Customs Deliver Seized Knife

[drmike]

I thought I had to post this as it may be useful to some of you who have similar problems.

After having a linerlock knife sent from the USA seized, I wrote to customs challenging them to justify their seizure under the terms of the 1959 act by describing the knife and its operation and quoting the definition of a gravity knife from the act.

I received a response saying that the knife would be retreived from the warehouse where items are stored for destruction and would be assessed independently.

Irecently received a letter stating the following;

"As mentioned in my letter of 29th September 2004 we have now received the results of the review by our Policy section responsible for Offensive Weapons. The knife does indeed have a nipple or protrusion against which the thumb can push against to open the blade one-handed.

Therefore I am pleased to inform you that they have found that the knife is not a prohibited item. It has today been released to you under separate cover."

.... and there it was!

[Ross]

Excellent stuff!! Just goes to show! I think it would be helpful for others in your situation if you were to post the text of your letter so others could use it - what do you think?

[drmike]

I'll dig up the letter it's on another PC at the mo!

[ANDYLASER]

Blimey, the system works. A big thumbs up for sensible decision making.

[Tantalus]

good news, thanks drmike

was it a production model? just for the record, you understand, so that others have something to compare

i hope that this will be the end of customs declaring all locking folders with a tension screw as "gravity knives"

Tant

[Chux]

How will that affect knives with opening holes, which are neither nipples nor protrusions?

[Hellz]

How will that affect knives with opening holes, which are neither nipples nor protrusions?

It is still a feature designed to allow opening of the knife one handed, I'm sure they wouldn't quibble...

Hellz

[Little claw]

How will that affect knives with opening holes, which are neither nipples nor protrusions?

The knife does indeed have a nipple or protrusion against which the thumb can push against to open the blade one-handed.

The intent of the feature has been mentioned, and its presence implies that it is required to open the knife, therefore the knife is not a gravity knife.

Therefore the presence of a hole for the express purpose of opening would imply the same thing. If this doesn't hold water (I suppose because the guidelines might specify a "protrusion or nipple") then one could argue that the hole does, in actual fact, represent a protrusion bacause the piece of metal that forms the hole protrudes from the main body of the blade (in the plane of the blade) and is not functional other than for the sole purpose of allowing the knife to be opened one handed, thereby implying that the knife is not a gravity knife.

Of course, this is a logical argument, which may not go down too well.

I am glad to hear that there is actually a procedure that they use to address these disputes (hopefully in all cases) rather than simply "consign to the round filing cabinet" which my own experience and those related by others had implied.

Does anyone else see the irony that a feature intended to allow a knife to be opened with one hand actually saved a knife from falling foul of a law intended to restrict access to knives that could be opened one handed?

:rotfl:

[trojanargus]

Customs are getting a lot of stick at the moment about their application of various laws, so maybe this shows a more reasoning approach from them and definately demonstrate the benifits of asking them to justify descisions.

Well done :approve:

[familne]

Good for you, at least you got a response, still waiting for one although my knife has probably been destroyed by now. Hopefully they will re-educate the staff on the floor regarding thumbstuds etc. so no more are seized.

[ZDP-189]

So there you have it. All knives must have nipples.

[trojanargus]

So there you have it. All knives must have nipples.

[PeterC]

Does this decision set a precedent for all subsequent Customs decisions?

[richslaney]

I've always said.... All nice things come with Nipples :wink:

(sorry, couldn't resist and no insult intended )

[Little claw]

do the nipples have to be functional...?