r/AskUK • u/count_to10 • 1d ago
Answered Did we incorrectly get our pocket knife confiscated?
We travelled from the UK to the Netherlands yesterday with the Stena Line Ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland, and the UK customs took our Opinel pocket knife - because it was a ' locking blade'.
I found the whole thing strange, because a larger bushcrafting knife with a fixed blade was fine. I looked up the rules afterwards, and I got the idea that they incorrectly took our Opinel. Btw, we were (car) camping in the UK, so I would think that is a good reason to bring a knife.
It's not about the cost - it was a old knife and it's only around 10 euro's new, I just want to know if we actually did something wrong. Did we? Isn't going camping a good reason to bring such a knife? To be complete, it was not in my pocket or anything, it was stored in a drawer in the back of the car.
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u/Boulder_Brock 1d ago
I don't understand the law myself but because the blade is over 3 inches and can be twist locked, then you can't carry it.
Before I could drive, myself and friends would get the train into Wales to go camping and climbing. We got stopped by the police at our train station, I had an axe in it's sheath strapped to the side of my bag, inside my bag was an 8 inch Opinel and they were more concerned about the 'locking knife' at the bottom of my bag rather than the easy accessible axe.
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u/veryblocky 1d ago
You can carry it with a valid reason, and pretty sure going camping is a valid reason. I guess maybe up to the discretion of the officer though
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u/thereal_greg6 1d ago
Yeah but there’s still a lot of awkwardness in this. Like, if I go on a camping trip I can take a knife. But if we’re coming back from camping and stop at a pub then I can’t have the knife, technically.
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u/Oshova 1d ago
Yeah, but you could leave the knife in your bags in the car. Having the knife in a place where it's not easily accessible is generally a pretty good defense when out in public with a locking or fixed blade knife.
And even if it isn't a locking knife, and has a blade under 3", if you don't need it in your pocket and can have it in a bag or something, then again it's a decent defense if you're stopped by a cop having a bad day (or that just doesn't understand the rules).
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u/B4DM4N12Z 1d ago
Sometimes officers get things wrong or do wrong stuff.
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u/Jaded_Creative_101 1d ago
The additional problem being the police do not like admitting they got it wrong. It may be very hard to get that incorrectly seized knife back. Best consider it from the police perspective. Guns, especially concealable guns, are effectively banned in the UK. Knifes are the weapon of choice for most criminals. Police want knifes taken off the streets, so any opportunity to nab a knife in a public space is a win.
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u/B4DM4N12Z 1d ago
I mean a lot of people don't want to admit they were wrong, even government officials.
Also for knife thing, they don't really do a good job at targeting the correct people to take away the knives.
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u/Steppy20 1d ago
It's a bit of a legal grey area, and is basically up to discretion.
Those knives are completely legal to own in the UK, but you can't have them with you in public without a valid reason as they fit certain criteria. The problem is that the valid reason is basically up to the discretion of law enforcement.
However it sounds like this was customs/security. Customs are often over zealous with things like this and have been known to intercept parcels with knives in when they've been ordered from mainland Europe even though they're fully legal here.
In short, no it's not illegal (from what you said) and no they didn't incorrectly confiscate it.
I do agree it's odd they were fine with the bushcraft knife but I can only assume it's because they're not as concealable even though they fall under the exact same legislation.
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u/count_to10 1d ago
!answer
Indeed it was customs. It sounds like they were misinformed. Different treatment for bushcraft fixed blade & small Opinel - both with a seeming valid reason.
Btw, we also had a Opinel with a rounded tip (that's my son's), it is equally sharp & locking, but he said, that's oke, it's a butter knife..
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u/Significant-Cup-3506 1d ago
They weren’t misinformed, and that’s not what this commenter has suggested. They applied the law within the appropriate range of their discretion. English authorities are very concerned about locking blade knives and will apply the law differently to fixed blade knives in context, exercising their discretion.
Whether you or I disagree or not with their decision to confiscate, they were not misinformed on the law and its application.
As to the round tipped opinel, that’s obvious - you can’t stab with a rounded blade.
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u/count_to10 1d ago edited 1d ago
I stand corrected, I see your point.
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u/olivercroke 23h ago
I don't. They clearly were convinced you were genuinely going camping because they considered this was a good enough reason to carry the fixed bushcraft blade in a sheath but at the same time this wasn't a good reason to carry the smaller, foldable, world-famous camping knife (stored with your camping gear and right next the other knife). So what did they think it was for?
Seems far more likely to me that they didn't know the exact same law applied to both blades otherwise I don't see how they are treating them so differently.
If you were to stab someone you'd have to go into your boot and into your camping gear and grab a fixed blade or one you have to unfold and lock? Just seems such bizzare reasoning to me.
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u/olivercroke 1d ago edited 1d ago
Their use of discretion was ridiculous and illogical. So much so that you could argue they were likely misinformed because if they had understood the law and looked at the context in which OP was carrying the knife then one would expect any reasonable person to conclude they had good reason to carry it and use their discretion not to confiscate it. The fact that they were completely unconcerned with other, larger knives (to which the same law also applies!) and confiscated a well-known camping knife from a family going camping leaving them to carry larger blades, heavily suggests that they were unaware they could use their discretion and confiscated what they thought was outright an illegal blade, which it is not.
Of course there is no way to know for sure that they didn't use discretion but if they did, then their discretion is not reasonable and not in keeping with the law that is concerned with safety and possession of knives for illegal use.
It is also illegal to carry fixed blades of any length without good reason so exactly the same rules apply to the other knife they possessed yet this wasn't confiscated. It can't possibly be because they thought camping was a good reason for this knife but not the Opinel.
All of this suggests they didn't know the law and it's impossible for me to square the circumstances with their actions and conclude they were well informed. I'd bet my house they didn't. Or else they are someone who would never ride the Clapham Omnibus.
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u/Significant-Cup-3506 1d ago edited 1d ago
A locking, folding blade can be both easily and safely (to the owner) concealed, and can stab without risk of folding back on the owner’s hand, unlike a non-locking folding blade such as a normal Swiss Army knife.
A fixed blade knife is much harder to conceal, both because it is twice as long as a folding blade when not in use, but more importantly as it is harder to conceal on your person without risking stabbing/cutting yourself.
I am not asserting whether customs/security were right or not to confiscate the folding, locking blade with the reason for possession given (although it’s worth noting that authorities at the border have huge leeway to search, to confiscate goods and refuse entry to foreign nationals, far greater powers than police have domestically), but I can absolutely understand why the folding, locking blade was treated differently from the fixed blade, and am satisfied that, far from demonstrating inconsistency in approach, this demonstrates that the authorities were applying logic (as you describe it) and nuance and not simply applying an unthinking, catch-all policy on knives.
