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Multi tools - Are they classed as locking or are they uk legal carry ?


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As above really, are the likes of leatherman multi tools classed as lock knives ?

 

They dont have a locking mechanism but witht the handles closed it does prevent the blade closing !

 

Considering one for every day use but want it to be UK legal so i dont get into trouble with it ! :good:

 

ATB

 

Matt

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Yes, they are illegal.

 

However, I own one, and I carry and use it without a problem.

 

While the law is quite clear, the application of the law is often a grey area.

 

If you are quite happily minding your own business shooting or working and you have one in your pocket or kit bag then the police won't care.*

If you are looking suspect, wearing a hoody while wandering round a dodgy backstreet with the knife in your pocket, then the illegal lock knife is a good reason for the police to take you in for the night.

The intent of the law is to stop criminal carrying easily concealable folding knives that can open out into dangerous weapons, its not to stop people carrying useful tools.

 

*although if you have given a police officer good reason to search your stuff then chances are you're going to get taken down the station for something anyway.

Edited by Robl
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My Leatherman Wave certainly has locking blades.

 

As does my Charge.

 

However, if you mean what you say and have said what you mean, then you're legal. If you have need to use it daily - to, at and from work/the shoot, then all is well. If you mean you want it rattling around in your pocket with your loose change or on your belt in a sheath for no good reason, then all is not.

 

Edit: Just got to type faster; sorry, Robi, you weren't there when I started.

Edited by wymberley
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What I want it for is to wear everyday at work in the office as more and more regularly (twice a week) am off down the warehouses opening up deliveries needing a knife blade to open packaging and a philips / possie screwdriver to open wooden boxes screwed shut!

Finding a knife in the warehouses is like asking to take someone’s daughter out and there right scabby things then! As for a screwdriver there like hens teeth so rather than end up with my own tool kit in my office draw this seems like a logical solution!

 

 

Do you think this would be good reason to carry one if challenged ? :hmm:

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my friends son got stopped in his high vis vest and plumbers trousers coming home from a job at 7.30 in the evening, the coppers had seen a screwdriver handle sticking out of his knee side pocket.

he was made to hand it over and then get someone to drive and pick it up from the police station the following day.

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What I want it for is to wear everyday at work in the office as more and more regularly (twice a week) am off down the warehouses opening up deliveries needing a knife blade to open packaging and a philips / possie screwdriver to open wooden boxes screwed shut!

Finding a knife in the warehouses is like asking to take someone’s daughter out and there right scabby things then! As for a screwdriver there like hens teeth so rather than end up with my own tool kit in my office draw this seems like a logical solution!

 

 

Do you think this would be good reason to carry one if challenged ? :hmm:

 

Sounds like it.

Edited by Thunderbird
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my friends son got stopped in his high vis vest and plumbers trousers coming home from a job at 7.30 in the evening, the coppers had seen a screwdriver handle sticking out of his knee side pocket.

he was made to hand it over and then get someone to drive and pick it up from the police station the following day.

 

 

Thats crazy, the coppers that did that want a course in common sense !

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If you're just after something sime like that, get one of these from Tesco for £5, which has a sub 3" non-locking blade so is perfectly legal to carry:

 

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Not the best blade on it in the world but if you're just using it for indoors type stuff it's fine and the bit set really comes in handy

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What I want it for is to wear everyday at work in the office as more and more regularly (twice a week) am off down the warehouses opening up deliveries needing a knife blade to open packaging and a philips / possie screwdriver to open wooden boxes screwed shut!

Finding a knife in the warehouses is like asking to take someone’s daughter out and there right scabby things then! As for a screwdriver there like hens teeth so rather than end up with my own tool kit in my office draw this seems like a logical solution!

 

 

Do you think this would be good reason to carry one if challenged ? :hmm:

 

Yes.

 

As ever, have a look at BASC, Firearms, Knives

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With things like this I always bank on meeting a normal human type policeman, not one of the robocops that only see things in black & white as is often proposed on here.

