“Complete tosh.”
I take it you speak from experience. I looked up the laws a few weeks ago, and a few things stuck out to me.
First of all, there was a law against carrying one with a locking blade, over a certain length...making carrying a large kitchen knife around illegal, for example. You can certainly own a long knife...but you can’t bring it out of the house.
The other one I noticed was a prohibition against people younger than 18 buying knives over a certain length...and you can’t buy a long knife with the intent to give to somebody younger than 18 years old...to include cutlery.
Do these sound correct? If so, that is a bit different than the US, where as far as I know, there are no age limits anywhere. And, you can walk around with a locking knife, as long as it doesn’t open quickly and automatically lock (like a switch blade). So its common for teenagers to walk around with 6” hunting knives on their belt...which I am assuming would be taboo in the UK?
Hi.
You cant carry a knife out in the open. You are ok if you have one concealed and you have a legitimate reason for carrying.
Buying knives have always been subject to age restrictions here, a child wouldnt have been able to buy one in 1970 or 1980 anymore than now. The age has been increased though from 16 to 18. The cutlery restriction?. Thats a modern change and imo silly and unnecessary.
I agree the knife laws have become a bit OTT, although please understand that knives and teenage knife crime is our equivalent of your gun problem and teen gun/crime problem.
No, what would be ok in the US wouldnt be ok here, unless you can prove to the police stopping you that you are actually just about to go hunting or are actually hunting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knife_legislation#United_Kingdom