring loaded knife and was legal.

The second issue was that gang members had no problems turning to baseball bats and guns to settle their issues over territory. The switchblade knife act failed. The law was ineffective but the public was able to take a small sigh of relief.

There are a few loopholes to the law. If you are a civil employee , in the military , a police officer , or a fire fighter you can legally own a switchblade. If you are missing an arm, like myself, you can legally own a switchblade.

As with so many laws the loopholes make no sense. View Larger Image. About the Author: Mike Pynn. Related Posts. Leave A Comment Cancel reply Comment. Outdoor 54 Duffetts Road Hours. Indoor 10 Pearl Place Walk in Hours. All rights reserved. Book a Game. Spring-assisted knives differ from switchblades in that the user presses a thumb stud attached to the blade, rather than a button attached to the handle. Ownership of these knives is considered legal by the U.

Chris Carson has been writing professionally since , specializing in topics such as cats, jewelry, history and English. Her articles have appeared in "Best Friends Magazine" and on various websites. Invented around the s, the switchblade gained notoriety in s American culture thanks to movies featuring young fictional gangs using switchblades as weapons.

In basic terms, a switchblade is a knife featuring a blade that springs out of the handle when a button is pressed. The typical switchblade, which is also known as an automatic or flick knife, looks like a regular folder, rotating around a hinge.

But when the knife is being closed, tension from an inner spring is put on the blade. When fully closed, the tension is separated from the knife by a button. When the button is pressed, the tension of the spring is released back onto the blade and it flicks open without any effort.