Les couteaux... to carry, or not?

[pstallwood]

I have been stopped twice at Dover and asked whether I have knives.

As I am in a motorhome of course I have knives, I am going camping and it would be impossible to cook without using a knife. There are queues of caravans and motorhomes waiting to get on a ferry and I would guarantee that all have knives aboard.

I know one is supposed to have a good reason for carrying a knife and I believe that I have one but do worry that one day I will get a jobsworth. I do have the knives in a basket at the back of a cupboard so do have to drag out other stuff to show them. My thought is that it is clear that it would take me a minute or so to get at them so am not likely to use one on the spur of the moment.

I was also asked whether I had a baseball bat or something similar that could be used as a weapon - the answer is no - but what would a cricket team have on tour?

[Brucey]

I had my Opinel confiscated by a particularly unpleasant individual at Plymouth a few years ago, on my way out to Roscoff - a complete jobsworth ,bully and moron, all rolled into one. The guy did his best to provoke a reaction from me....

Unfortunately there are a few people who are attracted to that kind of job for all the wrong reasons, and they get up my nose too. Whilst I'd expect it might be a problem to carry such a thing, unless it was made perfectly clear that specific knives were forbidden beforehand (i.e. at the time of booking), I do not think it reasonable that they confiscate such unless it was being carried without good reason as per the provisions of UK law.

I would have demanded a written receipt from him for your 'picnic knife' and then taken his name/ID number and reported him in writing to his employers, requesting compensation, and explaining to the ferry company that if not forthcoming it will be the last time you use their services, and that you will be advising anyone else looking to travel to France to do likewise.

If legitimate users that declare that they have something that might be a problem can expect to have it routinely confiscated by that kind of individual, they will simply cease to declare any such. I am absolutely certain that this is the default option for many people in other parts of the World, and If caught out, they simply plead ignorance. I'd bet money that every other car coming the other way from France on the same boat contains multitudes of knives and so forth.

cheers

[Heltor Chasca]

The blade lengths up to a no. 8 are legal in the UK. However it is the LOCKING COLLAR that makes them illegal. I know this because I am a gardener and a fan of Opinels and a friend in the police has an interest in 'sharp n shinies'. So I asked him years back as I am always carrying a knife. Anything that locks or is fixed is illegal. However lots of us would have missing digits without this facility.

That said it is up to the discretion of the searching officer. If you look dodgy and are up to no good you'll be in trouble. If you're a polite, well behaved sort who has reason to be packing (like me in my gardening uniform) then you are ok. No one is going to get grief if there's a penknife in their camping gear or tool box. But you would have no reason why you would need one in a local bar etc.

I can't speak for the Gendarmerie though, as I don't know the laws. I worked out in France years ago and carried a rescue knife but again it was obvious to any reasonable person why I carried one so I would never come to grief unless I used it for the wrong reason...b

[pwa]

Generally speaking the police (both sides of the channel) are not likely to take issue with any blade that looks reasonable in the context. I have stood talking to a police officer on a lane whilst I was holding a billhook (effectively a heavy knife-like tool with a sharp foot long blade) and the tool did not even enter the conversation because I was laying a hedge (the job that the tool was designed for). Blades are more of a worry in urban settings, where the legitimate need for a knife outdoors is less obvious.

I would admit to having a knife, if asked by security personnel at a port, but express surprise if it were suggested that I was ding something wrong. I might ask "how am I meant to cut tomatoes without a knife?" or something like that, but maintain a smile and good humour. You are more likely to get your way if you smile at people.

[Brucey]

The blade lengths up to a no. 8 are legal in the UK.....

Opinels #6, #7, #8 and higher all have blades 3" or over, and may therefore deemed to be offensive weapons with or without a locking collar.

cheers

[Heltor Chasca]

The blade lengths up to a no. 8 are legal in the UK.....

