UK Legal Multi's and Saks for EDC

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

For those of us lucky enough to live under the Queen's iron rule , we now have to give some serious thought to the legality of the Multi's or Sak's that we carry for EDC

As I understand it the basic British law is that a knife must have a blade of 76mm/3 inches and must be unable to lock, to be legal edc, obviously any and all knives can be considered illegal in the wrong places ie the pub, school or the courts.

So the point of this thread is to make a list of all the legal Multi/Sak out there that are street legal for sensible carriage

First up, we at Multitool.Org are not responsible for the information, and it's up to the user to check local and applicable laws for themselves.

Ok I'll go first...

All Victorinox's between 58mm and 93mm models fit in to the legal edc catagory, plus have the priceless advantage of not neccessarily being viewed as a knife or weapon of any kind.

All the 65mm Wengers are legal, most of the 85mm are as well, but be careful as quite a few models have locking main blades so consequently would fall foul of the law in certain situation's/areas, and again like the Victorinox's they have a positive image around non knife people

[Roadie]

Paladin
PT510

Gerber
Multiplier (the earlier ones do not have a lock)
Clutch
Shortcut

Leatherman
Kick
Knifeless Kick
PST I and II
Micra
Juice series (all i think, unless they made one with a lock?)
Minitool

Thats a few off the top of my head probably some more, so get listing people!

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Thanks mate

[I'm Still Bison]

 Are these laws uniformly in effect throughout the UK? I'm curious about what laws  govern knives and multi-tools in areas that have some degree of autonomy or self-rule...Scotland,Wales,Northern Ireland.Don't the Isle of Man,and the Channel Islands have some degree of autonomy?

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Are these laws uniformly in effect throughout the UK? I'm curious about what laws  govern knives and multi-tools in areas that have some degree of autonomy or self-rule...Scotland,Wales,Northern Ireland.Don't the Isle of Man,and the Channel Islands have some degree of autonomy?

They do have some autonomy concerning things like speed limit's and traffic regulations, and probably a host of rare and obscure law,s and bylaws too, but I think where knives are concerned there all broadly similar, except in scotland, which is a little bit more hard lined.

[jock1]

Don't know about anything other than Scots law which states that
Offensive weapons are anything which is made ,intended ,or adapted which covers anyhting from a machette strapped to your back or a belt swung about your head
exceptions are LAWFUL AUTHORITY or REASONABLE EXCUSE the first is police or armed services etc
the second is a big grey area usually work or religion but one young lady who was caught with a Samurai sword said she used it for trimming her Bonzai trees
Bladed or sharply pointed articles are self explanitory the only exceptions are non locking blades of 3 inches or under again lawful authority or reasonable excuse comes into play
Reasonable excuse may apply at 12-00 but not at 01-00 hrs

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Don't know about anything other than Scots law which states that
Offensive weapons are anything which is made ,intended ,or adapted which covers anyhting from a machette strapped to your back or a belt swung about your head
exceptions are LAWFUL AUTHORITY or REASONABLE EXCUSE the first is police or armed services etc
the second is a big grey area usually work or religion but one young lady who was caught with a Samurai sword said she used it for trimming her Bonzai trees
Bladed or sharply pointed articles are self explanitory the only exceptions are non locking blades of 3 inches or under again lawful authority or reasonable excuse comes into play
Reasonable excuse may apply at 12-00 but not at 01-00 hrs

You covered a lot of ground with that post, thanks

As for the samurai girl, why the hell didn't I think of that excuse

[Benner]

An obvious one I know, but the Frog tool.

There is also a Leatherman knifeless Fuse

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

An obvious one I know, but the Frog tool.

There is also a Leatherman knifeless Fuse

Good point mate, I'd forgotten the Frog

[damota]

As far as knives go, it is the under 3" length and slip lock that governs. As you say most SAKs but also most old style pocket knives come within the law. 2 knives that come within the law are the CRKT Edgie and the Spyderco UK penknife that was specially designed for sale (and use) in the UK.
Anything can be carried with good reason. Just think if you really have a good reason, and remember a good reason walking between A and B may not be a good reason if you pop into a cafe for a coffee on the way and popping into the pub on the way back would to be honest be bloody stupid with any knife.

Dave

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I was always wary of the Spydie UKPK, everyone I've looked at and played with I've loved, but it's just to damn tactical looking, to not attract attention

[damota]

I was always wary of the Spydie UKPK, everyone I've looked at and played with I've loved, but it's just to damn tactical looking, to not attract attention

If you in any way fancy one, get it. If anything proves why many US knife makers are getting Chinese steel for their blades you just have to look at the cost of that knife since it came out. It now sells for £69.99 and I am certain I paid about £50 for mine when it first came out. I have been told every time they are reordered they have gone up. Mind they are still worth it.
I think of mine as the best quality knife we are allowed. Light, good blade depth as well as being legal length and keeps it's edge really well. Also easily washed for use as a clean knife for food and such.

Dave

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I was always wary of the Spydie UKPK, everyone I've looked at and played with I've loved, but it's just to damn tactical looking, to not attract attention

If you in any way fancy one, get it. If anything proves why many US knife makers are getting Chinese steel for their blades you just have to look at the cost of that knife since it came out. It now sells for £69.99 and I am certain I paid about £50 for mine when it first came out. I have been told every time they are reordered they have gone up. Mind they are still worth it.
I think of mine as the best quality knife we are allowed. Light, good blade depth as well as being legal length and keeps it's edge really well. Also easily washed for use as a clean knife for food and such.

Dave

The new Urban promises to be good

[cryptrick]

Some more tools to add to the OK list...

The Swiss Tech key and microtechnician
SOG's Crossgrip and Crosscut
SOG Paratool (no locking blades)


(I'll try and think of some more) 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Some more tools to add to the OK list...

The Swiss Tech key and microtechnician
SOG's Crossgrip and Crosscut
SOG Paratool (no locking blades)


(I'll try and think of some more) 

Thanks fella

[Roadie]

The Swiss Tech key

Technically i think that would count as a fixed blade (even if it is only 1" or so long!) so you'd have to have a good reason to carry it....not sure how it would be interpreted by an officer of the law though.

[CQC-7]

That is almost a philosophical discussion.  The blade is technically fixed.  However, one must fold away the part that encloses the blade.  It must be folded to operate.  No doubt that some lawyer would have a field day with that one.

[cryptrick]

Sorry for causing some confusion, better leave it off the list for now then.

Anyway, a couple more that are OK...

Leatherman Vista
Leatherman Hybrid

(OK they're not necessarily EDC but could be added to the list)

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Nowt wrong with adding them to the list mate

[cryptrick]

Would the SOG Toolclip classify, the blade doesn't lock, but is it below 3" ?

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Would the SOG Toolclip classify, the blade doesn't lock, but is it below 3" ?

I'm fairly certain it does mate

[Benner]

I have just stumbled across this thread again and thought I'd give it a bump to see if anyone had any more ideas?

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

There are still a lot of older tool's out there that would still be legal edc, like your multiplier, then there are still the original PST's and Sideclips too, plus I'm sure many more

[FredKJ]

I'm in the US and not the UK so it's not as bad but is getting there.  My new Wenger S557 has a locking blade so could bring up issues in some places.  Too bad, the design is for safety, not as a weapon.  Hard to get reactionary freakout types to grasp that.  In the practical situation of getting stopped by a cop or "bobbie" for you Brits  the fortunate thing is a SAK or multi in general is going to look less threatening.  And perception has more to do with it than the specific laws that are often ambigious anyway. 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

There is a very definate case for knives that are ''percieved'' as friendly, you would almost certainly get away with a sak assuming your not doing something silly with it, but there's always the chance you meet a copper having a bad day or needs to fill his quoter , or worse a special constable

[Benner]

Just thought I'd write a list of the multitools tools we have had so far (I haven't included SAK's and a couple of other's I have thought of);

Paladin PT 510,
Early Gerber Multipliers,
Gerber Clutch,
Gerber Shortcut,
Gerber Solstice,
Leatherman Kick,
Leatherman Knifeless Kick,
Leatherman knifeless Fuse,
Leatherman PST 1 & 2,
Leatherman Micra,
Leatherman Juice series,
Leatherman Mini,
Leatherman Vista,
Leatherman Hybrid,
Leatherman Sideclip,
Frog tool,
Frosch tool,
SOG Crosscut,
SOG Crossgrip,
SOG Paratool (not sure if all of them?),
SOG Toolclip,
SOG Mini toolclip.

[FredKJ]

There is a very definate case for knives that are ''percieved'' as friendly, you would almost certainly get away with a sak assuming your not doing something silly with it, but there's always the chance you meet a copper having a bad day or needs to fill his quoter , or worse a special constable

You got it.  The problem with "what is legal" with knife laws gets real fuzzy.  Knife laws vary dramatically from one place to the other and the typical cop or school official is not going to appreciate the subtle nuances.  You might win in court but the cost is high.  At the level of the typical pocket knife/SAK/multi-tool perception is going to play just as important a part.  If the knife blade is buried with a bunch of other neat gizmos it helps the "threatening factor".  The lower the threshold of that threatening factor the less likely you will be on radar from a cop, school official etc.  

I have a nice Buck lockblade.  It is under the normal legal length and is really a nice knife.  The steel is high quality.  Since it is a knife blade by itself to the wrong person it could just look bad.  

So if you are going to list what is legal you also have to take that subjective "threatening factor" into account.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I'm in the US and not the UK so it's not as bad but is getting there.

Not to get political, but the problem in the US isn't the laws, it's the fact that they change from state to state.  What's legal in one state may not be legal in the next, and even if it's legal in both states, there may be a federal law broken by taking it over state law, since the Feds regulate interstate transportation.

While I could never support increased legislation on anything, I'd have to support some kind of bill that would make things like knives even across the board like it is in most other countries.  Of course if such a thing was ever developed, it would probably be something silly and unenforceable like the UK's banning of pointy kitchen knives.   

Def

[Benner]

 
I have a nice Buck lockblade.  It is under the normal legal length and is really a nice knife.  The steel is high quality.  Since it is a knife blade by itself to the wrong person it could just look bad.  

So if you are going to list what is legal you also have to take that subjective "threatening factor" into account.

I like them as well, but sadly the lock again makes it illegal to EDC and like you say "looks" to the sheeple as a weapon and so could land you in a lot of trouble.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

  Of course if such a thing was ever developed, it would probably be something silly and unenforceable like the UK's banning of pointy kitchen knives.   

Def

That has been sugested more than once