The recent spate of attacks and the fact that I acidentally left my work knife in my pocket last night caused me to think if I would be preparred to carry one and/or use it if I were attacked.

Just wondering what the general consesus is.

Why not? Its perfectly legal to carry a knife with a blade no longer than 3" without a reason and very useful they are too!

In fact you can carry any knife (apart from those specifically prohibited) with a longer blade so long as you have 'good reason'.

When I go fishing I have such a knife and I'm in a public place.... does that mean I am worthy of your disdain?

And as a viewable public poll on a sensitive subject, who's going to say "yes"..?!

Plus the options are not mutually exclusive. Have another go, if you really must.


ajm, that's just being obtuse!

Don't be an ****, ajm.

And before everyone starts, I don't think I'm asking the impossible.

At the moment, it is against the law to carry certain knives, particularly those that might be termed "offensive weapons". And that's how it should be. The only thing that can arise from everyone carrying weapons out of fear is an increased incidence of woundings, GBHs and deaths. The US gun laws prove this.

If i did, id have a fork too. Always use the forks

Four candles?

Not nowadays... used to carry a Swiss Army Knife when I was a scout, hunting for food in the wild. Creating traps, marking the route back to camp with etchings...


Fecking good job they have tin openers on them, that's all I can say

My S.A.K. that I use for fishing seems to have everything but a disgorger tool.

I carry a Ray Mears knife in my rucksack when I go camping/hiking, and usually a razor sharp swedish axe too. I also carry a knife (and a seperate line cutter) attached to my BC harness when I'm diving. All this is perfectly legal, as it's merely a tool to do a specific job.

I don't (and wouldn't) carry one when just out and about.

Swiss Army, yes, it has got me out of the crap enough times, like V2001, new air bed for the tent went to pump it up and the inlet was sealed, they hadn't created a hole, a combination of the corkscrew and small blade did the job

Certainly wouldn't use it as a weapon though

Left it on my car keys when I went to Vienna recently, I realised whilst queuing for the xray machine, I handed it over to them, they were actually very good about it told me to go and buy a jiffy bag and a stamp and they mail it to me, turned up 2 days later, usually its just confiscation.

Hello

I carried a knife when I was wandering through the jungle in Borneo. I only had to use it once, to unhook myself from some nasty vine thing. I actually managed to slice about 1cm of my skin. So no knives for me as I'm obviously dangerous.

Steve

It has to be considered for the inferred reason, and that is that it is to defend yourself against attack.

Very foolish to do so I think, only too easy to produce it if someone really wound you up and then you would be in deep trouble. Sooner or later everyone, crims included, would feel they need to do that and life would become pretty dangerous.

Noys was a good example of what can happen in such a case.

Les

Only slightly off topic but every summer at my local show there is a Wild West Show. In the evening the boys are still dressed up as cowboys complete with gun belts and very real looking guns. All legit apparently as costume is part of the act. Great fun in the boozer though, especially those caught unawares

Back on topic. I keep a hunting knife in the bedroom and would use it....

I sometimes take 10 of fifteen into work a whole set in fact. Some people take knives into work every day and use them once they are there.

I can't be the only "obtuse ****" who occasionaly exercises his right to legally carry a knife for no other reason than I *might* need it surely? I don't anticipate that the 'need' would be as a weapon, or have any intention to use it as such, but who could honestly rule out using an object that was available to them in order to protect themselves?

This poll might very well ask "If you are legally carrying an object that could be used as a weapon, would you use it as such?" as it applies equally to just about any object one might carry about their person.

I always have a knife on me for work cause I always need one to remove packaging open boxes.

I just forgot to leave it at work last night thats all.

However I often wonder, would would I do if someone came in threatening me, or to raid our till. As I will always have the temptation to produce the knife in threatening situations.

Not sure if I have managed to portrey my point as intended but ahh well.

If they come in to raid the till then just let them raid the till.

If they come into your house in the middle of the night and threaten your family then have a go IMO.

If you have a knife that is of the legally allowed size, you are likely to need it during your daily business and that you would under no circumstances use it as a weapon, then there isn't a fecking problem, is there?

I'd STILL leave it at home if I was going on a night out.

I always carry a knife, everywhere I go. The only place I don't is when travelling by plane. Would I be prepared to use it, yes I would, what's the problem with that?

It is, however, a Victorinox knife, housed in a Swiss card, so only a 2" blade.......Does no one else carry these?

One of these:



??

Steve

I see my style of penknife combat as more "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" than Steven Seagal

Don't carry a knife even though I was stabbed a good few years ago when out one night. If I had one that night I would probably either be dead or just getting out of nick for murder.
Would have shot the f*cker if I'd had a gun though.
Alas

Just clicked no, then remembered there's a blade on my leatherman

Very self-deprecating, ajm.

LOL

in this day and age it will be stupid not to carry a weapon and to be prepared not to use it