Hi
I am new to this forum and think that this website is really great in advising on all things to help survive the unforseen <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I am starting to build a survival kit which I intend to store in my suv for emergencies.
I have , after reading the reviews on this site purchased the blast match, a storm whistle ( attached to my keyring ), and am thinking about the ultimate survival deluxe kit which includes the sabre saw.
I hope I am along the right lines so far <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I am thinking of buying either a leatherman wave , the victorinox swiss champ, or another multi toll that can be carried on my person or stored in the car.
I am also concerned as I live in the UK and the law regardng length of blade and restrictions upon lockng and fixed blades are reallt confusing.
Apparently blades over 3" are illegal as are locking floding knives and fixed blades ove the above length unless you can prove that you are carryng them for an approved purpose.

I would be grateful if you could offer some advice on which of the above knives might be suitable both for edc and storage in the suv.

I live in the UK.

Thanks

Fester, visit www.bushcraftuk.com and their link to british blades. The consensus is, as you said tools carried for a specific and legitimite purpose are themselves legit. The bottom line is a tool carried in association with emergency kit and stowed or carried discretely isn't going to bring Detective Foyle knocking at your door.

My vote, pending approval by those who know British knife laws/enforcement better, would be the LM Wave. I have the LM Charge, which is very similar. Get the nylon sheath too.

My second choice would be a Victorinox Climber or Huntsman (my must have list includes the scissors and can opener - I'd consider the saw on the Huntsman frosting on the cake).

I recommend the Leatherman Wave. I pack one here in Baghdad, and I've packed it into Nuclear facilities back home. A bobby is going to have a tough time justifying the confiscation/citation of packing a multi-tool, unless the blade length is ridiculously long, which the Wave ain't.

The Ultimate Survival Deluxe kit is a good little kit.
I keep one handy and throw it in a pack or car when I'm going anywhere. I plan on getting a second to keep in the car.

My everyday multitool is a Leatherman Wave but I sometimes use either the SwissTool or the SwissTool Spirit. The SwissTools are better built, but the Wave is more usable (for Me) so thats what usually ends up on my belt.
I used to use the Swiss Champ, before I upgraded to the multitools. I have worn out 2 Champs and Im now on my 3rd, but the multitools are a lot more robust.
After having the Champ blade snap back and go through my fingernail to the bone, the locking in the multitools is a good feature. (I also dont sharpen blades that dont lock as sharp as I used to)
We have pathetic knife laws too and multitools seem to get looked at, but get the ok. As long as you aren't using it offensively or defensively.
We dont have any blade length limits, so any knife carried can be considered an offensive weapon.

Welcome -- and don't forget the boring, non-sexy gear.

Sleeping bag, watch cap, food, bottled water, maps, etc.

Teacher RO

So you won't be "Foyle--d" again <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Hi
Thanks all for our help so far <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I have looked some more into the UK knife laws which are very restrictive and the leatherman wave is regarded as a fixed blade because of its locking mechanism and therefore classed as illegal in the UK for EDC.
This has left me with a search for non locking folding blades with a blade length less than 3" <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

With that in mind to stay on the safe side of the law I have bought a Victorinox Champ which has scissors saw blade etc but is excluded from the UK knife laws.
NB: The UK knife law also states that a public place can also mean inside a locked vehicle- and as such means that if I had a blade over 3" whether as part of a fixed blade or multi tool I would have to have a very good reason for having it- Crazy !!

I can probably answer this one. Basically UK law is really quite strict on what you can carry as far as knives go. The only type of knife you can generally carry (i.e. as EDC) would be a non locking folding knife with a blade under 3 inches in length. The standard Swiss Army knife is the one that most commonly fits under this classification and the Champ is an damm good multi tool with a legal blade over here.

The leatherman wave, and any other locking knife regardless of length is illegal to EDC.

The way the law is worded is that it any kind of fixed blade knife is illegal unless carried for specific purposes (which I will list below), and a folding knife that locks is considered a fixed blade in the eyes of the law. Police officers work on a very simple criteria in determining if the knife is illigal. Does it lock into place? Is it over 3 inches in length? If the answer is yes to either then it is illegal to EDC.

Oh and your car is considered a public place in the eyes of the law so again it is illegal to be carrying one in your car, and under PACE they have very broad powers in the searching of vehicle for such prohibited articles.

Now you know what is not allowed, I will point out that you can carry pretty much any knife (ignoring knives made illegal in more specific regulations such as automatic knives and buterfly knives) if you meet one o fthe following criteria:

1) you need it for work
2) part of your religion
3) part of your national costume
4) you can supply some other good reason

So under 4) you can carry a knife if you were going out camping and you needed it for bushcraft reasons. So in a specific incident you can carry the knife. The classic example is the Chief with his favourate butchers knives, he can carry them to and from his place of work, as he need s them for work, he can take them to his friends house where he is preparing a meal, as he has a good reason for needing them, but if he was carrying them into a nightclub, he clearly does not have a good reason and would be prosecuted.

I should note that the burden of proof is with the person accused to provide a good reason for carrying the item.

Thanks for the info mate <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I am glad that I have just bought the champ from ebay for ?35
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