Florida Knife Statutes

Florida Statute 790.17 - Furnishing weapons to minors under 18 years of age or persons of unsound mind is prohibited by law. A person who sells, barters, or gives any minor under 18 years of age any dirk, or other weapon, other than an ordinary pocketknife, without permission of the minor's parent or guardian, or sells, or gives to any person of unsound mind any dangerous weapon, other than an ordinary pocketknife, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in statutes 775.082 and 775.083. Florida Statute 790.225 - Ballistic self-propelled knives are unlawful to manufacture, sell, or possess punishable by forfeiture and penalty.

It is unlawful for any person to manufacture, display, sell, own, possess, or use a ballistic self-propelled knife which is a device that propels a knifelike blade as a projectile and which physically separates the blade from the device by means of a coil spring, elastic material, or compressed gas. A ballistic self-propelled knife is declared to be a dangerous or deadly weapon and a contraband item. It shall be subject to seizure and shall be disposed of as provided in 790.08. Any person violating these provisions is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. This section shall not apply to any device from which a knifelike blade opens, where such blade remains physically integrated with the device when open (ie Switchblade, stiletto, etc).

Federal Code - Title 15, Section 1245. On Ballistic knives::

(a) FEDERAL Prohibition and penalties for possession, manufacture, sale, or importation.
Whoever in or affecting interstate commerce, within any Territory or possession of the United States, within Indian country (as defined in section 1151 of title 18), or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States (as defined in section 7 of title 18), knowingly possesses, manufactures, sells, or imports a ballistic knife shall be fined as provided in title 18, or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
(b) Prohibition and penalties for possession or use during commission of Federal crime of violence Whoever possesses or uses a ballistic knife in the commission of a Federal crime of violence shall be fined as provided in title 18, or imprisoned not less than five years and not more than ten years, or both.
(c) Exceptions. The exceptions provided in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 1244 of this title with respect to switchblade knives shall apply to ballistic knives under subsection (a) of this section.
(d) ''Ballistic knife'' defined: As used in this section, the term ''ballistic knife'' means a knife with a detachable blade that is propelled by a spring-operated mechanism.
Editors note: (A ballistic knife is a knife encased in a tubular metal sheath which when removed, uncovers a detachable blade that can be propelled by a spring mechanism operated at the push of a button.)

Ballistic Knife Taken Apart For more information see:
www.knife-expert.com or www.FindLaw.com

* This article is by no means the "definative" law, and should not be used as such, nor do we claim to be an expert in Florida Knife Statutes. Please see the above links for expert legal information and advice.

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