news&update Official Publication of the American and Tool Institute, Inc. Vol. 4 Issue 2 December 2002 AKTI Remembers American Patriots

September 11, 2002 … We, the serving our nation who are still in harm’s American Knife & Tool Institute (AKTI), *********************************** way preventing this type of tragedy from its corporate members and individual “We advocate severe penalties occurring again. members, speaking on behalf of the U.S. for the use of to We remember all the volunteers cutlery industry and all responsible commita crime. We also from New York and across the country American knife users … who dedicated months of their lives to the Remember the victims and the caution against the recovery effort. We applaud their volunteers, the ordinary and extraordinary overzealous regulation of tools monumental persistence in going back, individuals who died and suffered for the used in our daily lives.” day after day, to this gravesite of the American freedoms we enjoy before, *********************************** innocent. during, and after the tragedy of 9/11/01. We remember the heroes of Flight We remember the more than 3,000 a smiling face or a neighborly helping 93. They would not be sheep led to the victims from around the world in New hand who added richness and meaning to slaughter. Life was not fair on this tragic York and Washington, D.C., whose plans, their everyday lives. day. But they understood the power of … dreams for the future, and work for a We remember the New York police “If not for me, who would it be?” We best better life were cut short that day. officers, firefighters and rescue workers preserve their memories by taking We remember their families, friends who rushed in to save others and were personal responsibility to ensure that and communities, who lost a vital piece themselves carried out on stretchers. We American democracy keeps working and of the living fabric of their American remember their courageous, selfless that American freedoms remain a dreams … a father, mother, sister, brother, example. We applaud the men and women meaningful beacon for the rest of the world. We remember that those who intend to be predators and assassins can choose Australian Knife Laws Today many instruments to commit destruction. We do not advocate grounding all As we approach the end of 2002 two states, Victoria and South Australia airplanes because they were used as two sets of laws relating to bladeware are that were patterned on of the ACS bombs that day. Our nation and the world in existence in Australia, one that is schedule, to no knife laws at all in relies on air travel. We advocate severe applied by the Australian Customs Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland penalties for the use of weapons to Service (ACS) and the other that is and the Northern Territory. commit a crime. We also caution against applied by the states and territories. The In most states police were already the overzealous regulation of tools used ACS laws(schedules) concerning the empowered to apprehend and search in our daily lives. importation of bladeware, have remained anyone they reasonably suspected may be We remember the struggles of real relatively without change for several carrying a of any sort on their people today and the sacrifices of past decades. However, laws as they apply to person, in their car, and so on. So why American heroes who gave us the ownership, possession and carriage of the need to impose specific laws targeting American Constitution, the Bill of Rights bladeware in individual states and bladeware? and a 200-year legacy of the price of territories underwent dramatic reform Primarily, weapons reform came freedom meshed with responsibility that between 1996 and 1998. about to appease the pleas of the general we can cherish, maintain, and enhance. In From 1996, under the auspices of populace nationwide who wanted to see their honor we will move forward to the Federal Attorney General’s office, the more done to maintain better law and encourage sensible knife legislation, state police minister’s council decided to order in the face of a rising crime rate. In responsible law enforcement and to make their respective Weapon’s Acts the wake of national gun reform laws educate the American community about more uniform. At that time, state and imposed after the horrific Tasmanian the responsible, safe use of as territory Weapon’s Acts to do with continued page two man’s oldest tool. bladeware ranged from laws in place in continued page two American Patriots Camillus Cutlery Co. Rod Bremer & Paul Gillespie, Partners Doug Flagg, Sales & Marketing Mgr Columbia River Knife & Tool Co. Alan S. Peppel, President Board of Regents Les Edelstein, President Dexter-Russell, Inc. CJ Buck, President Moteng John R. Anthon, President , Inc. Charles Warren, President (NICA) Great American Tool Co. Les de Asis, President National Independent Cutlery Association R. Thomas Buffenbarger, President Knife Co. Paul C. C. Lin, General Manager Intl. Association of Machinists & Aero- Chad T. Vincent, President Progressive Team, Inc. (Taiwan) space Workers (IAMAW) Spencer Frazer, President Richard Hillegas, President Walter Gardiner, President SOG Specialty Knives & Tools, Inc. Ka-Bar Knives, Inc. Corp. Jerry Rinder, Vice President C.S. Jamil, President Al Pendray, President Swiss Army Brands, Inc. Szco Supplies, Inc. Knifemakers Guild David Hall, President Stewart