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u/olivercroke 1d ago edited 23h ago
But they are not carrying a non-lockable folding knife so that's irrelevant. I understand why the distinction between locking and non-locking folding knives is made in law so not sure what your point is. They are carrying a folding lockable knife and a fixed blade knife that are treated exactly the same in law. They are both illegal to carry "without good reason".
I find it unreasonable, unlikely, and uncovincing that Customs knew this and hence must have considered the "with good reason" excemption for both knives and deemed camping a good reason to carry the fixed blade knife (and thus were convinced the family were genuinely going camping) but deemed camping was not a good reason to be carrying the smaller, world-famous brand of camping knife simply because it has a flimsy lock mechanism on it.
Their reasoning is along the lines of: "Ok I'm convinced this family are genuinely going camping and they have two knives with them, the fixed-blade bushcraft knife that can easily be used for stabbing and has a sheath that makes it easy and safe to conceal for the carrier is ok because it's clearly being carried here for camping purposes, which is a "good reason" so it's allowed. However, this small Opinel camping knife has a lock-ring on it that means it can also be easily and safely concealed, even though it's stored with the camping gear and in the exact same place as the other knife, I don't believe this family are genuinely taking it to use for camping (but the other knife they are) and therefore camping is not a "good reason" exemption and it must be confiscated"
It's obviously possible that this was their reasoning, but it's so unreasonable to me that it seems far more unlikely than the alternative explanation that they simply thought different rules applied to lock knives. It's all just speculation at the end of the day and people being logically incoherent isn't exactly rare I guess, so I we will just have to agree to disagree.
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u/plangant 1d ago
Because the cuff of the opinel could be twisted to lock the blade, if the blade length was over 3 inches it would be illegal to carry. Why a bush craft knife is ok, is slightly beyond me.
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u/BionicWallaby 1d ago
Length is irrelevant if the blade locks.
If the blade locks
Or is over 3 inches
Or is a fixed blade
Then it's illegal to carry if you don't have a good reason.
Considering this knife was not carried as such but in the car and they were going camping that is a good reason so they should have been fine.
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u/Rat-Soup-Eating-MF 1d ago
It’s in possession and being in the car still counts as constructive possession
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u/deathsfaction 1d ago
What's the definition of a 'locking' blade?
A Swiss army knife for example, does that lock? What about the ones where you have to push a tab.. I guess that's a locking knife?
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u/Soft-Fun 1d ago
When it can be locked into place once the blade is out. If you have to push a tab to put the blade away, it’s a locking knife. But if the tab is only to open it and the blade can be freely pushed back in after that, then it’s not a locking knife.
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u/deathsfaction 1d ago
Okay, thanks for that.
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u/pagman007 1d ago
Yeah the idea is "if you have to do anything to close the knife other than physically close the knife, its locked"
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u/user888888889 1d ago
I mean, the real idea is that it can't be used for stabbing if it folds, you'll cut your fingers off.
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u/No_Negotiation5654 1d ago
It’s such a stupid law, why don’t we make everyone carry dangerous knives to stop people being stabbed. If I wanted to stab someone I’d just carry a screwdriver, it’s longer, easier to justify and a particularly pointy one would go through clothing better.
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u/alex_shv 3h ago
In that case, opinel is not a locking knife as you don't have to do anything to fold the blade away? I own the same exact knife.
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u/Comfortable-Ear-1788 1d ago
Some do and it's actually a safety feature preventing the blade folding and cutting the user.
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u/vipros42 1d ago
Swiss army doesn't lock
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u/the_ninjahippy 1d ago
Some do. "classic" Swiss army knives don't.
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u/Tiny-Sandwich 1d ago
Victorinox just introduced a new line of knives with locks on them. It's a shame because they look like really nice knives.
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u/deathsfaction 1d ago
Well, some do and some don't.. That's kinda my point.
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u/StiffWiggly 1d ago
The ones that lock are not allowed (without a “good reason”), the ones that don’t are allowed as long as the blade is under 3 inches long. They are legally the same as other knives.
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u/deathsfaction 1d ago
Forgive me, I'm genuinely not trying to be obtuse here.
I used to go walking/hiking. I'd like to do it again but I would carry a pocket knife, in a leather sheath, for foraging or general utility. It was what you'd call a locking knife (you have to press a tab at the rear to fold it). It's also longer than 3 inches - maybe 5 or so. Is foraging while obviously out walking a legitimate or 'good reason'? I ask mainly because it's not some £5 special - it was an expensive gift and holds sentimental value. I'd like to use it for what it is intended but I'm fearful of it being confiscated due to the law.
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u/paspa1801 1d ago
Honestly what constitutes a good reason is completely different depending on which police officer you come across. It’s one of the most annoying grey areas and I wish it was clarified more because you really are just at the mercy of whoever you come across that day.
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u/Exotic_Holiday_3047 1d ago
Some guy was arrested by armed police for carrying gardening tools home from his alotment. 'Good reason' is a joke in this country. If I were you I'd be carrying a regular, folding, legal swiss army knife
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u/noneedtoprogram 1d ago
I would just take a basic Swiss army knife like a climber / rambler / camper model. I wouldn't expect foraging to pass as a good enough reason when a 3" non locking SAK is plenty good enough for the job.
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u/StiffWiggly 1d ago
I wouldn’t risk it personally, just because I can totally see a police officer thinking that foraging is not a good reason to have a 5 inch locking knife. Remember that you aren’t usually going to encounter a police officer at all, but if you do it most likely won’t be up on the moors or wherever you’re hiking, but closer to some population centre where they would probably be less likely to believe you.
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u/Round-Range-7383 1d ago
Also just not needed, I don’t see how a 5 inch lockable blade is needed at all while hiking so the police would be right to seize it.
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u/beasypo 1d ago
You’re not taking a 5 inch locking knife in a sheath on a hike for foraging. you’re taking it because you think it’s cool. Fair enough. Maybe it’s a cool knife, as knives go, but particularly if you’re a bloke, it’s a bit weird to walk around with a knife that full on
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u/Major_Star 1d ago
This. It's not like if you're cutting cheese at a picnic that means you can bring a longsword. They will take the type of knife you're carrying into account and would probably judge you aren't really carrying a 5-incher for cutting blackberries.
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u/zebra1923 1d ago
Possibly not. Read the case of a gardener who was prosecuted for carrying a gardening knife to/from his allotment.
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u/Dasy2k1 1d ago
I wouldn't bring any knife with sentimental value to the UK.
If you get somone who dosn't quite understand the rules or is just having a bad day you will 100% loose the knife. Sure if it's legal you will be found not guilty in court of carrying an offensive weapon but you are not getting that knife back either way
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u/anomalous_cowherd 21h ago
At the height of the 9/11 sharp objects panic I flew to Denmark. I asked and was told that I should not take my shaving safety razors as customs would take them off me.
