The Law FAQ

[CaptainBeaky]

You haven't been carrying one of those crocodile dundee 12" locking folders have you?

No, just a CRKT M16, which is now under 3" as it has a hard life at work! I may just leave this at work from now on, and find another EDC.

It's actually mainly long words in bad Latin

Now wiping tea off my keyboard...

[PatternBladenes]

Using a knife so much at work that it wears half an inch off the length would probably count as good enough reason to carry it to and from the workplace

Of course outside of those circumstances it would be very dodgy.

[CaptainBeaky]

Half an inch? No, it's the smaller one 3.06" originally, now around 2.9"
One of the things it gets used for is opening sacks of granular salt, which as you might imagine, doesn't do the edge any favours... It needs sharpening about once a week, so over the course of a couple of years it has shrunk slightly!

[Danzo]

One of the things it gets used for is opening sacks of granular salt, which as you might imagine, doesn't do the edge any favours...

Blimey, that is a serious test of a knife!



Danzo

[CaptainBeaky]

Chisel grind is great - 2 minute job to sharpen!

[Martyn]

Gents, this is the law FAQ - a sticky in the law forums, can you start another thread please?

[Danzo]

Gents, this is the law FAQ - a sticky in the law forums, can you start another thread please?

Oops...



Sorry. I'll take the flak.

Danzo

[John Lee]

Man! You Brits have it rough over there. I just read some of your laws regarding knives. I thought us Yanks had it tough as far as laws go. Ouch!! I carry all types of blades at different times and unless I'm commiting a felony. John.

[Dynamo Nath]

My first post, so forgive me if it's in the wrong section. This has made interesting reading but has left me feeling a bit concerned.

When I go backpacking I usually carry my Buck Alpha Dorado in its sheath inside my rucksack. Does this mean that I have been inadvertently breaking the law? Or would this jusstify as just cause? As apart from whittling bits of wood it's only carried "just in case". Nathan

[wanderingblade]

I think the general rule is that any knife is OK to carry so long as you have 'reasonalbe cause' to carry it.

Hiking across Dartmoor would be a better reason than a ramble up Portsdown Hill! It's all a question of what, why when and where.

[Dynamo Nath]

I'm glad it stays in my pack and not on my belt now! One last thing, what soes EDC stand for? I keep seeing everywhere but can't work it out @-)

[wanderingblade]

EDC = Every Day Carry.

Usually relating to a sub 3" non-locking knife.

[Dynamo Nath]

Ahh!!! Brilliant, thanks for your help. Nathan

[Taxi_Driver]

Hi all, I've read most of this section and a few others, and I'm a little confussed about the laws regarding ownership of automatic knives. I've seen it written here that it's illegal to own an automatic. Can anyone point me to a law which states this? Everything I've read so far indicates that some laws must be broken in the aquisition of such a knife, but those laws would be broken by whoever was relinquishing the knife, and not by someone acquiring the knife; except in the case of an import. I'm sure I must be missing something.
For example: If someone were to find an automatic knife, and keep it, would they be breaking any laws?
Highly unlikely I know. More chance of winning the lottery jackpot on consecutive weeks. But is there a specific law which outlaws ownership?

[Martyn]

But is there a specific law which outlaws ownership?

Not to my knowledge. Take one off your property though - for any reason and you will definitely be breaking an offensive weapons law.

You cant make one yourself, you cant import one and it is illegal for anyone to sell you one, give you one or lend you one. In the extremely unlikely event one materializes in your living room, then I don't think there is a law which says you cant keep it. But should you ever have need to explain your possession of one, you will either have to lie about how you got it, inform the police of the law-breaker who gave/sold/lent it to you, or try to convince them that it landed in your house out of the ether.

So yes, you can own one, but given that there is no legal way for you to get one, it's a bit of a moot point.