Medium Swiss army knife with locking blade
Discussion
bxlbaz said:
Am I correct in thinking that it’s illegal to carry a leatherman in the tool roll in the boot of your own car ?
There are many types of leatherman. If it has a locking blade of any size, or a non locking blade more than 3inches then you need a good reason for carrying it in a public place.Just in case is not deemed to be a good reason. Afaik ‘carrying’ it in your car is still carrying it in a public place.
However having it in a tool roll in the spare wheel cavity of your car is unlikely to cause you an issue but if you are caught it is likely you would end up before a magistrate having to explain your good reason.
MC Bodge said:
Does the same law apply to "pointy" implements?
Eg. Screwdriver, knitting needle, Centre punch, scribe, steel rod.
AFAIK it depends upon the situation, they can be classed as an offensive weapon as carrying a screwdriver was the first thing the scrotes did to get around the knife laws. Eg. Screwdriver, knitting needle, Centre punch, scribe, steel rod.
V8RX7 said:
MC Bodge said:
Does the same law apply to "pointy" implements?
Eg. Screwdriver, knitting needle, Centre punch, scribe, steel rod.
AFAIK it depends upon the situation, they can be classed as an offensive weapon as carrying a screwdriver was the first thing the scrotes did to get around the knife laws. Eg. Screwdriver, knitting needle, Centre punch, scribe, steel rod.
The knife laws have simply clarified what you might need to justify.
Just as carrying a screwdriver etc might get you into bother.
Think about the stages you'd have to go through to end up in court for carrying. You'd need to be stopped, the BiB would need good reason to search you, find your multitool, not believe your good reason and arrest you, then the custody sergeant would need to hold you and finally the CPS.
Now, I'll grant you that once you're being searched you've clearly had your cards marked, but there's very few occasions someone apparently innocent gets caught up in the system.
ETA all it is is occasionally mildly inconvenient, how often do you really [i]need[i] a locking/longer knife day to day?? And particularly in a city centre which is where you're far more likely to get searched?
Just as carrying a screwdriver etc might get you into bother.
Think about the stages you'd have to go through to end up in court for carrying. You'd need to be stopped, the BiB would need good reason to search you, find your multitool, not believe your good reason and arrest you, then the custody sergeant would need to hold you and finally the CPS.
Now, I'll grant you that once you're being searched you've clearly had your cards marked, but there's very few occasions someone apparently innocent gets caught up in the system.
ETA all it is is occasionally mildly inconvenient, how often do you really [i]need[i] a locking/longer knife day to day?? And particularly in a city centre which is where you're far more likely to get searched?
Edited by Bill on Friday 20th December 09:43
And as someone's mentioned our gun laws...
Yes, again some users are mildly inconvenienced and can't access the full range of toys they might want to play with, and yes some criminals still get hold of them but they're expensive and hard to get so ultimately the likes of Lee Rigby's killers had to make do with sharing a knackered revolver or using knives.
(Soz, bored in a waiting room!)
Yes, again some users are mildly inconvenienced and can't access the full range of toys they might want to play with, and yes some criminals still get hold of them but they're expensive and hard to get so ultimately the likes of Lee Rigby's killers had to make do with sharing a knackered revolver or using knives.
(Soz, bored in a waiting room!)
Bill said:
And as someone's mentioned our gun laws...
Yes, again some users are mildly inconvenienced and can't access the full range of toys they might want to play with, and yes some criminals still get hold of them but they're expensive and hard to get so ultimately the likes of Lee Rigby's killers had to make do with sharing a knackered revolver or using knives.
I doubt the (later) gun laws saved many IIRC they were tightened after Dunblane - even single shot .22 target pistols were banned, that was ridiculous.Yes, again some users are mildly inconvenienced and can't access the full range of toys they might want to play with, and yes some criminals still get hold of them but they're expensive and hard to get so ultimately the likes of Lee Rigby's killers had to make do with sharing a knackered revolver or using knives.
The thing that's saved the most lives is that the "terrorists" are morons.
Mario149 said:
why was that removed? Would have been handy to be able to remove the locking feature surely?
filski666 said:
Mario149 said:
why was that removed? Would have been handy to be able to remove the locking feature surely?Some Guy said:
Non locking blades are held open by the pressure of the back spring on the heel of the blade.