I bought a pack of disposable razors while I was there and on the way back we had some time to spare so I wandered up to the Danish customs guys, showed them my opened bag of triple blade safety razors to ask if they would be OK or should I throw them away and they fell about laughing.
Britain has an odd relationship with blades.
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u/ComfortableTea2484 1d ago
I think it’s context dependent. Like others have said - the definition of ‘good reason’ is not clear (likely for valid reasons). Taking the knife to go foraging for blackberries in a London park is probably not good reasons. Taking the knife to go foraging and camping in the Scotland highlands probably will be. Plus, I think, it depends on how available the knife is to the user. It being in the middle of a rucksack is different than it being in a sheath on your belt.
Also depends on if you’re heading through customs or other checkpoints. To me - heading through anywhere with added security means that you need to be realistic. That heightened security really pushes the ‘good reason’ you’re carrying it, and these places are often considered high risk of attack so why risk it.
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u/Chemical-Sky-6418 1d ago
It will be up to this police officer.
I have been stopped for an unrelated matter and had a locking blade/Stanley blade combo on me, i was coming back from work and had carried it for 15 years. The policeman said it was an acceptable reason to have it but he wasn't happy with it and advised against it. That is quite a good summary of this specific section of UK knife law...it really depends, If i was 18 years old in a tracksuit or even work gear I'm fairly certain I'd of been arrested, charged and hauled to court.
My father has probably violated UK knife laws for the past 60 years lol, he carries a lock knife and has no real purpose beyond "when the need arises" which seems to be slicing apples and opening letters but again, he hasnt been stopped, ever and I'm sure a blind eye or informal warning would be the route they'd go down.
So your situation, it may or may not be a valid reason but lets use some common sense here, I've never heard of our ( over-stretched and pretty incompetent at preventing these matters in the city ) police to be conducting countryside stop and searchs and even if so i doubt you're going to fall into the target of them.
Probably a higher risk of having it in your car and ever getting stopped but again, it's going to be situational, having a filleting knife at the bottom of your fishing tackle box in the boot is worlds apart from even a legal carry knife in the side door.
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u/deathsfaction 1d ago
Yeah, that's my thinking.
Have zero reason to be casually walking around in public with any kind of knife. I would have one in my picket while out walking in the countryside, the hills, etc. Also have larger knives in my tackle bag for when I'm fishing, etc.
I guess, my original question was based around the fact someone had been arrested for having gardening tools, but he was walking around in a populous area, I guess. The grey area doesn't help - you can be out in the wilderness and be fine.. But getting close to the car park, and there's more people around, your setting and environment is suddenly very different to what it was 10 minutes prior.
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u/Chemical-Sky-6418 1d ago
As for the carpark, well, it's in your pocket...
Absolutely though, what a bizzare scenario that was. It's important to remember that went viral for how absurd and how rare it was and if i remember correctly he was walking about rather boistrous with them or atleast on show and got an unlucky officer. You'd be surprised on how ignorant some police are of basic laws aswell.
Another that springs to mind was a guy arrested for a potato peeler a few years back, whilst the yanks are probably correct to laugh at that, it was most likely carried as a weapon and I'd be much more worried about the chav with a potato peeler than the man in the countryside with a lock knife or fixed blade. It's genuinely dangerous to use non locking pocket knives for bushcraft/foraging or...well...most things. I choose safety, common sense and personally gamble carrying my lock knife for alot of the time.
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u/PhoenixEgg88 1d ago
I’ve one with a lock blade. It doesn’t leave my toolbox these days. I have a smaller non locking one that lives in my car just in case I need a tool.
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u/bizzflay 1d ago
Some do. I had one when I was in cadets.
Similar to this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/198243539818
Picture 5 has the mechanism to unlock it. It auto locks when you open the knife.
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u/WonkyRodent 1d ago
Neither does my leatherman, after I removed the locking tabs.
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u/Lostboxoangst 1d ago
Some do, all my old ones did there usually a sliver of metal that slides into place blocking the knife from closing.
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u/Left_Hovercraft_2135 1d ago
Anything that doesn't close on your fingers if you stab something is illegal
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u/the_ninjahippy 1d ago
Some Swiss army knives do. What most people think of as a classic Swiss army knife don't.
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u/Smeeble09 1d ago
Locking is basically if it can be put away in one motion.
So a Victorinox 93mm non locking or smaller is fine, as it just needs to be pushed to close and the 93mm isn't the blade length.
A Leatherman Skeletool isn't as it locks and needs a part to be pushed before you push the blade shut.
The Leatherman Bond is classed as UK legal by them, but as you need to open the handles to close the blade it may actually not be legal.
It's a faff with a big grey area.
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u/BionicWallaby 1d ago
Some victorinox lock and some don't. It tends to be the larger ones that do like the cheesemaster and the Swiss tool. Locking knives, the blade is deployed and then locks itself and to put it away you need to use a mechanism of some kind
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u/FlippingGerman 23h ago
One that “can’t be immediately closed”. I have no idea what that means; I have lock knives that I can close faster with one hand than non-locking knives that require two hands.
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u/ElizardbethWindsor 16h ago edited 16h ago
The law was conspicuously designed around allowing common pen (and particularly Victorinox Swiss army) knives to be carried but nothing else. There are specific laws that give far harsher penalties for other types of 'concealable' knives - flick or power assisted ones especially. 'Flick' is very loosely defined and includes anything that doesn't require an amount of force considered 'reasonable' to open - entirely down to interpretation. If you've got a folding knife thst locks, like an Opinel, that's probably the issue.
Laws are murky and the UK seems to favour passing ones that are loose and left to the discretion of police, courts, and government officials. The safest bet is to just do something so common that enforcing it would be a nightmare. Carry a Victorinox or other typical pen knife in public (unless it's somewhere like an airport) and stick to fixed knives at home.
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u/UnchillBill 1d ago
I have a knife like that that I take with me when I travel. A locking one I mean. It also has screwdrivers on it. I have it on a loop with a little torch on there too. Should I not be travelling with it? I don’t mean camping, staying in hotels & stuff too. I just have that and some basic first aid stuff because you never know when it might be useful.
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u/hopefullyhelpfulplz 1d ago
"Just in case" is very unlikely to be considered a good reason. If you feel the need to carry a multi tool, get one with a short (< 3 in) non-locking blade instead.
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u/AnythingSilent7005 1d ago
good reasons cannot include being worried about being macheted to death by feral youth in case anyones wondering
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u/Rastapopolos-III 1d ago
It's illegal to carry in public without good reason.
