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England knife law? Italian?
- Thread starter wccl
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2008
- Messages
- 947
For EDC in the UK a 3inch non locking folder is what you can carry. If you're involved in an outdoor activity or need something for a job then you can carry and use pretty much anything so long as it's not an auto or balisong.
I was only able to find secondary sources on Italian knife laws, but so far multiple unrelated sources have consistently been saying the same thing. One source is an Italian citizen living in Genoa who posted on another forum, and another was a German knife magazine.
The important things to know:
1. Flick knives (switchblades), butterfly knives, throwing knives or daggers (doubled edged) are restricted even from mere ownership. A special permit is require even if you keep at home locked in a display case.
2. In most major cities, it is illegal to carry ANY knife no matter how small, as an EDC. Outside major cities, having a specific and demonstrable usage for a knife is often ok, for example using it to prepare food or for fishing or gardening. When traveling to or from a destination where the knife is used, it must be secured somehow and not carried on the body. I am told that inside a backpack, or in a box or other fully enclosed parcel is generally ok.
I have heard complete hearsay whispers that carrying a cane is prohibited unless one can demonstrate a medical problem requiring it (they don't have the ADA or Privacy Act in Italy, remember). Italy had a long proud history of peasant stick fighters and using canes as weapons (Scherma di Bastone), so that may be the reason.
The important things to know:
1. Flick knives (switchblades), butterfly knives, throwing knives or daggers (doubled edged) are restricted even from mere ownership. A special permit is require even if you keep at home locked in a display case.
2. In most major cities, it is illegal to carry ANY knife no matter how small, as an EDC. Outside major cities, having a specific and demonstrable usage for a knife is often ok, for example using it to prepare food or for fishing or gardening. When traveling to or from a destination where the knife is used, it must be secured somehow and not carried on the body. I am told that inside a backpack, or in a box or other fully enclosed parcel is generally ok.
I have heard complete hearsay whispers that carrying a cane is prohibited unless one can demonstrate a medical problem requiring it (they don't have the ADA or Privacy Act in Italy, remember). Italy had a long proud history of peasant stick fighters and using canes as weapons (Scherma di Bastone), so that may be the reason.
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2009
- Messages
- 1
What is and isn't legal
the maximum penalty for carrying a knife is four years in prison and a fine of £5000 it is illegal for any shop to sell a knife of any kind (including cutlery and kitchen knives) to anyone under the age of 18
it is generally an offence to carry a knife in public without good reason or lawful authority (for example, a good reason is a chef on the way to work carrying their own knives)
the maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife is four years in prison and a fine of £5000
knives where the blade folds into the handle, like a Swiss Army Knife, aren't illegal as long as the blade is shorter than three inches (7.62 cms)
Offensive weapons
If a knife is used in a threatening way (even a legal knife, such as a Swiss Army knife), it is regarded as an 'offensive weapon' by the law. This is also the case with things like screwdrivers - once used in a threatening manner, they are treated as offensive weapons. It is an offence to carry an offensive weapon in a public place, if you don't have a reasonable excuse. This means that carrying something that could be viewed as an offensive weapon, and then using it in a threatening way, could mean that you are prosecuted. The penalty is up to four years' imprisonment and/or a fine.
