Best Pocket knife

Far as I'm aware Steve UK legal requires a non fixed blade ( lock knives count as fixed blade as the blade is, obviously, locked to the handle causing the knive to be one unit ) and cutting edge of blade to be under three inches. So a standard Swiss Army knive would seem, to me, to be compliant with that piece of legislation. Don't forget though that anything at all can be held to be an offensive weapon by reason of construction, adaptation or intent in a place to which the public have access whether by payment ir demand. The burden of proving lawful authority or reasonable excuse falls upon the defendant. Which, in a Glasgow dance hall at night for instance, could well mean a UK legal knife may well land one in court with the burden of demonstrating why it was being carried. UK legal is most emphatically not a permit to carry a blade, just a set of requirements to be complied with when a blade is carried in public.

JohnnyO. o/
 
JohnnyO said:
Far as I'm aware Steve UK legal requires a non fixed blade ( lock knives count as fixed blade as the blade is, obviously, locked to the handle causing the knive to be one unit ) and cutting edge of blade to be under three inches. So a standard Swiss Army knive would seem, to me, to be compliant with that piece of legislation. Don't forget though that anything at all can be held to be an offensive weapon by reason of construction, adaptation or intent in a place to which the public have access whether by payment ir demand. The burden of proving lawful authority or reasonable excuse falls upon the defendant. Which, in a Glasgow dance hall at night for instance, could well mean a UK legal knife may well land one in court with the burden of demonstrating why it was being carried. UK legal is most emphatically not a permit to carry a blade, just a set of requirements to be complied with when a blade is carried in public.

JohnnyO. o/
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I understand that virtually anything solid could be construed as an offensive weapon if the police want to push it. The vagary of the law is what confuses me. If I'm going about my business working at a nursery and I wear a Swiss Army Knife on my belt, am I exposed to legal jeopardy? What if I'm wearing the same knife when I go to buy a burger at a roadside van?

It's as Dave-the-rave stated, "If they want to send you to jail they will."
 
Straightforward answer is implicit in the fact that the law does not give express or implied permission to carry a bladed instrument in a public place Steve. The circumstances will determine what, if any action the police take if they become involved. Prosecution will only proceed at the instigation of the relevant crown authorities, the Crown Prosecutions Authority in England and Wales; the Procurators Fiscal Office for the area concerned in Scotland. No one is in a position to state that you or I have absolute permission to carry a non prohibited blade in public in any and all circumstances. Any more than they could say that as long as you were observing a statutory speed restriction when driving you would definitely not be travelling too fast for the prevailing road, traffic or weather conditions.
I'm afraid that's pretty much all the info I can suggest.

JohnnyO. o/
 
Steve Bowles said:
I understand that virtually anything solid could be construed as an offensive weapon if the police want to push it. The vagary of the law is what confuses me. If I'm going about my business working at a nursery and I wear a Swiss Army Knife on my belt, am I exposed to legal jeopardy? What if I'm wearing the same knife when I go to buy a burger at a roadside van?

It's as Dave-the-rave stated, "If they want to send you to jail they will."
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Without getting into the politics, it is legal to carry a folding pocket knife with a blade length not in excess of three inches. If your Swiss Army knife falls within that definition, then it's legal to carry. This is of course legal to carry as in you may need it as a tool, not for self defence. Common sense should tell you that trying to take it into a nightclub would be a no-go, but certainly carrying it at work in a nursery (assuming plants, not small children) is fine legally, as would be going for your lunch with it.

Anything larger than three inches or locking / fixed is legal if it's part of a national costume, for example a sgian dubh with a kilt. It is also legal if it's used for your job, or if you have a "good reason". The burden of demonstrating good reason falls on you, but going to or from your gardening job carrying a locking pruning knife along with your other tools is perfectly legal, as is bringing it home from a shop, taking kitchen knives to be sharpened etc. "Because it may come in handy" is unlikely to be considered a good reason.

The law really is not vague.
 
It's not that the laws are vague, or inconsistent, it's quite like the laws in the States. Sometimes the explanation makes more sense than the reading of the law, especially for an old fart who doesn't carry knives anyway, but does (on occasion) carry a Swiss Army knife in a scabbard on his belt to do chores. I just didn't want to be arrested and told "ignorance of the law is no excuse."
 
