Yep, which is why I wouldn't go back now without serious firepower. Of course, then it was different, as we literally did carry around a policeman (aka armed and well trained security personnel) with us wherever we went. They had guns, and they used them with extreme prejudice when it was needed. So the knife was really just a security blanket, and not a great one. But hey, you do what you can with what you got.

These days, discretion is better than going in hot. Not having to go anywhere I don't want to anymore is, um, refreshing? Well, except for the hospital. I will never get comfortable going into those death zones. I always felt people go to the hospital to die, as it happens there so often. Nice folks, but modern medicine still isn't very far removed from medieval torture. The only big difference is anesthetic.

Sounds like the start of another thread to me. Hmm.....

IMHo you would do well to check the current legislation whenever you go to a different country. There is a fair bit of info available online, you can already find some useful stuff here to get you started:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knife_legislation

Remember though that laws do change, and what may or may not be acceptable to carry is very often left to the interpretation of law enforcement and judges.

In my experience, a regular non-locking SAK or multitool is generally considered OK in most places, particularly if carried in a purse or backpack. Whenever in doubt, avoid any sort of one-hand opening tactical folders and do not wear a folder clipped to your pocket or anywhere else where it's easily visible.

As a tourist or foreign visitor you may expect the local authorities to give you the benefit of doubt most of the time. Being a foreigner on the road does give you a pretty good excuse for carrying a small utility knife, more so because of your line of work. Just don't display a knife in public or carry it to any public events where rowdy behavior might be reasonably expected (partying, football matches etc.).

In most cases there is a general rule, that allows a police officer to confiscate a knife, if the knife is inappropriate in the given situation.

That would be the primarily reason to get in to trouble. In the Netherlands; No 'automatic', 'gravity', double edged, 'stiletto's' and there is a maxium lenght, depending on the width of the blade.

adam2, I don't what to derail the thread or get in to politics but where do you get that info?

I also live in the UK and have actually checked what is written in the law and what I have seen written in the law books is more than a little different to what you describe.

Not quite sure what adam2 is referring to.

It is not illegal to can carry non-locking folder with blade less than 3" in a public place.