French knife laws.

[Dr Heelhook]

I was looking at French knife laws for fun at Wikipedia:

In France, any knife of any blade length with a fixed blade, or a folding blade with a locking system, falls into unregulated Category D weapon (armes de catégorie D en vente libre).[22] Unregulated category D weapons may be legally purchased if over 18 years of age, but they may not be carried on one's person, unless carried "for good reason", for example, as part of the tools of one's profession. If carried in a vehicle, such knives must be placed in a secure, locked compartment not accessible to the vehicle occupants.

So you actually can't carry an Opinel in France, nor buy one unless you're 18 years old, because it's considered a weapon. Interesting...

 

[b00n]

It's pretty much all over Europe. The key factor on most knives is the lock and/or one handed opening. I can carry a 4.5 in fixed blade in public, but I can't carry a Rike Hummingbird Flipper with a sub 2 inch blade.

 

[Dr Heelhook]

It's pretty much all over Europe. The key factor on most knives is the lock and/or one handed opening. I can carry a 4.5 in fixed blade in public, but I can't carry a Rike Hummingbird Flipper with a sub 2 inch blade.

Yeah, this is not even a fun thread. Just depressing. I bet the people who instated those laws in France don't even know that an Opinel has a lock.

 

[Lapedog]

It's pretty much all over Europe. The key factor on most knives is the lock and/or one handed opening. I can carry a 4.5 in fixed blade in public, but I can't carry a Rike Hummingbird Flipper with a sub 2 inch blade.

Fowding knives awe scawey.

Honestly I can’t believe the state of the world. Everything is focused on fear mongering non issues. Nobody focuses on dealing with real issues. We are no better than the superstitious Babylonians. 9 out of 10 people don’t look at the world objectively.

 

[miso2]

Same in Japan.
No Higo no more in public.

 

[kwackster]

In the French rural areas everyone seems to carry & use whatever knife he or she wants, and on the farmers markets there are always well stocked vendors selling various Laguiole type knives with and without locks, as well as Opinels in all sizes.
We toured the Bourgogne area in June, and all the time i had a Spyderco Endura ZDP-189 clipped in my front right pocket.
Used it many times in plain sight and nobody seemed to care.
Now in the bigger cities it's probably different, but we avoided those like the plague.

 

[mt666tm]

I bought a decent quality Italian Switchblade in a tourist shop right around the Eiffel Tower two or three years ago. Price was right and it was a fun souvenir. Carried it around all day. No problems.

I know people in Paris that carry knives. I don't think anyone cares about knife laws . They're more worried about getting run over by a hijacked delivery truck or mowed down with an AK47.

 

[Dr Heelhook]

I bought a decent quality Italian Switchblade in a tourist shop right around the Eiffel Tower two or three years ago. Price was right and it was a fun souvenir. Carried it around all day. No problems.

I know people in Paris that carry knives. I don't think anyone cares about knife laws . They're more worried about getting run over by a hijacked delivery truck or mowed down with an AK47.

In France you're in danger of getting mowed down by more or less any car considering the way they drive :-D. Yeah it's weird, I've been to many really nice knife stores in France, both in Paris and Burgundy. Doesn't seem like a law that's rooted in the culture.

 

[herisson]

For fun, yeah, says a lot. It's not really your situation, it's ours, so I will answer. We are quite confident with knives, hammers and other stuff falling under the D LAW. If you are a confident, honest citizen you may carry a lot. Firearms are not much liked but knives and hammers could be better accepted (if you are a honest law abiding citizen...). The only problem is that the law is left to the LEO for free interpretation. And that's where the mess begins...

 

[LastRodeo]

I carried a locking knife with a pocket clip all over France, including big cities with military personnel stationed on almost every corner. No problem whatsoever. Although, the French easily recognised me as a tourist, so I'm sure I wasn't viewed as a threat.

 

[b00n]

People tend to forget doing something doesn't mean it's legal and intent plays a big role. Yeah I can walk around with a folder all day long, but the first time I flick it out and somebody gets scared and police come into play and you have to empty your pockets you can be in trouble. Same in Germany, same in France and half a dozen other countries in Europe. Knife Scare is a real thing here. I can just as well carry an illegal folder, use it, the cops come around, scold you and send you on your way. Get the wrong cop and you lose the knife and get a court case. I believe ~4-5 Years ago two guys were stopped on the Autobahn on their way to a knife show, their bag with a dozen folders (expensive ones) was confiscated because they didn't transport them correctly and probably had a bit of a mouth on them. It can go either way. Technically if you want to legally transport knives classified as weapons they need to be a secure locked container where you can't just grab it. A backpack isn't secure enough UNLESS you put a ziptie on the zipper/lock or a small padlock for example. The best comparison would be TSA rules about firearms on planes.

 

[b00n]

I carried a locking knife with a pocket clip all over France, including big cities with military personnel stationed on almost every corner. No problem whatsoever. Although, the French easily recognised me as a tourist, so I'm sure I wasn't viewed as a threat.

