Colorado ends decades-old switchblade knife ban

DENVER (AP) — Switchblades and gravity knives that can be flung open from a concealing handle will soon be legal in Colorado.

Gov. John Hickenlooper signed into law Thursday a bipartisan bill to end a 1963 ban on their use.

The bill's sponsors were Republican Sen. Owen Hill and Democratic Rep. Steve Lebsock.

They say switchblades have become everyday work tools and are easily available on the internet.

The ban was enacted when the knives were more widely used as weapons. It has been widely ignored in recent years, and with Hickenlooper's signature it officially ends on Aug. 9.

At least 11 other states have repealed switchblade bans in recent years, says the American Knife & Tool Institute, which represents knife manufacturers and users.