Carrying a Knife in Public?

OK, so we hear a lot about knife crime and the cops stopping people and confiscating knives, but what would happen if I was stopped and searched on my bike for some reason, and they found the Leatherman I carry? It’s got a couple of really nasty blades on it. Silly sharp.
And they lock in position…
Similarly when I used to go fishing regularly I had a lock knife I used for cutting all sorts of stuff. Must have had a 6in blade. My dad gave it to me. A proper nasty tool it was, just what I needed.

Where do we stand on this?

Depends on whether they like the look of you? Are you black?

I believe the rule is that if it’s shorter than 3 inches it’s ok to carry. If it’s longer it’s ok as long as you have a good reason to carry it. If you need it for whittling sticks or gutting fish or whatever then you are fine, if you say you are carrying it for protection then that’s not fine.

Yep – 3″

It’s at times like this that I ask myself, “What would Ray Mears do? ”

Chop a tree down, make a big **** spear & go kill a dinosaur! Thats what Ray would do 😈

UK Knife law

Basically, you can carry a folding pocket knife with a blade below 3″.

Never been stopped with my 7″er. Fortunately!

you need to have a good reason (ie work)

i carry a leatherman* most of the time as I need one for work.

*well a Gerber actually

Ray would show Bear how to do it properly with whatever he could find

Ray would show Bear how to do it properly with whatever he could find in his hotel room

OK fairy nuff, just wondering like. I imagine the Leatherman blades are around 3in….

PP –

from a coppers pov – the guys are right about the 3inch chat, but if it locks or they are suspicious of you they have the power to confiscate it anyway..

if you have a “reasonable excuse” to carry the leatherman ie for the mtb or fishing then you will be fine. if you are in the middle of town without your fishing rod and your claiming to gut fish then you might be in a spot of bother… it carries a 4 year sentence and 80% of people who carry knifes get stabbed by the one they are carrying so worth thinking twice before taking it out or forgetting its in your bag! 🙂

hope this helps answer the q 🙂

80% of people who carry knifes (sic) get stabbed by the one they are carrying

Really? Do you mean 80% of people who were carrying a knife when they get stabbed, get stabbed with their own knife?

Or are you seriously suggesting that when I go out with my leatherman in my camelbak the chances of me being stabbed with it are 4 in 5? Because if it’s the latter then I am a statistical marvel. 🙂

Really? Do you mean 80% of people who were carrying a knife when they get stabbed, get stabbed with their own knife?

You worded it better than me – nothing to worry about when cycling with your leatherman, unless your cycling on the really “rough” trails! 😉

Evil, yeah that’s good thanks. I don’t have the fishing knife anymore, not been for years now, but the Leatherman does lock….Which is why I was wondering really.

😕

I always used to carry one of these while camping….

And often some of these for something to do in the evenings…

Not sure if I would any more, while I have entirely innocent use for them and generally its only me and the missus camping I’m not sure PC Plod would accept “camping and entertainment” as a good reason 😀

I’d guess that strictly it would be classed as illegal to carry in public due to it locking…

But with most of this it’s just being sensible about it. If you are out on the bike with the Leatherman in your pack, even if you do get searched for some reason you have a reasonable reason to be carrying it.

If i had a knife on me now i’d stab this fekking keyboard stupid s***y excel 2007 I WANT A HORIZONTAL ERROR BAR DAMN YOU!!!

The legalistic answer on this would be:

Sub 3″ folding non locking blade – legal to carry, no reasonable excuse needed*
all locking blades, or blades over 3″ – reasonable excuse needed (eg, I was going mountainbiking and needed it for cutting back branches etc.)

Leatherman – easy enough to claim reasonable excuse on the fact that you use the pliers/scissors/file for other uses, such as work/mountainbiking/cutting your toenails – this is unlikely to work when nicked outside a nightclub on a saturday night though.

