“Do you guys sell switchblades?”

“NO!”

No, we do not sell switch blades. Switch blades are illegal and EXTREMELY dangerous. This is a question we get all the time and the answer is simply no.

“Do you guys have any spring assisted knives?” Yes, yes we do. The majority of our folding knives are actually spring assisted which are 100% legal in Canada.

Many people are unaware of exactly what “switch blades” and  “spring assisted” knives are. Hopefully by reading this our customers will become a little more informed and understand the differences of each.

A “switchblade” is a style of knife that was developed early in the 20th century. Around the 1950’s they gained a bad reputation as a “gangsters weapon” partially due to its role in different movies. These knives were very deserving of their reputation. All switchblades have some characteristics in common, mainly being the way they are designed. The blade is constantly under pressure as they are spring loaded. They are held in the “closed” position by a latch or lever. When the button is pressed the knife will fire open. The “resting” position of a switch blade is OPEN. When they are closed they are under pressure. This is dangerous because if that button is accidentally pressed the knife will fire open which is a very good way to stab yourself in the leg. Switch blades can cut you while opening.
Switchblades can come in several different styles. The most common design is when the button is pushed the blade will fire straight up through the middle. You can however get them that open from the side like a normal folding knife.

So what is a “spring assisted” or “assisted opening” knife? By definition it is a knife with a spring mechanism which completes the opening process of a blade after the user has applied physical force to start the process. Spring assisted knives will have a “flipper” or a “thumb stud”. A flipper is a part of the blade that protrudes out of the back of the knife which the user will “pull down” to start the opening processes. A thumb stud is a stud on the blade which the user will push open with their thumb.All spring assisted/assisted opening knives are at rest when they are CLOSED. There is no force on the blade when it is closed.

“Are all spring assisted knives legal?”  Well no. There are a few important things to keep in mind for them to be legal under Canadian law. If a knife can be opened using only the force of gravity (such as being held upside down) or if the knife can be opened by “flicking” it (without applying any force on the blade) it is illegal. If the blade can also cut you while opening it is also illegal. When the blade is opening if the leading edge of the blade is sharpened and can cut you then it is illegal (and also a terrible design).

Hopefully some of you readers find this information helpful. There are many other classifications and types of knives, many of which are also illegal in Canada. If anyone is interested in another post about knives leave a comment and we will see what we can do!

– Travis