History Main / SinisterSwitchblade

-->'''Man:''' Yours. ''(stabs him)''

* At the start of ''Film/LiveAndLetDie'', a seemingly respectable figure in suit and tie stands next to a surveillance agent watching funeral procession. Then he produces a switchblade from under his clasped hands and flicks out the blade.

In real life, a lot of countries ban or severely restrict switchblades, flick knives, and similar weapons such as butterfly knives. These weapons have such a bad reputation that even countries that allow more conventional knives to be carried without restriction have laws against them. The actual effects of the legislation range from prohibiting the use of switchblades to anyone outside the military (Hungary) to banning all switchblades with blades longer than a few centimeters (Japan) to adding specific clauses to laws that distinguish between "tools" and "weapons" that always prohibit them no matter what (Canada) to banning the sale, use, or transport of the knives altogether (The Netherlands). It's to the point that even countries that allow you to own and even carry blades that could be far more deadly like butcher's knives or used in the exact same manner like straight razors nevertheless ban switchblades.

* The murderous [[TheDragon Swinburne]]'s first appearance in ''Film/BedknobsAndBroomsticks'' has him threaten the main characters with a switchblade. Later on, his boss the Bookman orders him to shoot someone, and Swinburne that he'd [[SinisterSwitchblade rather use his switchblade]].

* The murderous [[TheDragon Swinburne]]'s first appearance in ''Film/BedknobsAndBroomsticks'' has him threaten the main characters with a switchblade. Later on, his boss the Bookman orders him to shoot someone, and Swinburne that he'd [[WeaponOfChoice rather use his switchblade]].

In real life, a lot of countries ban or severely restrict switchblades, flick knives, and similar weapons such as butterfly knives. These weapons have such a bad reputation that even countries that allow more conventional knives to be carried without restriction have laws against them. The actual effects of the legislation range from prohibiting the use of switchblades to anyone outside the military (Hungary) to banning all switchblades with blades longer than a few centimeters (Japan) to adding specific clauses to laws that distinguish between "tools" and "weapons" that always prohibit them no matter what (Canada) to banning the sale, use, or transport of the knives altogether (The Netherlands). It's too the point that even countries that allow you to own and even carry blades that could be far more deadly like butcher's knives or used in the exact same manner like straight razors nevertheless ban switchblades.

[[caption-width-right:350:"You look nervous. Is it the scars? ''You wanna know how I got them?''"]]

* In the ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' bonus case ''Rise from the Ashes'', the SpreeKiller Joe Darke's weapon was a switchblade. It was also the [[spoiler: true murder weapon of Bruce Goodman before a second knife was used as a decoy]].

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/TheDarkKnight https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/joker_threatens_rachel.png]]]]

* ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' has Thanos using a double-bladed switchblade to explain his perception of “balance”, and the slaughter it entails, to a young Gamora.

* Most of the knives carried by the Joker in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' are switchblades.

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1513645707040971600

[[quoteright:342:[[Anime/CowboyBebopKnockinOnHeavensDoor https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cowboy_bebop_switchknife.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:342:''Click!'']]

* ''Film/DeathWish''. Paul Kersey pretends to be engrossed in his newspaper on the subway, supposedly not noticing the two hoodlums eyeing him until one of them announces his intentions by slashing his newspaper in half with a switchblade. [[NeverBringAKnifeToAGunFight Bad idea.]]

In real life, a lot of countries ban or severely restrict switchblades, flick knives, and similar weapons such as {{Butterfly Kni|fe}}ves. These weapons have such a bad reputation that even countries that allow more conventional knives to be carried without restriction have laws against them. The actual effects of the legislation range from prohibiting the use of switchblades to anyone outside the military (Hungary) to banning all switchblades with blades longer than a few centimeters (Japan) to adding specific clauses to laws that distinguish between "tools" and "weapons" that always prohibit them no matter what (Canada) to banning the sale, use, or transport of the knives altogether (The Netherlands). It's too the point that even countries that allow you to own and even carry blades that could be far more deadly like butcher's knives or used in the exact same manner like straight razors nevertheless ban switchblades.

A SubTrope of KnifeNut and RetractableWeapon. See also SinisterScythe and SinisterShiv, which are also bladed weapons associated with unsavory people.

* In ''Film/Halloween2018'', Dr. Sartain has a retractable blade inside his pen. While this is ostensibly because he spends most of his time looking after [[AxCrazy Michael Myers]], [[spoiler: he turns out to have been EvilAllAlong and he murders Sheriff Hawkins with it]].

* Series/{{Highlander}}: In the episode The Sea Witch one of Alexi's thugs carried around a classic Italian Stiletto as a back-up weapon to his [[HandCannon Desert Eagle.]] It's seen quite prominently on-screen when he draws it on Richie and later on Richie's girlfriend of the week just as Duncan arrives in a BigDamnHeroes moment. Both scenes make sure to highlight him clicking it open.

In real life, a lot of countries ban or severely restrict switchblades, flick knives, and similar weapons such as {{Butterfly Kni|fe}}ves. These weapons have such a bad reputation that even countries that allow more conventional knives to be carried without restriction have laws against them. The actual effects of the legislation range from prohibiting the use of switchblades to anyone outside the military (Hungary) to banning all switchblades with blades longer than a few centimeters (Japan) to banning the sale, use, or transport of the knives altogether (The Netherlands).