 

If you have a reason I bet the majority of copppers couldn't care less about a 4" lockable blade attached to a pair of pliers. If you walk around with a multi-tool on your belt with no excuse/reason I am sure even the most laid back copper would ask a few questions.

 

 

PS:

 

I wouldn't worry about getting nicked for the next few weeks, every bobby is in East London giving directions to Japanese people. :rolleyes:

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I was asked by a police officer at the Eurotunnel security channel where they do the explosives check if I had any knives or blades in the car. I said yes, a have a Leatherman in the glove compartment. "Oh, I'm not worried about that" she says, and wandered off.

Bit odd as I have never been asked that before or since (and I use the tunnel every month or so) and if they are not worried, why did they ask?

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If you have a good reason for carrying said items;in the course of your work etc,then you should be fine,if not,then you may not be.It really is that simple.

It is quite acceptable to have a sheath knife etc on your person if you're going to/from a shoot,even if you stop off at the local Co-on on the way,but if you go home,and then go back down to the Co-op because you forgot something,still with your sheath knife attached,then your good reason has gone.It's easy to forget.

Some coppers are reasonable,some are not.I always remember the case of the old boy who was stopped by police in his car for whatever reason,and while going through his glove box found a very small knife in the 1st aid box,which the owner had put in there donkies years before the knife legislation came in,and forgotten about.He was prosecuted for possession of an offensive weapon!It's diligence such as that which allows me to sleep soundly in my bed each night! :good:

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I’m going to make two massive leaps of assumption here, bear with me.

 

The lad who was done for the screwdriver I’m guessing was walking through town in such a place where is could be reasonably assumed he might be going to a pub or a social area, and carrying a single screwdriver into a pub is questionable.

Where are the rest of the tools? Why isn’t the screwdriver with them?

Perhaps an overreaction from the police, but they have to always err on the side of caution.

 

The old boy with the knife in the car sounds like just part of the story. That sounds like the police wanted to nail him for something else, but he’d avoided it. So they got him using whatever law was available.

It’s the Al Capone situation.

 

Sitting in a pub at lunchtime with tools all over you is clearly a couple of workmen having a drink between jobs. The same situation at 5pm might be a few drinks after work.

At 7pm or later it becomes questionable. The tools and knives should be out away by then.

 

Carrying a leatherman on the belt of your work clothes won’t be a problem, assuming you are a law abiding person in all other ways and have a reasonable excuse to have one.

Carrying a leatherman on your belt while heading out to a popular nightspot for some drinking and partying will cause you a problem.

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If the story of the old geezer with the knife is the motorhome one, then IIRC he apparently failed the so-called 'attitude test.'

 

In which case it’s his own fault.

 

Sorry.

But it’s a real irritation of mine how many otherwise reasonable people see the police as the enemy and spout nonsense about ‘I’m not being respectful to the police, respect is earned and they haven’t done anything to earn respect from me’.

They seem to think that this means that should be disrespectful or unhelpful to the police rather than just neutrally polite – then wonder why the police ‘treat them badly’.

 

They seem to be unable to grasp that being respectful or polite to a person doesn’t mean you have to treat them as a superior or be unduly passive.

 

Sorry – end of my mini rant.

We now return you to your normally scheduled broadcast…

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In which case it’s his own fault.

 

Sorry.

But it’s a real irritation of mine how many otherwise reasonable people see the police as the enemy and spout nonsense about ‘I’m not being respectful to the police, respect is earned and they haven’t done anything to earn respect from me’.

They seem to think that this means that should be disrespectful or unhelpful to the police rather than just neutrally polite – then wonder why the police ‘treat them badly’.

 

They seem to be unable to grasp that being respectful or polite to a person doesn’t mean you have to treat them as a superior or be unduly passive.

 

Sorry – end of my mini rant.

We now return you to your normally scheduled broadcast…

 

Completely agree, unless you're caught 'red-handed' committing an actual crime 9/10 you can be on your merry way using nothing more than civility, manners and courtesy :sly: But you're right there seems to be a significant minority who seem to take every opportunity to have a go at Police, failing to realise that they will come off the worse, everytime :rolleyes:

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