Still not much out there for UK users and other oppressed peoples!

[Gareth]

An off duty police man once told me I was breaking the law on two counts when he saw I had a Swiss card in my wallet. One as it had a fixed blade and two something to do with it being disguised.

That's just rediculous... as swisscard?  Its not disguised its designed to go in a wallet.  Im not a lawyer and I could argue that one away.   I wouldnt even call it a blade, but a letter opener.

It should be noted that Police officers aren't Lawyers either.  Obviously a very good knowledge of the Law is pretty important but it is a Judge and Jury that ultimately decide if someone has broken the Law, not the arresting officer.  What I'm trying to say is that the Police officer might suspect you of breaking the Law but they might be wrong as well.

We're not quite here yet:

[turnsouth]

Surely it's not passive smoking 

theonew is right, mostly. The ban on smoking in public outdoor places in the States, while under the pretense of "heath issues", is pretty much politically fueled fascism against the idea of smoking.

But knife owners in the UK know what that is like...

[Essexman]

So we all agree, laws suck when they stop us carrying what we want to carry.

So IF you could have a knifeless MT what else would you want on it?   Or put it another way, name the knifeless MT you would buy and carry.

Similar story about the decorators mate. My friend was stopped and searched on the tube on his way home from work. He's a builder and had a locking leatherman in his bag.

My friend knows the law and explained to the nice policeman why he had it and why it was in his bag not on his person. That should have been that.

Now this is the sad bit. The policeman asked him what he would do if someone tried to mug him on the way home, he then suggested to him that he could use said MT to fend off any muggers.

 If my friend had agreed with the policeman this would have shown intent and could have got him in trouble. As I said, he knows the law and just said nothing. After a couple of minutes the policeman gave up and moved on to another chap at the station who looked like a builder. Easy game.

[turnsouth]

It's not always the policeman's fault. Whenever there is politically motivated law put in place, there is always accompanying political pressure to show that the law is "making a difference"

[kirk13]

(Image removed from quote.)

Phew thought it was gonna be Judge Death!!

On another level,in years gone I worked with a Special Constable,and asked him about MTs(this was back in my PST days).His reply was that I'd not need to worry.His expression said 'Your white and boring looking...'

[Gareth]

Oh man, Judge Death (and the other dark Judges) were just a superb story from when I was a kid.


 

[Gryffin]

LM could grind off/notch the part of the lock that locks the blade, on LM's rocker locks found on ; SuperTool 300 , Rebar & Blast MTs making the blade a non locker but having locking tools 

OK, so... could the owner grind off the locking tab? Seems lie an easy enough fix.

I've got the bits to disassemble the Wave and Charge, I might haft start up a cottage industry grinding them off and shipping them to UK folks...

[Mercury]

LM could grind off/notch the part of the lock that locks the blade, on LM's rocker locks found on ; SuperTool 300 , Rebar & Blast MTs making the blade a non locker but having locking tools 

OK, so... could the owner grind off the locking tab? Seems lie an easy enough fix.

I've got the bits to disassemble the Wave and Charge, I might haft start up a cottage industry grinding them off and shipping them to UK folks...

The problem with grinding the lock off, is that the blades are not slippies under those locks.  Once the lock is gone there is nothing to put pressure on the blade to keep it in place.  Grind the lock and you have a floppy sharp piece of metal.

[dks]

For removing the lock you need to start with something like a Victorinox or Wenger locking knife which is just a slipjoint with a lock added, so removing the lock allows you to still use the blade, as it is held securely by the backspring.

Other options mentioned by people are to remove part of the lock so that the blade still stays securely open but the remaining lock part is not able to stop it from closing, when pushed by hand.

[Steinar]

But is this really a law that is enforced, or just on the books in case you are found with something.  Ive asked before if anyone has ever heard of a regular guy (not someone out to commit a crime) being charged with carrying a lock blade MT and noone ever has responded yes.

We have plenty of outdated laws on the books still that arent enforced.  I just use good common sense and intent is a big part of a crime, and I never have intent to do something wrong and I feel my conscience is clean.  If I was in the UK i would not hesitate to carry a non lockblade MT like a PST, that isnt in the spirit of the law, you cant attack someone with it anymore than a SAK.

