Pocket knife - recommendations

[bugbear]

I did read somewhere that you should always carry a pencil if you carry a knife, as this constitutes a good reason for carrying one.

That soundse implausible, at least to me.

BugBear

 

[Phil Pascoe]

And me.

 

[wizard]

mine

 

[Mark A]

...put a clause in then "carried for good reason", yer that'll cover it, we wont tell people what a good reason is though, we will leave that to the poor bobby on the beat who's had a hard day filled with the detritus of the world and his last job of the night is a random stop and search, he picks the nice looking chap in the clean cloths, wont take a moment and he isn't likely to cause paperwork.
"whats this sir, well sir that is illegal, do you have a good reason to carry it?"
"erm, I want to make a sandwich, erm no I use it to trim my nails, erm no it's a tool, part of my cycle kit, you never know"
"your nicked sonny"
or words to some such effect.

I carry a cheap multitool while cycling and hiking but would never take it anywhere else for the reason you describe.

Funny enough, a few weeks ago I saw a bloke in some nearby woodland carrying a turnip sword. He looked the type to reenact his Warcraft fantasies by swinging the bloody big sword against a tree, but nevertheless it was a bit disconcerting. If the police had spotted him I doubt the pencil sharpening excuse would work!

 

[bobbybirds]

http://www.laguiole-en-aubrac.fr/anglai ... aiton.html
l collect pocket knives and have a ton to choose from everyday ang I usually carry my French Laguiole with a traditional carbon steel blade. Laguiole en Aubrac is the maker I have 7 knives from. All are fantastic!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Your link doesn't work.

 

[Bluekingfisher]

basically it was a poorly written knee jerk reaction to a situation.
someone used a lock knife to stab a person, the courts ruled that if the knife would have folded it wouldn't have been possible to stab the person (yer right) and it was an election year. a quick flurry of government policy making and hay presto locking blades and fixed blades are illegal, but wait, we cant have this, people need them for work, religion or an actual purpose that doesn't involve stabbing someone, better put a clause in then "carried for good reason", yer that'll cover it, we wont tell people what a good reason is though, we will leave that to the poor bobby on the beat who's had a hard day filled with the detritus of the world and his last job of the night is a random stop and search, he picks the nice looking chap in the clean cloths, wont take a moment and he isn't likely to cause paperwork.
"whats this sir, well sir that is illegal, do you have a good reason to carry it?"
"erm, I want to make a sandwich, erm no I use it to trim my nails, erm no it's a tool, part of my cycle kit, you never know"
"your nicked sonny"
or words to some such effect. anyway where was I, oh yes other none knife related objects like a screwdriver. you can be arrested for carrying it, if you intend to use it to commit a violent crime, as you can with anything from a vase to a bat via a bloody big machete.
can you guess which type of person was affected by the law? it wasn't the stabby stabby I like to cut people type of person.

here endth the rant. I'll climb back into by hole and continue making knifes for myself. thanks for reading.

Very close to the truth, although the poorly thought through and knee jerk reaction is a perfectly accurate assumption. The politicians had to decide if a "bladed article" is an Offensive Weapon, which under legislation is an item made or adapted to cause harm, fair enough So a knife by definition is at least some of that? However if all knives are "off weaps" then surely they must all be illegal per se'? That would of course be ridiculous, knives in reality are used for just about everything except for stabbing people

What it comes down to is the "intent" of the owner when in possession of the article . If for example, you were found to be carrying a truncheon (made as an offensive weapon) it would be difficult to reason as to why you had it with you if stopped by the police. You'd get nicked on the spot, it would then be down to you to argue your case at court (having been charged). If you were found to be carrying a sharpened yogurt spoon (adapted) while at a picnic I think the excuse of, its for cutting my sandwich, would be a reasonable excuse. Carrying that same item at a night club may not be so plausible.

A lock knife of Any description or size contravenes Sec 139 CLA (Points & blades). This may seem petty, but where do you draw the line? One item most cops don't carry is a measuring tape (trafpol excluded). to establish the length of a blade.

I compare it with the banning of handguns, very useful legislation as most dedicated enthusiasts are gun totting crazed fools who of course cannot be traced because there was not documentation trail in place, right? Instead all the home made and WWI weapons used in gang shootings are documented and therefore just as easily traced.......er No! So why punish the legitimate user. Well, it was just the excuse needed to rid ourselves of handguns. There was a little rumbling at first from gun clubs and shooting bodies but it soon died down. Besides, the Media spin at the time identified all those gun owners as elite oddities who were a danger to their children, so there was no support from the public. Divide and conquer.

