Knife laws in QLD, what I dare to take?

[thejamppa]

Hello everyone!

I am seriously planning to go see my GF early next year and she lives in QLD. I've heard so much horror stories of Australian knife laws. What kind of folder does lawabinding citizen actually dares to pack and carry in QLD?

2.2" Firction folder in leather seath. You need basicly two hands to remove the sheath before blade can be deployed.

Spyderco Urban 2.5" blade. Spyderco's slipjoin but one hand opening.

Spyderco UKPK 2 15/16" blade, slipjoint but one hand opening.

Victorinox pioneer. 2.2" slipjoint.

I think Spyderco's might be out of question...

 

[M@elstrom]

What kind of folder does lawabinding citizen actually dares to pack and carry in QLD?

None... unless you have a reasonable/excellent reason to have it on you (self defense doesn't cut it), heading out bushwalking/backpacking would suffice however

A quick read of Federal Customs indicates anything "assisted" would also be a prohibited import (and thus subject to seizure)

Australian Customs Service

 

[peanuts]

I don't know about QLD specifically but I doubt its that different to here in the A.C.T. You probably want to stick to SAKs and the like. I'd say your pushing it with the spydies. Its all about being discreet.

 

[M@elstrom]

Its all about being discreet.

Nothing discreet about a Huge Bowie knife yet totally legal provided your on a hunting/camping trip and not toting it in the Brisbane CBD, less about discreet and more about justifiable carriage :thumbup:

The truly stupid thing about knife laws are the only ones effected/inconvenienced are those law abiding citizens it's supposed to be protecting, crims will carry whatever they want...

 

[gadgetgeek]

I carried a SOG tool at times (wearing steel toes and doing yard work) or an opinel, or SAK, stick to those, stay in places you should be (no steel in clubs or bars) keep it cheap enough to loose if it comes to that, you should be fine. better is if you carry a daypack is to have it in the pack so it takes something to get to it, better excuses that way. as soon as you are out of urban areas things relax a lot, so it does also depend on where you are going.

 

[Apebrains]

Had to search this guy up to prevent eye rolling from the frequent fliers here .

In September, I'm off to hit the majority of Oz (gonna kinda circumnavigate the continent), and most of that time will not be spent in cities. I don't plan on clubbing, though I'll certainly be taking occasional advantage of the pub hospitalities. I'll be rock climbing, surfing, and backcountry trekking the majority of the time, and we'll be in a 4x4 away from the populace for most of the trip. Duration should be about 4 months.

My plan was to bring my Strider boys, an MTL-SS and an SMF for the trip. I understand completely the idea of bringing something cheap so that you don't lose it or get it lifted, but my reasoning is that I got great deals on both of these knives (actually paid the same dollar amount for each of them), and that there is a good chance that I will be betting my life on these tools at least once. I would rather have a knife with me that I could trust to save my heiney should I need it to, and if I do lose one, I'll be severely annoyed, but not devastated, as I can replace them.

My question is, can I get these knives safely INTO and OUT OF the country without confiscation? They will be inside of my pack on the way in and out of the country and my bag will be checked, obviously, and not carry-on. If I lose a knife in the line of duty, I can understand, but I'll be LIVID if I end up losing it to some grubby government employee . Do they X-ray bags when you arrive? If so, will they be upset by that big hunk of steel in there? Will I get the 5th degree, or will they just casually ask me why I have it, if they ask at all? I've tried to do my research, and have come up with this link:

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/FS_Importing_exporting_knives1.pdf

It's a bit vague on the rules, but it seems that the two blades I was considering bringing are not expressly outlawed, and so I felt I would be alright. Again, I won't be carrying them in the cities.

Those of you in Australia especially, what are your thoughts on this matter? Think I'll be okay? I'm careful with my knives, and I always try to fly under the radar with them. I carried an MOD Mark V (pre-Blackhawk) through 6 Central American countries for three months and never had a problem, but that was the third world. I'm not sure what to expect in Uluru land.

Thanks in advance folks!:thumbup: