For the Brit's

Most of the time I carry a cheap Mora type knife. They are sold as "Bait knives" around here, and cost about £4. They come with a plastic clip on sheath, have a nice molded grip, and you can (after some effort) get a damn good edge on them. Blade length is 3.5".

I use these knives for work, but if I'm going anywhere else I usually take an SAK Safari (like the trooper but with red scales) or an Opinel No.8 or if I feel daring a No.10. I've got a Leatherman SuperTool and I love it, but it's too heavy to cart around unless I think I'll need it.
I sometimes take my CRKT M16 but would not like to explain to a judge why. It flicks open really nicely :-)
I think the knife laws are stupid, so to an extent I ignore them, and as I'm not in the first flush of youth, and of good character, I don't expect to be stopped and searched.
In more enlightened times I used to travel to the firing range with a case containing a .45 revolver, 9mm semi-auto, .25 semi-auto, and a .44 blackpowder revolver. Now I'm not safe to carry a knife over 3"?
Funny old world :-(
 
Why don't you gentlemen come to the USA? You can have most any knife, and an assortment of firearms to keep it company.

Maybe your country needs you (shootists), but the USA needs you more.

It will feel like visiting old friends when you see all the Enfields in our gun stores.

Not kidding,

Cheers
 
I've been to the USA on holiday, and I loved it there, but you can't stay without a Green Card.

If I could live in the States believe me I would.
 
Greetings from just across the pond in Denmark!
We have knifelaws heading the same way, though not as bad yet.
One hand openers are banned and will cost a fine of around £ 500,- if carried "in a public place" and £ 100,- if "found at home"
We can carry locking folders with a max. 2,75" blade in public as long as they aren't one hand openers, automatics, gravity, etc.
Fixed blades can be carried in the woods for "sporting activities" but not in public (£ 300,- fine for that, which also applies to folders with a larger than 2,75" blade!)

I thought our gunlaws were mad untilI heard about yours! It's total madness to have such a knee jerk reaction and ban all handguns.
I was at an IPSC match last year and the three british shooters had to borrow guns for the match!

Basically, I carry whatever I want, be it one hand openers, fixed blades, whatever. I am very discrete though and only take out my Leatherman Micra or Victorinox Recruit in public!:D

Bo
 
And greetings to you also Porcupine.

I think they must want to make criminals of us all.
Why can't we have a sensible law on guns and knives,
something we could all respect and obey?

We Brits have found to our cost that the law does not protect our freedoms, but aids our government in removing them.

You might think that acting according to the law, gaining the proper licences and autherisation, passing the vetting, would protect you from the seizure of your property (ie guns) But instead of that, it's used against you, to inforce the ban on handguns.
Heads up America.

While the real criminals continue as before.

:mad:
 
I carry an Emerson Commander at all times, (clipped to pocket, black trousers, black knife, next to invisible). Inox LED Lamp and Leatherman Wave (with Tool Adapter)in coat pocket. I'm 37 and I stay in the background so bugger'em.:grumpy:
 
I thought our gunlaws were mad untilI heard about yours! It's total madness to have such a knee jerk reaction and ban all handguns.
Click to expand...

It wasn't a knee jerk reaction, they'd been wanting to do it for a long time, they were just waiting for an excuse.

Orm.
 
its a way of controlling the population, if the population ore disarmed to the extent no one even has a pocket knife the politicians can do what the hell they like because there isnt a single thing anyone can do about it apart from throw a rock at them.

guns are probably the worlds biggest equalizer, it doesnt amtter how big or strong or clever or powerful the other person is if you have a gun then youre equal and thats what the politicians cant stand the thought of, the fact that someone might actually challenge them or if they go too far do a JFK on them. they dont care that criminals have guns because criminals live in an underworld, they will never stand up to the politicians they will always do what they like in their underworld and the politicians can ignore them, its the general public that the politicians are worried about, theyre the ones who actually care about what happens in the coutry and who they feel they need to control and supress, you can see this all over the place, what are speed cameras if they arent a similar thing, and i dont know if youve noticed those ominous looking blue cameras all over the place now? theyre able to track peoples number plate therefore journey right across the country. its all about control.
 
Jacknife and Orm: indeed it's about control and the gov's ability to keep us in check.
I agree that the gov doesn't care much about what the criminals have. I may be paranoid, but making sure the criminals have whatever they want to cause harm to "normal" people, will make said "normal" people want more police, more control and stricter gun laws. Damn smart!
People are inviting Big Brother inside!