Taylor, President Bob Miller, President United Cutlery Brands Taylor Cutlery Pro-Cut Distributors, Inc. Thomas Arrowsmith, President/C.O.O. A. G. Russell, Chairman W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. Jan Billeb, Executive Director A. G. Russell Knives, Inc. David Kowalski Advisory Members Premier Members Communications Coordinator James Furgal, President Phil Martin, President Blue Ridge Knives Released to ABC News, Good Morning America, Chuck Hoffman, President CBS News, 48 Hours, MSNBC News, Meet the Press, CNN, Reuters, AP, UPI, Time, Newsweek, Boker USA U.S. News & World Report, all Knife Publications, Mel Herman, President 50+ Outdoor/ Recreation titles Australia Today Chesapeake Knife & Tool massacre at the hands of a deranged that attract bans. It’s the “dangerous- Australian knife industry, although it gunman, the federal and state governments looking” bladeware that gets prohibited, wasn’t for the want of endeavour, and in jointly targeted other items for prohibition heading the list. some cases, a lot of hard work trying to and control i.e. knives and various other Challenging anti-knife laws protect the right of law abiding citizens to implements that might be applied as I began the fight against anti-knife own and responsibly carry bladeware. In weapons of offence or defense in society. legislation in 1993 by challenging those spite of the voice of reason and valid Attacking bladeware was an easy responsible for drafting proposed changes arguments to the contrary, I discovered target for the government decision-makers, to state weapons acts to define, in terms of determined elements in the Australian for it enabled them to be seen by the design and dimensions, what deems one government would have their way when minority anti-everything-that-might-be- knife to be more “dangerous” than another. change is in the wind. dangerous brigade in society to be taking Of course, there can be no such criteria. In The current law on knives in positive steps in a quest to contain crime. the hands of an expert or desperate user, Australia goes like this. The ACS prohibits Imposing bans and constraints on the not only any knife, but also any implement the importation of daggers & double- overwhelming majority of law-abiding folk is potentially lethal. edged throwing knives, , in society concerning ownership and Alternatively, the potential threat of knuckle knives & knuckle-duster knives, carriage of bladeware has not, predictively, even the most functional knives might be sword canes, butterfly knives, buckle reduced the crime rate where implements minimal in the hands of an inept user. knives, gravity knives, ballistic knives and have been employed to intimidate, maim However, arguments put forth based certain martial arts knives (i.e. shuriken). or kill. upon logic and commonsense fell upon If the importer can provide a letter of non- Governments tend to make laws deaf ears. Only .005% of the Australian objection or an exemption certificate arising out of extreme circumstances that population in any given year took up a issued by the appropriate state or territory occur infrequently and involve a very knife as a weapon. That fact was ignored. government, then the ACS will permit the small minority of villains, but the vast More than 99% of all knife usage is importation an item. majority of law-abiding people are lawful. Most knife and attacks Generally speaking, the six states disadvantaged unnecessarily by the occurred in gang warfare amongst certain and two territories now operate under outcome. Informed people know that one ethnic groups. I produced a list (substanti- similarly worded Weapons Acts, which is need look no further than the kitchen ated by newspaper cuttings) of over 60 essentially based upon the ACS schedules drawer to find an edged tool that can be implements, not including knives, used to that have been in place for the longest transformed into a weapon, if such is the commit crimes. All this and more, much period of time. The (double-edged will of the user. more, meant nothing in the final analysis. knife), because of its popularity, is an The specific purpose of most The only thing that ever influences important variant. In three states and one commercial cutlery is to cut meat in the politicians is the threat of losing votes at territory the dagger is not prohibited to kitchen and prepare vegetables for the next election. That sort of pressure own and possess. One can apply to own consumption. Yet, these are not the knives could not be brought to bear by the prohibited items and exemptions are usually available via the appropriate bad idea. Naturally, those whose a firearm sale. government department. They are business it is to import cutlery products I have personally embarked upon subject to a fee and compliance to have adapted to the changes in the way different approach - one of education certain conditions, which includes an things work at the ACS and regional and encouragement. Under the auspices approved storage facility. It can be a police departments. of the Australasian Knife Collectors costly exercise, and depending upon the More joining collectors clubs (Club), founded in 1990, AKC Publica- state involved, an up to date record is In the wake of these changes, tions & Video Productions was struc- required of exempt knives. we’ve noticed an increased desire by tured and publishes KNIVES AUSTRA- One can own and possess any item knife