Carrying a knife

[Amadeus]

I understand that one can get into a lot of trouble for carrying a knife.
However, I have a Swiss army knife in my car, largely for when I go on walks - I like to cut open things I find to see what's in side. Sometimes this penknife is in my pocket for a few days.

So could I get done for that? Would it be down to a copper to determine how the felt I'd use said knife?

thanks!

[NTECUK]

See
https://www.gov.uk/find-out-if-i-can-buy-or-carry-a-knife

[Littlepeahead]

I carry a Swiss Champ Swiss army knife in my handbag - it has a nail file, eyebrow tweezers and a corkscrew for that bottle of chilled Pino Grigio so essential for every Essex girl!

[NTECUK]

And quite acceptable.
I have a basball bat in my car.
I also have the occompning soft ball and glove

[Spank86]

I like to cut open things I find to see what's in side.
Animals? Small humans?

[CharleyFarley]

18" lump of rebar.......used threateningly twice to good effect while bus driving!!!
'Scum druggie $h!t head' picked up my money bag, I picked up my bar.........
'Put it down!!!!'
'......ya wouldnt F@#in dare......'
'Try me........'
Got of bus shouting 'ya a f####n nutter you'!!!


"Gas it w###a".........

[NTECUK]

I've not seen a bit of rebar used as a relay batton, but you could argue that point as they cuff you. ;)

[Amadeus]

See
https://www.gov.uk/find-out-if-i-can-buy-or-carry-a-knife

Super, thanks, looks like I'm good. TBH, I think I'd have still carried it regardless and argued that I probably wasn't the sort of person to mis-use it.

Animals? Small humans?

Hedgehog heads? Tick!
I'm not going to limit myself by specifying small humans. As long is I don't have to kill it, I'll cut it open.

[Nutsinatin]

Could they nick you? Yes. Could they get a successful prosecution? Not very likely. Normally they just confiscate them, lost a few whilst fishing when I was younger, some officers would confiscate them as I was a youth and had a knife despite the fact I had a perfectly reasonable use (one officer even took my scissors as they were a bladed article), some would check their legality and give them back and some would check you had a decent idea what you were doing and leave you to it warning you to be careful. Depends on the officer and their mood.

[Littlepeahead]

So my 7" flick knife, if I say that's in my bag to peel my lunchtime apple, and my machete is to slice the cheese to go with it, would that be ok? Still need to work out a valid reason for having the death star...

[TamSV]

I've got a prostitute in the boot of my car. Offensive? I should say so. I've never heard such language.

[DJFridge]

So my 7" flick knife, if I say that's in my bag to peel my lunchtime apple, and my machete is to slice the cheese to go with it, would that be ok? Still need to work out a valid reason for having the death star...

I've got a feeling flick knives have been illegal for a while anyway, 7" or otherwise. I seem to remember a school friend pooping himself coming back from Germany with a 5" flick knife in his luggage. That was more than 25 years ago

[Littlepeahead]

Yes I think rather a lot of things you pick up in Sri Lankan and Thai back street markets are not legal over here.

But what makes an offensive weapon? I've broken up a fight on the Central Line by whacking both men round the face with a rolled up Cosmopolitan magazine. An almighty whack from something containing tips on bikini waxing and this season's trendiest sandals wielded by a tiny ginger woman keen to get to work was probably terrifying! Who needs tazers?

[carelesschucca]

Who needs tazers?


We all know the answer to that one :)

[Spank86]

We all know the answer to that one :)

Yeah, anyone faced with an LPH on the rampage with a rolled up magazine.


And to answer the question, intent. That's why having a random golf club in your car is frowned upon but a whole bag with balls is not.

[Jayneflakes]

That is helpful, my Leatherman is illegal because the fold out blade locks into place. My Swiss Army Knife is considerably more dangerous though because the blade is less sharp. I also have an Alien Bicycle tool that has a small locking blade on it and despite it's tiny size that too is illegal because it locks.

I have a hand made sheaf knife that was made by a friend of mine, the handle is an intricately carved Thai dragon head and the blade is a curved Kukri blade made by hand too. I was given this while having dinner with friends in Thailand and brought it back through customs with no issues. I will never carry the knife outside, but it does stay by my bedside because it is a thing of beauty. Mind you that too is dangerous because of the blunt blade.

As for my leatherman, I have used it so often I would be lost with out it. I always carried a Swiss Army Knife because I thought that was a useful tool, but the leatherman is even better. Well it has pliers and they are very good quality ones that fit nicely into a hookers mouth when she wont hand over the cash!

[Spank86]

I don't think they mean a locking knife that merely fixes into place but can be bent back in. I think they mean one with a separate unlocking action.

[Jayneflakes]

I don't think they mean a locking knife that merely fixes into place but can be bent back in. I think they mean one with a separate unlocking action.

Both my Leatherman and my Alien tool require the pressing of a button to unlock the blade, requiring two hands (or a leg if you do it like I do! ;-) .

What ever happened to those combs that looked like flick knives? They were really popular when I was a child, but then so were highly polished leather jackets and the Fonze!

:rolleyes:

[NTECUK]

What ever happened to those combs that looked like flick knives? They were really popular when I was a child, but then so were highly polished leather jackets and the Fonze!

:rolleyes:
My son bough one in France on a school trip.
Not sure the teachers were on the ball that day:confused:

[Littlepeahead]

I mean intent is the key here... anything can be an offensive weapon if it's wielded in the right way. Remember the old lady taking out the jewellery shop robbers? They had sledgehammers, she had a little handbag, but get your swing right...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BfvEhIHAn0

[Dave-the-rave]

Lock knives and fixed blade knives aren't illegal if the person carrying them has good cause for doing so. Of course the Police need to agree as does the CPS if it gets that far and ultimately the judge or jury.

A non locking folding knife with a cutting edge under 3 inches is not illegal and requires no reason to be carried. Despite various MP's claims of ''Carry a knife-go to jail'' the law is pretty clear and hasn't changed much since the late 50's.

That said Politicians and the media are putting out a strong message that knives are illegal which baffles me because all they have to do is change the law. Not that I support that idea of course.

In today's climate it's not impossible to be found not breaking the law;not committing any offense, yet still have a perfectly legal knife confiscated or even being pressured to accept a caution. Some even end up in court which is pretty scary when facing a potential 4 years in prison.

I recently read a statement by some head honcho from the Boy Scouts saying Scouts were no longer allowed to carry knives as they are illegal, which just isn't true.

[NTECUK]

The scouts are allowed multi tools in my son's group and the district commissioners putting pressures on to stop them and their leaders using them?????

[Quiff Wichard]

Those combs are on e bay ..about 2 quid ..