There is a complete ban on the sale of certain types of knives categorised as offensive weapons, regardless of their use, these include:
flick knives - knives where the blade is hidden inside the handle and shoots out when a button is pressed; these are also called 'switchblades' or 'automatic knives'
butterfly knives - where the blade is hidden inside a handle that splits in two around it, like wings; the handles swing around the blade to open or close it
disguised knives - where the blade is hidden inside something like a belt buckle or fake mobile phone
The police's 'Stop and Search' powers
Police officers may stop you, and have the right to search any person or vehicle, if they suspect you of an offence - including carrying an offensive weapon. Weapons regarded as offensive include, but are not limited to, the following:
flick knives
gravity knives
knuckle-dusters
sword-sticks
samurai swords
hand-claws
foot-claws
belt-buckle knives
push daggers
butterfly knives
blow-pipes or guns
kubotan (cylindrical container, holding spikes)
shuriken (also known as 'death stars' or 'throwing stars')
telescopic truncheons (automatically extending)
kusari-gama (sickle attached to a rope, cord or wire)
kyoketsu-shoge (hook-knife attached to a rope, cord or wire)
kusari (weight attached to a rope, cord or wire)
disguised knives (for example, lipstick knives)
stealth knives
straight, side-handled or friction-lock truncheons
the maximum penalty for carrying a knife is four years in prison and a fine of £5000 it is illegal for any shop to sell a knife of any kind (including cutlery and kitchen knives) to anyone under the age of 18
it is generally an offence to carry a knife in public without good reason or lawful authority (for example, a good reason is a chef on the way to work carrying their own knives)
the maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife is four years in prison and a fine of £5000
knives where the blade folds into the handle, like a Swiss Army Knife, aren't illegal as long as the blade is shorter than three inches (7.62 cms)
Offensive weapons
If a knife is used in a threatening way (even a legal knife, such as a Swiss Army knife), it is regarded as an 'offensive weapon' by the law. This is also the case with things like screwdrivers - once used in a threatening manner, they are treated as offensive weapons. It is an offence to carry an offensive weapon in a public place, if you don't have a reasonable excuse. This means that carrying something that could be viewed as an offensive weapon, and then using it in a threatening way, could mean that you are prosecuted. The penalty is up to four years' imprisonment and/or a fine.
There is a complete ban on the sale of certain types of knives categorised as offensive weapons, regardless of their use, these include:
flick knives - knives where the blade is hidden inside the handle and shoots out when a button is pressed; these are also called 'switchblades' or 'automatic knives'
butterfly knives - where the blade is hidden inside a handle that splits in two around it, like wings; the handles swing around the blade to open or close it
disguised knives - where the blade is hidden inside something like a belt buckle or fake mobile phone
The police's 'Stop and Search' powers
Police officers may stop you, and have the right to search any person or vehicle, if they suspect you of an offence - including carrying an offensive weapon. Weapons regarded as offensive include, but are not limited to, the following:
flick knives
gravity knives
knuckle-dusters
sword-sticks
samurai swords
hand-claws
foot-claws
belt-buckle knives
push daggers
butterfly knives
blow-pipes or guns
kubotan (cylindrical container, holding spikes)
shuriken (also known as 'death stars' or 'throwing stars')
telescopic truncheons (automatically extending)
kusari-gama (sickle attached to a rope, cord or wire)
kyoketsu-shoge (hook-knife attached to a rope, cord or wire)
kusari (weight attached to a rope, cord or wire)
disguised knives (for example, lipstick knives)
stealth knives
straight, side-handled or friction-lock truncheons
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2006
- Messages
- 12
In the socialist republic of Britain, you need be over 18 to buy utensils and scissors (in some stores it is 21). So you can forget about carrying any sort of descent knife. My experience is that Britt’s are petrified of anything that has a blade, or that could remotely be used as a weapon (and their laws reflect that).
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2009
- Messages
- 8
It is now ILLEGAL to have any sharply pointed or bladed instrument in your possession, in a public place in England without good reason or lawful authority. (See below RE: folding pocket knives).
A public place is anywhere that the public has, or is permitted to have access to, even if they must pay to do so. This not only covers areas such as roads and highways, shops and pubs but also less obvious areas. This is important to realise for those working or spending leisure time in the British countryside, as public footpaths or other rights of way come under the definition of a public place. Estate land where the public may have access is also a public place even if it is privately owned.
Your car or other vehicle is also classed as a public place whilst on the highway, and British police now have search and seize powers without warrant with respect to knives.