collectors to join a knife collectors LIA, the nation’s first and only news- of bladeware that does not appear on the club. More novice knifemakers are stand knife publication, now in its prohibited list of that particular state or coming on line. There’s a dramatic second year of production with six issues territory. There are, however, stringent increase in those interested in delivered into the marketplace. We put laws in place relating carriage of bladesmithing and more hobbyists bladeware in its true perspective and bladeware – you must have a lawful experimenting with knife customization. provides a balanced viewpoint for reason for having it on your person, and In some states, makers who sell knives humankind’s oldest edged tool. the onus is on the carrier to prove they are supposed to number the knives and KEITH SPENCER - Editor, have a lawful reason! record all sales with a description Knives Australia Contact: Heavy fines or imprisonment are according to the law, as you would with www.akc.iinet.net.au laid down for those who commit ownership, possession or carriage of knife offences. The laws are open to AKTI Celebrates Fifth Anniversary interpretation by officers of the law. The at the 2003 S.H.O.T. Show widespread changes to the Weapons Acts in fairly recent times, coupled with media anomalies (don’t let the facts get YES, I will join AKTI and help in the way of a sensational story mental- ity) adds up to confusion amongst support responsible knife use! Australian knifemakers, users and collectors. Things like what can and Give generously! Your membership dues help … can’t be owned and how to legally store 1) Fight for your knife rights...as we did in Boston, as we’re them, as well as when, where and how doing in Florida, wherever AKTI is needed! knives can be lawfully carried to show or 2) Communicate regularly with knife users and the editors sell or use for work and sport. of more than 50 outdoor publications! In several instances the new laws 3) Work with AKTI state groups to organize meetings with were unreasonably enforced by over- zealous police officers applying the laws their lawmakers. to the letter. One example saw the confiscation of pocket knives from farmers belt pouches at stock markets in Name______rural regions at country towns. Some Company______Title______were prosecuted. ACS officers have construed bowie-style knives (and other Address______single-edge styles) with sharpened false edges to be daggers then seized them. At City______State______Zip______best, the importer can have the interpre- tation overruled, at worst such unreason- Phone______E-Mail______able rulings can be upheld, but the casual importer often writes the knife off as a r Annual Ambassador Member (Individual) - $35/yr r Bronze Associate - $100/yr r Platinum Associate - $1,000/yr r Silver Associate - $200/yr r Premier Member - $2,000/yr r Gold Associate - $500/yr (Voting Membership)

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Florida Anti-Ballistic Knife Law Update THE PROBLEM. A Florida Appellate Court recently amount donated. For those of you who have contributed previ- handed down a decision which effectively bans the sale of “one- ously, we need your help again! hand-opening” knives in Florida. The case (Florida v. Darynani 2. CONTACT US. Please send us your email address, 774 So.2nd 855) wrongfully applies the definition of “ballistic phone number, fax number and mailing address. We will send you knife” to many other classes of knives that have been legally sold a sample message to deliver to your legislators. in Florida. 3. CONTACT LEGISLATORS. You need to contact THE SOLUTION. The definition of a in your legislators as this bill makes its way through the process. Florida law needs to be amended to make it clear that one-hand You are important in this effort! Legislators are concerned about opening and automatic knives are not ballistic knives. every vote (remember the 2000 Florida Presidential Election). WHAT’S BEEN DONE SO FAR. AKTI and several They realize one person getting involved may speak for hundreds Florida knife owners attempted to have the law amended last year or thousands who are not motivated enough to send a letter, fax, in the legislature. Steve Corn, Brad Winston, and Alex Clark spent email, or call. two days in Tallahassee educating legislators about the problem. 4. We can correct this bad court decision! We need your Veteran Lobbyist Rick Watson was hired to coordinate the effort. contribution and a little bit of your time. We hope we can count While we gained broad support for the amendment, it did not on you. Feel free to call any of us for updates. pass. We believe that chances for passing our bill are good for 2003. We have already obtained legislative sponsors for a free- Sincerely … Steve Corn, (954) 484-2400 standing bill to be filed soon. Brad Winston, 8211 W. Broward Blvd., Suite 420, Plantation, FL 33324, (954) 475-9666 WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU … Tony Marfione, 932 36th Court, S.W., Vero 1. CONTRIBUTIONS. We need to raise $10,000 to Beach, FL 32968, (772) 569-3058 cover the expenses of our lobbyist and the other expenses associated with this effort. Benchmade has agreed to do a Make checks payable to FLORIDA CUTLERY ASSN. matching donation and put in $2 for every dollar we collect up to Mail to Steve Corn, P.O. Box 10038, Tallahassee, FL $5,000. Therefore, any donation you make is really triple the 32302.