Knives and the Law

[happybonzo]

Does anyone know of what the Law is on knives? As I understand it, Lock type knives are banned/illegal? So where does that leave the likes of Leathermans, Gerber, Opinel etc?

Also, there is the question of knives being carried on you. I believe that the maximum blade lenght is 3"? And that there is also the reason of carrying one for one's work that may be longer.

So where do we stand on this problem?

[Fletching]

You can start here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knife_legislation#United_Kingdom

With the following amendments to acts:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/38/part/2/crossheading/knives-etc

Basically, 3" non-locking with a reason is regarded as EDC though you can carry any fixed blade if you have a good reason (e.g. out hunting). It all boils down to having a good reason, so just be sensible. Don't carry a knife on your belt in public etc.

Leathermans and Opinels are locking knives and thus illegal (unless you have good reason). Gerbers - depends which type etc - but same rules apply.

Steve :)

[happybonzo]

Thanks for a very comprehensive reply: So it would seem that my Gerber is probably illegal as is my small Opinel. What a wonderful country we live in

[Theenglishcamper]

dude lethermans are legal there in every shop i know that is outdoor store

so yeh and thay are legal

[happybonzo]

Leathermans etc may be on sale but is it legal to carry them; now there's the question. It has a locking blade as have the Opinel knives.
I suppose that it just depends on the individual Copper

[jus_young]

dude lethermans are legal there in every shop i know that is outdoor store

so yeh and thay are legal

Leathermans are only a legal carry if they are the versions without locking blades (unless you have good reason) and of course less than 3 inch length

[chris grace]

The law is quite clear on knives.You can carry ANY knife as long as you have good reason.Where it becomes a very grey area is the definition of good reason.In the woods chopping fire wood any knife can be described as being carried with good reason.In town on a weekend night a sub 3 inch non-locking folder will be classed as illegal as you would not have a good reason to carry it

[jus_young]

If you have a look at these links you will find pages dedicated to uk legal knives. You will notice that the sizes are kept to sub 3 inch or 75mm and none have locking mechanisms. Some manufacturers are finding alternative ways of keeping blades open without it being classed as 'locking'. Even Bear Grylls has kept the UK legalities in mind with his survival range by releasing a legal version!

http://www.moonrakerknives.co.uk/uklegal.html

http://www.heinnie.com/Knives/-UK-Legal-Carry-Knives/c-1-92-641/

[Ben Casey]

I thought we had had a thrad about this :)

[swkieran]

there is ben m8,i suppose the 2ncd one is incase you forgot the ist lol:)

[Ben Casey]

there is ben m8,i suppose the 2ncd one is incase you forgot the ist lol:)

Thats cool :)

[Roadkillphil]

Basically, 3" non-locking with a reason is regarded as EDC though you can carry any fixed blade if you have a good reason (e.g. out hunting). It all boils down to having a good reason, so just be sensible. Don't carry a knife on your belt in public etc.
Steve :)

This totally sums it up for me. I personally don't see what all the HooHar is about. I carry my gerber (locking blade sub3") most of the time, both my jobs and all of my hobbies are good reasons to carry. When I'm camping or just out for a day in the woods/countryside I'll have other bladed tools on me... again good reasons to carry.

If I'm off up the boozer for a few pints then all blades stay at home... firstly, I'm getting lashed, so I won't be doing no drunken whittling :D Secondly, boozer + blade = Askin for trouble both in and out of the law.
The same applies if I'm off to dairyland for the day, or shopping in Chavsda, or picking the kids up from school. I shan't be needing a blade (well, maybe in Bodmin Asda!) so I don't carry, there ain't no point, and I can't be assed with hassle from the public or the Law.

As Steve says, Its all about common sense and having a good reason.

[H-rig]

Working in a job where we regularly call in the police due to members of public carrying various knives, usually Gerber, Leathermans etc I can honestly say it boils down to the individual coppers , and their common sense, or lack of it.

[happybonzo]

Working in a job where we regularly call in the police due to members of public carrying various knives, usually Gerber, Leathermans etc I can honestly say it boils down to the individual coppers , and their common sense, or lack of it.

I'm a little unclear as to why you or your job would require you to "call in the Police" unless some law was being broken? Going on from that, your implication seems to be that Gerber/Leathermans type "knives" are illegal and that you are being duty bound to act.

