What does AKTI do for the knife community?
Who does AKTI serve?
Why belong to AKTI?
What happens to my dues money?
Are AKTI dues tax deductible?
How was AKTI started?
Who serves on the Board of Regents?
When is the AKTI annual meeting for members?
How can I help?
Can I use the AKTI logo on my web site or printed materials?
How does AKTI influence legislation?
How does AKTI work with law enforcement?
Will AKTI work to repeal switchblade laws?
Does AKTI have or a defense fund for members or defense attorneys available?
What is AKTI’s position on knife intellectual property?
Frequently Asked Questions about the American Knife and Tool Institute
What does AKTI do for the knife community?
We serve as the voice of the knife community and advocate on its behalf. We are a watchdog of knife legislation and actively work to change restrictive knife laws. We are the credible and respected source of information about knife laws, and knives as tools, to legislators, law enforcement, regulatory agency and others. Our industry information is critical and valuable in educating lawmakers and influencing legislation.
We serve the knife community as a whole. Our membership is a diverse mix of manufacturers, distributors, retailers, rep groups, internet suppliers, collectors groups, individuals and organizations. All have one mission in mind – to ensure that Americans will always be able to own, carry and use knives and edged tools.
We advocate for all knife owners, with a proven track record of success. We have made meaningful changes to knife laws in various states, and successfully led the industry to counteract U.S. Customs’ proposal that would have effectively “outlawed” nearly all folding knives and changed the Federal Switchblade Act. These efforts have saved millions of Americans from being considered criminals because of restrictive knife laws. Our commitment to reasonable, responsible laws and enforcement means we will work for the benefit of all members. We have been the advocacy voice of the knife community since 1998 and will work to ensure your ability to make, buy, sell, own, and carry your knives.
What happens to my dues money?
Your dues and contributions are vital for AKTI to continue working on your behalf. Making legislative changes is costly and we carefully consider each effort undertaken. All members of the Board of Regents, Advisory Members and volunteers, including AKTI’s contributing legal counsel, receive no compensation and pay all their own expenses to attend meetings. Many of them donate additional resources, time of their staff, or pay for items AKTI needs. Many industry publications donate free advertising space to AKTI. We conduct our necessary association business as efficiently and economically as possible.
Your AKTI dues are not tax deductible as a charitable contribution, however, they may be deductible as a business expense to the extent allowable by law. Please check with your tax advisor. AKTI is a 501©6 nonprofit association.
Industry leaders, spearheaded by CJ Buck, Buck Knives and Les de Asis, Benchmade Knives, and representatives from various groups, started meeting in 1997 at various knife events to discuss the need and interest in a national nonprofit advocacy and education organization embracing every segment of the knife industry. Their work addressing issues facing knife owners in California emphasized the importance of a united, professional organization to tackle knife laws. Organizational ground was developed and the initial board was formed.
Who serves on the Board of Regents?
The initial Board of Regents, those willing to donate time and contribute the money needed to start and fund the organization, elected additional board members from within the industry. Criteria include a substantial financial and time commitment to the mission and goals of AKTI, a specific experience or knowledge area to contribute to the board, and the ability to work for the entire knife industry and knife owners. The Board (and Advisory Members) represent a cross-section of viewpoints and set aside personal or business issues to work for the good of all.
When is the AKTI annual meeting for members?
AKTI holds its annual meeting of members during the Blade Show in Atlanta, Georgia, each year to allow as many members as possible to attend.
Thanks for asking! The organization can continue to exist, ensure that you can sell, buy, own and carry knives and edged tools, and speak for the industry, if you and others join in the effort with your time and resources. Encourage other knife users, knife manufacturers, knife distributors, knife retailers, suppliers, etc. to join. Every dollar you contribute to AKTI is vital to our ongoing efforts on your behalf.
If you are attending an upcoming knife show, contact us to obtain copies of AKTI newsletters to hand out. When you do mailings to your customers, remind them that AKTI is working on their behalf. Ask them to join or to visit our website for more information.
If you are a custom knifemaker or a knife supplier, we would welcome your donations of knives for AKTI fundraisers. As an AKTI member, if you would like to be part of a presentation to local, regional or national lawmakers in your state, let us know.
Stay informed by signing up as a Grassroots Supporter to receive email alerts. Then act when we send a call to action to write, call or fax legislators about issues. Forward AKTI emails to your address list and tell them how important it is that we work together to ensure that we as individuals continue to have the right to own, carry and use knives and edged tools.
Can I use the AKTI logo on my web site or printed materials?
We do encourage you to link to AKTI and mention your AKTI membership on printed materials. Please create hyperlinks in a manner that makes a clear distinction between your site’s content and the official content of AKTI’s site. Here is the AKTI logo. Please continue to mention AKTI in all your correspondence and on your printed materials.
How does AKTI influence legislation?
The easiest and most efficient time to influence legislation is while it is being formed. AKTI has a legislative alert system to monitor new federal and state laws laws that are being considered. AKTI also works with lawmakers providing general knife education and information, committee testimony and economic impact data. AKTI’s goal is to ensure that any new knife laws do not encroach upon the rights of people to use and carry knives in a responsible manner. We also want to be sure that laws passed in haste or fueled by emotion do not make unwitting criminals of otherwise law-abiding citizens. AKTI is working state by state, reviewing existing knife laws, introducing amendments that decriminalize responsible knife use. We have been successful in several states including CA, FL, SC, AR and TX.
How does AKTI work with law enforcement?
AKTI works to provide educational information to law enforcement and serve as a resource to help them do their job to protect Americans. As the respected industry source of accurate information, we provide technical information about various knives, their properties and uses.
Will AKTI work to repeal switchblade laws?
AKTI research shows that, in the majority of states, laws are on the books that make carrying a dirk, dagger, switchblade, or ballistic knife either a misdemeanor or a felony. As we did in 2009 against U.S. Customs, AKTI will fight to ensure the definition of a switchblade is not expanded to include additional knives such as one-hand opening or assisted opening. We effectively amended the 50 year old Federal Switchblade Act of 1958 under critical time and resource constraints. The effort and costs to change a federal law are staggering, to repeal even more. For the time being, AKTI will focus on state laws.
Does AKTI have or a defense fund for members or defense attorneys available?
We do not have a legal defense fund either for accused individuals or companies and it is not possible for us to keep a staff of attorneys on retainer nationwide. If AKTI is contacted by a private attorney representing either an individual member or company member, we will attempt to provide consistent and accurate information on current knife laws as appropriate.
What is AKTI’s position on knife intellectual property?
AKTI’s goal is to unify the knife and tool industry and to ask individuals and companies to lay aside their narrow competitive differences for the long-term benefit of the entire industry. AKTI will not judge the merits of ongoing legal disputes within the industry.
If you would like to submit a question please contact us and use the subject “AKTI FAQ.”