Call me a cynical old cop but why would any governing body create legislation where there were obvious loopholes? Would it be fair to state those creating the leaky legislation (politicians) are, or have been solicitors/barristers? So, if legislation is black and white the case is open and shut surely with no case to answer? Therefore, where there is doubt or reason to question the legislation there is the opportunity to contest it at court??................. keeping the Barristers gainfully employed. Or would it be to give the poor little oikes a chance of redeeming themselves?

 

[lanemaux]

Sore spot for some of you as well I see. Like I said I ,live in another society, conditions differ. In larger Canuckian cities like Toronto or Montreal the police might check a knife for length (4 or 5 inches , not sure) and to see if it might be "flicked " open , but that would be about all. I live so far back in the boondocks that if I were to forget my knife I would feel inadequately clad. In one of our major hardware retailers ,Canadian Tire, a large plastic display bowl at the cashier is filled with button locking swing open utility knives with attached belt clips. They use the double ended replaceable razors common to utility knives, cost 3.98 Canadian. I also got a key chain knife there, small lockblade of the spring backed type , cute as a button and fairly handy for light work. It was also beside the cashier , with the candies and nuts and such.

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Ironically we have them on sale here too, not quite by the sweetie counter, although still relatively accessible, and yet if caught in possession with one you will find yourself in front of the beak.

In addition, at one time the police had the luxury of discretion, able to make a judgement on who would pose a risk. Discretion has now been removed, instead an assessment is almost conducted on a flow chart principle.

 

[woodfarmer]

I treated myself to a"Buck" in Auckland airport, flying back with a bit of cash in my pocket. It was reduced from about £90 to £50. I was quite pleased although the steel is hard it's nightmare to sharpen. It came with a leaflet telling me what godfearing people the makers are, how I'm buying into American tradition and a whole pile of crepe. Only then did I see "Made in China" stamped on the blade. Having said that, it is beautifully made.

They get you everytime. I just bought a set of Boche HSS drills with hexagon shanks from AXI because the Boche drill wont grip round shanks anymore. Used the biggest one, 6mm and it bent first time, drilling a hole through corrugated iron roof sheet.. On the back of the box.. "Made in China".... Grrrgh. Axi's jobber drills are great, but the botche wont grip them

 

[Harbo]

Canadian Tire in Toronto was very near to my daughters place - I loved mooching around there

Rod

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It wasn't so much the fact that my Buck was made in PRC that irritated me - it was the leaflet that came with it, telling me I was buying a piece of old American tradition and how proud they were of being an All American firm and so on...
I suspect the leaflet was produced long before the production was outsourced to China. Whether I would have paid the money had I known, who knows?

 

[bobbybirds]

http://www.laguiole-en-aubrac.fr/anglai ... aiton.html

Your link doesn't work.

Looks like I missed an l on the end of html... I believe it is fixed! Here it is as well...

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Thanks.

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

Pocket knives by nature are carried by the user, otherwise they have no function. I never need a folding knife at home or in the workshop, there are many fixed blade varieties there. So what use are pocket knives if you cannot carry one?

I wonder (god forbid) if a child ever accidentally hanged itself on a makeshift swing or something, as kids improvise these things all the time, and onlookers just panicked impotently while it choked, for the want of someone having a pocket knife to release it; would have a reversal in attitude towards knife ownership. I recall a child dying whilst being caught on a cord operated blind which served to get the blinds discontinued at the retailer, so it could happen. A frightening thought.

Mike.

 

[swb58]

Has anyone suggested Opinel? Maybe not good enough if it's a Purdey your looking for not a BSA but if you're wanting a cutting machine they're worth considering. I've carried one of their beech handled carbon steel blades for years (40+).
Smaller models don't have locking rings, I'd steer clear of stainless blades of whatever make . . . and serrated blades . . .

 

[Phil Pascoe]

There's not much wrong with top grade stainless, but you're right on lower end stuff.

 

[novocaine]

got an opinel 7, cracking knife, but at 7 quid I wouldn't suggest it for something of a special gift. they have a real following in the knife world and get modified a hell of a lot, end of the day they are still the peasants knife. will say that no matter what I throw at mine it is still going, snapped the tip off a while ago, quick grind turned it to a drop point and no issues what so ever.

stainless isn't so bad anymore, even on the lower range stuff (not bottom range stuff though, but then carbon isn't any good at that price either), with a careful sharpen it will hold well for a long time and not rust if ignored for a while, right now I have a thing for stainless, but have lots of carbon blades that still get their use.

got an awesome opinel gents saw for the garden too, that thing is rock solid, will chop a small tree down without issue.

does it show that I use knifes a lot day to day and have a few?

 

[carlb40]

This is my carry knife, i have had it about 15 years or more and has been great.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

What is?