non locking knives?

[badgeringtim]

My understanding of the law is that under 3.5 inch non-locking blades are - well, not ok but more acceptible. Im not asking for clarification of the law I know there are many posts about that and about good reasons etc.

But... what non locking knives are there i can only think of SAK, also when is a feature a lock. Im thinking leathermen which dont lock but do click into place and have extra support from the frame? So maybe thats two. I spend a lot of time out and about and would like to be able to take the oportunity to make whistles and the like when i find appropriate bits - ie probably not a good enough reason to cary, and also just easier to be on the right side etc.

Personally i like the opinel system but im sure that would count as a lock wouldnt it?

Sorry if this post should be elsewhere!

Any ideas....

[wanderingblade]

The exemption for carrying a knife without the need for reasonable cause is 3" not 3.5"

As for the definition of a lock, it's basically anything that stops the blade from being freely folded into the handle - any knife that requires an operation to be performed to release the blade from the open position.

As for knives available other than a SAK - check out the UK legal carry section at Heinnie Hayes for plenty of models:
http://www.heinnie.com/nww58e170055/...ry/c-1-92-641/

It does need to be pointed out that although you are allowed to carry a non-locking knife so long as the blade in 3" or less, you can still fall foul of the law if it is carried or used irresponsably.

[rawshak]

The above link to Heinnie Hayes is a great place to start. I have recently replaced my Opinel (yes, it does count as locking), with a German Eye sodbuster, which I'm very happy with (although it needed re-sharpening as the grind straight out of the box was not great).

However, in the countryside, doing 'bushy' things, you're extremely unlikely to get any hassle carrying most kinds of knife, as you have a reasonable excuse.

[badgeringtim]

Yeah good list thanks for that!
It still frustrates me though that the locking knife is just more stable safter and better, in my opinion at least.
Oh i know i probably have a 'good' reason to be carying i work outdoors a lot and there are any number of things that could be used, but would still be nice to find a knife i would actually want and have a stronger argument, and yeah your right i am unlikely to even see anyone when out and about let alone be searched!

I have to say - despite the number of knives in that there list most are not my cup of tea!
although i might get a couple for 'testing'!

:-)

[Blades]

The best thing you can do opinel wise is to get yourself a 6 and take the locking ring off. I did that, prize it off with some needle nose plyers. That leaves it about 1mm short of the 7.62cm legal size limit.

[Nightjar]

I have just bought the self sharpening CRKT Edgie from hennie for just over £20 seems to have been a good buy.It was in the UK legal section of the Hennie website, knife section

This knife is honed every time it is opened, also it has a handy,strong belt clip which could be removed if desired.

philip

[dwardo]

I bought a UKPK before the price got daft. I use and carry it every day great knife..

[Blades]

Whats a UKPK?

[Goatboy]

Whats a UKPK?

Is a Spyderco knife designed to comply with the UK's somewhat draconian knife laws. IE it won't fall foul of length and locking laws... you still have to have a reason to be carrying it though, and remember that non locking folders have a habit of impairing your ability to count to ten without removing your shoes.

TTFN
GB

[spamel]

You don't need a reason to carry a UKPK, it is an EDC. It conforms to the UK law on knife carry, so long as you aren't waving it about or trying to stab somebody with it you are fine. It was designed to be used in UK, it was built with UK Knife Law in mind.

[Goatboy]

You don't need a reason to carry a UKPK, it is an EDC. It conforms to the UK law on knife carry, so long as you aren't waving it about or trying to stab somebody with it you are fine. It was designed to be used in UK, it was built with UK Knife Law in mind.

Hi Spamel, I agree that's the law. But if yer daft enough to be in a pub in Glasgow on a friday night with one in yer pouch, you'll be getting brekfast on the Queen over the weekend and be seeing a wee fella in a wig on the Monday morning. You can't just carry willy-nilly in certain areas... no matter what blade.

Cheers
GB.

[spamel]

Hi Spamel, I agree that's the law. But if yer daft enough to be in a pub in Glasgow on a friday night with one in yer pouch, you'll be getting brekfast on the Queen over the weekend and be seeing a wee fella in a wig on the Monday morning. You can't just carry willy-nilly in certain areas... no matter what blade.

Cheers
GB.

That isn't law either though, that's common sense!

[Goatboy]

That isn't law either though, that's common sense!

Spamel mate I know... but I've found all too often that the Law and common sense don't share the same grid square.

