Reminder of the UK knives and offensive weapons law.

Sorry to sound like the party pooper, but with all the recent talk of prepping and especially with the UK edition of Doomsday Preppers about to air next week, i wanted to post a quick reminder about what the law says about carrying a blade or anything deemed to be an offensive weapon.

No i don't agree with all of it, but much of it i do. Like most here, i would like to be able to go into the woods and teach my kids bushcraft without breaking the law by having something like a Frosts Mora knife, but unfortunately certain idiots outside the law, and those who make the laws, have made it this way.

I know that much regard for laws will go out the window in extreme circumstances, but whilst we prep and the chips really aren't down, don't get yourself done or highlighted for something you could have avoided. Preppers get enough bad press, don't give people more ammunition to throw at what is essentially the more sensible members of society.

Knives and offensive weapons CPS sentencing manual

Like i said, no i don't agree with a lot of it, just posting it so you are under no illusion that a cop might be fine with you practicing techniques in the woods with a blade if someone reported you.

The article is dated Jan 2012, i think i'm right in saying it's the most recent one.

US members.....feel free to laugh.

CX.

reply to post by CX


You can always use a rock to make a cutting tool.

reply to post by DrumsRfun


You'd probably get nicked for adapting something to make a blade lol....but yep, good vid.

CX.

Originally posted by DrumsRfun
reply to post by CX

 

You can always use a rock to make a cutting tool.

Can you? Wouldn't this be considered an sharp offensive weapon? How about a pointy stick?

Yeah, I'm laughing. A survival knife is the bare minimum everyone needs to survive and someone from the UK cannot even have one of these or a machete? Seems crazy and foolish to me. As if they don't want their citizens to be able to survive.

Are there ways to get around these laws.. say kitchen knives for camping purposes?

CX, your link talks about offensive weapons in public places - not defensive weapons in the bush or in a SHTF situation - what about those - do these UK laws make any allowances for such?

I have an old style bicycle pump filled with silicon compound i carry when going to and from work (on me bike)
Also an extra long steel bicycle chain could be used to defend myself in an extrem situation,

Also me Gerber knife that has sprung pliers inside should be enough off a deterant for would be robbers.
Then off course the bike its self good get away assured.

As for knifes i have found its more to intimidate more than any thing else do not show fear off it they only get to lunge once, Didnt get too the Judo quarter finals as a boy soilder for nothing still know them strangle moves.

Originally posted by JohnPhoenix

Are there ways to get around these laws.. say kitchen knives for camping purposes?

Not sure actually, i'm only guessing here, but i'd imagine that as camping on public land is illegal in the UK (or it is mostly on the forests), most official campsites would be considered private land, and therefore it should be ok to have certain tools with you for the said purpose. I will check on that one though.

Originally posted by JohnPhoenix

CX, your link talks about offensive weapons in public places - not defensive weapons in the bush or in a SHTF situation - what about those - do these UK laws make any allowances for such?

edit on 26-11-2012 by JohnPhoenix because: sp

Good question.

To be honest, and again i'm just hazarding a guess here, you are not allowed to carry anything for defensive purposes, apart from stuff like the defensive sprays (not CS or pepper), and even then you can fall foul of getting into trouble if the spray has an adverse affect or if you are stupid with it.

As far as using a weapon in your home for defensive purposes, there has been a lot of press about this lately and the government are saying that they are going to be less bothered about the amount of reasonable force used in your home to deter a burglar or attacker, however you can bet your life they'd still put you through the system if you use a weapon.

That said, as seen in the London riots, they didn't arrest everyone who defended themselves or property with a weapon. I guess when things get serious you really aren't fussed what the law says.

CX.

Originally posted by foxhoundone

As for knifes i have found its more to intimidate more than any thing else do not show fear off it they only get to lunge once, Didnt get too the Judo quarter finals as a boy soilder for nothing still know them strangle moves.

Just as long as you don't get complacent with confidence, many people, especially martial artists get a false sense of just how fast a knife strike, or multiple strikes can happen before they can do anything about it.

The training is great, but rarely fast enough to simulate a real attack.

CX.

I have a .22 air rifle. I can make do with a less than 3.5inch blade. A blade doesn't need to be long to be deadly. In a SHTF scenario of course...

Originally posted by Wide-Eyes
I have a .22 air rifle. I can make do with a less than 3.5inch blade. A blade doesn't need to be long to be deadly. In a SHTF scenario of course...

Thats the only think that bugs me, i can just about handle being restricted to a 3in blade, but the fact that it's illegal if it locks is damn annoying. Folders probably do more harm than chavs with fixed blades.

CX.

reply to post by CX


A decent sheath is better than a folder.