I will only speak for Scandinavia, or more precisely, Norway, but these  laws aren't old, sleeping laws, they are very new laws made to build the careers of politicians and bureaucrats. The Norwegian idiot law is only from 1993 and was revised in 2002. In Norway, there is nothing specific about lockblades or OH, it's just illegal to carry a knife in a public place without a “good reason”. The same law also covers ice picks and anything else which is good for stabbing. Also, the punishment is only a hefty fine, and it doesn't rack up the same way e.g. the English idiot law does with repeat offenses. The law lists a couple of examples of what a “good reason” is (work and outdoors/wilderness hobbies), so here we look at legal precedent, not what an MT.Oer finds reasonable.

Now, this makes the climate among law enforcement and civilians alike pretty varied, some police officers will never look twice at a SAK or an MT, they feel the law was meant to remove weapons (which the law says, but most people ignore), while many civilians think anything with an edge is a major offence, and other civilians think the entire law is just a mess. Also, the law is excellent to use for a police officer if he simply needs some expedient reason for, well, something.

Confused yet? Good!

So, most urban Norwegians go without a knife, the knife nuts will ignore the law (knowing if they keep out of trouble and carries something “reasonable” it probably won't come and bite them) and trouble makers continue carry whatever they like as they always have. Many old people here have always carried a traditional sheath knife, and there are examples of the law being used to harass oldtimers in neighbourhood quarrels. (By reporting the guy having carried a knife when going to the grocery store and stuff like that. The only example I remember at least had a happy ending, the guy carrying the knife was exonerated, but he still had to go through a court case, so I feel the harassment attempt was effective.)

So... where does that leave us? We have legal precedent that eating an apple in the park is a “good reason” for carrying a knife. On the other hand, someone was convicted for having a Mora in their backpack when they couldn't make a reasonable claim in the court they actually had been out hiking. Fun stuff!  Do note, the guy eating the apple had a clean record, while the woman with the Mora was a known troublemaker, which also tell us quite a lot about how this law really works here.

So, time for the executive summary for the Norwegian situation:

• No, the laws aren't sleeping, they are actively enforced.
• The reactions towards knives in the general population is extremely varied. The only reaction I've got from using my Spyderco Dragonfly is “Oh, that's a cool knife!” as they aren't very common here. (And, yes, I did use that scary OH quickly and without looking at the knife.)
• Don't give the police a reason to search you.
• Carry something non-threatening, and be prepared to answer why you have it.

I do hope the very active culture of hiking and skiing helps a little, because only idiots go hiking without a knife, and that's what most people here actually think.

Another way to summarize it would be: These are fresh nanny state laws.

[Zed]

For removing the lock you need to start with something like a Victorinox or Wenger locking knife which is just a slipjoint with a lock added, so removing the lock allows you to still use the blade, as it is held securely by the backspring.

Other options mentioned by people are to remove part of the lock so that the blade still stays securely open but the remaining lock part is not able to stop it from closing, when pushed by hand.

Also bang will go that great LM warranty or any other 

i wonder though if i get searched on the way home from work and i have my opinel #6 with no lock ring but have a locking MT it would be good enough reason as my job needs these tools , last week i cut open 40 boxes so a knife was very handy,plus i opend the packaging on 2 new hospital beds, i used most of the drivers on my MT a paratool , although i dont use the blade on it ever, when i get the ppp i might remove the combo blade and replace it with scissors and add my wood saw, although i will probably still have the folding driver issue, but back to waht i was saying i think i have good reason to carry a locking MT , i might leave one at work like i did the st300 

[dks]

I go everywhere by car thus I will have a fixed blade with me in the car. Also in the countryside, though not in shops etc, where a folder, locking or not, is enough for me.
The bicycle I have is mainly for recreation (I did use it for transport sometimes, in the UK).
I assume if you drove to work you would not have a problem carrying whatever you liked.   

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I go everywhere by car thus I will have a fixed blade with me in the car. Also in the countryside, though not in shops etc, where a folder, locking or not, is enough for me.
The bicycle I have is mainly for recreation (I did use it for transport sometimes, in the UK).
I assume if you drove to work you would not have a problem carrying whatever you liked.   

Nope, your car is deemed a public place, so you still have to have a valid reason

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

But is this really a law that is enforced, or just on the books in case you are found with something.  Ive asked before if anyone has ever heard of a regular guy (not someone out to commit a crime) being charged with carrying a lock blade MT and noone ever has responded yes.

We have plenty of outdated laws on the books still that arent enforced.  I just use good common sense and intent is a big part of a crime, and I never have intent to do something wrong and I feel my conscience is clean.  If I was in the UK i would not hesitate to carry a non lockblade MT like a PST, that isnt in the spirit of the law, you cant attack someone with it anymore than a SAK.

I will only speak for Scandinavia, or more precisely, Norway, but these  laws aren't old, sleeping laws, they are very new laws made to build the careers of politicians and bureaucrats. The Norwegian idiot law is only from 1993 and was revised in 2002. In Norway, there is nothing specific about lockblades or OH, it's just illegal to carry a knife in a public place without a “good reason”. The same law also covers ice picks and anything else which is good for stabbing. Also, the punishment is only a hefty fine, and it doesn't rack up the same way e.g. the English idiot law does with repeat offenses. The law lists a couple of examples of what a “good reason” is (work and outdoors/wilderness hobbies), so here we look at legal precedent, not what an MT.Oer finds reasonable.

Now, this makes the climate among law enforcement and civilians alike pretty varied, some police officers will never look twice at a SAK or an MT, they feel the law was meant to remove weapons (which the law says, but most people ignore), while many civilians think anything with an edge is a major offence, and other civilians think the entire law is just a mess. Also, the law is excellent to use for a police officer if he simply needs some expedient reason for, well, something.

Confused yet? Good!

So, most urban Norwegians go without a knife, the knife nuts will ignore the law (knowing if they keep out of trouble and carries something “reasonable” it probably won't come and bite them) and trouble makers continue carry whatever they like as they always have. Many old people here have always carried a traditional sheath knife, and there are examples of the law being used to harass oldtimers in neighbourhood quarrels. (By reporting the guy having carried a knife when going to the grocery store and stuff like that. The only example I remember at least had a happy ending, the guy carrying the knife was exonerated, but he still had to go through a court case, so I feel the harassment attempt was effective.)

So... where does that leave us? We have legal precedent that eating an apple in the park is a “good reason” for carrying a knife. On the other hand, someone was convicted for having a Mora in their backpack when they couldn't make a reasonable claim in the court they actually had been out hiking. Fun stuff!  Do note, the guy eating the apple had a clean record, while the woman with the Mora was a known troublemaker, which also tell us quite a lot about how this law really works here.

So, time for the executive summary for the Norwegian situation:

• No, the laws aren't sleeping, they are actively enforced.
• The reactions towards knives in the general population is extremely varied. The only reaction I've got from using my Spyderco Dragonfly is “Oh, that's a cool knife!” as they aren't very common here. (And, yes, I did use that scary OH quickly and without looking at the knife.)
• Don't give the police a reason to search you.
• Carry something non-threatening, and be prepared to answer why you have it.

I do hope the very active culture of hiking and skiing helps a little, because only idiots go hiking without a knife, and that's what most people here actually think.

Another way to summarize it would be: These are fresh nanny state laws.

See now that law seems almost sensible to me, as it actually relies on common sence to a large degree

[Zed]

I go everywhere by car thus I will have a fixed blade with me in the car. Also in the countryside, though not in shops etc, where a folder, locking or not, is enough for me.
The bicycle I have is mainly for recreation (I did use it for transport sometimes, in the UK).
I assume if you drove to work you would not have a problem carrying whatever you liked.   

I cylcle daily and have always carried a MT for repairs, i guess like a monkey wrench on a car, now thats a weapon 

[AimlessWanderer]

See now that law seems almost sensible to me, as it actually relies on common sence to a large degree

I kind of feel that way about ours though  I think there's plenty of scope for sensible carry. I carry multitools quite frequently and have even walked past a law court with a fixed blade knife on my hip (I was penning a boat through a lock on the canal at the time  )

It's just unfortunate that common sense isn't always as common as it should be 

[Zed]

See now that law seems almost sensible to me, as it actually relies on common sence to a large degree

I kind of feel that way about ours though  I think there's plenty of scope for sensible carry. I carry multitools quite frequently and have even walked past a law court with a fixed blade knife on my hip (I was penning a boat through a lock on the canal at the time  )

It's just unfortunate that common sense isn't always as common as it should be 

I also agree with this, i carried a wave for many years on my belt and i didnt even think about laws etc, i only learnt the laws since coming on BB and MTO i only use my MT or knife when needed and amd carefull if i think it might offend or scare someone, even at work im carefull as lots of vulunerable people who might worry about a knife, but i do like to fit in with guidlines so i can at least say i use these for work and they are under 3inches and dont lock .