Locking knives use a physical lock to hold the blade open.
Disable the lock and you get a floppy blade
No one likes a droopy tool.
Conversion is a waste of time. look for a different Swiss army knife.
I was wondering whether there are some Swiss Army geeks out there into modding their knives, and Youtube says there are plenty - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=swiss... So perhaps the OP can build the knife he wants?Locking knives use a physical lock to hold the blade open.
Disable the lock and you get a floppy blade
No one likes a droopy tool.
Conversion is a waste of time. look for a different Swiss army knife.
Edited by Some Guy on Sunday 8th December 23:36
I collect swiss army knives, the law is pretty clear.
You cant carry a fixed or locking knife without good reason. On top of that you have the offensive weapon act so even a slip join can be classed as a weapon if you brandish it as such.
A knife can be interchangeable between a tool and a weapon, that needs to be what you need to be clear on.
If you are carrying or using a knife as a tool that fine (a slip join if you are carrying it just in case, any other knife if you use it for work/a job) Carrying any sort of weapon is not ok, knife, pepper spray, baton whatever.
As for carrying a multitool in your car I have a moded multitool with the blade removed that I sling in the car. You can either replace it with an additional slip join knife or/and a pair of scissors if the multitool doesn't have scissor. I personally find scissors a little more useful and a lots of public friendly, pulling out a pair of scissors to cut something for someone is seen as more 'friendly'.
I'm at pains to discuss EDC and urban survival kits and other such nonsense, we all carry useful random crap in our pockets and man purses, carrying a load of normal stuff you can buy in the supermarket in my eyes is preferential to carrying a load of mallninja s
t.
OP - My Favourite model swiss army knife is the Ranger, Climber and deluxe tinker are good options too. Id definitely go for scissors.
You cant carry a fixed or locking knife without good reason. On top of that you have the offensive weapon act so even a slip join can be classed as a weapon if you brandish it as such.
A knife can be interchangeable between a tool and a weapon, that needs to be what you need to be clear on.
If you are carrying or using a knife as a tool that fine (a slip join if you are carrying it just in case, any other knife if you use it for work/a job) Carrying any sort of weapon is not ok, knife, pepper spray, baton whatever.
As for carrying a multitool in your car I have a moded multitool with the blade removed that I sling in the car. You can either replace it with an additional slip join knife or/and a pair of scissors if the multitool doesn't have scissor. I personally find scissors a little more useful and a lots of public friendly, pulling out a pair of scissors to cut something for someone is seen as more 'friendly'.
I'm at pains to discuss EDC and urban survival kits and other such nonsense, we all carry useful random crap in our pockets and man purses, carrying a load of normal stuff you can buy in the supermarket in my eyes is preferential to carrying a load of mallninja s
t.OP - My Favourite model swiss army knife is the Ranger, Climber and deluxe tinker are good options too. Id definitely go for scissors.
Edited by Foliage on Friday 20th December 10:45
Edited by Foliage on Friday 20th December 10:54
I feel much safer travelling in London knowing that any multitools or Swiss Army knives being carried by the middle aged besuited commuters have folding rather than locking blades. Likewise on the road with ageing boy-scouts. These are absolutely the people I worry might get a bit stabby with me.
Interesting thread. I got a Victorinox mini champ for Christmas and have a number of other legal SAKs. I also have a Leatherman sidekick and a Gerber suspension, both with locking blades. Leatherman is kept in the car but reading some of the info on here I'll be swapping it over asap. I knew locking blades were illegal but had no idea about the potential consequences of being caught with one
otolith said:
I feel much safer travelling in London knowing that any multitools or Swiss Army knives being carried by the middle aged besuited commuters have folding rather than locking blades. Likewise on the road with ageing boy-scouts. These are absolutely the people I worry might get a bit stabby with me.
MC Bodge said:
Smokehead said:
There are instructions here for adapting most Leatherman tools without damage, using the existing parts of the knife and is reversible.
Might help a few people not to damage their tools
https://www.instructables.com/id/Leatherman-Charge...
I did consider dismantling it, but then thought that I would never be re-fitting the blade as I live in the UK and I have a legal pocket knife with a better blade..... Might help a few people not to damage their tools
https://www.instructables.com/id/Leatherman-Charge...
Cutting off the Leatherman blade was a good idea.
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