Question

[Mistwalker]

I have some knives coming tomorrow that I requested with European knife laws in mind.
A smaller fixed blade with similar characteristics to the bushcraft desin, as well as a couple of folders with nail pulls and lock backs that cannot be "flipped" open.

However I have just recently reviewed a knife that while is marketed technically in a tactical role I feel serves much better in the role of a "survival" tool than it does as a weapon. My question is this...are fullers also illegal in the U.K. ? The knife is pictured below.

 

[Draven]

Fullers are perfectly legal - contrary to popular belief, a fuller does nothing noticeable to increase the knifes functionality as a weapon.

 

[harryhaller]

I have some knives coming tomorrow that I requested with European knife laws in mind.

The controversial laws are UK-only laws. They don't apply to the EU.

 

[Mistwalker]

Fullers are perfectly legal - contrary to popular belief, a fuller does nothing noticeable to increase the knifes functionality as a weapon.

Ok, thank you. I kow this, they are actually there to give the blade and "I" beam effect adding strength, but sometimes politicians don't always make sense. Once one of ours proposed to ban something simply on the basis that it was ugly and no-one should want one.

The controversial laws are UK-only laws. They don't apply to the EU.

I thought Germany had some similar laws as well.

 

[wanderingblade]

I thought Germany had some similar laws as well.

The only other main differences in knife legislation in other European countries (off the top of my head) is that Germany and Italy prohibit double edged 'commando' style knives and some some EU countries prohibit one-hand openers (thumb studs / thumb holes in blades etc)

Never seen any countries legislation make any reference to fullers.

 

[Mistwalker]

The only other main differences in knife legislation in other European countries (off the top of my head) is that Germany and Italy prohibit double edged 'commando' style knives and some some EU countries prohibit one-hand openers (thumb studs / thumb holes in blades etc)

Never seen any countries legislation make any reference to fullers.

Thanks, I had never heard anything at all about fullers except in some of the states here they are illegal. A lot of people misunderstand what a fuller is for, especially people in expensive suits who have never spent any time actually using knives or time in the bush.

 

[harryhaller]

I thought Germany had some similar laws as well.

I was trying to make the point that there was no European (EU) law regarding the matter and that the UK had the strictest laws.

Regarding Germany I have gleaned the following info from this document.

First one has to consider whether the knife comes under the weapons laws - is it a weapon or "just" a knife. A weapon is something which has been designed as such. I think this shows the common sense of the german law compared to UK law. Bayonettes and flickknives are weapons, but not a machette.

Weapons can only be carried by people over 18 years old.

There are no restrictions on blade length for either knives or weapons except for "Springmesser" (switchblades).

The following knives are not only designed to be weapons, but are also forbidden:

"Fallmesser": the blade is concealed in the handle and is opened vertically by gravity or can flicked open by momentum. (see Gravity-knife)

"Springmesser" Knives which open via a spring. Here we have the only case where the blade length is important. Springmesser are only allowed if they open from the side, blade depth is at least 20pc of is length, are not double-edged, and are not more than 85mm long. (see Switchblade)

Faustmesser (see Pushdagger)

Butterfly or Balisong type knives

BTW - I kept the use of the german terms because that's what you'd be dealing with - their definitions, not yours!

 

[Mistwalker]

BTW - I kept the use of the german terms because that's what you'd be dealing with - their definitions, not yours!

Thank you very much for your effort, I really appreciate this information very much!

I like to see laws take into account common since, a lot of ours make no sense at all. Here they once went after bayonets as a whole with no history of bayoneting by a civilian ever having been documented. Not that I like bayonets but I did have several from WWII at the time. I took them and donated them to our local Medal of Honor Museum.

 

[NatG]

a fuller on a knife is not illegal in the uk