The Lemon Fool

I may need to carry a reasonably large bladed knife in checked in luggage, traveling to Cyprus in a few weeks. Is this likely to be a problem? It will be sheathed, and well packed in the middle of the case.

cavebat

Probably worth checking on the local laws out there , it will be noticed in Xray. Try asking their consulate/embassy.

It is my understanding that, as long as the knife in question is not actually illegal in either country (ie a flick knife is illegal here), then provided that it is not carried in hand luggage you should be ok.

It should also be noted that different countries have different laws regarding knives. My pocket knife is quite legal in the UK as it complies with section 139 of the 89 act. However there are countries that it would be illegal for me to carry it as it can be opened one handed.

I'm not aware of any country that makes large knives illegal because they are "Large". The legislation tends to be concerned with their use as a weapon and/or how popular they are for that purpose.

I can't finish without a link to a silly large knife review (note that the knife would be illegal in the UK). The knife comes with a case "for easy airport carry".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_jPlq6oZVQ

The one time I took a large and very sharp weapon on board a plane (a Japanese sword bought as a present) I took it to the check-in desk and asked them to check it themselves. It did not go on the conveyor belt with the other bags but rather was personally collected by an airline employee. I then had to collect it at the desk of the airline in the baggage hall upon arrival.

It all worked perfectly but cannot guarantee that every airline would handle it this well - it was BA in my case. Some airlines might also charge for any "special" luggage although BA did not.

Best to ask the airline beforehand.

Thanks all. The knife in question is a combat knife used as an athame (for Pagan ceremonial purposes). Looks a bit like this one (but definitely not as expensive): https://cutleryshoppe.com/gerber-mark-i ... ack-blade/

We're performing a handfasting (Pagan wedding) for friends, but I'm not going to risk losing it so we'll improvise when we get there.

cavebat

Urbandreamer wrote:It should also be noted that different countries have different laws regarding knives. My pocket knife is quite legal in the UK as it complies with section 139 of the 89 act. However there are countries that it would be illegal for me to carry it as it can be opened one handed.

Oh indeed. We have a French-made Opinel No. 8 camper's knife, which is sold to boy scouts just about everywhere, but which it is illegal to carry in the UK on two separate counts - firstly because the blade is 8.5 cm (the UK max is 7.62 cm), and secondly because it can be locked by twisting a collar on the handle.

We found this particular one on a footpath, where it had clearly dropped out of somebody's rucksack, but you can buy them quite legally in the UK for about £8. What you can't do is carry them about with you. Not an Opinel.

BJ

bungeejumper wrote: We have a French-made Opinel No. 8 camper's knife, which is sold to boy scouts just about everywhere, but which it is illegal to carry in the UK on two separate counts - firstly because the blade is 8.5 cm (the UK max is 7.62 cm), and secondly because it can be locked by twisting a collar on the handle.

We found this particular one on a footpath, where it had clearly dropped out of somebody's rucksack, but you can buy them quite legally in the UK for about £8. What you can't do is carry them about with you. Not an Opinel.

I have bought kitchen knives with a blade longer than 3 inches. Are you saying that I could have been arrested the minute I left the shop where I bought it? That doesn't sound right somehow.

That said, it's not that different from the situation with guns where (as far as I know) it is perfectly legal to buy a firearm - you just can't do anything with it once you have bought it other than have it stored somewhere. It is illegal to possess it, carry it with you or use it without a license.

Lootman wrote:I have bought kitchen knives with a blade longer than 3 inches. Are you saying that I could have been arrested the minute I left the shop where I bought it? That doesn't sound right somehow.

Well that's because it's not, quite.

Most knives are legal to carry, IF you have a valid reason to do so. For example, despite the fact that a number of terrorist attacks have recently been carried out with kitchen knives, it is still legal to carry one home having just bought it. Or indeed carrying it to be used for lawful activities elsewhere.

