It's been a couple of weeks now, and I notice there's still been no update from Ken on how this situation resolved.
I also notice that Ken's last post was the day after posting this story. Hope it wasn't just a fictitious piece of scare-mongering.
Ken, if you're reading this, any news?
Hope they haven't locked you up and thrown away the key...
'What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare' - William Henry Davies
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Knife laws seem to be getting more and more strict everywhere. First a question, then a story. I've heard that in the UK it is still legal to carry a small folding knife so long as it doesnt lock. Is this true, because in Aus its illegal regardless. And now the story. I'm a volunteer bushfire fighter, and a few years ago i was at what we call a "Section 44" fire. Basically thats the worst a bushfire can be, and generally ends with a task force of firefighters from all over the state, and sometimes even from interstate all working on the fire together. My crew had just come off a 48 hour shift, and were heading back through the town to get something to eat. We were riding in the truck, and were in full uniform. We got out of the truck, and 2 of us, myself and the captain of the crew, had both a fixed blade knife and a multitool on our belts. We got grabbed by the local plod for carrying offensive weapons in public, and both ended up in front of a judge for it. The police had charged us with carrying knives without adequate reason. Fortunately the judge was a rural firefighter himself, and reasoned that though we probably should have removed the tools from our person before exiting the truck that a 48 hour shift in hell was probably a good reason to forget that we were carrying items that are considered illegal without good cause. The charges were dropped and removed from our records, but its just an example of how insensible the police can be. I hope everything works out for you Ken.
Kai, you are correct that it is legal to carry a small knife although it mustn't lock. The blade length needs to be shorter than 4". It would be legal to carry a longer, fixed blade, in public providing you can show good reason for carrying such a blade.
In a funny sort of way, I'm relieved that you have more draconian knife laws than we do as it may stop some of the whingers who constantly complain about how bad things are in the UK and how they can't wait to get away. I hasten to add that those people are not frequent visitors to NaturalBushcraft but you only have to visit any number of forums to find them.
Martin
Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
I've met people like that before mate, they are everywhere. Personally i still carry a slip-joint folder with a 3.5 inch blade. Its in my pocket at all times, and my first aid gear is in whatever bag i happen to be carrying. If plod asks, my excuse is i use it with my first aid kit, and thats a reasonable excuse. Usually they are pretty laid back about anything small that doesnt look like its specifically designed for ramming into the squishy bits of people. The big problem is we are pretty sure slipjoints with blades no longer than 4 inches are legal, but because the laws seem to be in a constant state of flux coupled with the fact that they dont explain to plod the difference between a lockblade and a slipjoint or friction folder, you can end up in the cop shop overnight for carrying a keyring victorinox if the copper is in a bad enough mood.
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