[Zed]

Another thing i thought of,after my situation last thursday with those lads and the broken bottle i never even thought to grab my opinel out og my pocket of the paratool out of the molle pouch on my belt, and too be honest by the time i opened either of these tools i woiuld of got stabbed by the bottle , so for me both these tools are legal blade lenght wise and non locking plus not easy to get the blade from,

[Essexman]

i wonder though if i get searched on the way home from work and i have my opinel #6 with no lock ring but have a locking MT it would be good enough reason as my job needs these tools , last week i cut open 40 boxes so a knife was very handy,plus i opend the packaging on 2 new hospital beds, i used most of the drivers on my MT a paratool , although i dont use the blade on it ever, when i get the ppp i might remove the combo blade and replace it with scissors and add my wood saw, although i will probably still have the folding driver issue, but back to waht i was saying i think i have good reason to carry a locking MT , i might leave one at work like i did the st300 

No it wouldn't be a good reason because you are no longer at work. You are on your way home from work.

Same as a builder found walking around Tescos on his way home from work with a locking knife clipped to his jeans. He should leave his knife at work or stored in a toolbox.

Harsh I know. The above is worse case.

Truth is it all depends on so many facts that no one can tell what may happen.

[Syph007]

LM could grind off/notch the part of the lock that locks the blade, on LM's rocker locks found on ; SuperTool 300 , Rebar & Blast MTs making the blade a non locker but having locking tools 

OK, so... could the owner grind off the locking tab? Seems lie an easy enough fix.

I've got the bits to disassemble the Wave and Charge, I might haft start up a cottage industry grinding them off and shipping them to UK folks...

The problem with grinding the lock off, is that the blades are not slippies under those locks.  Once the lock is gone there is nothing to put pressure on the blade to keep it in place.  Grind the lock and you have a floppy sharp piece of metal.

The only way I can think to do this would be to grind some metal off the blade notch and make the notch angled.  That way the lock bar spring still holds the blade open, but pushing on the blade would close it.   

[Mercury]

LM could grind off/notch the part of the lock that locks the blade, on LM's rocker locks found on ; SuperTool 300 , Rebar & Blast MTs making the blade a non locker but having locking tools 

OK, so... could the owner grind off the locking tab? Seems lie an easy enough fix.

I've got the bits to disassemble the Wave and Charge, I might haft start up a cottage industry grinding them off and shipping them to UK folks...

The problem with grinding the lock off, is that the blades are not slippies under those locks.  Once the lock is gone there is nothing to put pressure on the blade to keep it in place.  Grind the lock and you have a floppy sharp piece of metal.

The only way I can think to do this would be to grind some metal off the blade notch and make the notch angled.  That way the lock bar spring still holds the blade open, but pushing on the blade would close it.

That might just work.  Now for someone to try it out...

[AimlessWanderer]

LM could grind off/notch the part of the lock that locks the blade, on LM's rocker locks found on ; SuperTool 300 , Rebar & Blast MTs making the blade a non locker but having locking tools 

OK, so... could the owner grind off the locking tab? Seems lie an easy enough fix.

I've got the bits to disassemble the Wave and Charge, I might haft start up a cottage industry grinding them off and shipping them to UK folks...

The problem with grinding the lock off, is that the blades are not slippies under those locks.  Once the lock is gone there is nothing to put pressure on the blade to keep it in place.  Grind the lock and you have a floppy sharp piece of metal.

The only way I can think to do this would be to grind some metal off the blade notch and make the notch angled.  That way the lock bar spring still holds the blade open, but pushing on the blade would close it.

There's still the other handle in the way though guys, so it's really not going to be of any major benefit if it's a pedantic copper you're up against  Safer to have either a bloody good reason, or an outboard slippy tool .... or knifeless, and stick a Byrd Tern or similar in your pocket.

It would be great if a Spirit/Swisstool could be made into an effective slippie though, or if the Wave/Charge/Octane/MP700 had a backspring instead of a liner lock. No point in doing any modding to a MP400/600 or most of the LM's to get round UK law unless its a blade removal job

[chip]

i wonder though if i get searched on the way home from work and i have my opinel #6 with no lock ring but have a locking MT it would be good enough reason as my job needs these tools , last week i cut open 40 boxes so a knife was very handy,plus i opend the packaging on 2 new hospital beds, i used most of the drivers on my MT a paratool , although i dont use the blade on it ever, when i get the ppp i might remove the combo blade and replace it with scissors and add my wood saw, although i will probably still have the folding driver issue, but back to waht i was saying i think i have good reason to carry a locking MT , i might leave one at work like i did the st300 

No it wouldn't be a good reason because you are no longer at work. You are on your way home from work.

