Legal or not

[tanstaafl]

Jase, carry a decent SAK less likely to cause problems as even the most retarded Plod should be happy with that. Of course it will all depend on your attitude and how much of an a**hole the Plod is.

Yep thats what I usually carry in my pocket for a EDC, but I now carry the leatherman in my bag with my other bits and pieces, I decided to carry it now by reason of the KISS principle ,,, Plod opens it , tries to fold it and the blade folds and thats it, I honestly dont believe any copper would test it any further , particularly as its obvious its main use is as a tool.

[Rearfang]

Think it mostly depends if your face fits say a sixty yr old man in a trade with a leather man would probably be ignored
Think most of the concern would be a 16 yr old hoody with a kitchen knife
Would hope the police would realise it unlikely some one looking for trouble would go spend out on a quality tool
Least I hope so

[Manclife]

Jase, carry a decent SAK less likely to cause problems as even the most retarded Plod should be happy with that. Of course it will all depend on your attitude and how much of an a**hole the Plod is.

You've a very poor opinion of the police. It has nothing to do with how 'retarded' they are it has to do with the law. Even with a sub 3" non locking blade you could be arrested depending on the circumstances. If your not drawing attention to yourself the chance of getting searched and any knife being found are slim to non anyway.

[soutie]

Jase, carry a decent SAK less likely to cause problems as even the most retarded Plod should be happy with that. Of course it will all depend on your attitude and how much of an a**hole the Plod is.

You've a very poor opinion of the police. It has nothing to do with how 'retarded' they are it has to do with the law. Even with a sub 3" non locking blade you could be arrested depending on the circumstances. If your not drawing attention to yourself the chance of getting searched and any knife being found are slim to non anyway.

the problem is the police used to exercise common sense when it came to dealing with people .

like a guy i work with got done on the way home from work with his work knife in his pocket , he was wearing his work uniform ffs . confiscating the knife and a warning would have/should have been plenty

[ForgeCorvus]

Jase, carry a decent SAK less likely to cause problems as even the most retarded Plod should be happy with that. Of course it will all depend on your attitude and how much of an a**hole the Plod is.

You've a very poor opinion of the police. It has nothing to do with how 'retarded' they are it has to do with the law. Even with a sub 3" non locking blade you could be arrested depending on the circumstances. If your not drawing attention to yourself the chance of getting searched and any knife being found are slim to non anyway.

the problem is the police used to exercise common sense when it came to dealing with people .

like a guy i work with got done on the way home from work with his work knife in his pocket , he was wearing his work uniform ffs . confiscating the knife and a warning would have/should have been plenty

However they're not allowed to now, now they have to fill quotas and follow 'guidelines'(read 'rules') that have been set by people in suits who've never walked a beat in their lives.

Anything can be classed as an Offensive Weapon should the officer so wish, however weather or not they do wish depends partly on if you're being a dick

So, the rules are:
Don't be a dick
Be polite
Don't be doing anything naughty
Don't carry anything you really mind losing (just in case things don't go to plan)

This is my main reason to remove and replace the one knife blade on my MT, but then mine is a SOG and I won't lose my guarantee if I do....Unlike you Leather-freaks

[JBird]

Anything can be classed as an Offensive Weapon should the officer so wish, however weather or not they do wish depends partly on if you're being a dick

So, the rules are:
Don't be a dick
Be polite
Don't be doing anything naughty
Don't carry anything you really mind losing (just in case things don't go to plan)

I think this is the best advice anyone can have. As long as your sensible, then the chance of arrest is quite low.

Walking around carrying a crowbar (as your going to your relative's round the corner to help him demolish a gate) during broad daylight whilst wearing brightly coloured shorts (hey it is summer!) - Chance of arrest if stopped - Low
Walking around carrying a crowbar (as your going to your relative's round the corner to help him demolish a gate) during darkness, whilst wearing black jeans and jumper - Chance of arrest if stopped - High

[ForgeCorvus]

I forgot the most important one

Never accept a Police Caution, its basically pleading guilty and goes on your record as such (including your finger-prints and DNA going into the database)or so I was told.....IANAL

[jansman]

If you are cautioned, you are not arrested-therefore no fingerprints and DNA. You are right though about it all going on record, and it is five years before it 'drops' off the system. However , it never leaves the system, as if you undergo an extended criminal records check that caution will still show.

As I have mentioned before, I was arrested for a different matter. In my pocket was an opinel and SAK. Took some explaining, I can tell you. I was let off, but the knives were confiscated( grey legal area there!) Now, I have just a little' Gentlemans' penknife most of the time, small and useful.
Whilst we all probably disagree with UK law in this matter, it is nonetheless the law.

ForgeCorvus is right, losing the blade in the MT is a good idea,and don't be naughty!

[tanstaafl]

I forgot the most important one

Never accept a Police Caution

Unless you are guilty of course, about 15 years ago I was pulling out of a bad junction, the guy coming from my right flashed me out so I pulled halfway across the road and looked to my left hoping someone would let me across , only to see a young lad in a hot hatch braking like mad, he had panicked and overreacted ( I was going to slip out behind him as the following vehicle had already flashed me out), so I looked at the guy who had let me out and we shrugged and shook our heads in bemusement ,it happens young lad no experiance

Anyhow the next car lets me out so off we go, however the hot hatch is now in front of me in traffic and young lad now begins to abuse me with various hand signals and shouted insults out of the window,

So I am a professional driver so ignore it, and ignore it and ignore it a bit more, then have had enough, so I go and have a quiet word, so I lean in thru the open widow and say "Dont be a silly little boy" punctuated by tapping his cheek with my open palm, literally with a feather-light touch.

He had gone a bit pale as I walked up as this was in my bodybuilding days so I was at about 20 stone and apparently look a bit menacing , ( I am actually quite easy going honest )

Smiled at his girlfriend (I think he was doing the big I am for her benefit) and walked away.


Yep you have guessed it 2 hours later I am arrested for assault by 2 very nice police officers who referred to the young lad as "a stupid little shite" , now morally I think I was in the right , but legally guilty as sin, so if it went to court I would probably be found guilty, tho the officers did say I had grounds for using provocation as a defence, but I would need a witness.

So I took the caution , no prints DNA or anything and also it did not show up on my CRB check


So my point is that sometimes it is wise to accept a caution, if in doubt ask to see a lawyer or at least ring one.

[Colin KC]

I guessing you didn't read the bit where he said it no longer locks.

The OP states that although he has rendered the "locking mechanism" inoperable, does the fact that the handles prevents the blade from being closed whilst in use make it a locking knife? Yes it does!