Please don't take it that I'm having a go at you personally but I just found the post a little odd

[H-rig]

:-) that's ok. To clarify, i work in a position where we get a very wide variety of visitors from all over the world, as well as from the UK. All visitors are required to do as they would at the airport empty pockets etc. All baggage etc is scanned, hence we find lots of knives(and many other things) As far as the "law" or we are concerned they are illegal. We work on simple guidelines 3" or locking. It is my job therefore to inform the Police who then come and make the decision whether to arrest said person. Any illegal items are retained with a receipt given to owner of item until the Police make a decision. Hope that helps. Just to add 9/10 utility type knives are given back to the owners with a "don't bring it out again" wrist
slap.

[happybonzo]

Many thanks for clarifying your post If you have any vacancies, could you let us know as I know a few who would be up for the full cavity body search :)

[H-rig]

Personally I'd rather not :-)

[bigzee]

The law is quite clear on knives.You can carry ANY knife as long as you have good reason.Where it becomes a very grey area is the definition of good reason.In the woods chopping fire wood any knife can be described as being carried with good reason.In town on a weekend night a sub 3 inch non-locking folder will be classed as illegal as you would not have a good reason to carry it

A former collegue of mine who has been a special constable for many years told me this very same thing in a lunchtime discussion. Not a black and white situation, but a large subjective grey area - depending on the circumstances in which the officer finds the knife. I suspect the oneness is on the officer to prove your intention to carry the knife for "shanking haters for dissing you" etc.

I personally carry a Victorinox knife/multitool and the fingertips of my right hand can relax in the knowledge that the blade locks safely in use! Mind you I don't go out pubbing & clubbing or ever find myself in confrontational scenarios, so excuse me if I don't get a tape measure and find out how long the blade is.

[MikeWilkinson]

Thought I'd re-post this from this thread http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?717-Penknife/page2&highlight=knife

Interesting comments.

But going back to Edwins original question :- what do you consider a 'normal' carry? - If you are referring to a knife that you can carry in you backpocket everyday all the time, no matter where you are then a folding knife ('non locking') < 3" long is all you can carry legally (leatherman wave is therefore not legal without good reason).

If by 'normal' carry you mean a small pocket knife when you are out walking for whittling, survival, general bushcraft then you can pretty much take any locking or fixed blade with you - it won't stop mr policeman from taking you to court if he wants to, but in court as long as you can provide a 'good reason' for having it then the court is likley to side with you.

Interestingly enough locking knives are not actually defined in the 1988 criminal act and it is only due to the appeal of a mr Harris in 1992 and its subsequent citation in a further case that makes a locking mechanism illegal - The actual act states folding knives and it is only the fact that the locking is mechanical that caused the appeal to fail, that is when the blade is opened it is locked in place and becomes a fixed blade requiring mechanical intervention to close it. Both appeals resulted in the decision that a 'folding' blade should be able to fold at all times (despite the argument that this is unsafe).

So basically if you are going to carry a pocket knife everywhere you go make sure it is non-locking. However the question arises why do you need a knife everywhere you go? If you answer 'yes' to when mr Policeman says 'just in case...' or 'for protection?' then even a folding knife less than 3" is illegal as you intend to use it to do harm!!!

My advice carry what you need, be wise to where you carry it, do not 'have it on display' and always have a purpose. Won't stop the caution/arrest but will save you in court.

[Krill]

As far as I know, if you're carrying a knife then it has to be relevant to what you're doing. For example if you're going camping it's generally okay to have one on your belt. But until you get to where you're setting up camp, keep it in your pack.
I always wear my knife on my belt when I'm camping, never before I get there and I have never had a problem thus far.

I actually contacted the police recently to ask about taking knives to an airport as I'm moving to Sweden within the next 9 months... Anyway, they said aslong as it was in my bag and it wasn't being used in a threatening manner then it was fine to take with me.

Added edit: The reason I called them to ask was with the way things are now days with terrorism and airport security etc I thought it best to check than to leave it to the stage where it's going through a scanner and then hurried off with an MP5 clad gang of plods lol.

[klause]

1) If a police man finds a knife on you that is not legal and wants to apply the law literally then he will arrest you, most won't (to much bother)!
2) If you end up in court and the judge wants to apply the law literally, then you'll be found guilty of carrying an offensive weapon.
3) Like most of the common sense replies i've read, if you have a reasonable explanation either the police will not even arrest you or the crown prosecution service will stop it before it gets to court to save money as court proceedings are extremely expensive and the country has no money.....

I carry my knife and axe everywhere as does my son, in our pack untill we are in the woods!


BE SENSIBLE - Don't go into your local Asda dressed in combats with an axe looking for something to whittle and you'll probibly be fine !

[Ben Casey]

I always leave my knife in the car when I go in the shops been ok so far :ashamed: