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Regardless of context, I would never carry a non legal knife on public land purely because I am not white. I am half Chinese. I have had stop and searches whilst on trails on a bike and in a city. So a SAK is my useful pocket tool should I need to carry one that day.
That is wrong and upsetting Yak. However I know you're right and being white and professional class I've never ever been concerned carrying my topeak alien multi tool everywhere. It's a great tool although the lockable serated blade is not something I've used in the 20 or so years I've had it. However it lives in a pocket of the commuter Day sack I use cycling to work, which often went to the pub and all over Central London.
If I were not white I guess I'd have binned it when I was first given it as a thank you present. Wtf topeak ever put the blade on it I don't know... And then made it locking?! The rest of the tool is great though.
I’m just amazed that I’ve made it to 62 years of age without having to carry a knife on a daily basis. Probably because I live the UK and aren’t living out some Bear Ghrylls fantasy.
I'm half your age but use my penknife regularly. Its 4cm long and would last about as long as it takes beargrill to get back to his hotel after shooting a stunt. I could on almost every occasion have found an alternative to it but wouldn't be as handy.
My other slightly bigger swiss army knife goes camping because it has vital tools aka the cork screw. My other knifes are for whittling or full campsite chefing.
Why anyone would have 30knifes though! Thats crazy.
Spyderco UK Penknife (UKPK). Created specifically as the name would suggest as a UK legal carry.
Byrd (same company as Spyderco) do a cheaper version as well.
a locking knife is considerably safer than a SAK. You’re not going to accidentally fold it back over your knuckles.
Been there, quite a lot of blood, but a nice clean cut. I don’t carry my SAK these days, I have Gerber MT800 which I usually have at work, which is heavier duty, and the pliers and wire-cutters are outstanding, the tungsten carbide replaceable cutters will cut through wire that left deep gouges in a pair of 8” hard-wire cutters!
I’m just amazed that I’ve made it to 62 years of age without having to carry a knife on a daily basis. Probably because I live the UK and aren’t living out some Bear Ghrylls fantasy.
Well, nobody makes anyone carry a pocket knife, and as I’ve carried a pocket knife for well over fifty of my 66 years, it’s because I came to realise that it’s a very useful tool to have handy. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been asked if I had a knife on me to cut something, these days it’s often zip ties or plastic packaging.
Tell me, how do you manage to cut zip ties, or open the sort of thick sealed plastic that things like SD cards come in?
The knife I’ve been carrying most, up until very recently, was a CRKT Pilar, named after Earnest Hemingway’s boat, designed by Jaesper Voxnaes, who’s designed knives for other makers, his blades have a distinctive sheepsfoot shape, but Heinnie have had their own version made, with red G10 scales, and no liner-lock, so it’s now U.K. legal.
Really nice knife to use, there’s a bit of a click once it fully opens, but it’s smooth to close, and there’s no back-spring, the blade is held open by a finger choil at the foot of the blade.
Really solid, sturdy blade with a very smooth and solid pivot, would cut a pie with ease, and the blade is broad enough to be able to butter bread and spread the filling of choice for your sandwiches. 😁
Interesting thread and has got me pondering whether the Opinel kids penknife my daughter has is UK legal, as it has a locking collar.
looking at Gov.uk, https://www.gov.uk/buying-carrying-knives , they say;
'Lock knives are not classed as folding knives and are illegal to carry in public without good reason. Lock knives:
have blades that can be locked and refolded only by pressing a button
can include multi-tool knives - tools that also contain other devices such as a screwdriver or can opener'
From that definition, I would think that an opinel with the collar lock is OK, and my old leatherman tool is probably not ok, although that does not lock or refold with a button, but by opening another blade / tool to release the 'pin'
Tell me, how do you manage to cut zip ties, or open the sort of thick sealed plastic that things like SD cards come in?
I've never had to do either of those things while away from home or a workshop, other than when I've specifically set out to remove hundreds of temporary signs for an event in which case I carry a decent pair of snips. Much better than a knife.Do you go around randomly removing zipties and opening other folks mail?
I assume you carry your knife in your [s]hand[/s]manbag?
From that definition, I would think that an opinel with the collar lock is OK,
No. The stated case mentioned a separate action to allow the blade to be closed. Turning the collar to allow the blade to close is a separate action.
I've just learnt that the assisted opening knife I have will be classed as a switchblade/flick knife from the end of next March thanks to the 2019 Offensive Weapons amendments. I thought when I first saw one that it was only a small legal step away from being a switchblade, as you only have to nudge the thumb stud on the blade to get it to spring into a fully open (and locked) position, but because the previous legal definition spoke specifically of a button or other device in the handle of the knife an assisted opener falls short.
It's a shame, there are times when a one-handed opening knife is a real convenience. Still there's a surrender and compensation scheme up and running, so I might not be too much out of pocket.
It’s good to see the NHS is managing to roll out its TRT programme despite the pandemic 🤪🤣😂 I’m looking forwards to naked fireplace wrestling as per Women in Love (to continue the literary reference).
And I quite like the look of that pilar, might be tempted to get one just to wind up Scotroutes on one of our deep Backcountry bivi trips...
However, reason I popped on here wasn’t to drop the casual insults, but that facewest have a 20% off and free engraving for Leatherman stuff at the moment. Not much legal EDC but if you’re on here you’re probably interested...
https://www.facewest.co.uk/Leatherman.html
I assume you carry your knife in your
handmanbag?
Yes. Or as I prefer to call it, a "bag." It's usually over my manshoulder as I make my way to the mancar. Did you have a point to make or were you just trying and failing to be randomly offensive?
Because,
it’s a very useful tool to have handy. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been asked if I had a knife on me to cut something
IME, people rip the piss right up until the point they need something. It's all hilarious until the arm falls off your glasses in the pub and I have a set of small screwdrivers on me. Or, "anyone have a pen?" one might ask, patting their pockets like they'd every had a pen in them during their entire existence. Yes, I do.
I started carrying a bag in the early days of tablet computers. Most people here will have some form of iPad or Android tablet I assume. Does it ever leave the house? None-mobile mobile tech seems a bit of a pointless waste if it doesn't, might as well use a laptop. And if it does, how do you port it about?
And yes, I carry a SAK. I was gifted one as a leaving present from work in the mid-90s, at the time I thought "lovely thought but I'll never use it." It then had if not daily then certainly weekly use for two decades until I lost it (I have a sneaking suspicion that I left it on a desk at work and someone filched it). I was absolutely gutted. My best man got me a replacement as a wedding gift a little while later and that now goes everywhere with me instead.
It’s a shame, there are times when a one-handed opening knife is a real convenience.
A spyderco or similar works well enough one handed and are still allowed as far as I can tell.
Spyderco UKPK is the best pen knife for me, easy single handed opening, pocket clip and uk legal to just leave in your pocket all the time.
I would prefer a lock knife, but just leave them with specific outdoor gear as its not worth the potential hassle.
I’m just amazed that I’ve made it to 62 years of age without having to carry a knife on a daily basis.
Dont then, who cares what other people find useful.
Some people always have pens, or a torch, or all sorts of random things they find useful.
I find a pen knife useful. It can be removed from my pocket, opened single handed, used and returned to my pocket whilst holding something else, and its always in my pocket so I dont need to find it.
Opening boxes at work every day, opening letters every day, (its faster than finding where somebody else has left a box cutter).
Removing things from packaging I want to use immediately (bulbs, wiper blades, things that have been zip tied onto packaging etc)
Cutting food on a walk. Cutting out a splinter on a day out. Forgot a knife on a picnic
Abusing it as a chisel, scraper, lever when I just want to get something done. Using it as to mark something I cam going to cut as I have lost my marker.
It think mine is probably used for opening things most of the time, I also get asked to open things for other people, to save them trying to find whatever they use to open things, that is further away or they dont know where they left it.
Reminds me of the time several years ago I set the alarms off going
INTO THE HOUSES OF COMMONS
with a little locking pocket knife in my coat
A few years ago I was in and out of the HOuses of Parliament, Portcullis House, MI5, New Scotland Yard and the Home Office for work. Forgot I had a tiny penknife on my keyring. The only place that had an issue with it?
A magistrates court when I went for an adoption hearing for a friend.
Is there some reason you are being ignorant ?
Why anyone would have 30knifes though! Thats crazy.
I collect them. Much the same as anyone collects any other object. Hardly crazy really is it ?
Carrying a knife is an everyday normal thing to do. Just because we are fed garbage about how it's "illegal" and "dangerous" to carry "lethal weapons" doesn't make it so.
Last time I used mine was in Currys to help a sales girl open a box to show me something.
Neither of us died.
Much the same as anyone collects any other object. Hardly crazy really is it ?
I'll stand by it. I'm wary of any collectors 😀
Despite the fact I carry a penkife most of the time I do find a fascination with knives slightly odd for eg the one above of CountZeros a blade on its own I'd lose the blade before I'd loose the scissors and, tweezers and corkscrew/bottle opener.
Oh I love a penknife!
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I’ll stand by it. I’m wary of any collectors
TBF I'll give you that one lol.
I have shot all my life so ended up with loads of knives through that and I can't help buying old pocket knifes when I'm in junk shops etc so have ended up with a few.
^That’s all fine, but once the pie is eaten you have an illegal knife.
I would err on the side of caution and get a legal carry.
Or always carry a spare pie
Your knife is still legal after you have eaten the pie by the way.
This really is a perfect example of the scaremongering that is being drilled into us all.
Try walking down a street with a billhook in one hand and a chainsaw in the other. You sure do than get some strange looks. A leatherman on my belt was the least of my worries 🙂
Your knife is still legal after you have eaten the pie by the way.
This really is a perfect example of the scaremongering that is being drilled into us all.
+1
So much utter paranoia on this thread.
Yet another day passed yesterday when I neither had to cut anything or stab anyone while out and about. I'll let you know how today goes.
There haven’t been any changes to legislation in the last 5 years that would affect anyone in most circumstances. There are now minimum sentences for second offences and the introduction of new offences in relation to threatening people with weapons.
Flick knives and butterfly knives are still banned under virtually any circumstances in a public place which includes cars. The good reason defence is not available as they are offensive per se.
I put a small screw through the collar of my opined so that it no longer locks but for most purposes find a Swiss Army knife far more useful.
Do you go around randomly removing zipties and opening other folks mail?
I assume you carry your knife in your handmanbag?
Do you ever leave the comfort of your bedroom and lounge? Do you ever actually leave the house?
Yet another day passed yesterday when I neither had to cut anything or stab anyone while out and about. I’ll let you know how today goes.
Yup, you clearly lead a very sheltered life. We regularly use zip-ties at work for various things, and zip-ties, not infrequently need to be cut; I could carry a pair of cutters, but it’s easier to carry a small Spyderco hawksbill knife on a lanyard with a pen and a small flashlight to cut them.
I usually carry three or four small flashlights around with me, where I work, I need to go collect cars from a compound that’s completely unlit, it’s dark for the last two hours of a late shift, and there’s a 1000+ cars in the compound, and batteries die at inopportune moments, but I guess that’s something else you never bother carrying, either.
As regards things like plastic packaging, you obviously never go anywhere with a camera, then found the memory card has filled up, and had to buy another one. And then tried to open the packaging they’re sealed in.
Even a bloody pen, I carry quite a few, Sharpies and ballpoints, and the number of times a day I get asked by platers and other drivers, who have to sign paperwork on a regular basis, and don’t carry a pen, beggars belief. I’ve even had a need for a Torx wrench to access something on a car.
I’ve lost count, over the years, of the number of times I’ve had people ask me to fix something because I carry a few simple tools around, while they, like you, can’t see the point; until they need to fix something.
And ‘manbag’ is such a cheap insult, like something from the Daily Mail...
#rollseyes
I used to have a Spyderco Bug (on a key ring with my car keys), I say used to as I had to go to court a few weeks back (as a witness), it never occurred to me they'd have airport style security checks on the way in. I detached the knife and put it alongside the keys/phone/wallet etc. into the plastic tray, the security guy didn't actually notice it but I thought I best point it out after at which time he confiscated it and gave me a form to complete I had post somewhere asking for it back - haven't bothered as I rarely used it.
I went through airport security sometime in the mid 00s with a 3-4 inch knife in my bag which I had forgotten was there. I got the "whose bag is this" so went back and the lady said "you can put it in this box" (indicating behind her to a 35l ish box full of knives) behind her "for destruction" or get an envelop and post it home. I did the latter. I'm not so sure it would be plain sailing today though.
I have a small 1 1/2 bladed folding knife in my saddle bag, but like many on here am loth to use it in case I fold it over on my knuckles especially when cold. I'm more inclined to leave trail fix cable ties and puncture repairs with flapping ends then cut them with scissors when I get home.
edit:
‘manbag’
I think the youths call them pouches these days which I find even funnier for some reason. I've not used mine for years except on holiday.
Reminds me of the time I was pulled over and searched by a bunch of very angry police in a van when I was about 18. "He's got a knife, he's got a knife!!!" Cue lots of lights and even more angry police. "Why have you got a knife" "been working on a farm" "how do we know that" "well I'm covered in cow shit". Never did find out why the police van was driving about the Worcestershire countryside with coppers in such an angry state.
Anyway, I kept my knife and was eventually unpeeled from the bonnet of my mini and went home for a shower!
A few years ago I was in and out of the HOuses of Parliament, Portcullis House, MI5, New Scotland Yard and the Home Office for work. Forgot I had a tiny penknife on my keyring. The only place that had an issue with it?
A magistrates court when I went for an adoption hearing for a friend.
To be fair, whilst the HoP and Civil Service are full of criminals they aren't usually the type to be literally knifing each other, whereas Magistrates Courts... However, it more likely is that security is so lax/bored in these places that they never noticed your knife rather than thought "ah that's ok".
I went through airport security sometime in the mid 00s with a 3-4 inch knife in my bag which I had forgotten was there. I got the “whose bag is this” so went back and the lady said “you can put it in this box” (indicating behind her to a 35l ish box full of knives) behind her “for destruction” or get an envelop and post it home. I did the latter. I’m not so sure it would be plain sailing today though.
It's still the same protocol today. Interestingly I did this in Copenhagen after a camping trip in Sweden. After much searching of the bag she was finally able to find the knife my son (~14 yo) had put in the wrong bag (it's his penknife he has for scout type stuff). He made numerous grovelling apologies - and she looked at its <2" blade. Looked at him, and then popped it back in the bag and told him not to worry about it!
Yup, you clearly lead a very sheltered life. We regularly use zip-ties at work for various things, and zip-ties, not infrequently need to be cut; I could carry a pair of cutters, but it’s easier to carry a small Spyderco hawksbill knife on a lanyard with a pen and a small flashlight to cut them...