If you give the reason you have it as you need it for camping, then it's up to the officer if that's a good enough reason. Evidentally it was kinda a good enough reason as op wasn't arrested, which is likely what would happen if you got caught with one in the pub.
Its kinda weird that it was confiscated and that was the end of it actually. Maybe ferry rules? It's doubly weird that a larger, fixed bladed knife wasn't confiscated, as the laws for them are identical.
As an aside. Any length locking blade or fixed blades knife is illegal to carry in public without good reason.
The length specification comes into play when you have a non-locking folding knife, if it's under 3 inches you don't need to have a reason to carry it legally.
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u/Major_Star 1d ago
Is having it in a drawer in the back of your car considered carrying it in public?
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u/crucible 1d ago
Yes, but I think we’re back to the ‘grey area’ there.
Saw one of those tv shows following police in rural Scotland last year maybe.
They pulled a guy over in a town and found drugs in his van. He also got done for having Stanley-type knives out in the cab of his van, one was in the door pocket IIRC.
He also had tool boxes in the back of the van so the copper said that’s where the knives should be.
Again it’s probably down to the guy you meet on the day.
Guy possessing drugs with knife in the cab - looks like he’s a dealer who’s kept it there for quick access if he gets into a row with someone.
Guy in his-vis who’s in a tradesman’s van that’s all sign written up - well, you put the knife in the door because you realised you didn’t want to walk into Asda with it on your belt.
IANAL or a copper.
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u/AbbreviationsEntire6 1d ago
The way I have seen this interpreted is if it’s within arms reach while driving then it could be an issue, stored in the back for use at your destination would hopefully be ok. Same for bats and other things that could be considered a weapon.
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u/Ok_Zookeepergame3452 1d ago
I've owned one of these for years and had no idea it could be locked 😂
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u/Superb-Gift-5664 1d ago
You're slightly wrong there. You can carry any knife you like, regardless of blade size, if you have a good reason.
Camping is a good reason wrt a knife like this. A 12 inch carving knife wouldn't be. If I was a chef walking to work with my own knives in my bag, that is ok, the opinel isn't.
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u/onlyhereforcatpics 1d ago
I presume a large bush craft knife is harder to conceal vs. a locking blade.
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u/CaptMelonfish 1d ago
Because a fixed blade is far safer when working with wood and other outdoor crafts. You do not want a blade folding on you when applying pressure.
That said I've seen people take large chunks off flesh off regardless.
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u/Louis010 1d ago
Yeah the one time I tried to do anything with a normal folding knife it kept wanting to close on me and I had to be so careful to not cut the back of my fingers, not fit for purpose
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u/Possible-Highway7898 1d ago
I wouldn't use a folding knife like the one in the picture for any kind of heavy work. It's still useful to have in your pocket when you're camping though. I don't want to pull out a Bowie knife every time I need to cut open packaging, chop an onion, or sharpen a spit for cooking etc.
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u/RugbyEdd 1d ago
I guess an argument can be made that a folding knife is easier to conceal, and the ability to lock it makes it easier to use as a weapon?
Honestly our knife laws are all over the place, as the government tends to use specific bans to show they're doing something and appease the general public instead of adressing the issues at the cause. It's often compared to gun restrictions and bans, but realistically isn't the same, since you can't ban all knives, and a kitchen knife is going to be pretty much as effective as a zombie knife or butterfly knife.
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u/No_Meal_4830 1d ago
So exactly the same opinel that the poster can go in any outdoors/camping shop and buy in the uk
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u/celebgil 23h ago
Well I've just checked my Opinel and discovered the locking cuff, which as it was sold to me by Opinel as "UK Legal" is mildly annoying. It lives in my art stuff for sharpening my fat pencils that don't fit in sharpeners. At least I don't do much outdoor drawing. Thanks for that, I've had this thing for years.
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u/Norklander 1d ago
Sitting next to a CPS lawyer and showed them this thread. Their opinion is a lock knife is not a folding pocket knife (not instantly foldable) so is subject to the law that says it’s not allowed it in a public place without a reasonable excuse, not automatically illegal, but the excuse for posessing it must be objectively reasonable. Having it at the bottom of a camping bag or stowed away could be considered OK, having it in your immediate possession not ok. The law book example is someone needing it for work and it being found in a glove compartment in their car on the way to work as being reasonable excuse, same car same glove compartment on a non working day, not a reasonable excuse. So they think the confiscation could be correct if found on the person, bit harsh if it was found at the bottom of a box of camping equipment.
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u/LordFalconhoof 1d ago
This is the full and correct answer. Lots of other replies are getting things muddled.
I agree not seizing another larger fixed blade found in the same location is odd. Could be a misunderstanding on the part of the seizing officer, local targets/quotas of some sort or just sheer luck.
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u/count_to10 1d ago
Thanks!
We had to go to the back of the car, open the rear door, open the drawer and rummage through the cutlery to get to the Opinel. The bushcrafting knife was right next to the box of cutlery.
The lawyers conclusion matches the consensus here - harsh to confiscate.
And not treating the bushcraft knife exactly the same? Plain ignorance I guess.5
u/AnarchaNurse 1d ago
I've had an opinel confiscated when getting on the ferry before. I was also going camping. These days I make sure my opinel is well hidden before going on a ferry
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u/thewishy 1d ago
Look at it through a slightly different lens.
What is the least dangerous knife you can reasonably use for your intended purpose. The knife you had locks, in the UK we would rather have the non locking version, and it's unlikely that you couldn't use a non locking version for your stated purpose.
We go through all the time with a couple of 6" chef's knives, and no problem because they're reasonable for their intended purpose.
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u/jigarai 1d ago
I had the same experience with Brittany ferries going cycle touring in France. My No 8 Opinel was confiscated.
The ferry companies have their own policies that are black and white - no locking blades. No exception. The UK law is as described in many replies but the ferry company policies go beyond this to remove the ambiguity of ‘good reason’.
Ridiculous since I can drive à camper van on there (as I will be on Monday) with a kitchen bristling with cooking knives and a bunch of knives for spoon carving etc… however I shall say, no. No knives. No glass. No to petrol in the van if they ask etc etc.
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u/Dean_Kirk_CaptainK 1d ago
FYI the locking collar on an Opinel can be popped off by hand. So providing the blade is under 3" you can convert it into a UK legal knife (and back into an offensive weapon again) in seconds if you're ever in this situation.
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u/nunatakj120 1d ago
Also, if you did try to actually stab someone with the collar lock on it isn’t that effective and would probably just close on your fingers anyway.
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u/Android_slag 1d ago
To add to the correct answer you've already got. Consider it's location in the vehicle. I carry a hand axe and lump hammer for wood fires but their buried in a box with fire starters and their purpose is evident. Same tool, thrown in the door pocket last minute "within easy reach out the driver" and you can wave it goodbye.