Same as a builder found walking around Tescos on his way home from work with a locking knife clipped to his jeans. He should leave his knife at work or stored in a toolbox.

Harsh I know. The above is worse case.

Truth is it all depends on so many facts that no one can tell what may happen.

This is what happened to the guy I know when he stated he used the knife for work.
They said did you work on this job yesterday, yes he replied. Will you be working there tomorrow, again he replied yes. Well then you should have left it at work he was told.

[Zed]

i wonder though if i get searched on the way home from work and i have my opinel #6 with no lock ring but have a locking MT it would be good enough reason as my job needs these tools , last week i cut open 40 boxes so a knife was very handy,plus i opend the packaging on 2 new hospital beds, i used most of the drivers on my MT a paratool , although i dont use the blade on it ever, when i get the ppp i might remove the combo blade and replace it with scissors and add my wood saw, although i will probably still have the folding driver issue, but back to waht i was saying i think i have good reason to carry a locking MT , i might leave one at work like i did the st300 

No it wouldn't be a good reason because you are no longer at work. You are on your way home from work.

Same as a builder found walking around Tescos on his way home from work with a locking knife clipped to his jeans. He should leave his knife at work or stored in a toolbox.

Harsh I know. The above is worse case.

Truth is it all depends on so many facts that no one can tell what may happen.

This is what happened to the guy I know when he stated he used the knife for work.
They said did you work on this job yesterday, yes he replied. Will you be working there tomorrow, again he replied yes. Well then you should have left it at work he was told.

i wonder where you stand it its all in your backpack with other tools  ive mainly only got my opinel or tinker in my pocket and my MT is usualy in my backpack, we probably shouldnt worry as ive never been stopped ,

[Syph007]

LM could grind off/notch the part of the lock that locks the blade, on LM's rocker locks found on ; SuperTool 300 , Rebar & Blast MTs making the blade a non locker but having locking tools 

OK, so... could the owner grind off the locking tab? Seems lie an easy enough fix.

I've got the bits to disassemble the Wave and Charge, I might haft start up a cottage industry grinding them off and shipping them to UK folks...

The problem with grinding the lock off, is that the blades are not slippies under those locks.  Once the lock is gone there is nothing to put pressure on the blade to keep it in place.  Grind the lock and you have a floppy sharp piece of metal.

The only way I can think to do this would be to grind some metal off the blade notch and make the notch angled.  That way the lock bar spring still holds the blade open, but pushing on the blade would close it.

There's still the other handle in the way though guys, so it's really not going to be of any major benefit if it's a pedantic copper you're up against  Safer to have either a bloody good reason, or an outboard slippy tool .... or knifeless, and stick a Byrd Tern or similar in your pocket.

It would be great if a Spirit/Swisstool could be made into an effective slippie though, or if the Wave/Charge/Octane/MP700 had a backspring instead of a liner lock. No point in doing any modding to a MP400/600 or most of the LM's to get round UK law unless its a blade removal job

Spirit/swisstool would be very easy to mod.  The blade can stay the same, all that would be needed to do is to remove the backspring part, remove the locking nub and reassemble (rivet/bolt) that back on.  The knife would work like a proper slip joint as that spring exerts plenty of pressure to keep it open and closed.  This way you dont have to mess with the large 4mm rivets, just the small one holding the backspring assembly.  Id do it to mine to demo but I really dont want to lose the lock blade.

[Zed]

LM could grind off/notch the part of the lock that locks the blade, on LM's rocker locks found on ; SuperTool 300 , Rebar & Blast MTs making the blade a non locker but having locking tools 

OK, so... could the owner grind off the locking tab? Seems lie an easy enough fix.

I've got the bits to disassemble the Wave and Charge, I might haft start up a cottage industry grinding them off and shipping them to UK folks...

The problem with grinding the lock off, is that the blades are not slippies under those locks.  Once the lock is gone there is nothing to put pressure on the blade to keep it in place.  Grind the lock and you have a floppy sharp piece of metal.

The only way I can think to do this would be to grind some metal off the blade notch and make the notch angled.  That way the lock bar spring still holds the blade open, but pushing on the blade would close it.

There's still the other handle in the way though guys, so it's really not going to be of any major benefit if it's a pedantic copper you're up against  Safer to have either a bloody good reason, or an outboard slippy tool .... or knifeless, and stick a Byrd Tern or similar in your pocket.

