No help with shortening the link I'm sorry to say, but I did like the article for the most part. I still don't like it when they make quotes like this though:
"The vehicle was searched for a weapon and a Buck Whittaker lock knife was found. The knife is illegal and has a serrated edge."
Well that's just no true. What is true is that, as it's a locking blade, it is illegal to have it in a public place without good reason. But that in no way makes this multitool illegal, it's just what he was doing with it. The line should read something more like this:
"The vehicle was searched for a weapon and a Buck Whittaker lock knife was found. The knife is illegal to carry without good reason and has a serrated edge."
Frankly the fact it has a serrated edge has nothing to do with it at all as there is absolutely no legislation against them.
I'm also less than happy with this line:
"I can assure you that people who possess a Swiss Army knife for a bona fide reason will not be prosecuted".
Well that's good to know, but my understanding is that as a SAK has a folding blade of less than three inches the whole point is that I don't need a bona fide reason to carry it, or any reason at all, other than I find them handy sometimes.
It does get nicely summed up in this quote at the end though and this does seem to reflect the law as I understand it.
"I must point out that the law is clear: it is an offence for any person, without lawful authority or good reason, to have with him in a public place, any article which has a blade or is sharply pointed, except for a folding pocket knife which has a cutting edge to its blade not exceeding three inches."
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