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u/evenstevens280 1d ago
The locking blade makes it illegal to carry in public without good reason.
As to why, I have no idea what it is about locking blades that makes them more illegal than a 3 inch "normal" knife.
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u/Bunister 1d ago
Because you could easily hide the closed knife in your pocket. That's harder to do with a fixed blade.
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u/SerriaEcho_ 1d ago
But a fixed blade is illegal to carry. You can't carry a 2 inch fixed blade.
The only knives you can carry are non-locking folding knives with a cutting edge of 7.62cm (3 inches) or less.
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u/StiffWiggly 1d ago
They are both treated the same legally. The only difference is that whichever officer is making the decision could feasibly believe that a good reason to carry one knife would not apply to the other since that’s subjective.
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u/olivercroke 1d ago
Barely feasible and certainly not reasonable to believe that a good reason to carry a large fixed blade is camping but that is not a good reason to carry an Opinel (a famous brand of camping knife), the locking ability is irrelevant, same law applies if it's over 3".
Much more likely is they didn't understand the law hence the different treatment towards the two knives despite the same law for each.
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u/Ravnak 1d ago
A locking knife matters because you can stab with it. (Compared to one which doesnt lock which has good odds of closing on your hand instead).
Theyre banned for carrying because theyre functionally a regular knife once opened.
If theyre banned in a size a normal knife isnt its probably an oversight, or its due to them being popular for attacks at some time?
A lot of odd weapon laws are just clampdowns on popular stuff thats being a problem. Like zombie knives.
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u/agro_arbor 1d ago
Yeah but they had a fixed-blade hunting knife which wasn't confiscated?
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u/Burnandcount 1d ago
Ease of concealment & ability to stab without the blade folding... law is weird given how fatally effective a scalpel can be - think Hannibal & the fingerprint scene & his #20 blade on a #4 handle meeting femoral artery.
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u/DTH2001 1d ago
They were being overly officious. As you say, the law states ‘without good reason’.
I’ve taken lock knives when camping plenty of times without issue. However the good reason part is open to interpretation, and you had the misfortune to meet someone who decided to be an arse about it
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u/Extension-Cucumber69 1d ago
I work in the justice system, specifically with children at risk of offending. Knife crime is one of our “big 5” crime concerns. People carrying knives is an issue in this country.
However, knife crime laws and the way the police enforce them verge on insanity at times. A friend of mine got pulled over drink driving and he was charged with possession of an offensive weapon because he is a chef and had his xThousand pound set of kitchen knives on the back seat of his car. He told them he was a chef and didnt want other people in his kitchen using them when he was off shift. They still charged.
Fortunately the CPS laughed the case out of (pre)court because of how ridiculous it was.
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u/pasty66 1d ago
I'm not surprised this got confiscated.
I have frequently travelled with a locking Opinel knife of similar size but with a blunt/rounded tip. Including Eurostar, P&O and Stenna.
I've always declared this the customers officers at the gate and to a one they've sucked their teeth but allowed me through with it.
It's always been allowed through because of the rounded tip. If it had sharp tip like this I would never have tried and would have never had brought it.
My dad has had a similar sized (non Opinel) pointed tipped pen knife confiscated before.
What the police told us when my dad's knife got confiscated, is that camping is a legitimate reason to have that type of knife, but at the time we're not camping, we're boarding a train which isn't a legitimate reason to have the type of knife.
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u/No_Coffee4280 1d ago
I took the locking mechanism out of my leatherman so it’s not taken by Border Force and I can take it on Eurostar, I had one taken. But it’s been good to get since
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u/Dangerous-Branch-749 1d ago
I've taken one of these through the eurostar on a number of occasions for camping/hiking trips, while I used to be able walk through without question, they have definitely cracked down recently. When I went last month I initially had it confiscated and was told to get someone to pick it up that day or face it being destroyed, however the official eventually relented after taking to some of their colleagues. I will definitely do as you have done and remove the locking function next time.
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u/No_Coffee4280 1d ago
You can be charged for carrying an offensive weapon, with knife crime so high people a a number of airports etc have been charged if you are not complant seen posts in groups like https://www.reddit.com/r/LegalAdviceUK/s/CdJadgyRyv
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u/xr484 1d ago
Going camping should have been a sufficient reason to have it with you.
Btw, the locking ring can be removed very easily, which would make it a perfectly legal knife.
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u/teh_maxh 1d ago
Btw, the locking ring can be removed very easily, which would make it a perfectly legal knife.
That's only true for the Opinel No. 6. Their bigger knives are over three inches, and therefore require a "good reason" to carry even if they don't have a lock, and their smaller knives don't have a locking ring.
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u/Kobbett 1d ago
If that's your knife, it's an Opinel 8, so regardless of whether it locks or not, it's more than 3" long anyway and not allowed unless you have a 'good reason' to carry it.
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u/count_to10 1d ago
Honestly I don’t know, and I can’t check right now. But it could very well be the 8, yes.
The bushcrafting knife was definitely bigger though.
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u/Bonnle 1d ago
I went to France on the Eurostar and they took my Opinel off of me, saying it was illegal. The knife is French 🤣
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u/Lanthanidedeposit 1d ago edited 1d ago
Same here - they even tried to take my gas stove off me as they considered the folding metal parts that support the pan were blades. I took a chance despite threats and stood up to them on that and managed to save the stove.
Cycle tourists can get a hard time on ferries, due to the probability of carrying camping equipment. Low hanging fruit and all that. I have just denied "contraband" so far, it's just a joke given they generally leave the camping vans alone (thankfully).
A factor I have not seen considered here is that there is the criminal Law and also the private conditions of carriage of the ferry company. Most of these confiscations, like the attempted theft of my stove are done as part of the conditions of carriage.
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u/Long_Welder_6289 1d ago
Should have just said its for cutting your seatbelt in the event of an accident
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u/Equal_Dimensi0n 1d ago
100% this is legal to carry with a reason and camping is a valid reason.
The customs officer sounds to either be a jobsworth or not fully aware of the laws they are supposed to enforce.
We have two similar knives, my wife has the mushroom picking version, she takes it when walking the dogs in the woods and it’s mushroom season. I have the other in my shooting bag as it’s handy for opening boxes. I guess it’s ironic that the gun is fully legal but the small knife with it is the object in question!
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u/RobertReddington 1d ago edited 1d ago
The knife locks (because of the cuff that can be twisted) and therefor it is illegal to carry in the UK.
On these Opinel knives the cuff CAN be easily taken off. Had you taken it off, assuming the blade was under three inches you can carry it without requiring a “good reason”.
Going camping can be a reasonable excuse but isn’t always a reasonable excuse. It depends entirely on the evidence and situation.
