§1244 — Title 15 Commerce and Trade | U.S. Code

Summary

The rules against switchblade knives do not apply in five situations. They don't apply to carriers shipping knives in the normal course of business; knives made, sold, or moved under contract for the Armed Forces; members of the Armed Forces acting on duty; a person with only one arm carrying a knife with a blade three inches or less; and knives with a spring or similar part that pushes the blade closed and must be opened by pressing on the blade.

Title 15, §1244

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

section 1242 and 1243 of this title shall not apply to—

(1)any common carrier or contract carrier, with respect to any switchblade knife shipped, transported, or delivered for shipment in interstate commerce in the ordinary course of business;

(2)the manufacture, sale, transportation, distribution, possession, or introduction into interstate commerce, of switchblade knives pursuant to contract with the Armed Forces;

(3)the Armed Forces or any member or employee thereof acting in the performance of his duty;

(4)the possession, and transportation upon his person, of any switchblade knife with a blade three inches or less in length by any individual who has only one arm; or

(5)a knife that contains a spring, detent, or other mechanism designed to create a bias toward closure of the blade and that requires exertion applied to the blade by hand, wrist, or arm to overcome the bias toward closure to assist in opening the knife.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2009—Par. (5). Pub. L. 111–83 added par. (5).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective on the sixtieth day after Aug. 12, 1958, see section 6 of Pub. L. 85–623, set out as a note under section 1241 of this title.

§1244 Exceptions