If you’re a law enforcer, having a good knife is a must. You’ll be happy to know that there are police knives made just for you. These are automatic knives, knives that you can pull out in a split second.
There are a lot of police knives in the market today. This will lead you to wonder, what is the best automatic knife for law enforcement? Let’s dive in and have a closer look at this.
Best Automatic Knives: Summary
- CRKT Hissatsu EDC Folding Pocket Knife
- Smith & Wesson SWMP4LS Assisted Folding Knife
- Grand Way Spring Assisted Knife
- MTech USA MT-378 Folding Tactical Knife
Last update on 2024-07-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The 5 Best Automatic Knives
Again, if you don’t have an automatic knife, I highly recommend you get one. You may be unsure which one to get for yourself. Don’t worry, today I’m going to share with you some really good automatic knives in the market.
CRKT Hissatsu EDC Folding Pocket Knife
If you’re looking for a highly functional automatic knife, this one may be for you. When you look at it, it’s a very simple knife. It doesn’t have designs on the hilt, and the blade has no serrations. That said, it looks very sleek. Its minimalist design is something that makes this knife quite unique.
- Fast Opening: Outburst assisted opening deploys...
- Safe And Secure: Automated liner safety provides...
- Strong And Lightweight: Glass reinforced nylon...
- Designed by James Williams in Vass, North Carolina
- Limited Lifetime Warranty covers any defects in...
Last update on 2024-07-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
From what it lacks in looks, this knife certainly makes up for in functionality. This is a very strong, and very durable knife. It has a tanto blade. And as we all know, tanto blades are so sharp and strong. Also, when you activate this knife, it is going to snap right up instantly.
This knife also has some safety features on it. Whenever you’re using a knife like this, you do not want it to fold. You want it to lock into position. With this knife’s safety features, you can be sure that it will do so.
Smith & Wesson SWMP4LS Assisted Folding Knife
There are so many reasons why I love this knife. It is one of the stars of my collection. And it is easily my favourite automatic knife I have.
- DIMENSIONS: 8.6 inch (21.8 cm) overall length with...
- DURABLE: Blade is made of reliable 4034 black...
- DEPENDABLE: Quick and easy access with the...
- SECURE: Have confidence that the blade will not...
- BE PREPARED: Knife Features Glass Breaker And...
Last update on 2024-07-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Why? One, it is very, very useful. It is super strong and durable, it can take quite a beating. It is very snappy and sharp, and you can have it ready in an instant. The blade is a versatile one. It can be used for just about everything. The serrations also allow you to saw through tough materials.
And two, it is very beautiful. This comes down to preference, but I’m sure we can all agree that this knife is one of the better-looking ones. Its design is something that can really take your breath away. Even if it wasn’t useful, which it is, it would still be a great knife to collect. Plus, it feels great in your hands. Smith & Wesson really put thought into the design of this knife.
Grand Way Spring Assisted Knife
If you don’t want to spend a lot on an automatic knife, you’ll be happy to know that there are some that are very affordable. One of them is Grand Way’s spring assisted knife. You can get this at more than half the price of, say, a Smith & Wesson. Of course, you can’t expect the same quality. But at this price point, this knife is very good.
- Folding knife with pocket clip has a simple and...
- Spring Assisted knife with Lock Button: Equipped...
- Perfect tactical knife for everything - Camping...
- Black-coated 440C stainless steel with black oxide...
- Perfect gift idea - gifts for husband from wife,...
Last update on 2024-07-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Like every good automatic knife, Grand Way’s spring assisted knife has everything you need. It is strong, durable, snappy, and sharp. It is also versatile. It doesn’t have any serrations on the blade, but it can be used for just about anything.
To make things better, it looks really good. It’s black, sleek, and has a nice design. You’ll never guess its price when you have a look at it.
MTech USA MT-378 Folding Tactical Knife
If you thought the last knife was cheap, you’ll be shocked to find that this one is even more affordable! And even at its low price, you’ll find it complete with all the features of a good automatic knife.
- Tactical folding knife offers easy one-handed...
- Black stainless steel tanto blade with chisel...
- Contoured black stainless steel handle with a...
- Comes complete with a pocket clip for easy and...
- 4-1/2-inch closed length, 3-inch blade length with...
Last update on 2024-07-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Again, it’s not the best in terms of quality. But I highly recommend this knife for anyone looking for an automatic knife that costs almost nothing.
How to Choose the Best Automatic Knife
One thing I love about the world of knives is that there is a perfect knife for every situation. Whether you’re in the kitchen or out hunting, there is a knife for you. These knives have features that fit your situation perfectly. Your life will be much easier with the right knife on your hands.
When it comes to law enforcement, knives are so important. They can make all the difference between success and failure in your mission. They are a very handy weapon and tool and will help you in countless situations.
If you’re not in the business of law enforcement (like me), having a good automatic knife is still a great thing. Police knives are perfect for self-defense. You never know when something will come up so it’s good to be prepared.
All that said, automatic knives are worthless if they aren’t well-made. There are so many of these knives in the market, and some of them are plain terrible. So how do you choose a good automatic knife?
Knife Snap
What makes an automatic knife an automatic knife? It’s that snap you get when you activate it. All you have to do is push a button, and the blade will shoot right out from the hilt. It does this in the blink of an eye.
