Your favorite penknife

[rotrax]

This is mine , had loads but this one just keep coming back to my pocket , finally worked out what the hook thingy is for ! Small sharp blade , large sharp blade . Bottle opener. Cork screw . Can opener . Large and small screwdriver . Drilly thing I forget the name of ...awl maybe. And the all important scissors just right for trimming fishing lines and nose hairs. Must be 50 years old...

I have two, the favorite the 'Officer Suisse' model. The other is a fishing model, but it has no scissors, which I find strange.

The 'Officer Suisse' is not as old as yours Bill, but replaced one confiscated/stolen by DDR Border control back in the early 80's.

There was no point argueing with those bastards! It was gone!

 

[nevis768]

Swiss army locking knifes are the dogs bollocks, no legal problem with using them on your boat or travelling to, and a lot better then a blade closing on your fingers with a non locker

 

[nevis768]

The trouble is that a locking blade immediately makes it illegal to carry in a public place. Yes, there are exemptions, like "It's boat equipment, and I'm walking to my boat", but "I always carry it because it's so often useful" isn't one of them

Not correct actually,
This offence can be found in section 139 CJA 1988. It is committed when a person has an article with a blade or is sharply pointed or is a folding pocketknife with a cutting edge that exceeds 3 inches in a public place without good reason or lawful authority.

A person will have a defence if they can prove they have a good reason or lawful authority for having the article in a public place. For example, if they have it with them for work purposes, religious reasons or as part of a national costume.

Under section 315 SA 2020 the court must apply the mandatory minimum sentence for this offence where the offender is aged 16 or over and is convicted of a second offence, under either section 1 PCA 1953, section 139 CJA 1988, section 139A(1) or (2) CJA 1988 or section 6 OWA 2019. Prosecutors should see the below section titled ‘Mandatory minimum sentences’ for more detail.

 

[penberth3]

Not correct actually,
This offence can be found in section 139 CJA 1988. It is committed when a person has an article with a blade or is sharply pointed or is a folding pocketknife with a cutting edge that exceeds 3 inches in a public place without good reason or lawful authority....

ISTR there's something about locking knives as well?

 

[Stemar]

Not correct actually,
This offence can be found in section 139 CJA 1988. It is committed when a person has an article with a blade or is sharply pointed or is a folding pocketknife with a cutting edge that exceeds 3 inches in a public place without good reason or lawful authority.

A person will have a defence if they can prove they have a good reason or lawful authority for having the article in a public place. For example, if they have it with them for work purposes, religious reasons or as part of a national costume.

Under section 315 SA 2020 the court must apply the mandatory minimum sentence for this offence where the offender is aged 16 or over and is convicted of a second offence, under either section 1 PCA 1953, section 139 CJA 1988, section 139A(1) or (2) CJA 1988 or section 6 OWA 2019. Prosecutors should see the below section titled ‘Mandatory minimum sentences’ for more detail.

My examples agree with this. "It's boat equipment, and I'm walking to my boat" would - or, at least, should - be a good reason, "I always carry it because it's so often useful" almost certainly wouldn't. Lawful authority would be a soldier on guard duty with fixed bayonet, but put a leatherman in his pocket, and he's breaking the law.

ISTR there's something about locking knives as well?

AIUI, any blade over three inches is covered by the law, If the blade locks, it applies to any length of blade - even a Stanley knife; that's the bit that make my leatherman illegal.

A ridiculous law, IMO. The old offensive weapons law covered any size of knife; what mattered was the use. I'm carrying a machete going to a piece of land to clear brambles, or I've got my leatherman in its pouch on my belt - not offensive. I'm waving either under someone's nose outside a pub - you're nicked, sonny.

 

[nevis768]

My examples agree with this. "It's boat equipment, and I'm walking to my boat" would - or, at least, should - be a good reason, "I always carry it because it's so often useful" almost certainly wouldn't. Lawful authority would be a soldier on guard duty with fixed bayonet, but put a leatherman in his pocket, and he's breaking the law.

AIUI, any blade over three inches is covered by the law, If the blade locks, it applies to any length of blade - even a Stanley knife; that's the bit that make my leatherman illegal.

A ridiculous law, IMO. The old offensive weapons law covered any size of knife; what mattered was the use. I'm carrying a machete going to a piece of land to clear brambles, or I've got my leatherman in its pouch on my belt - not offensive. I'm waving either under someone's nose outside a pub - you're nicked, sonny.

Stemar you are correct in that it is an offensive weapon. The defence is lawful authority or good reason. Using it at, or on the way to your boat is good reason. Otherwise how can you buy a 6 inch carving knife in the supermarket and take it home? That's the good reason bit. So having a blade over 3 inches long at night in Tower Hamlets at 0200 is not a good reason., unless you are a tradesman on a call etc. Similarly having a carving knife out of its shop wrapper, or a hatchet, on your person in Tower Hamlets or anywhere else is not likely to be good reason.
Similarly, an actor going to the theatre with a sword would potentially have a good reason. If he then decided to use it as a weapon at theatre because he didnt like somebody, then he would fall under the intended use bit.

 

[billyfish]

Getting a bit off subject chaps. another favourite i carry. Needed for skining bunnies me lord.

 

[billyfish]

And what about this one