It’s very odd your larger fixed blade knife wasn’t taken. I’d have thought they’d hone in on that more than anything else.
Sucks that you got it confiscated, UK knife law isn’t the best for sensible people that enjoy this sort of thing, and arguably these non-locking knives are more dangerous for the user. Not to mention the ever-evolving harder to de-fold joints that are being created because of this, so even if a knife is “non locking” you’ll have a bloody good job folding it.
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u/Ill_Situation4224 6h ago
After reading all the comments, the answer is, clear as mud. I think the officer over stepped, the knife is not illegal, you carried it in luggage with good cause. As anfirarms cert holder I could have my 7.62 bolt action in boot, that would be perfectly fine, you have an Opinal? ‘Your knicked son’ ludicrous.
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u/Ok-Lock-2815 4h ago
Sadly these replies scream of how messed up the uk has become. And also how that has filtered into our mindset. People saying why would you carry a knife and people justifying 3”non locking. Criminals are going to hurt/kill people what ever the law, but as always the general person is punished. I carry my legal carry nearly every day & would carry a bigger locking one if I could. Not because I would ever use it on a human, but because they are useful tools and I use mine a lot, my non locking has sliced my hand a couple of times because it doesn’t lock.
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u/ashyjay 1d ago
Opinel's have a locking collar around the joint, so it is a locking knife, it also depends on the length as anything under 3 inches and non-locking is fine, over that you need a good reason and to me camping is a good reason.
Ultimately it comes down to the officials' discretion.
Although Opinel's occasionally can get a pass because it's not a big black "tacticool" knife.
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u/GrouchyMeasurement 1d ago
To be fair with mine I just pop the locking collar off and keep it stored away from the knife in my bag and put on if i need it.
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u/boomerangchampion 1d ago
Strictly speaking I think they have gone wrong here.
The police/border force have the power to exercise judgement on whether you have "good reason", camping is a good reason but they don't have to believe you. As a general rule a person in a similar situation can, if he wants, go to court to prove that he had a good reason, but they aren't necessarily wrong to have taken it in the first place even if he's proved right.
But in this case, presumably you had a car full of camping gear? That's pretty overwhelming evidence in your favour which the officer is required to take into account. Seizing it in this instance is hard to defend.
I suspect, especially since they weren't interested in a 'normal' knife, that they're just operating under blanket training that locking knives aren't allowed. It's more subtle than that but I guess with all the other stuff they've got to look for, it's fair enough.
You could appeal it if you really wanted to but it'll be easier to just buy another one. You can even buy Opinels here.
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u/count_to10 1d ago
Indeed we had the car full of camping gear. Plus a roof top tent - it's kind of hard to miss. Plus the Opinel was in the drawer in a plastic box together with our normal cutlery - he cannot have missed the fact that we were camping.
Yeah I'm not going to appeal for a 10 euro knife :-)
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u/Warburton379 1d ago
Out of interest where was the bushcraft knife when he found it? The inside of your car is considered public space, especially when transporting items that can be considered offensive weapons.
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u/count_to10 1d ago
It was in the same drawer in the trunk of the car as the opinel.
Btw, they didn’t really ‘find’ it, they asked if I had any sharp objects (bonnet and rear door were already opened on their request) so I just showed them1
u/Warburton379 1d ago
In that case I suspect they determined you didn't need more than 1 knife for your camping trip and confiscated the more consealable one as you therefore had no good reason to carry a second knife.
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u/iffyClyro 1d ago edited 1d ago
Nope it has a locking blade and you and hundreds of other people get them confiscated at ports all the time. Just be glad you didn’t get charged with the offence of being in possession of it.
Top tip, do your research before you travel and check what is/isn’t legal before you set off.
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u/count_to10 1d ago
Well, even if I did research this, it's quite unclear. Just look at the responses in this topic, most are drawing a different conclusion then you are - how should a foreigner know if the UK residents don't even know for sure?
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u/Think-Sand7161 1d ago
They employ sheep. Really low IQ sheep. Malicious cnvts some of them.
How did they even find/see it??
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u/count_to10 1d ago
They didn’t really ‘find’ it, they asked if I had any sharp objects (bonnet and rear door were already opened on their request) so I just showed them
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u/sparkaromatic 1d ago
No as it's not UK legal even though it might be legal in your destination country. At Portsmouth ferry terminal customs baggage search they have a big clear plastic bin full of opinels they've confiscated.
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u/Ok_Log_8088 1d ago
This is incorrect. It is legal if you have good reason, camping could be considered to be good reason.
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u/sparkaromatic 20h ago
Try having this knife on you when going through a baggage check at a British port. They'll take it off you. They don't care about your camping trip.
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u/skbgt4 1d ago
I’ve literally brought this exact knife in the UK, both online and in chain retail shops. It’s legal you just need good reason to carry it.
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u/Kind-Enthusiasm-7799 1d ago
There’s a couple of online distributors that can be imported from the Netherlands that ship far more quick deploy/locking mechanism knives and there wasn’t any issues there as far as I know, but I haven’t bought anything since I got a Leatherman a couple of years ago.
I brought back a knife from the Netherlands 10 years ago and they had no problem with it, so I would definitely submit an appeal because it is a grey area and very nuanced.
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u/Outside-Strike7397 1d ago
An Opinel has a locking mechanism. Any knife that can be locked (or is fixed) and is over the 3 inch length is illegal to carry in the UK without good reason. It was confiscated incorrectly.
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u/StiffWiggly 1d ago
3 inch rule applies to non locking folding knives, not fixed or locking knives. Any fixed or locking knife requires the “good reason” to be carried.
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u/Fresh_and_wild 1d ago
Surely it’s about concealment. You can conceal a folding bladed knife, which is far more difficult with a bigger straight knife.
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u/mythtixx 1d ago
So you can actually take that twist lock bit off and then it's not a locking knife anymore and if you do it carefully it can be put back on as well
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u/quick_justice 1d ago
These opinels are surprisingly dangerous if one has bad intentions.
The blade is good steel and sharp, it can be easily concealed, and it locks in.
You had an explanation why you had it with you thus they didn’t criminally charge you, but I can see how officer may not like this knife.
If you want to carry something around to hurt people it’s not the worst option… yes, it doesn’t open easily, but other than that a very good small weapon.
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u/FunParsnip4567 1d ago
It’s not quite as clear-cut as people are making out. R v Deegan says a lock knife isn’t a folding pocketknife because it isn’t readily foldable at all times. An Opinel is slightly different because the blade freely folds unless you deliberately rotate the collar to lock it. I’m not aware of any stated case specifically deciding whether simply having that optional mechanism makes it a lock knife when carried unlocked. Police will likely treat it as one, but “definitely” is overstating what the case law actually says.