Bo
 
When I posted this thread I had a Idea that there would be a bit of reaction...Thanks to all you guys that have posted a reply. With the recent news that a man has been convicted of man slaughter for stabbing a "career" burglar (OK it was 17 times)to death,when he woke up and found him in his small daughter's bedroom. I feel that the laws of my country (which I love) are of little use to most normal people. I was shocked that a jury of "normal" people sent the bloke down.God forbid what I would do to a man if I found him in my daughter's room. I am 38 and for years now have taken the line of 'If a shop isn't comming up with what I want/need I vote with my feet and go some where that does'. One day people in the UK may wake up and vote with their feet, and I can't see it being for any of the 3 sets of dickheads as they stand at the momment(Very pale blue,pinky blue or orange).Extream circumstances call for extream measures,I have been voteing with my feet since I was 18, people tell me its a waste of a vote. Who will protect me and mine when the brown smelly stuff and the twirly thing come together ?. The Old bill will be to busy driving around nicking bladefixation for speeding.!!!!and telling kid's not to skateboard because the old people dont like it.I will have to look after the job and I will do whatever with whatever and bugger the outcome.

Nick, No I am not pleased to see you, I have a Kukri in my pant's.
 
nick

i had a feeling this thread turned into something you had no idea it would turn into!

i havent heard of the guy being send down for killing someone in his daughters bedroom, that really does take the bisuit really, the burgular could have been about to kill/rape the guys daughter, in any case the burgular was invading the mans property i believe if theyre in youre house its fair game, after all how do you know if they have an illegal firearm or a machete under their coat? by the time you knew it would be too late. that case should never have gone to court, the man should have had a short piece printed in the paper commending him for eliminating some of the scum of society and thats it, his only punishment should have been the carpet cleaning bill.

what was he meant to do? stand by and wait for the rozzers? half an hour later they might have turned up if they felt like it, by which time the burgular would definately have scarpad and could easily have done unspeakable thigns to everyone else in the house

that guys mistake was using a small knife, the prosecuiton could have easily made him out to have used excessive force. had he gone for something larger like an axe or sword and taken the guy out in one swipe then it wouldnt have looked as bad i dont think, although i dont believe he should have gone down i can understand the difficulties he would have had explaining stabbing someone 17 times when probably quarter of the number of blows would have incapacitated the intruder
 
I am going too look for the story on the web, It was on the beeb on Tuesday 10th, my wife caught more of it and recons the wounds were in the back and head, sounds like he jumped on him. The bloody burglars family were outside the court feeling hard done by that the guy didn't get life for murder.:barf:
 
Playing Devil's Advocate here -

I've binned the paper now, and as it was the Sun can not even be sure of it's facts, but there was definitely more to this one than was led to believe. E.g., from the paper:

The attacker had quite a bit of form for burglary himself, and was obviously very miffed at finding someone trespassing on his turf.

His explanation for his escalation of violence was that when he entered the house alone, he believed a young girl was upstairs (the daughter of his partner, neither she nor the daughter were there, it was the middle of the day). The burglar was leaving when he was caught, so where was the excuse that violence was used to protect the child? This was just blind fury. Morally correct perhaps in the instinctive protection of someone else's child - but completely unlawful and subsequently un-defendable. And, umm... a bit of a convenient excuse for violence to assume the child was upstairs when 1. it was school time, and 2. the child would not normally be there alone without her mother.

Almost all the injuries were in the burglar's back, he was desperately trying to escape.

I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't defend our property and our (and other's) lives. As in another, well documented UK case, chasing a fleeing burglar through the garden and shooting him in the back is not self defence. I can't say how I'd react in the same circumstances, when rage and instinct take over and the red mist comes down, and I won't judge the bloke who was locked up in the knifing incident, but these things have to be seen in proportion.
 
I had a look at the reports on the web sites of a few "proper" papers, Telegraph,Guardian oh and the Mirror !! none of them reported 'day' infact there are mentions of lights going on.
None mention the bloke had previous only the burglar who was also wanted...?
They also all said that the guy was confronted by the buglar and he was armed with a machette, which turned out to be a crowbar. I am not saying the Sun was wrong but all the other stories were consistant......
 
My first post here so hello everyone. As far as I know the only paper to actually run the story was The Times. It was on the front page at the bottom; ?Tues/Weds I'm not sure. I think this guy got 12 years for protecting his family but I only had time to glance through it.
After a found some bloke in my Grans farmyard I've always thought that the people who make these laws should be put in an isolated farmhouse with their families then have 1/2 dozen balaclaved boys come busting in through the back door. Teach them some empathy for the good guys I think.
Oh, and to answer the original question my swiss army on my keys, sometimes my stiff kiss for general work and when I'm in the wilds (Wester Ross usually) a borrowed Fallkniven S1.
 