GB

[Blades]

The law has nothing to do with common sense!

[Goatboy]

The law has nothing to do with common sense!

Ah Blades my Doric friend, we concur.... It's good Scottish sense.
GB

[spamel]

Spamel mate I know... but I've found all too often that the Law and common sense don't share the same grid square.

GB

That's fair enough, but even with a reason, you shouldn't take a knife into a pub! We agree on that, but I wanted to clarify, you DO NOT need a reason to carry a legal, sub-3 inch, non-locking folding pocket knife in UK.

[Goatboy]

That's fair enough, but even with a reason, you shouldn't take a knife into a pub! We agree on that, but I wanted to clarify, you DO NOT need a reason to carry a legal, sub-3 inch, non-locking folding pocket knife in UK.

I agree with you whole-heartedly, but being brought up in the bum end of no-where and working in it for a lot of years I always have a knife / blade on me as a matter of course. Usually a small one tucked away, I don't know I have it on me. When I briefly moved into the smoke and was "lured" into these places of dancing with lassies I hadn't known all my days and with no chaperon in sight I once or twice found myself at a door with a metal detector and something shiney in my pocket other than bawbees. I always found that a quick talk to the door staff saw me right and me getting it back at the end of the night. All I was saying was that it can seem "natural" to carry a blade for perfectly honest reasons. I have all my life. Have also been on the other side of the fence security wise when it comes to sharps... Always tried to be nice.

We just cant carry a "legal" carry carte blanche!

GB

[spamel]

I agree with you whole-heartedly, but being brought up in the bum end of no-where and working in it for a lot of years I always have a knife / blade on me as a matter of course. Usually a small one tucked away, I don't know I have it on me. When I briefly moved into the smoke and was "lured" into these places of dancing with lassies I hadn't known all my days and with no chaperon in sight I once or twice found myself at a door with a metal detector and something shiney in my pocket other than bawbees. I always found that a quick talk to the door staff saw me right and me getting it back at the end of the night. All I was saying was that it can seem "natural" to carry a blade for perfectly honest reasons. I have all my life. Have also been on the other side of the fence security wise when it comes to sharps... Always tried to be nice.

We just cant carry a "legal" carry carte blanche!

GB

Of course, but that was never in question! Incidentally, I carry a small folding knife everywhere and often forget I do! It is a stainless plain edge Spyderco Bug, tiny little thing. I wear it as an amulet! It is sharp enough to cut things with, but if you were to get it out to try and intimidate somebody, they'd laugh at you!

[Goatboy]

Of course, but that was never in question! Incidentally, I carry a small folding knife everywhere and often forget I do! It is a stainless plain edge Spyderco Bug, tiny little thing. I wear it as an amulet! It is sharp enough to cut things with, but if you were to get it out to try and intimidate somebody, they'd laugh at you!

See that's just the thing. Been on doors and had blades pulled on me and have never thought, " "right knife fight" . Always just got it off of the gentleman and shown him the error of his ways. Now I do have fighting weapons, but that's what they are for... fighting... ( though only in practice and ceremonial mode) My everyday carry is never even thought of as a weapon. I was taught that a weapon was a killing thing. My pocket knife isn't for that, it's a tool. We may be getting into semantics here, but my pocket knife will never see inside you unless A) you need emergancy surgery, B) you are a brain eating zombie. Unless these two things are happening you'll meet Mr. Fist or worse Mr. 2x4.

GB

[Blades]

I just wish they would get rid of the lock thing, 3 inches is perfectly sufficiant as far as I'm concerned for every day use, for my needs anyway, occasional twig whittle, but not only does it vastly reduce choice by not having a locking mechanism it's vastly increasing the danger to ones personage.

But hohum. Not going to change in our favour any time soon ! Like we said, what has common sense got to do with anything. Too much hastle for the polis to make them assess a situation and make a reasoned and informed opinion whether or not someone is planning on slashing someone or if they want to spontaneously carve a bit of wood without losing some digits.

[8thsinner]

Oh, I'm a sucker for anything japanese and that Citadel buddy in cocobolo looks fantastic.
Thanks for sharing the site, I wasn't aware of it before.

[wanderingblade]

I have just bought the self sharpening CRKT Edgie from hennie for just over £20.......

Good man!

