Knives in France?

[crazyanimal]

Not sure if this is in the right section, but how old do you have to be to buy knives in France? My fried says that he bought a penknife and a 3 inch flip-out blade from Shopi in France! I want one, but i just wondered if i'd be breaking the law or not :P
Thanks

[ollyhol]

They're generally more lax, but its supposed to be around 16,18 i believe. there country is about 4 times bigger than England though and similar'ish population size, so they're more liberal on outdoors type stuff. I wouldn't ever touch a flick knife though, they're illegal in any circumstances and wholly unnecessary. Stick to a swiss army knife.

[Jayyyrox]

I think the age is sixteen. when i went to france on a school trip, my teachers spent ages telling us not to buy knives. of course, them telling us not only made me want to do it more!

[ollyhol]

I got my first opinel at about 12,13 in france.

[Jayyyrox]

i dont know then. maybe they were just interested in a sale rather than the law?

[ollyhol]

ye ye, exactly, their is a law but its very very lax and if you seem sensible, its a different culture from suburban england.

[Jayyyrox]

probably better than the way we do things here. but who knows. i havnt heard anything from france about stabbings and stuff. mind you, i dont actualy look for news about france so thats probably why!

[ollyhol]

i'm sure they happen in the suburbs of the big cities (suburbs being home to the less affluent in France) but in the countryside i suppose its very peaceful.

[Ollie]

I suspect you'd be treated very differently if you were in obviously outdoor gear in an outdoor shop to someone in a tracksuit and hoody - especially if you knew what you were after and asked sensible questions!

[ollyhol]

Thats what i thought about the u.k , until i wanted to buy a large locking blade swiss army knife; the man behind the counter of a camping shop in Manchester said the police have asked them not to stock them full stop.

[dasy2k1]

any blade that locks out is ILLIGAL to carry in the UK regardless of blade length
unless you have a bona-fide reason such as actually camping at the time,

as there are very few acceptable reasons in a city centre it is hardly supprising they are hard to get hold of...

im not endorsing this law and find it ridiculous myself, but unfortunately if you are caught with a locking blade and cant convince the officer of a need to have it you WILL end up in prison
(the minimum sentance is 6 months! max 4 years! even for a 5mm blade that locks out!!!)

[MariaD]

im not endorsing this law and find it ridiculous myself

I have to say, I totally agree with this law. Unless you are camping at the time, why would you need a knife? And why would you be carrying one in a city centre? A knife is a weapon, and I'd rather not live in a society where people are allowed to carry weapons just because they feel like it.

The police do make exceptions for people who need knives for work and legitimate uses (e.g. fishing) so I don't see what the problem is. it's a shame that some shops in city centres don't stock them, but there will be other shops, in other areas, that do.

[clunk]

you can buy the chiox opinel lock knives , although these knives are an 1860s design and are hand made , they lock the blade by turning the collar under the blade , the blade remains very sharp and is easy to sharpen using a stone , this is a very controversial subject and i only use my variouse knives for certain activities , the chiox opinel is a thick bladed g.p. knife and more suited to cutting rope or rough cutting wood , although i cant see the need to carry a knife unless you are going to be in a situation were your gonna need one ,, fishing / climbing / boating / survival training etc ,
http://www.outdoorgb.com/c/opinel_knives/?gclid=COXF8YCW2ZMCFRItxwodHChWTQ

[dasy2k1]

yes thease are great knives,
i use one all the time,

just wish they wern't illegal to carry

[MariaD]

i cant see the need to carry a knife unless you are going to be in a situation were your gonna need one ,, fishing / climbing / boating / survival training etc.

Agreed. And if you are in one of those situations, then it's legal.

[Maurice]

How popular are the multitools, i.e. Leathermans, Gerbers etc. in the UK?What are the rules for carry?