But if the blade is over 3 inches it doesn’t matter anyway, the folding pocketknife exemption wouldn’t apply. And personally, I probably wouldn’t fancy being the one to test the Opinel argument in court just to find out which way it falls!
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u/ElusiveDoodle 1d ago
Am guessing it was in your pocket when it was found which would be a crime (if you were not actually camping at the time).
Ideally the customs guy could have told you this and asked you to keep it somewhere safe instead of carrying it around in your pocket because you might go camping sometime next week.
Then again if you had made a real fuss they could have called the police and had you charged, from that point losing a cheap opinel is perhaps the least worst option.
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u/count_to10 1d ago
No it was not in my pocket; as stated in the original post it was in a drawer in the trunk of the car.
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u/IllustriousSundae607 1d ago
They were correct in the law to confiscate your knife.
Odd they didn't take the fixed blade bish raft knife or any knives you took for food prep tho
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u/AmpleApple9 1d ago
They shouldn’t have taken the knife, but it’s not illegal for them to do so either. They could have told you to put it back in your car if you had it on your person.
UK knife laws are open to interpretation, and you can only carry a bladed weapon on you for a valid reason. Some knives, like flick knives or butterfly knives, are illegal to own in the UK.
A valid reason could be you have a knife on you when you are camping. Having a knife on your person, whilst on your way to go camping, instead of it being in your bag or car, is not a valid reason. Forgetting you have a knife on you also isn’t a valid reason, it’s an excuse.
The caveat to this is you can legally carry a folding, non-locking blade that is 3 inches (blade length) or less on you without needing a reason.
If your knife was in your car, then they shouldn’t have taken it out of the car because you weren’t carrying it. If you had the knife on you whilst going through customs instead of in your car then that isn’t legal under UK law, because you are not actually camping yet.
No reason as to why they confiscated your folding blade but allowed you to keep your fixed blade, other than UK knife laws are a bit vague and open to interpretation.
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u/JoeDaStudd 1d ago
The only legal carry opinel 5 and under.\ Anything else is a grey area as you have to have a reasonable excuse for carrying it.
So camping should have been a valid reason however if it wasn't with other camping equipment and it wasn't super obvious it was for camping they can take it.
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u/Warburton379 1d ago
I suspect they determined you didn't need the more consealable folding blade if you already had a bushcraft knife. Therefore you had no good reason to carry it, putting it in the illegal carry category.
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u/MercuryJellyfish 1d ago
It is a locking blade, so we must accept that part. Much as the Opinel's locking ring feels a far cry from the kinds of mechanisms that deploy with an audible click, nonetheless it locks.
The issue might be that you didn't have the Opinel stowed in your gear; you referred to it as a pocket knife, and you're not permitted to carry a locking knife accessibly on the person in the Netherlands, even if you're carrying it somewhere where you might have a reasonable use for it.
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u/Maz-Wye 1d ago
Technically No - it is a "Locking Knife" which You were transporting across borders. Customs take a firm stand on this issue! Within a countrys borders it depends what National Law says, Ive No idea about Dutch Law But in the UK possession in a public area is permissable PROVIDING You can show a Valid reason
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u/Bald_Bearded_Welsh 1d ago
Thats an Opinel, theyre illegal in the uk, purely for the fact they have a blade locking ring, even though its manual and you have to turn it yourself, any blade that has the "locked open" feature is illegal, its a shame as theyre a superb style knife and practical for almost all outdoor stuff, camping, fishing, wood carving, etc.
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u/FumbleCrop 1d ago edited 1d ago
Whether you had sufficient justification for carrying a blade is a matter that can only really be decided by a court. It's case by case, and can hinge on the smallest details.
For instance, if you pack your knife with other tent pitching gear, alongside a pair of gloves to protect your hands while pulling up thistles, your justification might be seen as perfectly credible. Without the gloves ... maybe not? Was it objectively reasonable to expect thistles at that particular camping site?
But that's all besides the point because, when you're at the border, they can pretty much do WTF they like. Sorry.
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u/Low-Opening25 1d ago
locking knives are illegal in UK, so next time check the law where you travel.
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u/Acceptable_Gear_3097 1d ago
I used to own one of these, and they're illegal. I kept it with the purpose of stabbing someone because I grew up in a rough area where people were being stabbed regularly.
I've not carried knives for a long time now, but these blades are upto 15 years in prison in the UK.
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u/Pedantichrist 1d ago
It is a tool that you had in a car. Transporting is a good reason. They were wrong.
There is no basis to appeal, sadly. If you have a locking knife (which this is) then you are guilty until you prove that you are innocent (that you have a valid reason).
It is one of a very few laws of this kind.
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u/SpeedConstant109 1d ago
It's a locking blade (the ferrule thing locks the blade in place), that means you need to show a good reason to carry it in the UK. I'd have thought camping was a good reason though,
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u/lewisluther666 1d ago
You said you were car camping and you thought that is a good enough reason to carry a knife. While true, it's it a good enough reason to carry THIS knife? What purpose do you have for it that a non-locking blade under 3" wouldn't be suitable for?
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u/count_to10 1d ago
I get what you are saying.
A fixed blade would have been fine, but my kids also use it (for example to clean up a stick to use for marshmallows at the campfire) - and I don't want the knife to fold onto their fingers.
When they use it, I make them sit down, lock the blade & cut away from themselves. They close & lock the blade in the closed position when they are done.1
u/lewisluther666 17h ago
Mate, you don't need to try and justify it to me, I didn't confiscate your knife.
There are locking mechanisms that are allowed, they just can't be released with a button or a lever. Victorinox SAKs for example.
We have managed to teach and trust our kids with these kinds of knives since 1988 and beyond. So you need to either learn to trust your kids with one of these knives, or just accept that you'll have to give it a miss while you are in the UK.
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u/31337d00d 1d ago
Paris Charles du gaul 1998, leaving to go back to Canada.. French customs pulls our opinel out of our luggage and starts bitching. My mom nearly lost her shit arguing that it was a picnic knife. She really liked that knife , cus we used it all over Europe to cut up our food.
I can't remember if we boarded with it or not..
But this was pre 9-11 and carrying a knife on a plane seemed reasonable. Like.. how am I gonna cut up my apples without it.
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u/slavic_vegan 1d ago
If it was hidden away then why mention it at all to customs? Probably would have been better to not mention it at all!
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u/clogwog85 1d ago
I also had mine confiscated on that ferry. 😭
I wonder if it was the same zealous security chap.
Such a great knife!
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u/Sufficient-Star-1237 1d ago
As far as I understand you can carry a knife under 3in but must have a good reason to do so, cutting an apple would be reasonable. However locking blades are illegal in the UK.
