Knives in contemporary Vietnam

Artfully Martial

Artfully Martial

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Jun 8, 2005
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I'm getting ready to leave for Vietnam in two weeks, and I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on the knife laws of the country. My better judgment is to not even try to carry so much as a small pocket knife when I'm visiting a country, but my girlfriend (she's Vnese) says that there are no enforced knife laws where we're going (other than the obvious: don't be stupid--no waving knives around, other common sense things). She says you can even carry a kitchen knife with you, which I suppose some people do on their way to the markets (why else, one wonders, would someone carry a kitchen knife around a city?).

So, at any rate, my question is two fold: can I, a foreigner, safely carry a knife in Vietnam (given good common sense), and second, can I even bring a knife into the country at all.

I might pick up a szabofly if what she says is true.
 
If I were you, I would not carry a knife to VN. Wait until you get there and pick up something locally. Get something that does not look "tactical." Kitchen knives are great. When you get ready to leave, you can give it to someone, or discard it.
 
Knives are common tools in Vietnam, as can be seen when heading to any market or village. I would probably just pick up one of those Kiwi knives when I get there, since they're so inexpensive and have a very thin profile which seems to slice well. Enjoy your trip and make sure you eat lots of the local cuisine. After all, they say Ho Chi Minh trained under the great Escoffier.
 
Nothing wrong with carrying a SAK or other utility folder. Stay away from anything that looks too "tactical", not that you'd probably get in trouble for it, but you don't want to look like a crazy Rambo (yes, they've all seen the movies). Nobody will 'roust' you for weapons. Now if you get into a drunken fight and a knife is found on you...that's different.

In Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, most people will carry a variety of knives as tools, from big chopper blades to small kitchen parers (made in China). If your knife looks like it'll peel fruit, nobody will give it a glance.

I have brought mid-quality knives (mostly SAKs and multitools) with me to SE Asia and have left them as gifts for people. Good Multitools are very-well appreciated.
 
I agree with picking up something once you`re there....you`ll find plenty to choose from. What part(s) of VN are you going to visit?
(would it be possible for you to FedEx me a bowl of Pho from one of the many street vendors? :-)
 
Thanks for the heads up SunnyD. I have now also posted in the legal forum as to your advice (I feel kind of stupid on this issue as I'm a law student here in America, as of fall). So now we will redirect this thread to non-legal concerns, like, what kind of knives to carry, cultural beliefs about knives and so on.

Thanks for the congrats cutter. I think I started posting here right after I got my first college degree...now I'm on my third....makes me feel olddd. I feel old when I train. I'll be studying thieu lam in VN, in order to make sure to live up to my Artfully Martial handle.

I still haven't fully adjusted to her VNese food yet....some of it I like....the more "exotic" things....like...cooked blood...snake wine...I think I shall avoid.

My desire, when traveling to a country with more knife freedom than the US has (!!!) is to enjoy that freedom. I've been wanted to pick up a szabofly for a year now, but without being able to carry it legally, I haven't been able to "justify" a 200 dollar expenditure on it.

That said, there are a few major weaknesses to bringing a szabofly:
it's obviously crazy looking
opening it gets more attention than opening a conventional folder
it's quite expensive and difficult to replace

That said, I have a few advantages. I don't drink, I don't go to "bad" places (apparently I'll be staying in the wealthiest place in the country), I'm very reserved in manner, and I'm not the kind of person that starts flipping without thinking, etc etc.

I still have my demure little morpho here, which I don't think will scare anyone, so I could just take that.

I'm thinking I might take an umnumzaan too, which is certainly not a scary knife, by the standards we're discussing here, but it's soooo expensive. I'd probably have to sleep holding it if I brought something that expensive.

How are the local knife makers?

As per where in VN, I'll spend most of my time in ho chi minh city, district 3, but I will travel around somewhat too. I'd be happy to mail you some pho, but given that I have ready access to a pho maker in my home (girlfriend), maybe it'd be convenient for her to make some for you. If you're ever around Texas or Oklahoma.

Thanks for all the great thoughts and advice so far.
 
> As per where in VN, I'll spend most of my time in ho chi minh city, district 3, but I will travel around somewhat too

You really should try to visit the Mekong delta further down south. It's a multiple-day trip.
Closer to Ho Chin Min City you can visit the vietcong tunnels, even try one (enlarged for tourists) and that's a suffocating experience.

Also try a ride in one of these "bicycle taxis" - they offer an unforgettable experience.

Very nice, hardworking people around but indeed watch out if an unknown insists on having a drink with you and calls you "friend" (never trust unknown people who call you "friend" :) ).
And the food is indeed marvelous. Leaner than chinese, less spicy than Thai, and typically subtle complex flavours abound. Over there I learned to appreciate the vivid kick of having their chicken soup at breakfast - surprisingly energising!
You probably know that you should only drink bottled water i this kind of country, and perhaps you didn't know that it's safer to brush your teeth using bottled water as well.

I assume you won't go further up north to the lovely small city of Hoi An, the ancient empire palaces in Hue, the Halong Bay etc. Well, that's worth another trip then!

Returning to knives, back then I had my trusty old Victorinox Rucksack with me. good enough.
 
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