(Date) 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Office of International Trade, Regulations and Rulings
Attention: Intellectual Property and Restricted Merchandise Branch
Mint Annex,   799 Ninth St. N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20229

RE: Opposed to 19 CFR Part 177

To whom it may concern:

I am asking you to reconsider your proposed revocation of the importation of assisted-opening knives as outlined in 19 CFR Part 177.

I am a knife owner. I am not a criminal. I use a folding knife for utilitarian purposes. (Your personal story.)

Your proposal, 19 CFR Part 177, is so broad in its proposed definition of a switchblade knife that it would outlaw multi-tools, traditional pocket knives, one-hand openers, and assisted-openers. Quite frankly, the size and style of a knife has nothing to do with any criminal intent.

Your proposal would make defacto criminals of me and more than 35 million other Americans who carry and use some type of utilitarian knife that opens with one hand. We are not “thugs and delinquents” as you try to portray us in your proposal letters. We use knives on the job in law enforcement, as EMTs, firemen, military personnel, construction workers, hunters, fishermen and women, hikers, bikers and gardeners. We use knives to save lives, to make our jobs and recreation easier and safer.

Your proposal would put America deeper into an economic crisis. There are nearly 4,000 people directly employed at the manufacturer/importer level in the U.S. sporting knife industry. Another 19,000 people support them by providing materials, packaging and shipping services. There are hundreds of distributors and retailers who would be adversely affected and many would go out of business. The industry generates nearly $1 billion annually at the manufacturer level and nearly $6 billion of total economic impact. 

Sincerely,

(your name and contact information)

cc:  your legislators and/or send them a separate letter