§134-52  Switchblade knives; prohibitions; penalty.  (a)  Whoever knowingly manufactures, sells, transfers, possesses, or transports in the State any switchblade knife, being any knife having a blade which opens automatically (1) by hand pressure applied to a button or other device in the handle of the knife, or (2) by operation of inertia, gravity, or both, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

     (b)  Whoever knowingly possesses or intentionally uses or threatens to use a switchblade knife while engaged in the commission of a crime shall be guilty of a class C felony. [L 1959, c 225, §1; Supp, §264-9; HRS §769-1; ren L 1972, c 9, pt of §1; am L 1990, c 195, §4]

Case Notes

  A butterfly knife is not a switchblade knife.  73 H. 89, 828 P.2d 272 (1992).