Carrying a knife

[AmberLeaf]

I'm quote tempted to carry a pen knife, in my pocket, might stop me getting raped again

[Cyclone]

Unfortunately the law makes no exception for size, if it locks. I couldn't find the page I got the carry-card from but I've found my copy of the file I downloaded, posted it here. I carry that printed out credit-card size, in my wallet.

 

I could quite easily have made a defence for why it's there. I cycle and sometimes have to repair flat tyres, having a knife is a useful tool for cutting the repair patch.

I also use it to open reluctant shrink wrapped packages and to remove labels from clothing.

 

---------- Post added 01-12-2017 at 10:07 ----------

 

Interestingly, in the summer I travelled to Europe for a camping trip. We went on the ferry from Hull, in a minibus and trailer.

 

At the customs security stop before boarding the ferry I was asked out of the vehicle and asked if anyone had any knives on them.

I said I don’t know about them, but I don’t. However, you will find a bunch in the trailer in peoples bags I imagine. I know for a fact there is a 6inch sheath knife in my bag, a sub 3 inch folder and a leatherman

 

The officer then told me that knives were illegal in the UK. I said no they aren’t. He said, if you say so.

I said, they are illegal to carry of over 3inches, locking, fixed etc. Without good reason.

He again said, they are illegal in the Uk.

We had a bit of a conversation about my good reason and my trip and then circled back to knives being illegal in the UK, or just to carry but full stop.

 

This went on for a while.....in the end he got 4 others out of the van and put us through the metal detector.

In the building with the detector, he pointed to a big sign that said it is illegal to carry a knife in the UK and a big case of confiscated knives.

I said, your sign is wrong and we went on our way.

 

It was an odd encounter with an official that presumably was purposefully mis representing the law to me, because if he wasn’t why did he let us on our way with my confession that I had a bunch of ‘illegal’ knives in my trailer?

 

Afterwards, and you always think of the best lines after.....when he was saying that knives over 3 inches were illegal in the UK, I wish I’d said “if that’s the case, how do you carve your turkey at Christmas, or are you confessing to owning an illegal knife?”

How did he answer about the turkey?

Clearly at a port there are caravans going through that will generally contain cooking knives of various sizes!

I quite often pack a diving knife in my checked luggage and fly abroad. It's a fixed, titanium, 4.5" blade (doesn't rust, nice and light, not the best at keeping an edge). Just don't forget and try to bring it carry on, my mate lost his £50 diving knife that way.