Technically Cavebat could legally carry his athame here, though it might have been an idea to avoid using a combat knife for such purposes.

The Opinal No 8 can be argued as a good knife for bushcraft (camping) as it locks making it safe for prepairing kindling. Hence ok to carry for that use.

What's not ok is carrying a No 8 routinely, which is sad.

Helpfully you can find the legal situation on the governments website.

https://www.gov.uk/buying-carrying-knives

Lootman wrote:I have bought kitchen knives with a blade longer than 3 inches. Are you saying that I could have been arrested the minute I left the shop where I bought it? That doesn't sound right somehow.

It is and it isn't. As far as I understand it, I'm not a lawyer etc. a penknife with a blade under 3 inches you don't have to provide a reason for carrying it, though you can be arrested if you're using it as an offensive weapon (obviously). I can't remember the exact wording, but over 3 inches, or locking, you need a "good reason" to be carrying the knife. A good reason would be carrying your new carving knife home from the shop to the kitchen, but I'd be carrying it in a bag, or wrapped in some way, waving it about would almost certainly be bad. I'm an explorer scout leader so I *think* I'd have good reason to be taking a 4" sheath knife down the campsite if I was camping or doing fire lighting etc. I guess if my sheath knife is in a box in the boot with all the other Explorer stuff that would be more mitigating than if it was on my belt, or under the driver's seat or something. A lot will depend on the circumstances, the knife, you, the copper, etc etc.

Though apparently if you're arrested it's the court that decides whether your reason is "good" or not.

Lootman wrote:I have bought kitchen knives with a blade longer than 3 inches. Are you saying that I could have been arrested the minute I left the shop where I bought it? That doesn't sound right somehow.

Not quite. My son-in-law is a police chief inspector, and he says that it's the context that decides these things. You need to have a good reason.

If you've just bought a set of knives and you're taking it home in its wrappers, then nobody's going to say a word. If you're taking a meat cleaver to the Women's Institute cookery class, fine. (Although the plods might very well check up on you.) If you're a professional chef, you can carry a roll of knives anywhere. If you're cutting hedges, it'll be OK to have an axe in the back of your car - otherwise very probably not. If you're going camping, a few rufty-tufty blades probably won't cause too much concern.

OTOH, if you've got five convictions for armed robbery and you're taking an axe to the Women's Institute, please disregard the aforegoing.

BJ

Lootman wrote:That said, it's not that different from the situation with guns where (as far as I know) it is perfectly legal to buy a firearm - you just can't do anything with it once you have bought it other than have it stored somewhere. It is illegal to possess it, carry it with you or use it without a license.

No, you need a certificate first, issued by the Police.

https://www.gov.uk/shotgun-and-firearm-certificates

supremetwo wrote:

Lootman wrote:That said, it's not that different from the situation with guns where (as far as I know) it is perfectly legal to buy a firearm - you just can't do anything with it once you have bought it other than have it stored somewhere. It is illegal to possess it, carry it with you or use it without a license.

No, you need a certificate first, issued by the Police.

https://www.gov.uk/shotgun-and-firearm-certificates

That's interesting. I can see how a gun dealer will not sell you a gun unless you can first provide him with that license. But what about private sales, internet sales, gun show sales? Is the onus then on the seller to not sell, or on the buyer to get the license even if nobody is asking to see it?

Lootman wrote:

supremetwo wrote:

Lootman wrote:That said, it's not that different from the situation with guns where (as far as I know) it is perfectly legal to buy a firearm - you just can't do anything with it once you have bought it other than have it stored somewhere. It is illegal to possess it, carry it with you or use it without a license.

No, you need a certificate first, issued by the Police.

https://www.gov.uk/shotgun-and-firearm-certificates

That's interesting. I can see how a gun dealer will not sell you a gun unless you can first provide him with that license.
But what about private sales, internet sales, gun show sales?
Is the onus then on the seller to not sell, or on the buyer to get the license even if nobody is asking to see it?