It would be great if a Spirit/Swisstool could be made into an effective slippie though, or if the Wave/Charge/Octane/MP700 had a backspring instead of a liner lock. No point in doing any modding to a MP400/600 or most of the LM's to get round UK law unless its a blade removal job

Spirit/swisstool would be very easy to mod.  The blade can stay the same, all that would be needed to do is to remove the backspring part, remove the locking nub and reassemble (rivet/bolt) that back on.  The knife would work like a proper slip joint as that spring exerts plenty of pressure to keep it open and closed.  This way you dont have to mess with the large 4mm rivets, just the small one holding the backspring assembly.  Id do it to mine to demo but I really dont want to lose the lock blade.

but wouldnt the other handle secure it when closed  not had a swisstool for a while   

[turnsouth]

Spirit/swisstool would be very easy to mod.  The blade can stay the same, all that would be needed to do is to remove the backspring part, remove the locking nub and reassemble (rivet/bolt) that back on.  The knife would work like a proper slip joint as that spring exerts plenty of pressure to keep it open and closed.  This way you dont have to mess with the large 4mm rivets, just the small one holding the backspring assembly.  Id do it to mine to demo but I really dont want to lose the lock blade.

Much easier mod:

On the back of each implement, at the pivot end, there are two flat areas. The larger flat area is machined out to rest against the back spring when open, the smaller one is the area where the lock engages with the implement.

All one needs to do is to take a jeweler's file and round off the squared edge on the small area until the tool folds without releasing the lock.

[AimlessWanderer]

Spirit/swisstool would be very easy to mod.  The blade can stay the same, all that would be needed to do is to remove the backspring part, remove the locking nub and reassemble (rivet/bolt) that back on.  The knife would work like a proper slip joint as that spring exerts plenty of pressure to keep it open and closed.  This way you dont have to mess with the large 4mm rivets, just the small one holding the backspring assembly.  Id do it to mine to demo but I really dont want to lose the lock blade.

Much easier mod:

On the back of each implement, at the pivot end, there are two flat areas. The larger flat area is machined out to rest against the back spring when open, the smaller one is the area where the lock engages with the implement.

All one needs to do is to take a jeweler's file and round off the squared edge on the small area until the tool folds without releasing the lock.

Don't think that would work. What you'd need to do is stop the sliding plate from sliding onto the flat spot, either by shortening the locking plate but that might have integrity issues for all the tools on that side, or FILL the recess it slides into on the tang to not give the plate anywhere to go, so that it would effectively keep the locking plate pushed down. It's not the same locking config as the LM's so radiussing the corner would not push the plate back out. Hope that makes sense 

[Syph007]

Spirit/swisstool would be very easy to mod.  The blade can stay the same, all that would be needed to do is to remove the backspring part, remove the locking nub and reassemble (rivet/bolt) that back on.  The knife would work like a proper slip joint as that spring exerts plenty of pressure to keep it open and closed.  This way you dont have to mess with the large 4mm rivets, just the small one holding the backspring assembly.  Id do it to mine to demo but I really dont want to lose the lock blade.

Much easier mod:

On the back of each implement, at the pivot end, there are two flat areas. The larger flat area is machined out to rest against the back spring when open, the smaller one is the area where the lock engages with the implement.

All one needs to do is to take a jeweler's file and round off the squared edge on the small area until the tool folds without releasing the lock.

Don't think that would work. What you'd need to do is stop the sliding plate from sliding onto the flat spot, either by shortening the locking plate but that might have integrity issues for all the tools on that side, or FILL the recess it slides into on the tang to not give the plate anywhere to go, so that it would effectively keep the locking plate pushed down. It's not the same locking config as the LM's so radiussing the corner would not push the plate back out. Hope that makes sense 

Filling the hole would kinda work but wouldnt be smooth as the spring would be held out still, you want it to snap flush, and the only way to do that is to modify the spring.

If any brave UKers want to send me a tool to mod, I'll do it, I just ask you pay shipping.  I have titanium rod that I could use to re-rivet.

[turnsouth]

I see what you are saying Al, but on the extremely well used models that I have procured, I've found that as the flat spot has rounded with use, it acts against the lock and actually pushes it to the released position.

Not that I had ever had one that would fully overcome the lock, but I can see how using a file to change that flat spot into a radius should do the trick.

I guess the better way of wording the mod would be to say: "Take a file and round the small flat spot until it overcomes the locking action"