Do you carry a Multi tool?

[earthman]

How many of you guy's carry a multi tool such as a Leatherman, Gerber etc?
They are handy tools to carry, mines got me out of stuck at the roadside on a fair few occasions.

Most of these tools have a knife that locks so technically you are breaking the law if you can't provide 'good reason' to have it on you when you were stopped. 'Just in case' or the safety of one's fingers is not enough.

The law's been like this for ANY length of blade for years now, I don't know if there is much chance of getting it changed via the link below but if you could all make a comment, it might just help.

http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk/repea...g-folding-penknives-without-a-specific-reason

 

[SC_BK]

I don't bother with a fancy multi tool, I just carry a small toolbox and a lock knife

 

[W4yne]

To my knowledge I did not think that "lock" knives were against the law, flick knives yes. If so there are plenty of fishing tackle shops breaking the law.

How many of you guy's carry a multi tool such as a Leatherman, Gerber etc?
They are handy tools to carry, mines got me out of stuck at the roadside on a fair few occasions.

Most of these tools have a knife that locks so technically you are breaking the law if you can't provide 'good reason' to have it on you when you were stopped. 'Just in case' or the safety of one's fingers is not enough.

The law's been like this for ANY length of blade for years now, I don't know if there is much chance of getting it changed via the link below but if you could all make a comment, it might just help.

http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk/repea...g-folding-penknives-without-a-specific-reason

 

[earthman]

To my knowledge I did not think that "lock" knives were against the law, flick knives yes. If so there are plenty of fishing tackle shops breaking the law.

Lock knives are not illegal per say, shops can sell them, you can buy and keep them at home no problem, you need the 'good reason' to carry one in public though, going fishing is one of them.

Flick knives are banned here in the UK, yes.

 

[tigler]

Have a Gerber in the car and carry a Leatherman Wave for the unexpected !!

 

[Robotstar5]

I've carried one of the original leatherman tools on my belt for best part of 30 years, even wore the leather case out once!
The blade for getting boy scouts out of horses hooves is useful

 

[Pete.]

I've kept one in the toolkit of my roadbike for years. It's got me out of more trouble than I care to remember.

 

[Endacy]

A locking knife is illegal in public full stop, regardless of blade length.

However the circumstances are the important thing here. Carpet fitter walking to his van with a locking stanley type knife - no issues - legal reason to have it. Stopped on a Friday night outside the local with a knife, you'd be hard pushed to excuse that (any knife of course).

Personally I drive most places, there's nothing near me to walk to! I have tools in my car and that's never going to be a problem unless you happen to keep your longest screwdriver in the drivers door pocket. I would never carry a multitool on me all the time, in my pocket. I can't think of a situation where that would be helpful at all, or when I couldn't just pop back to the car to get it. I CAN however think of lots of situations where having it might get me nicked if I happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.


Edited to say you'd most likely have to do something silly to get found with one anyway, and a tool in a pouch on a belt is a far cry from the kitchen knife in the waistband, which is what knife law is there to stop.

 

[mike os]

quite... I often end up in a pub with a stanley knife in my pocket.....just got crap for brains

 

[earthman]

A locking knife is illegal in public full stop, regardless of blade length.

Sorry but you are wrong, you just need a 'good reason' just like you would with a fixed blade.

 

[Drains]

I've carried Swiss army knives for years, now an Opinel. I've asked coppers if i'm ok (in social/work situations), and the answer is always "don't worry". Maybe if I were a 20-year-old, it might be different, But I don't look (much) like trouble.

 

[Andy from Workshopshed]

Airports etc

I've stopped carrying a multi-tool in my bag since the time I ended up posting one home from the airport rather than having to surender it to security. I've lost a few cigar cutters to security but those are cheaper.

I've always thought butterfly knives are rather cool but I suspect I'd loose a few fingers learning to use it properly. The throwing knives I made as a kid were quickly confiscated too

 

[W4yne]

Sorry but you are wrong, you just need a 'good reason' just like you would with a fixed blade.

Think I'll become a sikh, you can carry a knife as part of your religion?

I knew someone years ago where the police pulled him over and was questioned for having a dangerous weapon on his possession "an oil filter wrench" length of chain attached to a bar in his car boot!

 

[earthman]

I've always thought butterfly knives are rather cool but I suspect I'd loose a few fingers learning to use it properly. The throwing knives I made as a kid were quickly confiscated too

Yes, both of those items are on the banned list here in the UK.

 

[brightspark]

Think I'll become a sikh, you can carry a knife as part of your religion?

I knew someone years ago where the police pulled him over and was questioned for having a dangerous weapon on his possession "an oil filter wrench" length of chain attached to a bar in his car boot!

THATS TEESIDE 4 U

 

[earthman]

Think I'll become a sikh, you can carry a knife as part of your religion?

Yes, Sikh's can also ride a motorcycle without wearing a helmet.

I knew someone years ago where the police pulled him over and was questioned for having a dangerous weapon on his possession "an oil filter wrench" length of chain attached to a bar in his car boot!

Was he well known to the Police or did he give them grief when he were stopped?

I run an old car so tend to have a full toolbox in the boot for those roadside repairs, if it's clear that the tools are for innocent use you would hope that an officer would understand.

 

[W4yne]

"What yer mean like"

THATS TEESIDE 4 U

 

[brightspark]

"What yer mean like"

i used to use bog chain and handle with a lump of lead cast on the end skinheads had knives greasers had chains

 

[W4yne]

Yes, Sikh's can also ride a motorcycle without wearing a helmet.



Was he well known to the Police or did he give them grief when he were stopped?

I run an old car so tend to have a full toolbox in the boot for those roadside repairs, if it's clear that the tools are for innocent use you would hope that an officer would understand.

The officer was fine once he convinced him what an oil filter wrench was for and how it worked, the officer kept saying it doesn't look like any wrench that I have seen lol! It's a wonder the officer never asked whether it was metric or imperial lol

 

[W4yne]

i used to use bog chain and handle with a lump of lead cast on the end skinheads had knives greasers had chains

Aye the chinese call them numchucks! in Yorkshire theyare callled what's up chuck