Opinels #6, #7, #8 and higher all have blades 3" or over, and may therefore deemed to be offensive weapons with or without a locking collar.

cheers

Even if you use a telephone book in anger it will be deemed an offensive weapon and you will be charged as such. Not that telephone books these days are 'substantial'.[emoji6]

The actual length of the cutting edge is what is measured, not tip to handle as some think. The same friend in the police made a customised Svord Peasant for me and made a 'forefinger' grip on the blade by grinding out the cutting edge so it is legal. Comfy too.

Cheers...b

[Brucey]

Opinels are normally sharp to the hilt. I posted the government info on this earlier in the thread.

BTW for every copper who says your contraption is 'legal', I'd expect to find another two or three that would say it definitely wasn't.

cheers

[Heltor Chasca]

Too right. They are great tools. My oldest daughter got a kids' one for her 8th birthday. The pointy bit is removed and the handle is red. Even that's a nice tool. Once upon a time she whittled twigs. Now she sharpens her art pencils. Creatives eh?

[Vorpal]

I once forgot to take my mini Leatherman out of hand baggage when I checked in for a trans-Atlantic flight. I mailed it home to myself rather than lose it.

[Elizabethsdad]

Coming back from Denmark some years our car was stopped for a search. As it was rather well packed wasn't looking forward to the unpacking and repacking that night entail. The customs chap said they were specifically interested in knives. I said I had a swiss army knife that we had be using on the ferry to cut bread and cheese. It was in my pocket. He said it should be packed with the luggage and not on my person, so I popped in the nearest bag or box. With that he was then happy to let us carry on our way.

[roberts8]

A couple of years ago I had a Swiss Army knife confiscated by a guard at the Statue of Liberty. Pointing out the gun shops had little effect and they threatened to pull their gun on me so they kept the knife.
I was so cross at the reaction I wrote a letter to a travel magazine highlighting the situation if you take a penknife on your travels.
It was printed as letter of the month and I was awarded a petzel head torch, so sometimes clouds do have silver linings.
In October I am taking a mini tour and may go to France, if so I may buy an cheap opinel of an acceptable size rather than risk my Swiss army knife.
Thanks for the reminder.

[AMMoffat]

About 7 years ago I was going into the Houses of Parliament on business. My colleague duly emptied his pockets into the tray for the security scanner. Amongst the usual pocket detritus was a Swiss Army Knife which was handed back to him without comment once it had been scanned! Make of that what you will.

[andrewk]

I think that some are over interpreting the knife issue. Knives are just knives..they are not illegal. It is merely the carrying of them on the person that is restricted. It is wrong to interpret UK law as an absolute ban on carrying knives, there is an allowance for legitimate purpose.
I always take a swiss army knife with me on my foreign travels, either a standard sized one or a big one with a 5" locked blade and a 5" saw depending on the purpose of the trip. If flying then the knife goes in checked hold luggage, if overland then in luggage in the boot of the car. This is not illegal. As for stupid jobsworths at ferry ports....the simple solution to their inane questions is to just lie.

[thirdcrank]

I think it's important to recognise that the rules vary, according to the situation. First, the laws in one country cannot automatically be assumed to be the same as in others. When in Rome etc and talking of Rome, the Papal Guards may have their own view on Swiss Army knives ...

Beyond that, there are extra regulations in some places: people boarding aircraft are subject to all sorts of rules which have been put in place in connection with things like the hijacking of aircraft. People entering the country are subject to rules about what they may import and in this context and AFAIK, the import of flick knives for example, has been prohibited for many years.

The people who administer these rules are not a homogenous "them" but rather belong to different organisations with their own policies. eg Customs officers at points of entry to the country are there in part to prevent the importation of prohibited articles and AFAIK are paid a bounty for ever prohibited article intercepted. Security staff at airports are there to prevent certain things getting on to the plane.

The rules for things like what may be taken on a plane are not secret.

[Tangled Metal]

About 7 years ago I was going into the Houses of Parliament on business. My colleague duly emptied his pockets into the tray for the security scanner. Amongst the usual pocket detritus was a Swiss Army Knife which was handed back to him without comment once it had been scanned! Make of that what you will.

The police really don't like politicians! A gun or explosives are too much but a knife they'll let you through.