England swings

[Alberta Ed]

Had a marvelous week in England, although I felt a bit naked walking around without a good lock-back IWB. Instead, I packed a totally legal SAK, which proved adequate for slicing excellent Leicester cheddar, pulling wine corks, and protecting us against any aggressive sheep as we wandered across some fields in the Cotwolds. There were very few knives for sale, aside from a few Leatherman multi-tools and small cheap folders (these at a toy shop in Moreton-in-Marsh), and a brace of horn-handled Solingen folders at Harrods, for a mere 460 pounds (each), which seemed excessive. I didn’t come across any camping stores to see what they had in the way of knives. The British Museum had some magnificent katanas on display, not to mention many Roman era bronze swords (most with full tangs) and corroded iron daggers and swords, all of which had stick tangs. There were presentation swords galore at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson’s dress uniform was on display there, complete with the bullet hole in the left epaulet where a sniper drilled him at the Battle of Trafalgar (note: never wear your full dress uniform with medals in combat). Reportedly, his corpse was transported home in a barrel of brandy, which on arrival was empty, giving rise to the drink ‘Nelson’s Blood.’ The Imperial War Museum’s collection of blades was simply astounding. There was a folding parachute knife with an extra small hooked blade for slashing tires, a thumb knife for secret agents, bayonets, trench knives and at least a couple of surrendered katanas. People everywhere were very friendly and helpful. Food was expensive but good (we mostly ate in local pubs), not to mention, the ale, which invariably was excellent.

 

[dantzk8]

Yes, England swings and despite their prohibiting knives law i still enjoy to cross the channel. My concern about them is their national rugby team, very promising from what i've seen during the last six nations tournament.
Nothing is worse than being beaten by the England rugby team. A painful memory of the battles of Azincourt and Trafalgar probably.

dantzk.

 

[MassMatt]

Been a long time since I was in England but I saw some of the same museums when I was there.

What exactly is their knife law--no fixed blades, no locking blades? Is there a length limit?

 

[jdm61]

Matt, sub 3 inch slip joints only for carry in England and from what I ma told, the police can declare "sterile" areas where they are having problems. There has been an ongoing trend in Europe to outlaw anything remotely scary. Jens Anso makes one handed openers in Denmark, but they can't be sold there and he had to get a weapons manufacturers permit in order to make them for sale outside of the country. Even Germany knuckled under but, because the hunting community is still well respected by many, they were able to get an exception to the "no scary knife" law which still allows you to carry a sub 12 cm (4.8 inches MOL) fixed blade even though you can no longer carry any folder that both locks and can be opened with one hand. They also outlawed any switchblade OTHER than the traditional short, fat bladed Germanic type that fold like Hubertus, Boker, etc. have made since dirt was invented. They specifically put a blade length to width ratio in the law that just happens to fit those old types of automatics, although I don't think that you still buy them in any tobacconist shop like you used to be able to. France supposedly has strict carry laws, but from my experience and from what I have been told, it depends a lot on who you are, where you are and what you appear to be doing. I went to SICAC in Paris in 2007 and people had knives spread out all over the tables in the neighboring cafes and had so many stuck in their belt going to lunch that it looks like casting call for a sequel to Braveheart. On the other hand, I here that if you are a feral Algerian youth in a housing project who looks like trouble, you can be hauled away for carrying darn near anything, assuming that the police will even enter the project.