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California Penal Code Section 17235

Legal Research Home > California Laws > Penal Code > California Penal Code Section 17235

17235.  As used in this part, "switchblade knife" means a knife
having the appearance of a pocketknife and includes a spring-blade
knife, snap-blade knife, gravity knife, or any other similar type
knife, the blade or blades of which are two or more inches in length
and which can be released automatically by a flick of a button,
pressure on the handle, flip of the wrist or other mechanical device,
or is released by the weight of the blade or by any type of
mechanism whatsoever. "Switchblade knife" does not include a knife
that opens with one hand utilizing thumb pressure applied solely to
the blade of the knife or a thumb stud attached to the blade,
provided that the knife has a detent or other mechanism that provides
resistance that must be overcome in opening the blade, or that
biases the blade back toward its closed position.



17235.  As used in this part, "switchblade knife" means a knife
having the appearance of a pocketknife and includes a spring-blade
knife, snap-blade knife, gravity knife, or any other similar type
knife, the blade or blades of which are two or more inches in length
and which can be released automatically by a flick of a button,
pressure on the handle, flip of the wrist or other mechanical device,
or is released by the weight of the blade or by any type of
mechanism whatsoever. "Switchblade knife" does not include a knife
that opens with one hand utilizing thumb pressure applied solely to
the blade of the knife or a thumb stud attached to the blade,
provided that the knife has a detent or other mechanism that provides
resistance that must be overcome in opening the blade, or that
biases the blade back toward its closed position.

Last modified: February 22, 2013