Whenever you’re buying an automatic knife, this is one of the things you want to check. You don’t want a knife that is slow to activate, you want a knife that is as snappy as it can get. You don’t want a knife that gets stuck in the middle, you want a knife that will be ready to use whenever you need it.
Knife Strength
What good is a snappy knife that breaks on impact? Nothing. A knife like this is worthless. That’s why aside from the snappiness, you also want to check the build quality. You’re looking for a high-quality, razor-sharp blade that is very strong and durable.
Your police knife should be able to take a beating. If you’re a collector like me, you won’t use this knife a lot. But if the time comes when you need it, you’ll be glad you chose a high-quality and reliable one.
Knife Blade
Not all automatic knives have the same blade. This is why you should consider your purpose when getting one. For law enforcement, you’ll want a combat blade. A tanto-style blade is a good option for you.
If you’re someone who is into hunting, you should look for a hunting blade. If you’re going to cut through hard items, a serrated blade will be a good idea.
Knife Safety
The fact that you can pop up a blade instantly is great, but what if you accidentally do this? What if something in your pocket hits the switch and activates the blade? This snap up feature is great, but only if it is safe.
The good news is that good manufacturers make sure to add safety features. A good automatic knife will have a safety lock. This ensures that you never accidentally unleash your knife, so you can be sure nothing will go wrong.
Knife Looks
As a knife collector, this is something that is very important to me. Knives are so much more than just tools. They are also pieces of art that you can keep for yourself.
That’s why whenever I buy a new knife, I always get one that I’m attracted to. A high-quality knife is going to last you a long, long time, so you might as well get one you like.
Knife Brand
The fastest way to know whether an automatic knife is good or not is the brand. Of course, it’s good to check everything yourself. There are some great automatic knives made by unknown companies. But if you are buying online, the best way to ensure a good knife is to buy from a reputable brand.
Advantages of Automatic Knives
When you consider all of that, you should be able to pick up a great automatic knife. But why should you? I say that everyone should have at least one automatic knife around. This is because there are a lot of advantages that these have over other knives.
For one, automatic knives are very portable. The fact that you can fold them makes them super easy to bring wherever you go. You can easily slip one of these knives into your pocket. The problem with most other knives is that you will need a sheath. The open blades of these knives need a safe place to go. With an automatic knife though, their hilt also serves as a sheath at the same time.
In the world of law enforcement, it’s always good to have a surprise weapon. You also don’t want to look intimidating unless it is necessary. This is why automatic knives are great. You can keep them hidden away in your pocket when they aren’t needed. And if ever there is trouble, you can easily bring it out in the blink of an eye.
Automatic knives are also very versatile. Yes, each type of blade has its specialities. But you’ll find that you can use an automatic knife for just about anything. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the field or in the kitchen, your automatic knife will come in handy.
Finally, automatic knives are very cool. This might not sound like much, but when you have one, you’ll understand. There’s something about the flicking open of your automatic knife that is so satisfying. I play with my automatic knives quite a lot, flicking them open and closed just for the effect.
Is It Legal to Carry an Automatic Knife?
Automatic knives are weapons, no doubt about it. And as we all know, there are a lot of laws when it comes to weapons. This may lead you to wonder, “Is it legal to carry an automatic knife?”
If you are a police officer, the answer is yes. Law enforcement is a job that requires you to carry weapons. So carrying something as small as an automatic knife is not a big deal. In fact, you are expected to be carrying something like this. It will help you a lot in your job.
For ordinary citizens like myself, the laws are different in some states. You may have heard that carrying an automatic knife is illegal everywhere. This is not true.
This myth comes from the Federal Switchblade Act of 1958. This law bans interstate commerce of switchblades (automatic knives). However, it did not outlaw owning an automatic knife.
That said, there are different laws on every state. For most states, it is completely legal to own and carry your automatic knife around. But some states ban the sale and possession of these knives. As of 2019, there are 11 states where automatic knives are illegal. These are Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington.
Some states have special laws regarding this. In California, you can only carry around an automatic knife that is shorter than 2 inches. In Illinois, you need to be 21 years old and have a firearm owners card. In New York, you need a hunting license to get your hands on an automatic knife.
Can You Buy Automatic Knives Online?
One question that bugged me a lot before was, whether or not buying automatic knives online was legal. Remember, the Federal Switchblade Act of 1958 bans interstate commerce of switchblades. I didn’t quite understand whether this had anything to do with buying knives online.
The simple answer is that it doesn’t. As long as automatic knives are legal in your state, buying in online stores (such as Amazon) is perfectly fine.
One thing you need to note is that it is illegal to send knives through the US Post Office. These are injurious articles, and you could get in trouble for doing so. However, you can use private shipping companies for this without any trouble.
Finally, be careful when you are buying knives from outside the country. I’ve never tried this, but I know some people who got into trouble with customs for this. There are a lot of restrictions when it comes to foreign knives, so you may want to avoid this.
Conclusion
Law enforcement can be a tough job. But with one of these automatic knives in your pocket, you’ll have everything you need to accomplish your mission. And for the collectors and hobbyists, these knives are so beautiful and can prove extremely useful when the time comes.