* caveat – anything, including a sub 3″ bladed folding knife can be classified as an offensive weapon if the circumstances deem that a jury/magistrate thinks you were likely use it in such a fashion – eg hammer, cricket ball, newspaper (seriously!) Police officer would have no power to “confiscate” something without nicking you for suspected possession of offensive weapon/bladed article.

Man convicted of carrying an offensive weapon…

stick them in a fancy wrap, don an apron & tell everyone to f*ck off?

Well it works for Godron Ramsey

“What would Ray Mears do? ”

Ray Mears thinks an interfering policeman makes a tasty snack and a store of jerky…

Of course Bear would ask the policeman the way home… 😀

like others said, if the copper is a bastard he can confiscate and/or arrest you, as it has a locking blade and is hence illegal. Yes its stupid, but its the law and its to keep you safe from the commies/terrorists/protestors/hippies (delete as appropriate)

So you best bet is not be lippy (or black) and hope they don’t search you.

edit: here you go http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/opinion/comment/law-lock-knives-need-re-examination you can get arrested and convicted under current UK law buying a lock knife from a DIY store and carrying it home to do some decorating. As for saying you use it for work, well you have to convince a court thats the case, not the arresting officer

Wonder if they class women using stilettos over 3″ an offensive weapon.

Lost count the number of times I have seen them used as a weapon 😉

– eg hammer, cricket ball, newspaper (seriously!)

I seem to remember seeing Jason Bourne kicking seven shades out of a knife wielding guy with a rolled up magazine!

🙂

newspaper (seriously!)

Ahh – the Millwall Brick – why would anyone (over about 35 anyway) not think you were being serious?

EDIT: Or anyone who watches those rubbish Bourne films.

My dad showed me how to do that with a newspaper when I was about 16. Dunno what sort of company he thought I was keeping.

Coffeeking – Gone are the days when teenagers could happily frolic in the woods with their 10-inch Rambo sidearms. Did yours have a hollow shaft where you could keep a sewing kit to stitch up your wounds with?

mine had a hollow handle big enough to hold a clipper lighter, small rizla and a teenth of solid

Did yours have a hollow shaft where you could keep a sewing kit to stitch up your wounds with?

It did. Didnt help though, the only time i ever needed wounds healing when with it was when a mate smacked me in the face with a burning stick and melted half my cheek to a sticky mess! Knew it was a bad burn when it didnt hurt!

I normally carry a 9″ folding pruning saw. Very handy when Mr Stick man pulls branches across the trails. Also normally have a felling axe and a mattock in the boot just in case.

The only time I had an issue was when walking out of the woods with the axe over my shoulder. A FC man came over and asked to look at the axe. He advised me it was dangerous and that I should get the head fitted properly as it was loose. He added as I walked away ‘Next time please hide it from me when I walk past’ Which I thought was quite reasonable.

Gone are the days when teenagers could happily frolic in the woods with their 10-inch Rambo sidearms. Did yours have a hollow shaft where you could keep a sewing kit to stitch up your wounds with?

Yup! 😳

I carry an 8″ pruning saw like this in my Camelbak, for essential trail maintenance.

http://www.choiceful.com/choiceful-id-7673-Wilkinson-Sword-Retractable-Pruning-Saw.html

No good for stabbing, but I could cut the victim up into tiny pieces afterwards.

tiny messy pieces

Struggling to work out what you’d use a 3″ blade on a bike, though…

Cleaning mud from your cassette?

Dont mess about with 3 inch knives, take a woodchipper – like in Fargo

At least it would be legal to carry 🙂

nickc – Member

Struggling to work out what you’d use a 3″ blade on a bike, though… nickc – Member

Don’t think anyone said they needed one for a bike – the knife part of a Leatherman is hard to remove (and the pliers and others bits ARE useful on a bike)

My alien tool comes with a little locking 1″ blade.More than handy in numerous occasions. 3″ just seems like showing off 😀