FEATURED AUTHOR
RICHARD LANGSTON

I was born in Brooklyn, New York, on July 30, 1946. Three years later my family moved to Newburgh in the upper Hudson River Valley, where my father opened a barbershop, and around 1955 we moved to Walden, a small village northwest of Newburgh. A knife buff from an early age, I was always intrigued with the history of this area. At one time Walden had been home to three knife factories (Schrade Cutlery Company, known for switchblades; Walden Knife Company, which made switchblades under the name Press Button Knife Co.; and New York Knife Company) and supplied the majority of knives sold in the United States.

Every day I would walk across High Bridge on the way to school and look at the ruins of the New York Knife Company and Horse Shoe Falls, which powered the turbines for the company’s knife production. At recess, urban legends surrounding the factories and their products took root and grew—stories of boxes of knives stored in old barns and large pits where seconds (knives that were rejected for not making the standard during inspection) had been placed and covered over. As it turned out, most of these legends were based on truth (although not for the mysterious reasons we invented in the schoolyard): quite often blades and other knife parts would turn up on the banks of the Wallkill River (which flows through Walden), and at one time extra knives had been stored in area barns. In 1958 we moved to Ellenville, another small village known for its cutlery. Ulster, nearby Napanoch, Honk Falls, and Grahamsville knife companies were all based there, and, strangely enough, when I moved from Walden to Ellenville in 1958, so did Schrade. I suppose this sealed our mutual destinies.

In 1964, at the age of 17, I eloped with my childhood sweetheart, Judy. We had been dating for five years when her parents forbade her from seeing me anymore. Marrying Judy was perhaps the smartest thing I have ever done. We were blessed with five wonderful children by the time we were 24, and we now have eight grandchildren and have been married 37 years. Necessity often plays a definitive part in fate, and since financial security and benefits were more essential than my personal preference of occupation, I became a New York State (NYS) peace officer with the Department of Correction. I served for 26 years, retiring with the permanent grade of correction lieutenant.

In 1970, Judy and I purchased a home in Wallkill, New York, three miles from Walden and about 25 miles from Ellenville, the prodigal son thus returning to the area of his youth. As a result, over a total span of more than 45 years I have known three generations of wonderful people who worked and built the cutlery industry that played such an important role in our nation’s history. Having spent most of my life in the area where so many switchblade knives were produced, I’ve managed to amass quite a collection of them, and my knowledge of the subject has continued to grow over the years. Yet while I had long been aware of the legal aspects of switchblade knives, it was not until I began lecturing on the subject after retirement that I truly became cognizant of the lack of current information regarding their place in history and the bureaucratic, outdated type of legislation they represent.

As I became more involved in lecturing on switchblade knives and had to deal more directly with the legal restrictions surrounding them, their full impact on my rights began to offend me. I could not be guaranteed of any safety from prosecution when taking my collection (for display only) to shows or lectures. Although I generally do not have any problem when taking my collection on the road, the fact remains that by doing so I make myself vulnerable to whatever local, state, or federal jurisdiction I may be in. These laws regarding switchblades are enforced so ambiguously and subjectively that it is impossible to know how they will be enforced in any given area, under any given circumstance. Unlike with other antiques, there is no established time frame whereby automatic knives are recognized as artifacts. And furthermore, I know of no codicil in the law (such as exists for other items, guns included) that allows for transporting these knives for educational purposes. Even firearms may be transported or shipped by and to anyone with a federal firearms license! The fact is that if interstate transport of switchblades is not allowed, collecting them becomes just as difficult as displaying them.

Several years ago I tried to come up with the best way to bring this problem to light. It is by nature a catch-22: the law prevents you from showing or transporting switchblades in order to inform people about this valuable piece of American history, and yet complying with this dumb law only perpetuate it. I happen to believe that as long as you do nothing to change a dumb law, you are in effect condoning it. And so the only thing I could think of was to write a book in which I could show the knives in my collection, explain their history, and present information on how to grade them in order to give readers an idea of their worth (i.e., retail cost to a legitimate buyer purchasing from a legitimate dealer). Apparently this is the only means of disseminating information related to switchblades that is actually legal and feasible. And although it is impossible to show every make or marking, I do feel that the photos of more than 160 automatic knives that appear in The Collector’s Guide to Switchblade Knives, will at least help create an awareness that these are innocuous artifacts that pose no more of a threat than any other knife of the same size.

For many years I served as the watch commander at various correctional facilities throughout New York, and this alone has perhaps made it clearer to me than it is to the average person that almost any item can be turned into a weapon and that outlawing a simple tool is as asinine as outlawing rocks because of their possible use as weapons. Throughout the years, whenever I had new officers report to me, one of the things I would ask them to remember was this: “Laws enforced unequally are at best unfair, and although stupid laws may be the law, they are no less stupid. In fact, having unfair or stupid laws may be worse than having no laws at all.” This philosophy seems just as sound to me now, from a hobbyist and collector’s perspective, as it did when I was a New York state correctional officer.

Another reason for writing a book about switchblades was the lack of references on the subject. Of those that were available, most featured antiquated line drawings out of catalog advertisements rather than actual photos. Although pictures of some styles of switchblades could be found in a few reference books, they were presented as examples from specific manufacturers (e.g., Case, Schrade, Remington, Queen) in the context of showing a company’s complete line of knives. Compilations devoted specifically to the automatic knives were notably scarce. There was one written by two brothers named Myers in the 1980s that contained pictorial representations of more than 100 switchblades and sold for less than $20 when new. Unfortunately, it has been out of print for years, and simply because the book contains switchblade photos, used copies now may bring as much as $150. I believe if someone has a Sheffield automatic dirk that Great Grandad carried in the Civil War or a Presto folding hunter that Dad carried in World War II, he or she has a right to be able to identify that object and get a general idea of its worth and history by simply picking up a book, as with any other subject.

