Yes, they are illegal in NY unless in the possession of active duty military, LEO or a person engaged in hunting OR FISHING. Last week after spotting the little pod of dolphins again in the backbay, and then a dorsal fin that did not look like that of a porpoise or dolphin, my livelined snapper was taken by something that gave my yak and I a bit of a ride once I tightened down on the drag. I have caught large rays but the speed and slashing nature of this animal's fight was nothing like that. After a few minutes and retrieving 50 or 60 yards of line, whatever this monster was let go, and I got back my hook and leader. Had I not gotten lucky I would have wanted to cut the line as near to the leader as possible, but realized that the folder in my PFD would be useless as would the several folding knives I have with that little thumb button to assist its opening, since they invariably get "gummed up" and difficult to open one-handed. I then realized that I still had a clunky but useable switchblade that had been my father's and had to be at least 70 or 80 years old as he died in 1957. I now carry it in my PFD but how and where would I replace it with another auto knife ? Do gun shops carry them ?
