BASC magazine article on Knives

[flippermaj]

I was reading in the latest BASC mag an article on knives and the law. The writer says that a non locking blade under X Cms (can't remeber the length) is legal where ever you are but say that with a blade that locks you need to have a reason for having it with you.

 

So he says a swiss army knife is fine as the blade can not be locked. Where does that leave the Opinel knife range as they are folding blades but have the twist collar that can be twisted to lock the blade?

 

Cheers

 

Mark

[Scully]

I would think because it has a locking mechanism ( whether it's applied or not) it would be deemed lockable, and therefore illegal.

I may well be wrong, but that's how I'd see it.

[walshie]

Opinels are classed as locking.

[wisdom]

Opinels are classed as locking.

That's how I see it too.I think there was a previous thread about it.

[CaptainBeaky]

I would think because it has a locking mechanism ( whether it's applied or not) it would be deemed lockable, and therefore illegal.

I may well be wrong, but that's how I'd see it.

You are correct - because an Opinel locks, it is regarded as being the same as a fixed blade, and therefore not covered by the "folding knife" exemption to section 139.

Note that they are not illegal per se, but you would be committing an offence by having one in a public place without a good reason eg work, national costume or religious apparel.

[39TDS]

You can take the locking collar off if you want to abide by the law, or like me just ignore the law and take a chance on not being searched.

I always have a knife in my pocket, sometimes locking sometimes not. I can only remember being searched once and that was so long ago the law hadn't been invented then.

 

If you are the sort of person that is likely to get searched then abide by the law.

[Scully]

You are correct - because an Opinel locks, it is regarded as being the same as a fixed blade, and therefore not covered by the "folding knife" exemption to section 139.

Note that they are not illegal per se, ( YES, CORRECT. MY APOLOGIES TO THE OP; I DIDNT MEAN TO INFER THEY WERE ) but you would be committing an offence by having one in a public place without a good reason eg work, national costume or religious apparel.

You can take the locking collar off if you want to abide by the law, or like me just ignore the law and take a chance on not being searched.

I always have a knife in my pocket, sometimes locking sometimes not.

 

.

And this.

[Newbie to this]

I don’t understand why anyone would carry a Knife without a valid reason, Locking or non locking.

[Bazooka Joe]

I don’t understand why anyone would carry a Knife without a valid reason, Locking or non locking.

 

I've had a Opinel No 8 for as many years as I can remember & 9/10 have it in my pocket.

 

Makes you think who wrote the laws, I'm licensed for SG/FAC, yet I cannot carry a pen knife that locks...bizarre.

[saddler]

I was reading in the latest BASC mag an article on knives and the law. The writer says that a non locking blade under X Cms (can't remeber the length) is legal where ever you are but say that with a blade that locks you need to have a reason for having it with you.

 

So he says a swiss army knife is fine as the blade can not be locked.

Ah, the BASC-mind knows no wrong.....

 

No idea where they get their staff from, but it's not the first time I've seen BASC employees spouting **** that could see people following it face criminal charges.

ANY football club in the UK will have as part of the Ground Regulations a clause saying that ALL knives are prohibited from being brought into the grounds...irrespective of locking design or otherwise.

Spent almost 20 years a match-day staff at a big stadium. One of the most common causes of arrest was the routing search revealing a Swiss Army key-ring knife = arrested on the spot to then face a summons for magistrates court.

 

To add or the above example, also look at the rules about having any knife with you on school grounds.

[Newbie to this]

I've had a Opinel No 8 for as many years as I can remember & 9/10 have it in my pocket.

 

Makes you think who wrote the laws, I'm licensed for SG/FAC, yet I cannot carry a pen knife that locks...bizarre.

But you can't carry your guns in public for no reason, ie transporting them to where you are allowed to use them, so why should you be able to carry (and conceal) a Knife for no reason.

[Bazooka Joe]

so why should you be able to carry (and conceal) a Knife for no reason.

 

 

Because I'm no danger to the public....reason, or no reason.

[PeterHenry]

 

I've had a Opinel No 8 for as many years as I can remember & 9/10 have it in my pocket.

 

Makes you think who wrote the laws, I'm licensed for SG/FAC, yet I cannot carry a pen knife that locks...bizarre.

If I remember correctly, it wasent the actual legislation that specified you cant carry a locking pen knife, it was the judges interpretation in the following case law that decided the similarities between a locking knife over a certian length and a normal fixed bladed knife effectivly anmounted to the same thing - hence why the law now applies to locking knives. Edited July 3, 2017 by PeterHenry

[wymberley]

But you can't carry your guns in public for no reason, ie transporting them to where you are allowed to use them, so why should you be able to carry (and conceal) a Knife for no reason.

I do,and always have done, have (I originally wrote 'carry' but currently this word has unpleasant connotations) what is now termed a "UK legal" pocket knife. Just got back from walking the dog. It would appear that the recent warm and damp weather has caught the local district council, which are usually very good, on the hop and the brambles on one particular popular path are causing a problem - it is obvious that previous walkers have unsuccessfully tried to bend them back. 20 or 30 quick cuts with said knife and all is clear for the benefit of all. Is it just possible that your urban location colours your opinion on this matter to that of us more rural types?

 

Edit: Punctuation.