[dasy2k1]

they are quite popular although if they have a blade of over 7.25cm or a blade that can be locked out then they are illigal to carry unless you have a bona-fide reason to be carrying it

[Maurice]

Thank you Dasy2k1. I'm having to translate metric to inches but wow, that floors me. I carry and use a pocket knife every day, no I'm not disembolwing villians or saving someone from a lion attack, but to me it is a tool. Switch blades here are illegal and if the cops want to mess with you, any blade over a driver's license length (4") can get on into trouble unless as you mentioned reason

[grahameb]

mmm, I've carried a pocket knife virtually all my life (65 years so far). My current one was my father's and has great sentimental value. It's also an invaluable tool which I use daily for a myriad of tasks and would be lost without. It has a single blade 65mm in length which locks in the open position, non-locking blades are downright dangerous as they can fold on you under certain uses (piercing for instance) cutting your own fingers.

My understanding of the law in the UK is that a pocket knife is permitted providing its blade length is under 75mm (3") and that it requires two hands to open. There seems to be some confusion about the adjective locking. My understanding is that the proscribed version can be opened single handed, either by means of a spring or by a flick of the wrist, subsequently locking in the open position, ie a flick knife or switch blade. A pocket knife which is sprung shut and cannot be opened single handedly is legal whether or not the blade then locks open. The distinction is that one can be a tool whilst the other is more likely to be a weapon. As an aside, fishermen have argued that their job/sport requires the need to open a knife whilst holding rod/net/what-have-you with the other hand but I don't recall how that argument panned out in the courts.

It goes without saying that any knife, legal or not, used in what could be construed as 'a threatening manner' leaves one open to criminal prosecution under a variety of other laws. What constitutes 'a threatening manner' is another question.

[dasy2k1]

Although knives such as you describe that can be locked out but need two hands to open are not totally defined in law, recent case law has treated them the same way as fixed blade knives as they cannot be folded whilst open in one movement, therefore they are illegal


It is illegal to carry any sharp or bladed instrument in a public place (with the exception of a folding pocket knife, which has a blade that is less than 7.62cm or 3 inches). A lock knife is NOT a folding pocket knife and therefore it is illegal to carry these knives regardless of the length of the blade. Possession of a lock knife in a public place without reasonable excuse IS an offence.
Possession of a multi-tool incorporating a prohibited blade/pointed article is capable of being an offence under this section even if there are other tools on the instrument which may be of use to a person in a public place (screwdriver, can opener). It is for the person to prove on the balance of probabilities that he/she had good reason for possession. The penalty for committing this offence is a minimum six month prison sentence, or maximum of two years and/or a fine.

[ollyhol]

Thank you Dasy2k1. I'm having to translate metric to inches but wow, that floors me. I carry and use a pocket knife every day, no I'm not disembolwing villians or saving someone from a lion attack, but to me it is a tool. Switch blades here are illegal and if the cops want to mess with you, any blade over a driver's license length (4") can get on into trouble unless as you mentioned reason


not a massive expert but doesnt it depend where you are? i have done a bit of camping in provence and in the village where my uncle lives lost of men carry over 4 inch opinels 9,10, + on their belts in sheaths,

[MariaD]

Of course it does - the law is different in every country. Which is why Maurice said "switch blades here are illegal".

However, no matter where you are, if you can prove you have a legitimate reason to carry a knife, then you can carry it (to my knowledge there in no country is the world which prevents people from using knives as tools).

In the UK a large fixed or locking knife that is being used for work, fishing etc. is legal. A large fixed or locking knife carried through a town centre for no reason is illegal.

In the UK the burden of proof is on the individual rather than the police, which means that you have to prove that you have a legitimate reason rather then the police having to prove intent to do harm.

[ollyhol]

but this is what i mean they carry knives on their belts all the time, they leave them outside the banks in safes in italy.

[MariaD]

Exactly - the law is different in every country. In some countries it is legal to carry a knife everywhere, in some countries it isn't.

The only thing which applies no matter which country you're in is that knives as tools are allowed.

[dasy2k1]

I think this post has been wandering off topic, we seem more to be talking about knives in the UK here although the title is about knives in france

[MariaD]

It was you that first mentioned the UK on page 1! :p;)