Did you pull it out unexpectedly within sight? French Military no matter how well trained don't have X-Ray vision, your pocket clip could have been a multi tool, a legal folder, a pen or something similar that's legal. So if you had pulled it and even turned towards them their reaction would have much more drastic. As stated in the above post, flying under the radar doesn't mean you necessarily get away with something, you could have walked by with a pound of coke in your backpack, same result but the first time you get frisked for standing out, things change.

 

[LastRodeo]

Did you pull it out unexpectedly within sight? French Military no matter how well trained don't have X-Ray vision, your pocket clip could have been a multi tool, a legal folder, a pen or something similar that's legal. So if you had pulled it and even turned towards them their reaction would have much more drastic. As stated in the above post, flying under the radar doesn't mean you necessarily get away with something, you could have walked by with a pound of coke in your backpack, same result but the first time you get frisked for standing out, things change.

I don't randomly pull my knife out in front of law enforcement in any locale.

 

[b00n]

I don't randomly pull my knife out in front of law enforcement in any locale.

I didn't think you would.

 

[mnblade]

Life's too short to soil my trousers over some law on the books that's never reinforced. I've lived in Europe since 1993 (minus 1998-2003 back in Florida). I carry whatever I want, wherever. I carried an Opinel 8 through security and up the Eiffel tower. And I had a security guard at a cathedral in Rome confiscate my Victorinox Rambler (he politely returned it upon exit). Carry a reasonable knife, don't act like an A-hole. You'll be fine.

 

[dandan]

I too have lived in France for a long time - 12 years.
I used to carry in UK , but it got scary when bouncers in clubs or pubs frisked you.
As I live in rural France , as has been said above , loads of men carry. Yes it is usually a French made knife that is not sharp , neither is the blade clean - It is not a stainless blade.
I carry spyderco products mostly here in France. Never had a problem in cities or shopping malls. France is not paranoid about it . Just look at the UK now with so many stabbings (usually a kitchen knife). Its dangerous .

Freedom is what its about!!

 

[BladeScout]

Knife culture sure have changed.

I went to France often as a kid and folding knives were thought of as tools for impromptu food prep etc etc.

 

[BladeScout]

It's pretty much all over Europe. The key factor on most knives is the lock and/or one handed opening. I can carry a 4.5 in fixed blade in public, but I can't carry a Rike Hummingbird Flipper with a sub 2 inch blade.

I go to Germany to hunt and visit friends on a regular basis.
Im fine with legally being allowed to carry a fixed blade even when not hunting (not that I ever did/do (carry a fixed blade when not hunting, that is)).

It just strikes me as slightly odd, that Im allowed to freely carry my Spyderco Street Beat or even the bigger GEK EDC pictured but not allowed yo carry the puny DF.

When In Germany, I usually bring either my UKPK or a SAK.

Pic:
Top knife legal to EDC in Germany.
Bottom knife not legal to EDC there.

 

[BladeScout]

Life's too short to soil my trousers over some law on the books that's never reinforced. I've lived in Europe since 1993 (minus 1998-2003 back in Florida). I carry whatever I want, wherever. I carried an Opinel 8 through security and up the Eiffel tower. And I had a security guard at a cathedral in Rome confiscate my Victorinox Rambler (he politely returned it upon exit). Carry a reasonable knife, don't act like an A-hole. You'll be fine.

You are of course free to express your opinion but in some countries in Europe, you most certainly wont 'be fine' if police sees/finds a knife on you.

Just a word of caution.

Sadly knife hysteria has reached hitherto unseen levels. Looks like, its only getting worse.

In some countries, you are up the creek no matter what, if a knife is found on your person.

In some other countries, police will look at each person on a case by case basis but as others have mentioned, get the wrong cop having a bad day and you could potentially land in a heap of trouble.

 

[Mikel_24]

So you actually can't carry an Opinel in France, nor buy one unless you're 18 years old, because it's considered a weapon. Interesting...

In Spain is even worse. You cannot carry any edged tools, period. Own them, yes. Carry them, nope! Unless it is justified to the yes of the law enforcement. Say you are going camping, or fishing, or hunting, or you need it for work, or whatever. But sometimes it does not work well.

...I've lived in Europe since 1993 (minus 1998-2003 back in Florida). I carry whatever I want, wherever.... Carry a reasonable knife, don't act like an A-hole. You'll be fine.

I concurr with prety much everything you say, HOWEVER, sometimes you get a pinch of bad luck... and pay for it.

I was coming home with my gf in her car (not my van), we got stopped at a road check. They were looking for drugs and weapons. I had a Spyderco Delica Wave in my pocket, along with a Leatherman PST. They confiscated the Delica. 8 months and 300€ later, I got my Delica back. Legal to own (under 100mm blade, non automatic) but not to carry. The police thought it didn't make much sense for me to carry that under those circumstances...

So the non acting like an A-hole works... most of the times. But now always. Now when I drive my van, I make sure to empty all my pockets in the back of the van (drawers with kitchenware) so if I ever get asked to get out and empty my pockets again (has happened a few times already) I don't have anything on them.

Mikel