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Knife Laws in Europe
- Thread starter EOSeabee
- Start date
First, I am not a lawyer and I just know about the UK but ...
I did some reading-up about this before purchasing some Kershaws and you can carry any folding knife with a blade length of up to 3" as long as it isn't one of a prohibited type (see below). You are allowed to own a knife with a longer blade but if you are caught carrying it in public then you must have a good reason - eg. you are a fisherman or a chef carrying knives for your hobby/trade.
Prohibited types of knife include:
* switchblades - any knife with a blade that opens wholly using a spring initiated by a button on the handle (note that assisted knives like the Kershaw Leek whose flipper forms part of the blade is not a switchblade)
* butterfly knives
* glavity knives - any knife whose blade falls open with gravity
* knives that are disguised as safe objects - like pens etc.
* knives that are designed to evade metal detectors and scanners etc.
Saying all of that, there have been some well-publicised murders in cities like London and Manchester where kids have been stabbed and the police there have said that they reserve the right to arrest anyone who is carrying any kind of knife. It's all about what you are planning to do with the knife and how appropriate it is to your surroundings. Take a pocket knife into the woods and expect no problems but take it to a football game and expect to spend a few hours explaining yourself back at the police station
See here for a fuller explanation: http://www.bkcg.co.uk/guide/law.html
I did some reading-up about this before purchasing some Kershaws and you can carry any folding knife with a blade length of up to 3" as long as it isn't one of a prohibited type (see below). You are allowed to own a knife with a longer blade but if you are caught carrying it in public then you must have a good reason - eg. you are a fisherman or a chef carrying knives for your hobby/trade.
Prohibited types of knife include:
* switchblades - any knife with a blade that opens wholly using a spring initiated by a button on the handle (note that assisted knives like the Kershaw Leek whose flipper forms part of the blade is not a switchblade)
* butterfly knives
* glavity knives - any knife whose blade falls open with gravity
* knives that are disguised as safe objects - like pens etc.
* knives that are designed to evade metal detectors and scanners etc.
Saying all of that, there have been some well-publicised murders in cities like London and Manchester where kids have been stabbed and the police there have said that they reserve the right to arrest anyone who is carrying any kind of knife. It's all about what you are planning to do with the knife and how appropriate it is to your surroundings. Take a pocket knife into the woods and expect no problems but take it to a football game and expect to spend a few hours explaining yourself back at the police station
See here for a fuller explanation: http://www.bkcg.co.uk/guide/law.html
See this article too for more info on what is legal in Europe: http://www.bkcg.co.uk/guide/union.html 
Chris, that needs clarification.
It's legal to carry a non-locking folder with a blade under 3". If the folder locks, regardless of bladelength, then it is classed as a fixed blade and you have to prove that you have a good reason to carry the knife.
It's strongly advisable to carry only a slipjoint or other non-locking folder in the UK.
You'll find a wealth of information on UK and other European laws in the law forum at www.britishblades.com
Danzo
The Spyderco UKPK is designed specially for legal UK EDC, and I've heard a few people have said the police in France had no issues with it either. I can't comment on Italy's laws though.
You could carry any knife you want (apart from the ones on the above list and a couple others [push daggers & knives with a "knuckle duster" handle]), but you need a "good reason", and "just in case" (an EDC knife) isn't a good reason. Hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, gardening, etc. would all be good reasons... but if you're stopped by police in the town centre don't think for one second "I'm off camping in a minute" or "I was just doing some gardening and forgot..." will stand up.
PS. anything carried for self-defense is classed as an offensive weapon. You can use anything at your disposal to defend yourself (with "reasonable force") should the need arise though (get handy with a pen/keys etc. if you're worried).
You could carry any knife you want (apart from the ones on the above list and a couple others [push daggers & knives with a "knuckle duster" handle]), but you need a "good reason", and "just in case" (an EDC knife) isn't a good reason. Hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, gardening, etc. would all be good reasons... but if you're stopped by police in the town centre don't think for one second "I'm off camping in a minute" or "I was just doing some gardening and forgot..." will stand up.
PS. anything carried for self-defense is classed as an offensive weapon. You can use anything at your disposal to defend yourself (with "reasonable force") should the need arise though (get handy with a pen/keys etc. if you're worried).