Good reason for carrying a knife may be shown by occupation as a farmer, estate manager, recreational stalker, gameshooter, angler or anyone else who has reasonable grounds for expecting to need a knife whilst pursuing a lawful activity. Leaving a knife in the car, or in your pocket for when you next go shooting, or forgetting that it is there, is NOT a defence. Carrying a knife in public must be in connection with the activity for which it is needed; going into a shop with a knife in your pocket if you are returning from or going to a place where you farm, fish or shoot etc. would constitute good reason.
There is an exemption in law for folding pocket knives. These must have cutting edges of less than three inches and blades which do not lock. However when pocket knives of this type are carried for example in a nightclub, at a school or to a football match they are likely to be viewed as offensive weapons even though the actual knife isn’t an offensive weapon in itself. There is a further exemption for the carrying of knives as part of either a national costume (such as the Scottish Skean Dhu) or as part of a religious obligation (the Sikh Kirpan).
The Violent Crime reduction Act 2007 makes it an offence to sell a bladed item to a person under the age of 18 years in England. This includes axes, knife blades, razor blades and any other item that is bladed or is sharply pointed. However you may sell to persons under 18 years a folding pocket-knife (non locking) if the cutting edge of its blade does not exceed 3 inches or razor blades permanently enclosed in a cartridge or housing where less than 2 millimetres of any blade is exposed beyond the plane which intersects the highest point of the surfaces preceding and following such blades.
A public place is anywhere that the public has, or is permitted to have access to, even if they must pay to do so. This not only covers areas such as roads and highways, shops and pubs but also less obvious areas. This is important to realise for those working or spending leisure time in the British countryside, as public footpaths or other rights of way come under the definition of a public place. Estate land where the public may have access is also a public place even if it is privately owned.
Your car or other vehicle is also classed as a public place whilst on the highway, and British police now have search and seize powers without warrant with respect to knives.
Good reason for carrying a knife may be shown by occupation as a farmer, estate manager, recreational stalker, gameshooter, angler or anyone else who has reasonable grounds for expecting to need a knife whilst pursuing a lawful activity. Leaving a knife in the car, or in your pocket for when you next go shooting, or forgetting that it is there, is NOT a defence. Carrying a knife in public must be in connection with the activity for which it is needed; going into a shop with a knife in your pocket if you are returning from or going to a place where you farm, fish or shoot etc. would constitute good reason.
There is an exemption in law for folding pocket knives. These must have cutting edges of less than three inches and blades which do not lock. However when pocket knives of this type are carried for example in a nightclub, at a school or to a football match they are likely to be viewed as offensive weapons even though the actual knife isn’t an offensive weapon in itself. There is a further exemption for the carrying of knives as part of either a national costume (such as the Scottish Skean Dhu) or as part of a religious obligation (the Sikh Kirpan).
The Violent Crime reduction Act 2007 makes it an offence to sell a bladed item to a person under the age of 18 years in England. This includes axes, knife blades, razor blades and any other item that is bladed or is sharply pointed. However you may sell to persons under 18 years a folding pocket-knife (non locking) if the cutting edge of its blade does not exceed 3 inches or razor blades permanently enclosed in a cartridge or housing where less than 2 millimetres of any blade is exposed beyond the plane which intersects the highest point of the surfaces preceding and following such blades.
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2009
- Messages
- 251
Yeah... Just returned from 4 days in the UK and believe me, this country is totally obsessed with "knife crimes". I only carried a well-concealed SAK in London City and that was still probably against the "law" already.
I'm very afraid the whole world will be eventually following suit. Open carry of locking folders is all but illegal here as well, already. As for Italy, never realized things were getting this bad there, too. Something to consider next time I fire up my vintage Lancia south-bound.
I'm very afraid the whole world will be eventually following suit. Open carry of locking folders is all but illegal here as well, already. As for Italy, never realized things were getting this bad there, too. Something to consider next time I fire up my vintage Lancia south-bound.
