Knife ban

[Sailfree]

On 24 Sept a knife ban comes into force .

A knife with a blade longer than 8" if it also has a serrated edge will be illegal.

I need to measure my diving knives on the boat.

Are there exemptions in that they are kept in my diving kit and not carried on my person except with a compressed sir tank being worn!

 

[fredrussell]

I would say unless you have an urge to stab someone whilst diving just carry on as normal - underwater police being thin on the ground these days due to all the cutbacks.

 

[greeny]

8" is quite big. Or so I'm told.

 

[Bouba]

On 24 Sept a knife ban comes into force .

A knife with a blade longer than 8" if it also has a serrated edge will be illegal.

I need to measure my diving knives on the boat.

Are there exemptions in that they are kept in my diving kit and not carried on my person except with a compressed sir tank being worn!

Does that apply to knives in the galley ?.....and is that the UK or Portugal ?

 

[stranded]

On 24 Sept a knife ban comes into force .

A knife with a blade longer than 8" if it also has a serrated edge will be illegal.

I need to measure my diving knives on the boat.

Are there exemptions in that they are kept in my diving kit and not carried on my person except with a compressed sir tank being worn!

Is there to be a bread knife amnesty so I can hand mine in.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

No, diving knives are not banned. You can carry as part of a legitimate sporting activity, to and from the dive location, or ship where you bought it.

Lots on Google, this is specifically mentioned. Most advise also states seek clarification from local police.

 

[jbweston]

Recently I discovered BlackBeltBarrister on Youtube, and he has a series of videos about what is and isn't legal under UK knife law:
BlackBeltBarrister on UK knife law

He's very clear and knows - or ought to know - what he's talking about.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Is there to be a bread knife amnesty so I can hand mine in.

Yes, plus compensation.

 

[greeny]

Yes, plus compensation.

Going to cost the government a load of dough then.

 

[Boathook]

My big cooks knife is around 8" long and the bread knife about 8.5" long. The 'law', whether UK or Portugal, is possibly aimed at those dubious people who like to carry them hidden in public to protect themselves.

 

[lustyd]

if it also has a serrated edge

There are a bunch of caveats to the serrated edge part. Almost any sensible knife won't be covered, and dive knives usually have the serrated part near the handle so it's usable safely, same for any line cutters. As others have said, legitimate use for sensible knives isn't banned.

 

[Sandy]

On 24 Sept a knife ban comes into force .

Where do are they banned?

A knife with a blade longer than 8" if it also has a serrated edge will be illegal.

That would make almost every bread knife in the known universe illegal.

I need to measure my diving knives on the boat.

Perhaps all knives.

Are there exemptions in that they are kept in my diving kit and not carried on my person except with a compressed sir tank being worn!

Can you point us at the law and we can answer that question.

 

[lustyd]

8" is quite big. Or so I'm told.

 

[lustyd]

Can you point us at the law and we can answer that question.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2024/9780348256871/pdfs/ukdsi_9780348256871_en.pdf

 

[Poignard]

Can you point us at the law and we can answer that question.

Criminal Justice Act 1988 section 139

(4) "It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that he had good reason or lawful authority for having the article with him in a public place."

(5) "Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (4) above, it shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that he had the article with him—

(a) for use at work;​

(b) for religious reasons; or​

(c) as part of any national costume."​

 

[greeny]

I'm just watching breakfast tv. An article on the knife ban. Some of the knives are horrendous. Clearly not made for anything else but aggression. The sales companies surrendering them to the authorities are getting £10 per knife to hand them in. In my opinion they shouldn't be getting a penny. What they were selling were clearly aggressive weapons and should never have been available through any reputable company. Law or no law.

 

[Lodestone]

On 24 Sept a knife ban comes into force .

A knife with a blade longer than 8" if it also has a serrated edge will be illegal.

I need to measure my diving knives on the boat.

Are there exemptions in that they are kept in my diving kit and not carried on my person except with a compressed sir tank being worn!

My understanding is that it was already illegal to carry any blade with a cutting edge over 3" in length without good reason - the burden of proof being upon the carrier.

This appears to be an outrightban on any knife with the features listed over 8" in length. No mention of legitimate use.
However there are saving graces for diving knives :

• Diving knives really only need a chisel end.
• A serrated cutting edge of 2" or less next to the handle.

So provided your knife fits this bill you can continue to carry it - still observing the good reason (and that doesn't mean it languishing in your car/bag for the next time you need it). Other than that if your knife has the listed features there is an amnesty in place.
Surrender and compensation scheme opens ahead of knife ban

 

[Bouba]

Criminal Justice Act 1988 section 139(4)

"It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that he had good reason or lawful authority for having the article with him in a public place."

A bit of a catch all
So, you have your divers knife on you and you say to Mr Plod, I’m on the way to a dive....where are your flippers and mask ? enquires Mr Plod.

 

[capnsensible]

I don't think that the average poster on here has much of a problem with justifying a knife suitable for use on a boat.

But simply read any news outlet any day in the UK to see that knife crime has reached massive numbers with kids routinely killing each other. Hardly surprising that laws are being toughened up, really.

 

[st599]

My understanding is that it was already illegal to carry any blade with a cutting edge over 3" in length without good reason - the burden of proof being upon the carrier.

Or any with a locking mechanism, irrespective of blade length