Knife Rights Update on the Freddie Gray Knife Arrest

Gilbert, AZ: In the case of the arrest on a knife charge and subsequent death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore, Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby charged that Freddie Gray was falsely arrested and that the knife in his pocket was not an illegal switchblade. Mosby is filing murder charges against one officer while others are being charged with crimes including manslaughter and assault.

According to news reports and court documents, Freddie Gray was arrested after a police officer supposedly found a “switchblade” in his pocket. But, the court documents reveal something else: “The officer noticed a knife clipped to the inside of his front right pants pocket. The defendant was arrested without force or incident,” the documents say. “The knife was recovered by this officer and found to be a spring-assisted, one-hand-operated knife.” (Emphasis added.) Note that the officer did not refer to the knife as a “switchblade.” Read more

New in Browning’s Black Label Tactical Blades line for 2015 is the Shock ‘N Awesome Tactical Tomahawk.

The Shock ‘N Awesome Tactical Tomahawk features a hot forged, black powder coated 1055 tool steel blade. Opposite the blade resides a curved penetration spike. Overall length is 13″ and blade length is 2 5/8″. Read more

MINOX USA, the exclusive North American distributor for PUMA German and IP knives, is expanding its network of retail dealers in the United States and Canada. MINOX USA began distributing these two great knife brands in January 2014.

PUMA Knives has been hand making knives since 1769 in Solingen, Germany, and every phase of production of their PUMA German line still is to this day. PUMA is best known for their hunting knives, including the famous White Hunter. In 2010, PUMA introduced its IP line, a collaboration of PUMA and selected Spanish manufacturers. Design, production and quality control are all done in Germany; IP knives are manufactured in Spain with a Mediterranean flair.

For more information on becoming a PUMA German and PUMA IP dealer, please contact Jay Pitassi, Director of Sales and Marketing for Hunting/Outdoor at (240) 216-8420, or email him at jay. minoxusa@comcast.net. Descriptions and photos of all PUMA German and IP knives available in North America are at www.pumaknives.us.

New York, NY- Steel Will knives, a new premium brand of knives produced with the highest standards of quality, is proud to introduce a new knife to the outdoor industry, the Druid 200. This multi-purpose knife is a perfect match for campers, hunters, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts with its sturdy and robust platform and universal cutting abilities. Read more

Washington, DC- Knife Rights’ Knife Owners’ Protection Act, H.R.419 (KOPA), was re-introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday by sponsor Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ). Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter explained, “KOPA will protect law-abiding knife owners travelling throughout the U.S. from the vagaries of restrictive state and local laws. As long as possession of the particular knife is legal in the state where the journey starts and ends, and provided the knife is secured in accordance with KOPA, a knife owner would no longer be threatened with arrest simply for traveling from one place to another.” KOPA is the first proactive pro-knife federal legislation introduced in the nation’s history.

Additional co-sponsors are: Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) (more co-sponsors are expected to sign on shortly)

“Those who travel across the country with knives for work, recreation and self defense are presently subject to arrest and prosecution under a confusing patchwork of inconsistent state and local laws and regulations, said Ritter, “what is perfectly legal in one place may be a serious crime in another, resulting in forfeiture of property and carrying significant penalties including jail time. Enforcement is not uniform even within jurisdictions and is subject to the vagaries of political expediency at times. Sportsmen and workmen who travel are particularly vulnerable.” Read more