Following a landmark Department of Justice memorandum opinion in January 2026 that questioned the constitutionality of restricting shipments of firearm components via the U.S. mail, AKTI is spearheading a legal push to apply the same logic to everyday bladed tools. The memorandum indicates that the Postal Service should stop enforcing 18 U.S.C. § 1715, a 1927 law that banned the mailing of firearms.
At the request of CJ Buck, CEO of Buck Knives and chair of AKTI’s Legislative Committee, Sen. James Risch of Idaho asked the DOJ to consider submitting a slip opinion to ease restrictions on mailing automatic knives.
In the formal letter to top DOJ officials, Sen. Risch suggests that the Federal Switchblade Act of 1958 rests on shaky constitutional grounds. Under the Supreme Court’s Bruen standard, any restriction on arms must align with America’s historical regulatory traditions. Because switchblades and utility knives are commonly owned for lawful purposes such as self-defense and everyday tasks, advocates argue that the current interstate shipping bans violate the Second Amendment. Here is the full letter: Request for Slip Opinion Regarding the Federal Switchblade Act
We thank Sen. Risch for his leadership on this issue.
Any additional updates about the DOJ’s position on this issue will be shared here and in our monthly emails. If you are not an AKTI member, you can receive a monthly email as a Grassroots Supporter. Sign up here.