I heard that a lot of the thin, hidden blades in walking sticks are within the confides of the law! Protect yourself and look like a sir! Can't go wrong

As a person said on here in the event of major problems in the UK Law & Order will break down within hours, and I think the whole gun law in the UK is foolish, mostly because the gov have taken guns from law abiding people and left them to terror groups and robbers.
To be against the law just by buying a gun is madness unless you have a crim record it is every human beings right to own one, and if anyone took the UK gov to a European court on the UK Gun law they will win hands down and Gov will realise it's a silly law.

reply to post by Wide-Eyes


if it locks it dont matter the length they count the handle to i had a pal got a caution (after arrest) for having a ilttle torch keyring with a small about 1.5 inch blade but because it locked they count the blade+handle ,if the government never let the violent thugs from other country's to reside here who use knives as weapons then invent a stupid law banning all locking blades listnen to this guys police interview the copper's don even know what he was trying to explain this copper's IQ must be in -100 he cant comprahend that a student has a tool for his uni course they let utter morons in the uk police force (the vid here isnt my freind just an example)

LAUGH! ???
My God man, I WEEP for the very country that helped birth my own nation.
From being "unrestricted" as to the weapons a Frreman, was entitled to own,(even machine guns were not restricted.....!)
To this day when the goverment has drawn such all inclusive laws that forbid even the possession of a simple pocket knife,.....has taken less than a century.
The ovious results of such restirctive laws, has been to alter the character and the behaviour of the nation, without really allieviating any of the problems they claimed to address....
The one SUREresult it has produced is an emasculation of the British people, and a firmly socialist way of life, which is firmly entrenched into the fabirc of society.
truely the royalty and its nobles have won the battle for an average Briton mans freedom, and they have created an orwellian dictatorship which is barely masked by the false trappings of a bogus democracy.
You poor bastards.....

i am sure these could be an offensive weapon as well.

id die happy

Originally posted by diddy1234
i am sure these could be an offensive weapon as well.

id die happy

The woman in your story was a 38 double D. My wife is a 48 double D and about 280 lbs. In comparison I'm 138 lbs (5 foot 4). I bury my head regularly in those puppies. Only way she could kill him would be not letting him breath at all and putting all her weight behind the suffocation. Seems unrealistic from my "expert" experience with this woman of 20 years.

Reminds me of a nursery rhyme I learned when i was 8 years old:

Fatty and skinny went to bed. Fatty rolled over and skinny was Dead.

There are lots of laws in all countries.

Weed is illegal in the UK but conservative estimates say around 2 million people smoke it and maybe up to 4 million.

My point is just because something is illegal, doesn't make it wrong or immoral.


There are plenty of sites in the UK to buy blades and defensive weapons & so on.

www.bladesandbows.co.uk...

You can also get defensive weapons like Kubotans and tactical pens.



Which can be worn on your keyring, keychain etc and bought perfectly legally from UK sites.


Also a very lightweight defensive weapon that you could easily carry and conceal in your fishing gear or BOB is a Rattan/Escrima stick

reply to post by blupblup


yes but carrying a blade is instant 5years in her majesty's pleasure (prison) .
in any case SHTF i will use anything and everything to protect my family ect,....there are no rules in love and war,same apply's if i need to survive!

These laws are completely insane. I feel bad for you guys across the pond. Draconian measures.

If I"m interpreting this correctly, even an object which is NOT a weapon could get you screwed. From OP link:

Nature of weapon Is not the primary determinant of seriousness

- a billiard cue, or knuckle-duster can be used to cause fear and may be at least as serious as a more obviously dangerous weapon, such as a knife or an acid spray, dependent on circumstances in which offender has weapon e.g. if carried in self defence, with no attempt to use it.

Weapons offensive per se, or designed or adapted to cause serious injury such as flick knives, butterfly knives, or sword sticks provide evidence of intention.

When I'm in public I usually have multiple objects on me which can be used "as" a weapon. Even lacking this, I can improvise pretty well. One can turn LOTS of common objects into weaponry with the right training.

IMO learning how to properly use a stick is pretty invaluable for improvised self defense.

Generally speaking, learning a good technical martial art is a good idea.

wow, i feel sorry for you guys.

cant even carry a pocket knife? Damn talk about
henpecked and suppressed.
(not meant to be offensive to any) but man come on its
a pocket knife, how the heck do you survive without it?
I cant count the number of times i have had to reach into my
pocket and grab my knife to open something, or cut something.

I could see no knives meant for combat use, but a pocket knife is
a very handy and useful tool.

I cant imagine going into the woods camping without a few of them,
and my pistol which when i'm out hiking in the woods is always tucked
under my coat. (perfectly legal here).

The pistol is mainly for scaring off large critters, bears etc.

But how do you tie a tent off, or cut sticks for marshmallow roast...

man, i feel for you guys, normal useful items you are not allowed to have.

i think the country took the wrong approach to weapons, anything can be used
as a weapon, it makes more sense to go after the person rather than
the weapon its self. Sure i know here in the u.s. there are a lot of 'bad guys'
that kill and shoot others, but still its the people that do it, not the weapon.

not to mention the 'fun' factor of going out and going through a box of ammo
and feeling the power of a large cal rifle go off in your shoulder, or the fun of
watching a target disapeare when it is denigrated when you hit the target.

or the personal level of satisfaction of taking the time to get to know your rifle
and being able to hit anything you aim at with confidence...

to my brothers from another country, i feel for ya....