Two of my favorite knives, excellent at keeping an edge and very inexpensive.

[duke]

 

[AJB Temple]

Cool. French and cheap as chips in Europe if you don't go to "artisan" shops. I think simple carbon steel is always much easier to sharpen than stainless.

 

[duke]

Purchased from Lee Valley Tools, I agree Adrian carbon steel is easier to keep an edge than stainless steel.

 

[Lurker]

Technically, are they legal in the U.K., being a lock knife.

 

[AJB Temple]

legal or legal to carry? I can't remember what the rules are now. They are quite stupid rules anyway as people who plan to carry knives with nefarious intent will do so anyway. It's basically telling criminals not to be naughty.

 

[spb]

Having a blade that they can lock means they're not covered by the folding pocket knife exemption, and so you need a 'good reason' to carry it in public but there are no restrictions on owning or using it in private. Of course there's no statutory guidance on what constitutes a good reason.

Of course there are categories of knives that are illegal to possess, buy, sell, give or lend, but those are quite specific and much more defined - 'zombie knives' being one of the more recent additions. Those are essentially the types that the law says there will never be a good reason to carry as they're only useful as weapons, but a simple locking pocket knife won't fall into any of those.

 

[duke]

Why does posting something about the merits of a good product such as a knife get pushed into a legality discussion of whats legal.
I posted this because it is a good knife which I use for woodworking and culinary purposes. Just Yesterday I dug leeks from the garden and prepped them for a leek and potato soup and the potato's (russet variety) are also from our garden using one of the posted knives. My wife made a wonderful soup.

Now not to offend anyone I have a 6 " Buck hunting knife in my truck just for personal protection or to dress road kill.

And I carry a three inch folding lock blade for sharpening pencils.

Yes officer, I don't intend to harm a human being unless I need to defend myself.

 

[duke]

Maybe on your side of the Atlantic it's a big issue but on our side it's everyday life. Yes laws are similar here but the normal citizen isn't the problem and to think it will stop those that will use to harm or kill someone is wishful thinking.

Ok now to take a strip off me!

 

[duke]

Moderators if my views are contrary to the forum rules please feel free to terminate me.

 

[Cabinetman]

Fair comment imo, not my favourite style of knife having a round handle, the 3” that I always carry is a Victorianox? that was my Grandfathers more oval in cross section. The steel doesn’t keep an edge for that long though, my other go to knife that really does keep its edge is a German pocket knife made in Solingen by loewen messer. We sold thousands of them to the fishermen.

 

[duke]

Nice knife!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I always thought Opinel was so named because you haven't an 'ope in hell of their staying sharp. Personally, I wouldn't give them house room.

 

[Lurker]

Duke,
Sorry that I took your thread off at a tangent.
I have similar knives, I suppose that I was commenting on the (dire) situation here in the U.K. about having to consider what you have in your pocket before you venture out.

 

[CHJ]

Not the prettiest animal but I guess these images confirm which has been my favourite for the last 60+ years.




Am annoyed that the trusty Sheath Knife that was a constant belt companion around the farm and on every camping trip is now stowed away somewhere and can no longer be carried in public.


I do have a very swish replacement for the old faithful, bought with good intent about 9 yrs. ago that comes out on posh dress occasions but has never earned its place in the day to day comfort zone.

 

[Trevanion]

The Opinels are nice, simple knives. I have two knives I carry daily, a first-generation Milwaukee Fastback and also a Leatherman Wave and both get used multiple times a day, in fact you don't realise how often they are used until you forget one or the other one day.

The knife situation is getting out of hand though, on Instagram now a lot of bespoke knife makers and even cutlers are having issues with their videos being pulled and their accounts being sanctioned as they show knives, even if they are completely legal. I remember my father telling me when he did his examinations in school each desk was laid out with a small knife for sharpening pencils, and pretty much every student had a knife during school anyway, imagine that now! What's changed in the culture in the last 60 years or so, or was knife crime always a problem?

 

[duke]

Duke,
Sorry that I took your thread off at a tangent.
I have similar knives, I suppose that I was commenting on the (dire) situation here in the U.K. about having to consider what you have in your pocket before you venture out.

No problem , I was ranting didn't mean to direct it your way, my apologies.
Family members recently brought the same issue up and it didn't end well.

 

[duke]

Another knife which I use a lot when out on our property

 

[AJB Temple]

It is odd in the UK. Knife crime, particularly the zombie knife and machete type, seems to me to be concentrated in a particular segment of society. When they fill in their census return I suspect they do not identify as Caucasian or female and they are also in a fairly narrow age group. When they engage in knife crime it has apparently tended to be on each other. Our politicians having observed that knife crime is not good, thought it would be wise to stop the 99.9% of sensible people from having knives on their person, as this was surely guaranteed to stop the criminals from being criminal. Oddly enough it did not work. I wonder why?