...I usually carry three or four small flashlights around with me, where I work, I need to go collect cars from a compound that’s completely unlit,
No doubt someone in your elf n safety department is having kittens right now, and if they were aware you'd all be getting proper cutters that are less likely to result in cuts to fingers. I think you are misunderstanding Scotroutes - just because you need a torch at work when its dark (needing 3 is clearly bad planning!) or need to cut stuff at work is not really a logical reason for carrying knives and multiple torches around in public the rest of the time. A police officer needs handcuffs but most don't take them down the pub on a normal night out; a doctor needs a stethoscope quickly whenever they are working, but they don't carry it walking round tesco, I need my laptop but don't take it up the hills just in case someone wants me to knock up a spreadsheet to split the fuel and lunch costs for the day... That's not to say that carrying a penknife, multitool or torch isn't occasionally going to be useful, but it's not so frequently a crisis not to have a bladed object that I think everyone should carry one all the time versus the increased risk of random Mr Angry turning into Mr Armed and Angry.
FWIW, those of us who have forgotten a pen (or in my case often have lost or has said pen pocketed by someone else) are just as likely to have forgotten/lost our utility knife. My pen will cost 50p to replace.
It’s still the same protocol today.
Someone I worked with borrowed her boyfriend's climbing backpack as her 'cabin bag' a couple of years ago. She thought she'd emptied it but there was a fairly well hidden pocket with a knife in it. She ended up being escorted to an interview room by armed police, being interviewed and then given a leaflet on knife crime before just about making it to the plane in time.
Update: I as out and about yesterday and popped into a cafe for a coffee and a scone. The latter arrived with jam and butter but I had no knife! By chance, the previous person at my table had left one behind, in a strange little upright wooden box thing (in fact, there were a couple of knifes and some forks and spoons too). I had a look around, used that knife to cut my scone and apply the butter and jam, then licked the knife clean and put it back in it's wee holder. I think I got away with it.
Hmmm....
What an obnoxious little nothing.
just because you need a torch at work when its dark (needing 3 is clearly bad planning!) or need to cut stuff at work is not really a logical reason for carrying knives and multiple torches around in public the rest of the time. A police officer needs handcuffs but most don’t take them down the pub on a normal night out;
It's not really comparable though, is it. If someone in the pub asking if you have any handcuffs on you is a likely occurrence then you need to tell me where you go drinking.
and if they were aware you’d all be getting proper cutters that are less likely to result in cuts to fingers.
My little spyderco is a lot better for cutting than a package cutter. However its a tad more expensive and needs sharpening.
just because you need a torch at work when its dark (needing 3 is clearly bad planning!)
It might be overkill but isnt bad planning. If I was planning on being somewhere dark I would generally have two torches plus a third on the keyring.
My EDC because I find that having a pen and a knife is useful. I don't carry a torch because I'm not outside much so can get by with my phone.
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I have:
old leather man wave an ex colleague snapped one tip of the pliers prising out a split pin he then corrected the issue by grinding the other side down..... ****.
A newer leatherman wave that I leant to someone at work who used it while their hands were covered in grout.
I'm onto my 3rd Buck redpoint on my work harness, I file the bottle opener tab off so I can fire a carabineer through it. No1 died when someone used it as a screwdriver. No2 died when someone used it to slash open 40 bags of type 1. No3 is still going strong.
Moral of the story, knives are like girlfriends*, never lend them to your mates# as you never know their intentions
*Boyfriends/friends with benefits/partner etc
#family/colleagues etc
I rarely carry them day to day.
For those working at night, buy a head torch, much better than a wee hand torch.
I'm enjoying scotroutes posts.
Daily updates please.
To be fair though my 38mm swissarmy. Knife blade is a miserable spreader, i'd be better dipping the whole lot in the jam and wiping it off with the scone.
There seem to be a few of schools of thought on the (oddly recurring on STW) topic of "EDC knives", but they generally boil down to:
-"I'll rely on having a good reason if challenged"
-"I'll Keep it just inside of 'legal' sub 3 inches"
-"If I don't foresee needing a knife today, so I won't carry one"
And I have to agree with scotroutes and err towards the last of those schools of thought above.
The risks of spending half a day explaining myself in a police station following a stop and search, far outweigh the likelihood of me needing to trim a zip tie or neatly slice a pork pie while out and about (YMMV).