Now that I’ve realized the goal of publishing The Collector’s Guide to Switchblade Knives, I plan to spend as much time as possible with my wife and enjoy our family. I also hope to attend various knife shows and continue lecturing on automatic knives and their history. The nice part of my lecturing schedule is that geographically it often works out well in conjunction with my other great interests, which are tournament stud poker and fishing. It is a great pleasure to be able to pursue pastimes one enjoys, and I am truly happy that I have the opportunity to do so.

Q & A

Paladin: What’s your favorite knife in your collection?
Langston: Truthfully, I do not have a favorite. What is interesting to me is the search for and study of knives and their diversity in terms of design and history. However, some years ago when my wife and I attended a show, I acquired a J.A.S. dual action (it works as a regular pocket knife or an auto), and that one has always been her favorite. (See J.A.S. dual action in the book.) Dual action autos were quite rare when we found that one; however, they are becoming increasingly popular because it is difficult to tell they are automatic unless you know what to look for.

Paladin: And the most valuable?
Langston: Once again, value is an subjective term. If you mean monetary value, the answer would probably be the Case zipper in coke or the Sheffield, both of which are featured in my book. However, there are other knives in the book that are much rarer. Case automatics tend to bring higher prices, since they are cross-collectible as automatics and as Case-marked examples. (Case knives are among the most sought after of all brands, and the rarity of the few styles of automatics produced by Case further enhances their desirability.) Interestingly, many models of Case autos were contract knives; that is, Case hired other companies to make them under the Case brand.

Paladin: If you could have a "dream switchblade," what would it be?
Langston: I suppose the one I have looked for the most is a Case zipper in clasp. The style is similar to the large KA-BAR Grizzly, which is shown in the book. However, it is always the oddballs that are the greatest finds.

Paladin: What’s your opinion of the new high-tech custom switchblades being produced by companies like Microtech, Paragon, and Benchmade?
Langston: Although they are extremely well-made contemporary knives, they really are not in my field of study. My interest is in pre-1958 (pre-switchblade law) knives and various items that have come out since 1958 to circumvent the switchblade laws, such as the kits sold by the Edge Knife Company. There are many individuals who can document the current mechanisms and styles; my goal is to preserve the history of automatics. Interestingly enough, auto versions of these new, state-of-the-art high-tech knives can often only be purchased by military personnel, peace officers, and others with legal clearance. Versions of these knives that use cam or other opening mechanisms will open as fast or faster than the spring-loaded models, yet they are perfectly legal.

Paladin: Where are most of the modern switchblades available today being manufactured?
Langston: I suppose that the answer to that would be Europe and Asia. The European knives (e.g., Hubertus, Boker, Schlieper) are well made and in some cases quite beautiful. The Asian knives are of a lesser standard than U.S.-made knives, and their prices are ridiculously low because of low manufacturing costs. Yet, because U.S. law expressly forbids their importation, American consumers don't see any kind of price break on them. Of course, the U.S. laws regarding switchblades are laughed at in most countries. It seems rather strange to foreigners that in a country expounding human freedoms and rights, where anyone who is not a felon can buy a shotgun and take it anywhere, a 100-year-old, 3-inch knife that opens with a spring about the size of a bobby pin can get its owner thrown in jail on the whim of any law enforcement officer or agency. Yet the same knife is perfectly legal if you take out or break the spring!

Paladin: Working switchblades are often sold openly at knife and gun shows. Is this legal?
Langston: Once again, this is possible because of the ambiguity in the law, the different laws in various jurisdictions, and unequal interpretation and enforcement of laws regarding switchblades. However, actions such as transporting the knives from state to state may subject the seller or buyer to whatever legal interpretation may be arrived at in any jurisdiction under any particular circumstance in any given moment. What I do not understand is why automatics specifically designated "for display only" are not exempted from these laws. It does not seem unreasonable that someone like myself should be allowed to transport switchblades for the purpose of displaying them during a lecture or book promotion. In actuality, it would probably never present a problem, but still, why should the question even arise about an item as innocuous as a pocket knife? Many people own knives handed down through their families. Remember, many of the older models of switchblades have not been produced since 1958, almost 45 years ago, and some predate the Civil War.

Paladin: Are switchblades illegal all over the United States?
Langston: The laws run the gamut, ranging from possession and carry being perfectly legal to both being felonies. It depends on where you are located. Quite often the laws are nuts. For example, in New York state you may own an auto and carry it if you have a hunting or fishing license and are either going hunting or fishing or returning from such an outing. And military personnel and peace officers may, under some circumstances, purchase and own switchblades.

Paladin: What can the average person do to help get the switchblade laws repealed?
Langston: It is not my position to specifically repeal the switchblade laws. The laws on automatic knives were part of a platform used by certain politicians in the 1950s to crack down on juvenile delinquency. These laws are idiotic and outdated, and were the public allowed to view switchblades and understand them, this would be obvious. I don't care if various jurisdictions want to keep these laws on the books; that's democracy. However, I do feel that Americans should have the right to have information on switchblades, as with any other subject. Under the current laws, it is virtually impossible to ensure this.

THE COLLECTOR'S GUIDE TO SWITCHBLADE KNIVES
An Illustrated Historical and Price Reference