Welcome aboard donn. I'm sure you'll like it here.

I don't think the chap has been sentenced yet.
 
Yes - he's currently on remand for reports before sentencing, however he has been convicted of manslaughter. The sentence will take all the cicumstances into account. We're wandering a bit off Nick's topic here, and I'm to blame as much as anyone, but digging into the court reports from the media archives, and without prejudice and believing these facts to be true, (alas the Sun has none on-line, but the Guardian, BBC and The Record do) -
The convicted man has previous convictions for assault, burglary, and offensive weapons. The burglar had convictions for burglary and was wanted for questioning by Police for other offences.
The convicted man had gone to the house of his estranged wife, and he saw the burglar upstairs in her bedroom and became concerned for the safety of their two daughters. It was daytime, but inside the house was allegedly dark due to the curtains being drawn. He went into the house and armed himself with a knife from the kitchen, then went and met the burglar who was coming down the stairs.
The burglar is alleged to have been carrying a crowbar which the convicted man mistook for a knife. A fight broke out which ended up on the front lawn.
The burglar was stabbed in the back 12 times and died. The convicted man received no significant injuries.
Obviously we only the convicted man's account of what actually happened.

Again, as I said before, I can make no judgement as I was not there. I too would protect my family by whatever means if their lives, or mine were threatned. But if someone stabs another person in the back 12 times, he must genuinely believe that his own or someone else's life was in immediate danger. The Jury did not believe so.

There will be the usual cries in the Media about how we are not allowed to defend ourselves and our families. But we must be able to defend our actions also. If an armed police officer genuinely believed a person was endangering his life, he would shoot to stop him. If a person was in a bedroom immediately endangering the lives of his wife and children, he would shoot to stop him. If a person was fleeing from him, no matter what the officer suspected him of doing earlier, he'd have little justification in law in shooting him 12 times in the back.

I'm not defending the burglar, nor condeming the convicted man, just trying to establish a bit of common sense. I would never suggest that things might have been better if, when the Police arrived, the burglar had also been found with a knife or two in his hands and a few stabs in the front to suggest a realistic fight took place. We CAN defend ourselves in law, and there are cases every day where justified and even pre-emptive force is allowed. They're just not "news".
 
Hello all.

It's been a fair while since I've been around the forum, but it's good to see that the debates are still stirring people's emotions!

For the record (and kind of in a move back to the original thread), as well as a maglite solitaire and a kubotan on my keyring, my EDC is a Spyderco, either the Native or the Calypso Jr. These are both obviously lockblades and therefore technically considered fixed-blade, and unlawful to carry. My opinion on this particular state of affairs does seem to run in line with most of the other Brits on this thread, i.e. that the current laws are unfair and do very little to protect the everyday man in the street, which must surely be the apparent reasoning behind such laws in the first place.

I have a friend who currently serves with the Greater Manchester Police. I have previously had a discussion in the pub (so, naturally my knife was not with me :)) about his position on such matters and that of his colleagues. Obviously this can't be viewed as a representative sample of the whole UK but I was interested to hear what he had to say. The overall story seems to be that if you appear to the officer to be sensible enough to be carrying the knife, have a reasonable reason for carrying it, and that the knife itself is suitable for that purpose (a machete for cleaning under your fingernails probably wouldn't wash), then there would be no problems. I think one of the problems facing the police is that they are attending more and more stabbings and that it is becoming harder to view a knife and see a tool rather than a weapon.

So, where does this leave us? Well, I certainly agree that you would have to be pretty damn unlucky to end up in front of a magistrate for having an SAK or Leatherman/Gerber in your possession, and I think on the whole the same can be said for a shorter lockblade. I think it would be highly unlikely that this government or one in the near-future would allow a relaxation of the laws as they stand, it simply doesn't seem to be the way things work. In fact, it would be interesting to see what gets banned / severely restricted next.

Anyway, I seem to have continued to wander off the initial thread but like I said at the start, some things never change!
 
I think we will see airguns get the treatment next, and when you see what some of these kids get up to with them it's not surprising. But that's the whole problem, it's the idiots that mess things up for the rest of us.
On the whole I think the police are pretty good chaps, but you can't trust them to be sensible if they catch you with something over 3" and lockable without a good excuse. I suppose you can't blame them, what they see every day must leave them with a jaundiced view of Joe Public. It would be nice if they could just spot the "evil doers" and just nick them.
I shall still carry my CRKT M16, might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top