Why It Matters: Currently, in the First State, your “ordinary pocketknife” must be a folding knife having a blade no bigger than 3 inches in length and the act of opening the blade cannot be a mechanically assisted (what many states have erroneously defined as a “switchblade”). Senate Bill 108 (SB 108) repeals that requirement by amending the language of the statute, removing that it must be a folding knife, increasing the maximum blade length to 3.75 inches in length, and removing the prohibition and penalties surrounding switchblades. With the enactment of SB 108, sportsmen and women will have the ability to possess certain types of knives that are currently used across the country by hunters, anglers, trappers, and other outdoor enthusiasts in most other states.
Highlights:
- SB 108 removes the requirement for “ordinary pocketknives” to be folding and increases the maximum blade lengths from 3” to 3.75”.
- Additionally, this legislation removes the ban on switchblade knives and removes the “unclassified misdemeanor” penalty for sale or possession of these knives.
- SB 108 passed the Delaware General Assembly on June 26, 2025, and is awaiting action from Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus Member Governor Matt Meyer. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) submitted a letter of support to Gov. Meyer requesting his signature of enactment.
Currently, in the First State, law abiding residents are restricted to pocketknives that have a maximum blade length of 3”. Additionally, residents are prohibited from owning and/or possessing mechanically assisted knives, more commonly (and erroneously) known as “switchblades”.
Per the legislation’s official synopsis, “This Act removes prohibitions in Title 11 of the Delaware Code related to owning or possessing certain types of knives that may be opened by one hand. Such cutting implements are lawfully used as tools by many working in the trades, and are also popular among outdoor, hunting, and camping enthusiasts. Currently, despite common and myriad lawful purposes, such knives are treated as deadly weapons in Delaware, and therefore subject otherwise law-abiding Delawareans engaged in lawful activities to criminal prosecution in the justice system. Removing the prohibitions would permit individuals to use such tools but would still subject them to prosecution for deadly weapons-related offenses if they were to use such a knife in the course of an attack or assault aimed at causing death or serious injury.”
Over the years, many states have enacted laws banning the sale, possession, use, and manufacture of certain types of knives. This includes knives that the average person would consider to be common pocketknives. In some instances, states have kept laws that ambiguously refer to knives such as “bowie knife”, “dirk”, “dagger”, and “stiletto”, without clear definitions.
In recent years, numerous states have been repealing bans that were passed decades ago and liberalizing the allowances for ownership, possession, and use of the mechanically assisted knives (“switchblades”). Previously these bans were passed by attempting to redefine common pocketknives such as switchblades, gravity knives, or other knives which, in some jurisdictions, are currently illegal. This deception has most frequently been applied to knives that are capable of being opened with one hand. One-hand opening knives are simply that- a knife you can open with one hand. Most one-hand opening knives also posses a “bias towards closure”, which means it has a spring, detent, or other mechanisms that maintains the knife in a closed position until the bias is overcome with applied pressure. None of these knives in any of their configurations meet the common definition of a switchblade. More information can be found here.
CSF looks forward to working with Governor Meyer’s Office to encourage adoption and enactment of SB 108 which allows the sportsmen and women of Delaware to purchase, sell, and possess many types of popular knives for legal utilization.
Related Policy
Summary Knife industry and advocacy groups have successfully worked with the U.S. Congress to amend...
