Everyday Carry Item Breakdown
- Purse
Club Monaco Red Tavel/Passport Purse - EDC Knife
Douk-Douk
> Read our review of the Douk-Douk - Lip Balm
L’Occitane Shea Butter Delightful Rose - Miscellaneous Keys
- Tissues
- Ballpoint Pen
Paper Mate Flexgrip Ultra - Ballpoint Pen
Paper Mate Flexgrip Ultra - Folding Shopping Bag
- Folding Shopping Bag
Hi, What makes the knife “legal” in The UK? Is the Swiss Army knife “Illegal”?
I got into real trouble after going into a US. official building in NY. having forgotten that my Swiss Army Knife was on my keychain. A small one, nothing aggressive…..
It is a confusing term as, apart from some exceptions (switchblades, etc) all knives are legal in the UK.
UK legal carry is defined in Section 139 of the Serious Crime and Disorder act as a knife with a non-locking blade under 3″. So your typical slipjoint Swiss army knife fits this. You can carry this sort of knife with out having to supply a reason if challenged by a police officer. It is allowed by law as a natural thing to carry in everyday life.
You can carry a larger blade, a lock knife or fixed blade but you will need to supply a reason if stopped. If you are going fishing and have a 6″ filleting knife in your tackle box that would be a reasonable justification. Having a filleting knife in the glove box of your car because you sometimes fish….less so! Fine of up to £2000 and 5 years in prison if convicted.
Self defence us not a valid reason for any carry.
Certain places have a prohibition agains all bladed items; courts, schools, football matches are some of them.
So actually pretty sensible laws that don’t really hinder anyone. Given that gangs involved in knife crime generally use Stanley knives (boxcutters) or kitchen knives stolen from the supermarket they both fall foul of s139 where as a regular person carrying a UKPK or SAK will be fine*
*as lobg as you are not being a dick!
Alex answered it pretty aptly! The law is pretty rigid but if you don’t act like a complete muppet in public- you will be fine.