Every year we have an excellent barometer of knife crime. It's a jolly event called the Notting Hill Carnival. The police and ambulance service always look forward to the jolly japes and carnival atmosphere, safe in the knowledge that the participants have not used any street drugs at all. The 230 or so arrests on the last day this year are just because the police misunderstood the culture. Inexplicably the media did not report how many of the people arrested were indigenous Caucasians. The ONS does not record it and although records are held in the criminal justice system they are somewhat opaque and appear to exclude cautions. How odd.

 

[AJB Temple]

There are two knife scenes that stick on my head from movies. My favourite is this one with Paul Newman facing a really big bowie knife like the small one Duke shows above.

I quite like the Paul Hogan "you call that a knife" scene in Crocodile Dundee too.

 

[duke]

Not the prettiest animal but I guess these images confirm which has been my favourite for the last 60+ years.

View attachment 28989
View attachment 28990

Am annoyed that the trusty Sheath Knife that was a constant belt companion around the farm and on every camping trip is now stowed away somewhere and can no longer be carried in public.


I do have a very swish replacement for the old faithful, bought with good intent about 9 yrs. ago that comes out on posh dress occasions but has never earned its place in the day to day comfort zone.

It has been sharpened a lot, nice knife. A few years ago I lost my best everyday folding knife which I have had for 45 years.

 

[Cabinetman]

Lol. But I suspect it’s not going to get any better.

 

[Lurker]

This is my gardening/ pruning knife.
Was given to me about 50 years ago by an ex GPO engineer, I thanked him profusely and he winked and said , I have a boxful at home.
G. Ibbotson (Sheffield).

 

[TomTrees]

I quite like the Paul Hogan "you call that a knife" scene in Crocodile Dundee too.

Thaaat's not a knoife!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I remember my father telling me when he did his examinations in school each desk was laid out with a small knife for sharpening pencils, and pretty much every student had a knife during school anyway, imagine that now!

We were sent in to drawing exams with a freshly honed inch chisel to sharpen pencils - I expect that would be taboo now.
I remember being sent home from Cubs at eight years old for not having a knife, I've carried one ever since. Yes, it's illegal.

 

[CHJ]

Leatherman Wave

....I have two knives I carry daily, a first-generation Milwaukee Fastback and also a Leatherman Wave and both get used multiple times a day, .

In the past my working 'go to' workhorse when out and about needing something more robust than a 'Penknife' was a Jack Knife complete with Marlin spike, (cleaning out of hooves and general probing needs like fencing staples) currently have a Leatherman Klick as a pick up when needed but it's too weighty for regular pocket carrying.
The Klicks lack of scissors did point me to a Wave as replacement but having experience the weight of these things and being realistic about my utilisation for every day use I've never indulged.

 

[Trevanion]

The Klicks lack of scissors did point me to a Wave as replacement but having experience the weight of these things and being realistic about my utilisation for every day use I've never indulged.

It is a weighty lump Chas, I wear Snickers holster pocket trousers on a day-to-day basis and it fits in one of the pockets perfectly on the left hip, then the Milwaukee Fastback is in a pocket on the right hip, along with my pencils, gloves, tape measure, etc... I don't really notice the weight or bulk when they're fitted into the holster pockets, but I imagine if they were in the pocket of a regular pair of trousers rubbing up against the leg it would be far more noticeable.

There's also the legality around a Wave because the knives lock into place with a liner lock rather than a slip-joint, so potentially if you got caught carrying it about in public you could be in trouble. It's a ridiculous law really as any knife that's the same size no matter if it locks or not can cause just as much damage, the UK has a dreadful habit of bringing about knee-jerk legislation without much thought.

 

[Lurker]

I believe these were issued to all service men. It has the MOD arrow and 1953 marks.
I volunteer for AgeUK and this came in, they don’t sell knives so it was put to one side for me.
I couldn’t buy it, so technically I stole it out of the scrap bin and donated £5.

 

[Woodbloke]

My everyday knife is one of these wot I carry around in a soft leather sheath in my pocket. It 'has a laminated blade made from the famous Hitachi Yasuki 'blue paper' alloyed carbon steel' and is capable of taking and holding a really lethal edge. Even so, this little knife is an illegal carry in Japan and has been since the days of the Samurai - Rob

 

[AJB Temple]

I have one of those too Rob. It is my gardening knife. To be frank I think it's a bit dangerous as the blade doesn't lock in an open position and it folds far too easily and has nicked the backs of my fingers once or twice. For actual use, say as a whittling knife or pruning or grafting knife I find a locking blade much safer.

 

[duke]

Also have one in the shop and agree with you Adrian.

 

[Woodbloke]

I have one of those too Rob. It is my gardening knife. To be frank I think it's a bit dangerous as the blade doesn't lock in an open position and it folds far too easily and has nicked the backs of my fingers once or twice. For actual use, say as a whittling knife or pruning or grafting knife I find a locking blade much safer.

I do recollect you saying some time ago that you were accident prone! All I do is to keep my thumb on the little widget when it's open and the blade doesn't go anywhere- Rob

Edit - excellent little knife for sharpening pencils and opening Amazon packages

 

[AJB Temple]

I do recollect you saying some time ago that you were accident prone! All I do is to keep my thumb on the little widget when it's open and the blade doesn't go anywhere- Rob

Edit - excellent little knife for sharpening pencils and opening Amazon packages

It's true I am accident prone! However, the fact that to use the knife you admit you have to keep your thumb on the blade opener rather, I respectfully suggest, proves my point . The thing will cut you given half a chance. Also, if you put it in your pocket closed - it will open. DAMHIKT.

