What types of knives are banned in the US?

No single nationwide list bans the same knives everywhere in the US. The most restricted types are ballistic knives, and they face direct federal restrictions. Beyond that, state and local laws often target switchblades, gravity knives, butterfly knives, disguised knives, push daggers, double-edged daggers, and certain oversized or concealed blades. Some places ban possession, some ban concealed carry, and some ban sale or interstate shipment instead. That legal structure means a knife can be lawful in one state and restricted in another. The type of blade matters, but so do blade length, opening mechanism, carry method, and location. In knife law, category and jurisdiction both control the answer.