ChrisKH said:
My son asked for one as he is a Cub and likes sharpening sticks,etc. Where exactly do we stand with regards to the law on these now? I remember having two big FO knives when I was a teenager (one folded, the other was a sheathed knife, both used for camping, etc.) that would get you a jail sentence these days.
It is an offence for any person to have with them, in a public place without good reason, the onus of which is on them to prove, any sharply pointed article or bladed article, other than a folding pocket knife, the cutting edge of which does not exceed 7.62 centimetres (3 inches in old money)
The wording is not exact, but all the elements are there.
Please note that due to some over enthusiastic interpretation, it was held that a locking knife (such as an opinel) is NOT a folding pocket knife, as once the blade is locked into place, it takes more than one single action to close it.
Also note that if you carry a lock knife it doesn't matter how big the blade is, it could be 3 mm long, or 3 feet long, you still need to prove that you have a good reason to carry it.
There are no definitions of a good reason. When stick comes to lift it will be down to a court to decide whether the reason was valid. Tried and tested examples are a carpet fitter who carries his carpet knife to and from work. Fair enough. If he "forgets" it's in his pocket and goes to a nightclub five hours after he finished work, he cannot rely on his occupation as good reason.
There are no age limits on carrying a folding pocket knife, only on the sale of them to under 18s.
As a practitioner I would advise that the OP's son has it drummed into him how absolutely crucial it is that the knife is only taken out of the house when he is in your company. My son has a couple of knives, an Opinel and a Buck, both lock knives, (I don't want the blade to close on his fingers, they are both honed to scalpel sharpness). He knows he only takes them out of his bedroom if we are going rabbitting or to Scout camp.