The Edgie is (imo) the best edc available at the moment, really ticks all the boxes:

• Nice handle design
• Nice blade design - no point = no temptation to do something that will cause it to close on you!
• Pocket clip
• One-Hand opening
• Well weighted and solid (sorry but UKPK's feel like they'll blow away in the wind!)
• Cheap enough to use / abuse / lose without too much upset

Sure, the self-sharpening thing is a bit of a gimmick and is pretty ineffective once it gets clogged with pocket fluff but as an overall package I love 'em!

[rawshak]

The best thing you can do opinel wise is to get yourself a 6 and take the locking ring off. I did that, prize it off with some needle nose plyers. That leaves it about 1mm short of the 7.62cm legal size limit.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend doing this, as the Opinel has nothing else to keep the blade in place, so you are seriously risking the blade closing on your fingers (I've never liked the smaller non-locking Opinels either), especially as they can get really loose. I hate having a non-locking blade, but if you have to have one, you're better off with the added safety of a good slipjoint (the strong spring that holds a non-locker in place). At lest you are minimalising the risks if not avoiding them completely.

[BorderReiver]

That's fair enough, but even with a reason, you shouldn't take a knife into a pub! We agree on that, but I wanted to clarify, you DO NOT need a reason to carry a legal, sub-3 inch, non-locking folding pocket knife in UK.

Don't forget also, that railway companies can stop you from entering their property, railway stations and trains, if you are carrying even a legal knife.

[spamel]

See that's just the thing. Been on doors and had blades pulled on me and have never thought, " "right knife fight" . Always just got it off of the gentleman and shown him the error of his ways. Now I do have fighting weapons, but that's what they are for... fighting... ( though only in practice and ceremonial mode) My everyday carry is never even thought of as a weapon. I was taught that a weapon was a killing thing. My pocket knife isn't for that, it's a tool. We may be getting into semantics here, but my pocket knife will never see inside you unless A) you need emergancy surgery, B) you are a brain eating zombie. Unless these two things are happening you'll meet Mr. Fist or worse Mr. 2x4.

GB

Same here though, I'd never pull a knife for defence, in fact I'd try to stop it even getting that far! When I was a youth, I often found myself having a ruck down town, trouble used to look for me it seemed. Maybe because I'm not a big fellah, people think they can have a lot off and I'll sheepishly walk away! Unfortunately, that is not the case, but in all my time drinking myself stupid, I was never involved in a fight that utilised anything but fists and the odd head butt! Nowadays, bottles, pint pots and knives seem to be the norm. I'm glad I no longer go down town, I don't reckon I'd last long!

Don't forget also, that railway companies can stop you from entering their property, railway stations and trains, if you are carrying even a legal knife.

I understand this, but I don't like it! You'd like to think that the Law of the land covers even trains, but no! I remember the old ex Army Colonel who got stopped on Eurostar with a Swiss Card and was cautioned for having a fixed blade! Absolute nonsense, but again I think that boils down to common sense and interpreting laws incorrectly. Somebody was just being a gigantic jobsworth!

[badgeringtim]

Wow interesting responses gents - i think this makes it as my longest running post to date!

I certainly agree with the comment that modifying knives that are designed to have a lock is not something i would entertain. an opinel without the lock seemd very risky. Which is a shame since i really do like them!
I just got the Maserin Marinera in Olive and the rogers - the rogers is tiny plaything but unlikely to cause you grief, the maser not too bad looking - going to se if it will hold a decent edge now!
But when al is said and done i still definately prefer lock or fixed blade knives...

[spamel]

How about something like this:

http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/joseph_ro...pocket_knives/

Or an old style Barlow knife, I'd go for a wood handle in spear point blade myself. Look pretty darned nice to me!

http://www.premiercutlery.co.uk/show...ves/wooden/100

there are plenty of other makers that make nice old school pen knifes, they are less likely to get heads turning in shock then the more tactical knives available. Good price on them too!

[spamel]

Here's another horrible knife you wouldn't want, honest!

http://www.sheffield-cutlery.com/cut...cfda4f40ff4646

[galopede]

Here's another horrible knife you wouldn't want, honest!

http://www.sheffield-cutlery.com/cut...cfda4f40ff4646

Aah, Trevor Ablett, one of the last of Sheffield's Little Mesters. A hand made knife for a silly cheap price. I have one of his Farmers/Spearpoints in buffalo. One of my favourite EDCs

Get one before he retires - he's well past retirement age already!

Gareth

[wanderingblade]

Sorry to go against the grain, but the one and only Ablett knife I had was poo.

Might have been a one off, not sure.