UK Knife law

[Ed]

- what's situation with carrying it in luggage on tube to get home?
If it's securely placed in the bottom of your baggage, where you or someone else cannot get to it quickly or easily, you should be fine as long as you are going straight home.

Spot checks on tube and train stations are becoming quite regular these days ... we have them in Cardiff every time there is a match on. I would suggest if you are carrying a blade then declare it straight away .... don't wait for them to find it as they may think you are trying to conceal it.

Ed

 

[BigShot]

I'd agree with the point about searches.
If they are going to search you and you pretend you don't have it, it will look very suspect.

As i understand it, transporting a blade from where you got it to your house isn't illegal. Personally I'd have it wrapped up - probably in a jiffy bag - and encased in packing tape. There could be no sensible argument that you were carrying it with intent if it was wrapped up so well you'd need a knife to get the thing out in a hurry.

That said - I bought an axe yesterday and didn't have a bag or a reciept - so I just chucked it in the boot. I did wonder what the reaction would be if I was to be stopped by police and have the car searched.
I told myself that common sense would put me in the clear, but I didn't entirely believe it.

 

[Ed]

That said - I bought an axe yesterday and didn't have a bag or a reciept - so I just chucked it in the boot. I did wonder what the reaction would be if I was to be stopped by police and have the car searched.
I told myself that common sense would put me in the clear, but I didn't entirely believe it.

It would be best to errr on the side of caution ... get a reciept. If caught you may have been taken down the station until they could confirm that you had just bought it..... and if they are busy, that could take hours .... or they may just confiscate it (again get a reciept from the police so you can get it back at a later date when you have proof)

Ed

 

[Nagual]

Spot checks on tube and train stations are becoming quite regular these days ... we have them in Cardiff every time there is a match on. I would suggest if you are carrying a blade then declare it straight away .... don't wait for them to find it as they may think you are trying to conceal it.

Ed

Let me clarify the point I was making. I made no comment on 'hiding' the knife nor pretending it wasn't there. The purpose of making sure it's at the bottom of the bag, and neither quick or easy to get at was to help with any potential 'you can use a a weapon' thoughts police may have if stopped. The harder it is to get at, the more likely you have not not getting into bother if stopped. You wouldn't have it in your pocket, would you? Of course not as everyone would assume as you has such easy access to it, you may be thinking to use it in a nasty way. Therefore the opposite it true.

Let me reiterate my final comments - if you have any doubts phone or get in contact with someone who knows, that's usually the police or airport security.

 

[Ed]

I made no comment on 'hiding' the knife nor pretending it wasn't there

I know, I was just speaking from personal expierence. I was stopped in a car a few years ago on my way to teach on a bushcraft course. I had a mora knife and a GB min in the bottom of my rucksack which was in the boot of the car. after searching the boot he asked my to empty my rucksack which i did ..... when the knife and GB mini came out he told me that I should have told him about them straight away as it could be seen that i was trying to hide them from him..... thats all .... I wasnt trying to imply that you were trying to hide something .... sorry if that is the way it cam accross.

Ed

 

[BigShot]

It would be best to errr on the side of caution ... get a reciept. If caught you may have been taken down the station until they could confirm that you had just bought it..... and if they are busy, that could take hours .... or they may just confiscate it (again get a reciept from the police so you can get it back at a later date when you have proof)

Ed

Agreed entirely.
It was one of those "£25 for cash" things. I saved a few quid, which was good, but that meant no reciept. I was well aware that if I was stopped with it in the boot I may well get into a spot of bother. I played the odds to be honest.

It's now safely tucked up at home and there's no way I'll be taking it out without "good reason" from now on.

I agree totally that having a reciept would be MUCH better when taking any edged tool (other than EDC-able sub 3" non-locking folders) home from the shop.

 

[John Fenna]

As I "harvest" most of my firewood from the fallen limbs along the lanes I always carry an axe, knife and saw in my van. This has to be a legitimate reason for carrying "weapons" - surely!

 

[thebrentc]

Thanks for the tips everyone, I think it will be prudent to get some correspondence from airline, possibly police, and may chat with Jonny.

Yup, common sense to have it wrapped / packed away not just in a pocket so it's more clear there's no intent, and declare openly if stopped.

Cheers
B

 

[gzornenplat]

I made no comment on 'hiding' the knife nor pretending it wasn't
there.

It's always confused me, this 'concealed weapon' thing. Would the police (who have shot
dead someone for carrying a table leg) rather I wandered through the High Street with a
knife in one hand and a CO2 replica Beretta in the other (on my way to somewhere legit,
obviously)?

 

[thebrentc]

I guess it's tricky, but I see the gist as being that you need a good reason to carry it, otherwise it can be seen as intent to use it as offensive weapon, so making it inaccessible (but not necessarily 'hidden'), gives weight to a defence it's being transported, without intent to use.

(But I ain't a lawyer)
B

 

[BigShot]

As I "harvest" most of my firewood from the fallen limbs along the lanes I always carry an axe, knife and saw in my van. This has to be a legitimate reason for carrying "weapons" - surely!

I'd be inclined to say no. I can't believe I'm even saying this - but still...

That sounds like a "just in case" excuse - which is no excuse.

If you were actually on your way to harvest the wood, yes, I think it'd be a "good reason".
But if you're not on your way to or from a harvest, I'd suspect the law would say you were in the wrong.

That you frequently come across wood which is good to harvest when doing other things might help you, but I'd be inclined to suspect that the right (wrong?) copper searching your van for whatever reason wouldn't take that as a reasonable excuse and pass you to the Crown Prosecution Service.

UTTERLY ridiculous, but that's my understanding of it.

 

[Simon]

As I "harvest" most of my firewood from the fallen limbs along the lanes I always carry an axe, knife and saw in my van. This has to be a legitimate reason for carrying "weapons" - surely!

It may be a good reason for carrying "tools" but it is certainly not a good reason for carrying "weapons".

 

[BigShot]

The problem in this case though - is the reason for carrying it (or lack of good reason) is what separates tools and weapons!!!
MADNESS!!!

Have an axe, knife and saw in the van on the way to cut wood and they are tools.
Have them in the van when you get home after forgetting to pick up milk from the shop and pop back out... and they are no longer tools, but weapons.

Unless my understanding of the law is WAY off, and I'm really sad to say i don't think it is. I wish it was sometimes!