The gamble if found with a knife just under 3" will always be is the officer I encounter going to accept my "good reason"?
@count zero, out of interest I googled your 'CRKT pillar' their website says it got a 2.67" locking blade, if you do ever get S&S'd you're going to be relying on the copper's judgement there, and I doubt he/she will be calibrated to spot the 8mm difference...
I think the easiest blade to justify as "every day carry" if you must is still probably the knife integrated into a leatherman type multi-tool...
if you have a non locking knife less than 3" long then you do not need a good reason. The copper will have no reason to detain you. If you have any knife that is non folding or folding and locking, then you need good reason. length of blade irrelevant
> https://www.gov.uk/buying-carrying-knives <
I think the easiest blade to justify as “every day carry” if you must is still probably the knife integrated into a leatherman type multi-tool…
Which are generally locking...
Also. Anyone who uses "everyday carry"or EDC like they are a low level tactical mission on their day off should not be allowed to hold a knife.
I just generally have no need to carry a knife. Mrs TJ carries a Switz
army knife when camping. My mother kept getting caught in airports with 5" opinal lock knives tho.
I use knives on a daily basis and so am finding this discussion interesting....
My day job is mostly in an office but does also involve some work with rope and textile fibres for which a knife is required. Apart from the bike I also, rock climb, walk, shoot (archery) and generally enjoy time outdoors including camping. This means I tend to always have a knife about my person and it's very rare that a day passes in which I don't use a knife.
These days I have one of these for 'just in case': https://heinnie.com/ruike-s11 Which is about as small and inoffensive as possible while still being useful.
If I expect I might use a knife I'll likely have one of these: https://heinnie.com/svord-peasant-mini for the reasons already given. Again this is a 'legal' carry.
Then, if I'm doing an activity that definitely justifies having a knife I'll use a fixed blade for my own safety.
There's also more specialised stuff, for example, my first aid kit in the 'woods' bag also has a fixed blade rescue knife in, but as pointed out, context is everything. In this case, it's a knife, in a first aid kit, in a bag, with tools like saws axes etc.
Given how useful a knife is it still amazes me that some people are shocked that anyone would consider it appropriate to have even a small knife in their pocket.
I've got a little rechargeable Olight torch on my keyring, as I'm a bit night-vison impaired. I use it a lot in winter walking to the shops down an unlit alley (avoiding dogshit rather than muggers etc) and walking down the side of the house. Comes in handy out and about at times, but never in a life or death way.
I've got a Swiss Army keyring knife on there too, I only ever use it for Dad duties, cutting open toy packaging or tweezering out splinters. Occasional use cutting crab nets out of hair.Comes in handy out and about at times, but never in a life or death way.
I've also got a titanium vial thing on my keys with a £20 note in it. Never leave the house without my keys, but have left my wallet in my other coat/bag/gone for a run/whatever. I'm diabetic, so have had to use the emergency note to buy food to deal with a hypo. Not quite life or death, but self-sufficient and avoided a trip in an ambulance.
I don't NEED a knife and all that EDC gubbins, but they do make my life a bit easier. I don't think I'm tooled up like Rambo though. Could be worse, some people appear to forget which bike is theirs and write their name on it. Sometimes a sticker with their favourite veg on it, for example an Onion - they're the real psychos.
Is there an illegal knives thread?
I have found some interesting bits that I believe belonged to my grandfather, one might be a bayonet or similar from WWII (can't suss how it attaches), the other two look old but no idea on their origin, again both are interesting designs but purely for killing.
Being realistic I would only keep them for sentimental purposes but would rather give them to a museum (especially if military) or similar than destroy them if it was an option.
I think the easiest blade to justify as “every day carry” if you must is still probably the knife integrated into a leatherman type multi-tool…
I would rather go for the far easier option of a UK legal blade that I don’t need to justify to anyone.