It is the responsibility of the seller to ensure that a buyer has the relevant certificate.
Internet sales have to be done face-to-face, which can be via a licensed dealer closer to you.

You then need to enter the buyer's details on your own certificate and the details of that certificate must be passed to the police firearms licensing unit.

The same applies if it is a gift or if it is loaned for other than a very short period, e.g. at a shoot or a school.

bungeejumper wrote:

Urbandreamer wrote:It should also be noted that different countries have different laws regarding knives. My pocket knife is quite legal in the UK as it complies with section 139 of the 89 act. However there are countries that it would be illegal for me to carry it as it can be opened one handed.

Oh indeed. We have a French-made Opinel No. 8 camper's knife, which is sold to boy scouts just about everywhere, but which it is illegal to carry in the UK on two separate counts - firstly because the blade is 8.5 cm (the UK max is 7.62 cm), and secondly because it can be locked by twisting a collar on the handle.

We found this particular one on a footpath, where it had clearly dropped out of somebody's rucksack, but you can buy them quite legally in the UK for about £8. What you can't do is carry them about with you. Not an Opinel.

BJ

Opinels are lovely knives, I've got one of them as well, only used when I'm camping, not something I just carry around.

I carry a 6" blade regularly.

If it's not in the boot of the car, it's strapped to my leg. It's a dive knife (an old-fashioned one). I dive with police officers and so far have not been arrested nor had it confiscated.

Should I wander down my high street with the aforesaid still strapped to my calf, I suspect I'd be in a spot of bother. Context is everything.

(Yes, modern dive knives are smaller and probably rank higher as "fit for purpose", but I paid £8 twenty years ago and am determined to get my money's worth out of this knife).

To the OP - this blade has traveled with me around the world (in hold luggage) but was obviously a dive knife, surrounded by dive kit. Friends have carried similar to Cyprus, but again, in context.

If I have an object I really don't want to lose, it doesn't go in hold luggage. Hand luggage or courier, but not the hold.
(Good judgement comes from bad experience which comes from poor judgement...)

VRD

vrdiver wrote:I carry a 6" blade regularly.

If it's not in the boot of the car, it's strapped to my leg. It's a dive knife (an old-fashioned one). I dive with police officers and so far have not been arrested nor had it confiscated.

Should I wander down my high street with the aforesaid still strapped to my calf, I suspect I'd be in a spot of bother. Context is everything.

VRD

I frequently wander down my high street with a knife tucked into my sock (not a 6" blade though). Nae bother.

Wearing a skirt too.

DM

dionaeamuscipula wrote:

vrdiver wrote:I carry a 6" blade regularly.

If it's not in the boot of the car, it's strapped to my leg. It's a dive knife (an old-fashioned one). I dive with police officers and so far have not been arrested nor had it confiscated.

Should I wander down my high street with the aforesaid still strapped to my calf, I suspect I'd be in a spot of bother. Context is everything.

VRD

I frequently wander down my high street with a knife tucked into my sock (not a 6" blade though). Nae bother.

Wearing a skirt too.

DM

And what's that hanging between your legs?

Watis

Watis wrote:
And what's that hanging between your legs?

Watis

Neatly tucked in the other sock of course.

DM

What I do is before I fly anywhere these days I go to the airline website and look at the baggage restrictions for both hand and hold luggage. The rules vary from airline to airline, and country to country, so I'd recommend checking.

ps. FWIW I recently flew to the UK, ex Middle-East, with a selection of kitchen cutlery incl a kitchen knife. That all went into my hold luggage.

cavebat wrote:I may need to carry a reasonably large bladed knife in checked in luggage, traveling to Cyprus in a few weeks. Is this likely to be a problem? It will be sheathed, and well packed in the middle of the case.

cavebat

Don't know about Cyprus but I do know you can carry a knife onto the plane in your cabin bag in Egypt.




GS
P.S. Hard to decide which thread to post on....