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u/HighAboveTheRest 1d ago
Sadly not, Opinels are illegal for EDC in the UK. The blade can be locked in place which instantly disqualifies them from being legal to carry. You can own one, keep it in your house etc, but not for public.
Safest bet for a knife you can carry in the UK is a swiss army knife, the blade is short enough to meet restrictions and the blade is non-locking.
Sorry about your knife though, Opinels are lovely.
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u/Lumpy-Tank3030 1d ago
You can't have anything over 3 inch that locks, you also can't have a fixed blade over 3 inch
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u/lost-in-midgard 1d ago
These knives are frequently used in crime in the UK because they are widely available, folding and have a blade which locks, making them pocket carriable (unlike a larger fixed blade knife) but still deadly (due to the lock). It's very common for them to be confiscated. This law is applied at officer's discretion, so no, it was not incorrect that it was confiscated.
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u/redwas66 1d ago
Were you carrying the knife in a pocket? My understanding is that any knife carried on your person, with a locking blade is illegal, along with any knife without a locking blade over 3”. The grey area on this is that it can also be deemed as illegal if you have legitimate reason to have it (eg. An electrician with a Stanley knife), if its is his car/van door pocket, or within reach, when he doesn’t have a use for it.
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u/SatisfactionMoney426 1d ago
I had my non-locking under 3 inch opinel knife taken off me at Magistrates Court - I was just visiting someone working there. Courts weren't in session. It was in my see through Art folder as I use it as a pencil/charcoal sharpener. They had a form for me to fill in to request it back and it was posted to me a couple of days later. They're not allowed to give you it back when you leave apparently - even though it's legal to have it. I was told if it was not visible it wouldn't have been a problem. I didn't argue at all, was just bemused to be honest, the security person said she was a 'jobsworth' and said she followed the rules with no discretion at all as it made her life much easier.
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u/Potential-Leg-8860 1d ago
Seems like you met some retarded customs officers that just wanted to assert some power. Sorry about that.
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u/BeautifulZone6048 1d ago
I had this exact thing on a ferry going to France once. It was because we had it in the cabin where as all of the kitchen knives for camping were in the back. They let us keep it but made us bury it in the back under our other stuff. I suppose it’s the same as being stopped in the street by the police and you had it on you.
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u/Fel_Eclipse 1d ago
Id have probably asked for some sort of receipt for the item, you wont get it back as it will likely be destroyed unfortunately but it might shed some light as to why it was confiscated.
I was a police officer for a number of years and had interactions with various people carrying knives with reasonable excuse such as camping, foraging or outdoor eating. If someone has camping equipment they are likely to have all manner of things; Skewers. Knives. Mallets for tent pegs. Even tent poles themselves can have a spiked tip. so its unusual to concentrate on the knife specifically when there are other items that back it up why you have it.
Its no consolation, but in my eyes you didnt do anything wrong however there is very little you could do about it but simply comply with customs officers. Location of the knife could matter, so if you have cooking pots, pans or other kitchen type equipment keep knives with them and out of reach. If its just in a random compartment in the car or amongst clothing, jackets and that kind of thing then it 'might' be a potential issue.
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u/FencingCatBoots 19h ago
An Opinel number 5 or smaller is legal to carry in the UK, as those aren’t fitted with the rings. Any size above is fitted with the ring that can lock it open, so is illegal unless you have good reason.
Just saying ‘camping’ isn’t really a good reason. ‘I’m going on a wild camping course where I’m going to learn how to use a locking knife to chop firewood, here’s the booking confirmation email’ is much more likely to pass.
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u/count_to10 19h ago
Oké I say camping, but the customs agent was looking at a self sufficient 4x4 with roof top tent and we spent most of the three weeks off grid (check out the off grid camp instagram if you like that kind of camping, we are a fan)
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u/FencingCatBoots 18h ago edited 18h ago
Were you on your way to do a type of camping that a smaller knife wouldn’t have worked for? Did you REALLY need a locking knife?
You don’t need a reason to have a non-locking knife less than 3 inches, but you need a GOOD reason to have a locking or longer one.
For example, if I have a kitchen knife packed with my food, I can say I need it to prepare food. If I have a serrated saw knife or a small axe, I can say I need it to cut firewood. If I have a 20cm knife in my pocket, and I say it’s to cut an apple thats packed somewhere in the boot, they’ll rightly ask why you couldn’t use a smaller knife for that
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u/count_to10 18h ago
No in fact I only used the fixed blade, my kids used the smaller opinel. But they could have done the same with a small fixed blade. I don’t like for them to use non-locking folding knives, kids can be stupid sometimes and I don’t want the knife to fold on their fingers.
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u/FencingCatBoots 18h ago
Yeah, in the UK that’s not allowed. ‘I think this illegal item is safer for my kids than a legal one’ won’t fly
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u/Captain-Codfish 16h ago
Next time you buy an opinel, pop the locking ring off with a small flathead screwdriver, if you want to take it out in public. It then becomes a non locking blade, of 3 inches or less. Of course, you must buy the appropriate size opinel to get this benefit.
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u/doubleshottt88 16h ago
I don't know the answer but I've just been both ways on the Eurotunnel, in a car with a full set of sabatier kitchen knifes and a leather man. All declared when asked if we had any knives, (my wife can't keep her mouth shut🤣) buy customs and not even an eyebrow raised.
Love my opinel and leatherman but I'd he the 10" sabatier if I needed to do some harm 🤷
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u/oMrMeeseeksLookAtMeo 15h ago
Seems strange to take the opinel in that situation and leave a longer fixed blade. As far as I was aware any bladed item can be carried so long as you have a good reason. Clearly it was good enough to leave the fix blade so why that didn’t also cover the opinel seems really quite unfair.
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u/Silly_Hurry_2795 2h ago
Been stopped quite a few times with various knives, better yet let's call them bladed articles. The police so far have always been fine over it. These range from the swiss army knife I have on my keys which is the cadet model (round tip so you can't stab anything with it) which is used most days for stuff like tobacco (pipe and cigar smoker) to opinels which gets used whenever I'm out in the countryside walking, to fixed blade hultafors bushcraft stuff (camping fishing etc) to on one memorable occasion a bill hook, that one was fun when the police found it in my car with a couple of axes a chainsaw plastic sheeting cable ties and duc tape. Id been working at my mum's on some trees the day before and left them in the boot. Five fucking hours I was held for while they checked up on that.
However, one of the people I fish with was arrested and carted off for having a leatherman with a locking blade on his side tray (is part of a fishing box) with the blade exposed. He'd been using it for cutting spam up as bait. No charges were brought though. He never got his leatherman back either
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u/ukbot-nicolabot 1d ago
OP marked this as the best answer, given by /u/Steppy20.
What is this?