PhilD said:
Can I ask, what's the 'glass breaker' tool? Not heard that term before.
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In my couple of years in the Fire Service we used to carry spring impact punches which fragmented reinforced or plate glass which we termed " glassbreakers " although I believe they were technically termed " Spring Centred Punches " or similar. When I joined the Police I discovered that if we found someone in suspicious circumstances, especially during the hours of darkness, they were known as " Housebreaking Implements ". I'd guess that the knife has a small stud intended to break the surface tension of the glass.

JohnnyO. o/
 
PhilD said:
Can I ask, what's the 'glass breaker' tool? Not heard that term before.
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Think it's designed to let you break a vehicle window to escape in the event of driving into a river or a crash where you can't open the doors. Look at the third photo of the multitool and you'll see a small nubbin of metal with a point to it.
 
With regard to the legal carry aspect, it is indeed and area with many greys. After 32 years of great involvement with the law on this subject my view is that if it has one blade of which the cutting edge, not including the choil is under 3 inches and it looks like a penknife/pocket knife, (ie show it to the average person and ask what it is and they reply penknife/pocketknife) then you are about as safe as possible. The main acts used for knives is the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and the Prevention of Crime Act 1953. Under the 1953 act anything can be an offensive weapon if it is made (homemade or certain items such as bayonet, knuckleduster) adapted (squeezy bottle full of amonia, stick with nails put through it) or INTENDED at the time to cause harm. So if you go out its raining and you have an umbrella compared to glorious sunny day you grab umbrella to poke someone with. However a respectable guy/gal with pocketknife/penknife who is not in suspicious circumstances is as safe as possible. This is one of the most ambiguous areas of law, second only to that (in my experience) of Air Weapons :(
There is also the possibility of an offensive of going equipped (Pretty slim IMO) of having glass breaking tool on knife, but I didn't notice it had one when I posted.
 
Dave-the-rave said:
As far as the law is concerned any non locking folding knife with a blade under 3 inches isn't illegal. This is Britain though. If they want to send you to jail they will.

A lock knife or fixed blade knife, even if over 3 inches. isn't considered illegal if just reason is declared and believed. Of course the Police in the first instance have to concur with said just reason. Then the CPS if charges are brought, then the judge and ultimately a jury if it goes that far.

Overall Politicians and the media have drip fed the masses to believe knives are illegal end of. ''Carry a knife go to jail'' was the mantra. It wasn't necessarily the law though.

I can't be bothered searching for a link but there was a case a few years back when a retired Brigadier, being searched prior to boarding the Eurostar at Waterloo, produced a Swiss Army knife from his pocket. 'Not allowed on the train'' the officials said, as that was Company policy.
''Fair enough'' replied the Brigadier and handed it over. Not content with that the Eurostar official summoned a copper who decided an offence had been committed. If memory serves the old man was actually arrested at that point but I may be wrong. He definitely ended up at the Police station though and had to accept a caution or be charged. The knife was confiscated.

As far as the law is concerned he had not committed an offence. This is Britain though. Envy of the world.
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I agree with almost all of what you have said and there is indeed case law on the subject, but like you I cannot be bothered looking it up. Sadly like your brigadier most people who get an over zealous cop choose to accept the caution rather than face court. Based on my experience in my area the Brigadier was never going to court CPS would drop it like a hot brick and even if they didnt he was almost certain to get the charge dismissed. However no one wants to take the risk. Hence the goverment keep us dumb working classes in our place.
 
Steve said:
I very much like the buffalo one but I think the blade is a bit small for me. I like just under three inches, wife says no comment ;)
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A. Wright and Sons can be a bit, shall we say, variable in quality- at least in my experience, after the last one with 'sod all' snap I won't buy them anymore. The Factory edge on them is also underwhelming. If you want a Trad knife I would thoroughly recommend Taylor's Eye Witness instead, a life time guarantee inspires confidence if nothing else.

(I only have experience of AW&S ordinary line rather than the Premier ones and of course YMMV etc.)
 
dowsing said:
I've got a Fallkniven U1 which I'd recommend as it's great quality. Here a few pics from when I first got it when they had a bit of a sale on.

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That's a gorgeous looking knife
 
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