 

[TomTrees]

Some fine knives you folks got, seems some are spoilt for choice.
Never had use for a multitool, full tang for me please!
I think I can make do with just the one for the meanwhile, since it's quite versatile for my usage...


That said, not given it too much abuse, though it doesn't seem like one of those fancy schmancy chippy type steels to me,
yet still it sharpens up a treat!

 

[Woodbloke]

It's true I am accident prone! However, the fact that to use the knife you admit you have to keep your thumb on the blade opener rather, I respectfully suggest, proves my point . The thing will cut you given half a chance. Also, if you put it in your pocket closed - it will open. DAMHIKT.

Ah yebut you didn't read wot I writ Adrian! I carry it around in my pocket in one of these so there's no way it's going to open or for the little widget to gouge a hole in the bottom of my jeans pocket - Rob

 

[Alasdair]

My son is a Royal Marine Commando (passed out last year), he wanted a commando dagger as they arent issued anymore. Bought him one for Christmas last year.

No quite knife content but is related. He is heading to a posting in California later this year and is keen to aquire a K Bar too.

 

[Alasdair]

I made the scales and sheath for this his one for a gift for an old gardener friend (the blade is only 2 1/2 inches long). Be kind it was my first time trying knife scales.

 

[AndyP]

Congrats to your son Alasdair. you must be very proud.
I do not suppose for one minute that this qualifies as a “real” knife. Bought for me by the missus as a reward for spending a whole day on skis ( cross country) without falling over .
It is part of my over night travel bag. It does not get used much but has been invaluable for mending shower heads and brackets in hotels and airbnbs, tightening the screws on spectacles, removing splinters and of course as an occassional bottle opener and corkscrew. I am trying to remember if it has ever been used to cut anything.

 

[Tiresias]

Here are the two I usually have.



No 08 inox (walnut), and no 12 carbone (beech). Easier to get an edge on the carbone. But both sharpen satisfactorily. Generally carry them because we travel a lot, and normally stay in aparthotels (partner’s onion/cucumber/banana… aversions, which can make restaurants a bit tricky). And the one thing you can guarantee is that the knives in a self-catering place will be blunt. I also have a tiny slip stone in my wash bag, just in case. I remember one conference when we stayed in a gîte near Marseilles where the knife (there was only one) was sharpened on a stone step, and finished off on the underside of a marble table. But I digress, and this is not a sharpening thread.

I have a Leatherman Surge, which is just too heavy to carry around. Last use: the pliers, about a month or so ago in TRNC to tackle some recalcitrant pistachios. But as AndyP says of his over specced SAK, very useful for repairing all those crap things that you find when you arrive somewhere.

All illegal to carry in UK. Unless of course you have a specific (not generic) reason. But hey, is plod going to stop me? And could I not come up with a reason?

Also, all have to go in hold baggage.

For daily use in UK- Victorinox ‘Waiter’. Legal. (Although still not on flights. Dunno how many I’ve contributed that way).

 

[Cabinetman]

Here are the two I usually have.

View attachment 29097

No 08 inox (walnut), and no 12 carbone (beech). Easier to get an edge on the carbone. But both sharpen satisfactorily. Generally carry them because we travel a lot, and normally stay in aparthotels (partner’s onion/cucumber/banana… aversions, which can make restaurants a bit tricky). And the one thing you can guarantee is that the knives in a self-catering place will be blunt. I also have a tiny slip stone in my wash bag, just in case. I remember one conference when we stayed in a gîte near Marseilles where the knife (there was only one) was sharpened on a stone step, and finished off on the underside of a marble table. But I digress, and this is not a sharpening thread.

I have a Leatherman Surge, which is just too heavy to carry around. Last use: the pliers, about a month or so ago in TRNC to tackle some recalcitrant pistachios. But as AndyP says of his over specced SAK, very useful for repairing all those crap things that you find when you arrive somewhere.

All illegal to carry in UK. Unless of course you have a specific (not generic) reason. But hey, is plod going to stop me? And could I not come up with a reason?

Also, all have to go in hold baggage.

For daily use in UK- Victorinox ‘Waiter’. Legal. (Although still not on flights. Dunno how many I’ve contributed that way).

I’m not about to test it out but leaving the UK they say you can have a blade up 60mm long in hand luggage. Doesn’t mention anything of the sort when I leave the US though. It’s one of my little fears that I will get to security and I’ve forgotten to put my knife in the suitcase for the hold. Happened once in the us and the guy saw it and deliberately ignored it. I am TSA prechecked so maybe that gave me some leeway.

 

[AndyP]

For daily use in UK- Victorinox ‘Waiter’. Legal. (Although still not on flights. Dunno how many I’ve contributed that way).

well worth getting the little mini screwdriver that fits inside the corkscrew, probably gets used more than anything else.