serpens

A US State Department web site about the UK says, in part, "You will be arrested if you bring pocket knives, blades, mace or pepper spray canisters, or any part of a gun into the United Kingdom." That same web page references a UK web page that links to a PDF discussing allowed and prohibited items. It say, in part, "The following goods are banned completely: [...] Offensive weapons such as flick and gravity knives, butterfly knives, push daggers, belt-buckle knives, death stars, swordsticks, stealth (non-metallic) knives, knives disguised as everyday objects, knuckledusters, blowpipes, truncheons, and some martial arts equipment."

The US web page makes it sound like taking my Swiss Army Knife (in checked luggage, of course) could land me in prison. The UK web site sounds a lot more reasonable. Does anyone have knowledge of what the actual law is? or how it is interpreted by the customs people at Heathrow?

If it would be legal and not cause any problems, I would take my small Swiss Army knife and a multi-tool commonly known as a Leatherman. (It has a knife blade under 3 inches long, and a saw blade also under 3 inches long.) Would I be likely to wind up in jail, I mean gaol?

jphripjah

Haha, you're going to gaol.

UKtravelbear

:D!

99+% of passengers arriving in the UK don't interact with customs officers.

I used to take my Swiss army knife in checked luggage on most of my trips and was never challenged about it. In fact the knife would often have been fine in hand luggage too, but I didn't want to have to keep abreast of multiple countries' rules.

If you can give a good reason for having the blades it should be fine. Just don't say "self-defense".

big_mac

That could still be a problem if the blade can be locked into place.

lhrsfo

Badenoch

Advice on travel from most American government sites is to be taken with a grain of salt. No wonder most Americans don't hold passports. Always go with the local pages.

I'm in the UK often and frequently have a non-locking folding knife and/or Leatherman. My friends there say they aren't a problem but strongly advise against carrying them in cities and only while in the country.

NWIFlyer

Swiss Army Knives, including Leathermans, are routinely sold by a number of UK companies, including Amazon. There is absolutely no issue bringing one to the UK.

Even if, on the minuscule chance you happen to be stopped and searched by a police officer in a known knife crime area (which would probably constitute about 0.00001% of the UK, and almost certainly not an area you'd frequent anyway) then you're highly unlikely to have anything happen to you beyond a couple of questions. The UK police force is not stupid - the officers know the difference between a tourist with a Leatherman tool and a long, non-locking knife blade that's clearly intended to be used for illegal purposes.

serpens

Thanks for all the replies. I was so nonplussed by the assertion on the US State Department's web site that I needed a reality check.

All the fold-out tools (knife, saw, nail file, screw drivers, and the rest except for the pliers) can be locked into place. Mainly I would take the pseudo-Leatherman for the pliers and the screwdrivers, but I could leave it at home.

big_mac

As the knife blade can be locked into place, then you cannot legally carry it around without having a good reason for it. If you were, for example, on your way to go fishing, then it should be ok. However, you cannot carry it just in case you will need it in the future.

(Obviously, you are not particularly likely to be searched and arrested, but it is worth knowing about.)

NWIFlyer

This would, however, almost certainly be under different legislation - the Theft Act 1968, and the offence of "Going Equipped to Steal", when actually just having the tool in your possession would be sufficient. However, I think getting a prosecution to stick might well be tricky and so I very much doubt the OP has anything to be concerned about unless observed chopping price tags off clothes in the Oxford Street shops ...

dulciusexasperis

Two things. First, the US State Department is notorious for 'warnings' that make it sound as if travelling anywhere outside of the USA at all, is a bad idea. It's like a commercial for a prescription drug where they say, 'side affects may include' and then list 30 things up to and including death that might occur. It makes you wonder why anyone would ever take the drug in the first place. If you listened to the US State Department warnings every time, you would never leave home.

I have travelled all over the world and always have my Swiss Army Knife with me in my checked bag. But I do not walk around with it in a leather case on my belt when in a town or city. It's called common sense. What makes sense if you are going to be doing some hiking for example is different than what makes sense if you are on a business trip to London.

My question to you serpens would be why do you want to take them with you? Your answer to that question is what would tell me whether you had a believable reason for taking them or not.

big_mac

No, Criminal Justice Act 1988 - "Offence of having article with blade or point in public place"
It is a defence to prove "good reason or lawful authority" for having it, but "just in case I need it" isn't likely such a good reason.

jerry a. laska

Examples of "offensive weapons" that are banned:
https://assets.publishing.service.go...UK-_update.pdf

I don't consider a swiss army knife or leatherman tool to be any of these.

serpens

On the Swiss Army knife, the tool I use more than any other is the tooth pick. Second place is the combination of scissors and nail file.

On the pseudo-Leatherman, the tool I use most often is the pliers, but it's nice to have the screw drivers, too.

I have sometimes wished that Victorinox marketed a "Swiss Army knife" with no knife, just blunt scissors, nail file, tooth pick, screw driver, other useful things, and an understanding with the TSA that it is legitimate carry-on.