Edited July 3, 2017 by wymberley

[Newbie to this]

I do,and always have done, have (I originally wrote 'carry' but currently this word has unpleasant connotations) what is now termed a "UK legal" pocket knife. Just got back from walking the dog. It would appear that the recent warm and damp weather has caught the local district council, which are usually very good, on the hop and the brambles on one particular popular path are causing a problem - it is obvious that previous walkers have unsuccessfully tried to bend them back. 20 or 30 quick cuts with said knife and all is clear for the benefit of all. Is it just possible that your urban location colours your opinion on this matter to that of us more rural types?

 

Edit: Punctuation.

Maybe

[CharlieT]

Maybe

 

And therein lies the problem with many "blanket bans/laws" that have been introduced and imposed by those who have no comprehension of other people's day to day life.

 

Like others, I have carried, and indeed still do, a penknife in my pocket for the best part of 70 years. I'd hate to think how many times a day I use it for everything from cleaning my pipe to cutting the string on a bale of hay or straw, dead heading plants, pruning brambles, extracting splinters from my hand and recently cutting a roe deer free from some nasty plastic netting it was trapped in.

One must not judge others by our own needs.

[Newbie to this]

And therein lies the problem with many "blanket bans/laws" that have been introduced and imposed by those who have no comprehension of other people's day to day life.

 

Like others, I have carried, and indeed still do, a penknife in my pocket for the best part of 70 years. I'd hate to think how many times a day I use it for everything from cleaning my pipe to cutting the string on a bale of hay or straw, dead heading plants, pruning brambles, extracting splinters from my hand and recently cutting a roe deer free from some nasty plastic netting it was trapped in.

One must not judge others by our own needs.

I fully understand your point of view, but see it from mine, if someone is carrying a Knife around my area it's only being carried for one or two reasons 1 - To stab someone either as an attacker or in defence (neither is justified in my opinion) 2 - To intimidate or rob someone.

 

That's the reason for my earlier comments. If you have ever had a knife pulled on you (which I have, more than once), you would probably feel the same way.

 

*edit didn't mean to quote myself

Edited July 3, 2017 by Newbie to this

[walshie]

But you can't carry your guns in public for no reason, ie transporting them to where you are allowed to use them, so why should you be able to carry (and conceal) a Knife for no reason.

 

You aren't likely to find a reason for a gun on your daily travels, yet you are likely to find use for a knife. I nearly always have my (perfectly legal) swiss army knife on me, and it's not because I want to stab anyone.

[wymberley]

I fully understand your point of view, but see it from mine, if someone is carrying a Knife around my area it's only being carried for one or two reasons 1 - To stab someone either as an attacker or in defence (neither is justified in my opinion) 2 - To intimidate or rob someone.

 

That's the reason for my earlier comments. If you have ever had a knife pulled on you (which I have, more than once), you would probably feel the same way.

 

*edit didn't mean to quote myself

I hear and take on board what you're saying. If what you describe happened to me, I'm pretty sure that I'd be suffering from the proverbial half a crown-sixpence syndrome.

 

What I find annoying - and would dearly love to hear a qualified debate about it - is that under the existing legislation I, as a layman, have to prove my innocence by providing good reason for various aspects of my activities. Naturally, as a layman, my opinion may or may not be valid in law. All I'm obliged to do is not be in ignorance of it. I was under the distinct impression that under our legal system that I am not obliged to prove my innocence, but that the state is obliged to prove my guilt.

[Newbie to this]

I hear and take on board what you're saying. If what you describe happened to me, I'm pretty sure that I'd be suffering from the proverbial half a crown-sixpence syndrome.

 

What I find annoying - and would dearly love to hear a qualified debate about it - is that under the existing legislation I, as a layman, have to prove my innocence by providing good reason for various aspects of my activities. Naturally, as a layman, my opinion may or may not be valid in law. All I'm obliged to do is not be in ignorance of it. I was under the distinct impression that under our legal system that I am not obliged to prove my innocence, but that the state is obliged to prove my guilt.

[PeterHenry]

I hear and take on board what you're saying. If what you describe happened to me, I'm pretty sure that I'd be suffering from the proverbial half a crown-sixpence syndrome.

 

What I find annoying - and would dearly love to hear a qualified debate about it - is that under the existing legislation I, as a layman, have to prove my innocence by providing good reason for various aspects of my activities. Naturally, as a layman, my opinion may or may not be valid in law. All I'm obliged to do is not be in ignorance of it. I was under the distinct impression that under our legal system that I am not obliged to prove my innocence, but that the state is obliged to prove my guilt.

Yes, thats correct in the main, but ultimatly Parliament is soverign and if it chooses to, it can create laws with a reverse burden of proof.

[wymberley]

Yes, thats correct in the main, but ultimatly Parliament is soverign and if it chooses to, it can create laws with a reverse burden of proof.

As said, I'm a layman and simply don't know. But, if that were indeed possible and it did, then I think there'd be uproar - Magna Carta and all that.

[blade]

Bit off topic but what do people think about these new credit card style knives.The size of a card fold out with a 2 and a half inch blade.Easy concealed in your wallet can see them being a big headache for door staff and other security staff.Not locking blade but are they legal

[blade]

[wymberley]

For my money that's a lock knife. And totally useless for general purpose use. In fact I can only see one possible application and second the remark about door/security staff.