A knife conundrum , what is the answer?

[Mang]

I recently posted a pic of my new knife on Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine's Facebook page, the editor was very interested in it and asked for the rundown. I am hoping to go to the Outdoors show in London in early 2011 and I'd love to take the knife and show it to them on their stand.

I decided to take a pic and ask at our local police station about this. I showed the officer there a pic and he said 'Oh, full tang, nice'...I thought great, a copper who knows his knives and likes the outdoors...I explained what I wanted to do and really he said that the law isn't that helpful ie how do you define a good reason to carry it? Some blades (inc swords!) are legal in certain circumstances, Leathermans are widely available and so on.

He also wasn't sure how exhibitors get their blades to and from the place, and that some shops will be selling things like the afore mentioned Leathermans with their fixed blades. He said that if it were wrapped deep in a rucsack that this may be acceptable but equally he said that it could go to court but it would probably be thrown out...and that I may not see the knife again as a result.

I'd love to go and be a knife bore but I'd hate to lose a beatiful knife thanks to the law. What would you do?

 

[JonathanD]

Just put it in a bag and tape it up so that it isn't easily accessable. You have more than reason to carry it so the law is on your side.

 

[Everything Mac]

as the officer said - wrapped up deep in a bag.

no one would know.

but I do think you should post a pic of it you tease!

 

[Mang]

Thanks, that's my immediate thought. It's posted here http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63918&highlight=

 

[ged]

...no one would know...

Well you might be asked to go through a metal detector, and on the railways then you'd be in trouble for sure.

...but I do think you should post a pic of it you tease!

Agreed.

If I were worried about losing it I personally wouldn't take it, I'd just take photographs. If it's that interesting you can arrange to meet someplace less likely to bring you to the attention of the police -- I'd suggest outside the M25 -- and bore each others' socks off at your convenience.

Just seen the pics -- lovely. Those liners really set it off. For some reason it reminds me of the understated elegance of a female bullfinch.

 

[m.durston]

when i used to work at sainsburys all the butchers used to have their own knives which they used to take home with them every day. anyways all they used to do was wrap them up in cling film and put into a daysack etc so if they were stopped by the plod on the way home they could prove that the knives were stored safely and not easily accessible.
i suppose it couldnt hurt for you to do the same thing with your knife and keep a roll of cling film to wrap it up for the journey home.

 

[FGYT]

Oh for goodness sake you ahve a good reason to carry it to the show and that can be backed up by the magazine as a request in writing if you feel you need to


the police wont give you a straight answer they cant

ATB

Duncan

 

[ged]

Oh for goodness sake you ahve a good reason to carry it to the show and that can be backed up by the magazine...

That might be OK in a public place, but it might not wash on the rail network -- at least according to one Chief Constable:

http://www.btp.police.uk/pdf/NP Newsletter Sept-October 09 (3).pdf

If you travel by rail you never know when you will meet a metal detector, and you risk arrest if you carry a knife at a railway station, no matter what reasons you can give:

http://www.thisissuttoncoldfield.co...stabbings/article-2552030-detail/article.html

My point is particularly about rail travel. 'Reasonable excuse' does not cut it on the rail network.

 

[Paul_B]

Solution - Drive there instead of taking the train. Besides you'll probably get there quicker and cheaper. Especially if you are going down on the west coast line and it is how I remember it.

 

[resnikov]

Put it in a sealed bag / box with an address on it and just saw you are a courier and have no idea whats in it.

 

[Ph34r]

Swallow it, they will never look there!
Actually, probably not the best of ideas...

Tbh, i think that you will be fine. Just hide it somewhere if in any doubt.

 

[Karl82]

i would put the knife in some sort of tube or wrap it up in buble wrap and tape it shut put it in the bottom of your day pack and only take it out once you at the stand at the show. you will be fine as long as you dont walk down the road swinging it about, if you get stoped by the police or asked to go though a metal scanner DECLARE the fact you do have a knife wraped in a case and the reasion for having it from the start dont lie as they will find out ,then you have more chance of haveing the knife taken away. just explain that its a knife you are taking to show someone from the mag as they requested also get the guys name and phone number so that the police are able to phone him and confirm your story.

 

[Snarf]

If you travel by rail you never know when you will meet a metal detector, and you risk arrest if you carry a knife at a railway station, no matter what reasons you can give.

I have travelled numerous time on the train with my Kit and i have had no problems.

Like all that has said, just wrap it up and you will be ok.

If you are that worried, dont take it. Simples.

 

[Everything Mac]

If you travel by rail you never know when you will meet a metal detector, and you risk arrest if you carry a knife at a railway station, no matter what reasons you can give:

when/ where have metal detectors been introduced on the rail network?

I have never seen one in any of the stations I've been to across the country. - unless of course this came in recently.

 

[FGYT]

That might be OK in a public place, but it might not wash on the rail network -- at least according to one Chief Constable:



My point is particularly about rail travel. 'Reasonable excuse' does not cut it on the rail network.

Just checked the op dost mention trains

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

 

[ged]

when/ where have metal detectors been introduced on the rail network?

Please read the references that I gave in post number 8 in this thread for examples.

 

[ged]

Just checked the op dost mention trains

The OP mentions a show in London. A lot of people going to a show in London will use a train at some point in their journey. I for one wouldn't drive anywhere in London unless I had no alternative. This thread may well be read by bushcrafters contemplating travel by train. I'm not trying to start an argument here, I'm trying to prevent someone from missing his train because he's in the nick trying to persuade the police not to send his 250-quid-pride-and-joy to the smelter.

 

[Richie'66]

Take it in a lockable tool box and make sure the padlock is on and closed.
I think this would show lack of intent to use said knife for naughtyness.

 

[robevs73]

my mate Scott (welshwoodsman) and I went on the train to Cumbria a few years ago with our axes on the front of the packs and I had 3 knives in the bag , had a good reason to have them so I dont worry we have also gone on the train to Sussex with cutting tools in the pack that time we had to go through London on the tube, life is to short to worry about silly things, cops are not stupid they know who is decent and who is a scumbag! I know plenty of police officers and they know what I am into (knives and bushcraft) and they have never been funny to me.
Nice knife by the way!!!!

 

[JonathanD]

I've been stopped in a tube station en route to Euston Station with two of my bushcrafters in my bag. Both were in padded cases and it was obvious that I had no intention of any criminal activity or intended them as an offensive weapon, so I was allowed to go on my way. Same thing has happened on a Centro line and no issue was made as it was all in context and the knife was in a padded Maxpedition case with a small padlock. Something well worth investing in to smooth things if you are stopped.