SOG Flash II

[Jack Frederick]

I was at a hardware supply trade show back in ‘89 and saw a vendor showing the SOG line of knives. I had never seen a spring assisted knife and where I grew up, switch blades were illegal. Well I bought the Flash II out of the guys display case and have carried it every day since…Until Thursday night. My wife and I have had tix for a Maverick’s show for in Napa for 1.5 yrs and it finally came off. We love their music and had the Clear app for vax certification. I didn’t think of it but carrying a knife, an every day tool for me, got picked up on the way in by the police officers scan. The car was far away and the show starting so I gave it to the officer. Told him it has been a good tool all these years, said it needed a good sharpening and hoped it did as well for him as it had for me. I have a Benchmade folder I’ll try for a while, but that II was a good tool and put up with a lot.

[Jim Koepke]

My regular pocket knife is a small Swiss Army Knife:

468421

The SAK on the lower right is in my pocket most of the time. At any time passing through a metal detector may be required for entry it is left behind along with my personal keys that have a p-38 can opener and a screwdriver on the ring.

Sorry you lost your knife.

IMO, if such items are going to be confiscated there should be an obligation to the confiscating authorities for them to provide a means for lawful items to be returned to their rightful owners.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Just took a quick look on the big auction site and it looks like there are a few listed.

A contractor working on one of our bathrooms went out to the shop with me while Candy was thinking something over.

He saw my sharpening and woodworking set up and gave me a knife that came from a friend of his business.

The blade moves via gravity and locks. It mostly stays on a bench in the shop.

jtk

[Bill Dufour]

FYI California bans gravity knives, switch blades, projectile knives. Not sure about spring loaded ones like yours? I know because I almost got onto a jury that had to decide if a meat cleaver was concealed knife or stabbing weapon or was it fine to carry one around hidden from sight for protection.
The California knife was was last updated about 1890.
Bill D

[Sam Force]

I would have insisted on getting my knife back, don't leave home without 1 in my pocket.

[Bert Kemp]

Buck and I'm sure others make a ball bearing knife. It opens quick like a spring assisted but I'm pretty sure is legal everywhere.

[John K Jordan]

I was at a hardware supply trade show back in ‘89 and saw a vendor showing the SOG line of knives. I had never seen a spring assisted knife and where I grew up, switch blades were illegal. Well I bought the Flash II out of the guys display case and have carried it every day since…Until Thursday night. My wife and I have had tix for a Maverick’s show for in Napa for 1.5 yrs and it finally came off. We love their music and had the Clear app for vax certification. I didn’t think of it but carrying a knife, an every day tool for me, got picked up on the way in by the police officers scan. The car was far away and the show starting so I gave it to the officer. Told him it has been a good tool all these years, said it needed a good sharpening and hoped it did as well for him as it had for me. I have a Benchmade folder I’ll try for a while, but that II was a good tool and put up with a lot.

Bummer. I use SOG Visionary 1 almost exclusively around the farm. Very quick to open in an emergency - no spring assist but opens and closes easily with one hand. Unfortunately, it's been discontinued by SOG. Fortunately, I have a least 6, carry one until it starts to get dull then throw it in the "dull" box and get out a sharp one. I've got some other SOGs including the visionary 2, twitch, and a few more but none match the visionary 1 for me.

JKJ

[Dan Hunkele]

I feel for you. I've lost knives in similar situations. I was given a couple Smith and Wesson spring assisted knives. I'm glad I didn't pay for them because the springs didn't last long before they broke. When I get dressed each day I put a knife in my pocket along with my keys and money clip.

[Jack Frederick]

I have a drawer with a few candidates for replacement. Currently that is a Benchmade something or other. Nice blade and easy open. As to getting it back, I have spent a lot of time in airports the last 30 yrs. My view is much like TSA’s. If I don’t have it together enough to take care of it,it is after all a weapon, it is gone. As to getting it back, it was my mistake, I was pushed for time and the young officer was polite and doing a professional job. I told him I had carried it for over 30 yrs, that it was solid, needed a sharpening on its single bevel and to enjoy it.

[Jim Koepke]

Buck and I'm sure others make a ball bearing knife. It opens quick like a spring assisted but I'm pretty sure is legal everywhere.

As with many things what is legal in one state may not be legal in others.

As Bill D mentioned, California law doesn't allow switch blade knives with a blade of 2" or longer. There is a provision in the law for knives with a blade stud or tab to be opened one handed but not by gravity or a flick of the wrist. This provision was for hunters, climbers, EMT and others who may need to be able to open a knife one handed.

Some of the write ups and images of the Ball Bearing Knife could make it an illegal knife the way the California law is written.


California Penal Code 21510 PC makes it a crime to carry, possess in public, sell or give away a switchblade. A conviction is a misdemeanor punishable by probation, fines of up to $1000.00, and up to 6 months in county jail.

California Penal Code Section 17235 gives the legal definition of a switchblade: a pocketknife with a blade of 2 or more inches that can be released by a flick of a button, by pressure on the handle, by a flip of the wrist, or by another mechanical device.

https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/defense/penal-code/21510/

So my Benchmade knife is likely illegal in California.

It looks like most of their knives might be > https://www.benchmade.com/everyday-knives.html

For the price my Swiss Army Knives will likely remain my regular pocket knife. It just came to me my current pocket knife in't the one in the image posted earlier. It is a black SWA from Lee Valley with Veritas on one side. These knifes have a blade of about 1-3/4".

Most of my SWA have been picked up for $6 or less at yard sales and antique shops. A couple, with advertising have been bought for $1. There are a few imposters, mostly from China. Those are left behind even if someone only wants a quarter for it.

jtk

[Curt Harms]

I was at a hardware supply trade show back in ‘89 and saw a vendor showing the SOG line of knives. I had never seen a spring assisted knife and where I grew up, switch blades were illegal. Well I bought the Flash II out of the guys display case and have carried it every day since…Until Thursday night. My wife and I have had tix for a Maverick’s show for in Napa for 1.5 yrs and it finally came off. We love their music and had the Clear app for vax certification. I didn’t think of it but carrying a knife, an every day tool for me, got picked up on the way in by the police officers scan. The car was far away and the show starting so I gave it to the officer. Told him it has been a good tool all these years, said it needed a good sharpening and hoped it did as well for him as it had for me. I have a Benchmade folder I’ll try for a while, but that II was a good tool and put up with a lot.

I ran into something like that with TSA. I had a cheap multitool in my carry on bag that I forgot about. It made it through one TSA check but got got picked up at the second. TSA offered to escort me to a postal facility near the gate where I could ship it home. It would have cost $10 to ship. I told them to keep it.