Because of the Federal Switchblade Act, 15 U.S.C. §§1241-1245, which restricts introducing automatic-opening knives into interstate commerce, transporting them, and distributing them. Rather than operate at the edges of a federal commerce statute and a patchwork of state rules, we simply do not carry the category. None of our 1,424 products is an automatic.
This is a policy, not a stock situation. We are not waiting for supply and we do not take special orders for the category. Every folding knife we list is opened by your own hand, whether that is a thumb stud, a nail nick, a thumb hole or a flipper tab, with nothing stored in a spring waiting to release the blade.
The practical result for you is that anything you order from us ships by ordinary mail without the recipient restrictions that Publication 52 places on the automatic category.
Assisted-opening folders are a different mechanism and we do stock them. On those, the blade will not begin to move until you push it past a threshold yourself, at which point a spring completes the travel. You start it; the spring finishes it.
If you want fast one-handed deployment, a well-tuned flipper on bearings is quick, entirely manual, and has no legal category question attached to it in most places.
State and local rules on owning and carrying knives vary widely and change. If you want to know what applies where you live, the underlying statute and a licensed attorney in your state are the right sources, not a retailer.
We can tell you what we sell and why. We cannot tell you what you may lawfully carry.
This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Knife laws vary by state, county, and city, change frequently, and are subject to interpretation by courts and law enforcement. Knives Now is a retailer, not a law firm, and this summary should not be relied upon as a substitute for consulting a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction or reviewing the current text of the applicable statute. Before purchasing, carrying, or shipping any knife, confirm current local, state, and federal law for your specific situation, including any restrictions on carry location, blade length, or knife type. Knives Now makes no warranty as to the completeness, accuracy, or current applicability of the information on this page and disclaims all liability for actions taken in reliance on it.