Carrying a Multi-Tool?

Lock knives are illegal? i thought it just has to be 3 inch and capable of folding.

Im sure its flick or flick lock that are illegal? ill go look.

Contradicting information everywhere, majority say yes, id leave it at home.

Originally Posted by beabert

Lock knives are illegal? i thought it just has to be 3 inch and capable of folding.

Im sure its flick or flick lock that are illegal? ill go look.

Contradicting information everywhere, majority say yes, id leave it at home.

No, lock knives are classed as "prohibited weapons". Unless you have a reasonable excuse, ie, employment etc. Although, that may not stop you getting charged, but it is a statutory defence for court.

Flick knives and butterfly knives are also illegal.

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

No, lock knives are classed as "prohibited weapons". Unless you have a reasonable excuse.

This is how I've always interpreted the law. If the implement you're carrying has no legitimate use then it's a knife and falls under knife laws.

If the implement has a legitimate use then its just a tool necessary for the job, and it's therefore not classed as a knife.

For example, if you're out rock climbing in the mountains (a public place) you need to be equipped for the task. It's no use having a piddly little pocket knife on you when you need a proper knife with safe locking blade in an emergency/rescue.

[yorkie_chris]

How do you define a lock knife? Just anything with a "detent" to stop it chopping your fingers off?

Originally Posted by wayniac

It seems odd to me, though, that honest, hard-working people should have to justify carrying a pocketknife or multi-tool to the local constabulary when I'm almost certain that none of the hooligans mentioned in other posts on this topic give it a second thought. But that, I suspect, is a post with a different title to be discussed at another time.

You think it odd, I think it a load of crap! Usual knee-jerk reaction government over here has, punish the majority for the actions of those who ignore the law anyway

[TamSV]

Originally Posted by anna

when stopped it is a pain in the ass to have to explain

A few have mentioned this. Is it common to get stopped in London while going about your business these days?

I've never had so much as a cross look from a policeman round here when I've had all kinds of potentially offensive weapons.

Not wishing to sound like a bumpkin. I've worked for long periods in Glasgow and Birmingham and for short periods in London and have never been stopped by the police (apart from a couple of occasions in my youth when I thoroughly deserved it).

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

How do you define a lock knife? Just anything with a "detent" to stop it chopping your fingers off?




You think it odd, I think it a load of crap! Usual knee-jerk reaction government over here has, punish the majority for the actions of those who ignore the law anyway

Any knife which locks into a position, even uf ut is to stop you chopping your fingers off is a lock knife.

[SoulKiss]

Originally Posted by MrTom

If the implement has a legitimate use then its just a tool necessary for the job, and it's therefore not classed as a knife.

However this distinction is at the discretion of the Officer talking to you, and so if he wants to argue about your good reason for carrying it, you may find yourself Fingerprinted, on the DNA register AND with an Arrest record if you disagree...

Happened to me, although it wasnt for carrying a knife, but slamming my hand on the bonnet of a car that was trying to run me over, which apparently can be interpreted as Criminal Damage.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

Any knife which locks into a position, even uf ut is to stop you chopping your fingers off is a lock knife.

So is a lock defined as a detent or does it have to be a separate lock lever or something?
I.e is one which has a detent, but can be closed by pushing the blade back the same way, a lock knife?


(not trying to be awkward, sorry)

[anna]

Originally Posted by TamSV

A few have mentioned this. Is it common to get stopped in London while going about your business these days?

I've never had so much as a cross look from a policeman round here when I've had all kinds of potentially offensive weapons.

Not wishing to sound like a bumpkin. I've worked for long periods in Glasgow and Birmingham and for short periods in London and have never been stopped by the police (apart from a couple of occasions in my youth when I thoroughly deserved it).

It probably isnt as much as a problem for those who travel around in a company car or van for example.

I was travelling to and from venues by metro with a metal toolbox, to get to those places meant travelling via underground and temporary metal detectors set up. That meant pretty much being stopped every time by those that were using them, and because they were temporary you could never tell which metro station would have them up to avoid the hastle.

when i work in london i keep all bladed things in my toolbag with my screwdrivers and spanners... my ball pene hammer is just insdie the top flap and a far better weapon than any knife, just ask peter sutcliff...