Knives in your toolbox

[piratebillybob]

I was thinking of getting a nice 3 inch foldable knife for my tool box.

I am however worried about how legal carrying one is. Surely if im working as an electrician in a works van during works time, i'ld be allowed to carry such a knife in my toolbox?

I know this sounds silly but i dont want to get in trouble when just starting out on my new career.

And from what ive read, the law really does hate lockable, folding knives longer than 3 inches.

What kind of knife do you use?

 

[Goody]

I always carry a set of screw drivers, pliers, cigarette lighter and a small knife (for my wife to peel oranges on long journeys) in me glove box, is that considered as against the law? Would police use common sense in these situations?

 

[pencilpusher]

No idea, tell you what, drive at 100mph plus and get stopped. Please report back with the results!:yes:

 

[mogga]

I think a lot would depend on your aptitude, maner with the cops and the circumstances that you come to their attention
Ie out shopping with the Mrs after work stuff in pockets Probably "advice given"
in the Pub at 1am half cut n ballsy with cops = Lifted

 

[pencilpusher]

I think that's spot on probably. It's not only the common sense of the cops here I suppose!

 

[kathwilcox]

I have a SOG Kilowatt, have it in the pocket of my work trouser all the time, its even fallen out of my pocket in the local supermarket when I've popped in no my way home.


.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Nice blade!

 

[Adam W]

I have a SOG Kilowatt, have it in the pocket of my work trouser all the time, its even fallen out of my pocket in the local supermarket when I've popped in no my way home.


.View attachment 11073

I use a stanley type knife with a retractable blade for cutting through cable sheath, deburring PVC containment, trimming plasterboard etc and have that in a side pocket of my work trousers most of the time, but what would you use a knife like that for?
Please don't say 'getting customers to pay up'.

 

[kathwilcox]

Mainly use it for opening boxes and packets, but it does have a very handy flex stripper on it, you can score the outer sheath with out nicking the inner cables and is so much easier than cutters or Stanley knife. It also has many other little bits on it.

Plus it also looks the part.

Don't think you can get them in this country, i got mine from America.

 

[Knobhead]

To be honest unless I’ve been working on paper lead cable I’ve never used anything other than a Stanley or Tyzak Knife. What do you need a long blade for? For my 3” hack knife to do any damage to anyone, you would have to bludgeon them with it.

Please take in to account I’ve never had to deal with wood and plaster, engineering brick and re-enforced concrete would be my usual adversary. Then the animal in me emerges.

 

[kathwilcox]

LOL, do have a Stanley but its a fixed blade one, can't get on with the retractable blades, so that lives in its daft plastic case in by tool bag not my pocket.

 

[Gravid]

Some nice looking knifes, i'm using this facom one at the moment till i lose it.

 

[Geordie Spark]

if the knife is kept in your box you are usually ok however if it was in your pocket or in the front of van when going to and from work you could have trouble if stopped,as it could be classed as an offensive weapon,as far as I am aware if its in your box when going to and from then its ok,I have an axe and a large crowbar in the boot of my car and not had any problems,and I had a traffic cop poking around in there recently.

I had a quiet chuckle when I read this as it reminded me of my old boss back in 1970 or thereabouts.

He was stopped in the works van & asked to open the back doors so plod could see inside.

Cop saw the sledgehammer, pickaxe & crowbar that was inside & remarked: "I suppose these are the tools of your trade?" to which boss replied: "Yes .... of course!!"

The side of the van was beautifully signwritten "J**** A******* & Co. Scientific Instrument Makers & Precision Engineers"

The biggest hammer we ever used was 4 ounce. but the boss had been doing some building work at home that weekend & that's why he had building tools in the van.

 

[RWJ]

I recently got pulled over in a Police / VOSA / trading standards clamp down.

2 Coppers and some suited jobs worth searching my van. Nothing said about any knives (I carry a Stanley, a Hultifors and the CK Lock knife in my main bag).

No.. they just wanted to know why is was carrying screwdrivers and a crowbar (mainly the screwdrivers) because I could be "going equipped"....

I just said "you not read the signs on the van"..... don't think they found it funny and was sent on my way.

 

[supasparxs]

amongst other things I'm a mountaineer,
I've never had any grief for having Ice axes on the back of a rucksack.

saying that a friend of mine was carrying a pair of Ice tools and someone attempted to mug her.
when a 5' tall woman turns around with a 2' ice axe in each hand, the mugger sh!t himself and ran off.

anything can be used as a weapon, including a magazine, biro or a can of hairspray

it just depend what you are doing and the reason for having the "weapon"

 

[grantr37]

I have seen somebody lifted beside a burger van on the street as they had a round file in the leg pocket of their work trousers, have also seen people warned for wearing a tool belt at tea time....I would bet if I were to carry a toolbox onto the bus or train or even down the street I would probably get stopped and arrested as it would be more brownie points....... I can see it now..... a cache ...or a hoard....which sounds worse?........but I'm an electrician.....SILENCE....CONTEMPT OF COURT....AN EXTRA 6 MONTHS......butbutbut....AN EXTRA YEAR...oh crap

 

[needasparks]

I recently got pulled over in a Police / VOSA / trading standards clamp down.

2 Coppers and some suited jobs worth searching my van. Nothing said about any knives (I carry a Stanley, a Hultifors and the CK Lock knife in my main bag).

No.. they just wanted to know why is was carrying screwdrivers and a crowbar (mainly the screwdrivers) because I could be "going equipped"....

I just said "you not read the signs on the van"..... don't think they found it funny and was sent on my way.

So Electrical Trainee are in the police also, no supprize there then. No wonder CID can't find any criminals. Them cheeky crims keep foiling them by not wearing stripey jumpers and carring swag bags.

 

[Knobhead]

Unfortunately this seems to be too true
View attachment 11086

 

[parker56]

Just done a course,not allowed to use stanley blades or electricans knife,Had to use there safe knife
three doing the course three cut fingers,so much for safe.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Not using a knife as an electrician?


Cobblers.

 

[parker56]

fully agree with you Spartykus, in house rules when you try and stripe SWA with a potters knife it's not good.

 

[Knobhead]

Sharp knives and electricians go together. No amount of sharpening of a fixed blade knife will beat a new Stanley blade.
Stripping the inner serving I can tell how deep I am by the sound of the cut. My Tysak knife I can even set the depth of the cut if needs be. Tysak no longer make these knives.

 

[Darkwood]

Just done a course,not allowed to use stanley blades or electricans knife,Had to use there safe knife
three doing the course three cut fingers,so much for safe.

Did you get a free pair of childrens craft scissors when you left ???

 

[SPARTYKUS]

To be fair parker56, I have had a similar experience a few years back, doing something somewhere and was astonished when I asked for a knife and was told "not allowed". I pushed the bloke / teacher / lecturer / old hand and said something like "well come on, assuming we step out of teaching mode, you and me are down the pub just talking, would you use a knife"



"Yep"

Cobblers.

 

[Andy78]

I once had to work in the local "secure hospital" where some of the "patients" had done some very bad things indeed. We had to decide what tools we needed each day and have them checked in at reception and listed. We were definately not allowed knives of any sort ! This was done in a maglock door "airlock". We were also frisked, pocket searched, and metal scanned.
One day we were in the middle of this rigmarole when some bloke knocks on the door asking to be let in. "Oh hi Brian" says the door button presser and lets this guy straight through the airlock with no searches. We asked the supervisor who it was thathe could go through with no search, unlike us and the staff that worked there. "He's one of the patients" we were told. "he's just been to the shops for a bit"

The nearest shop that I knew of was a focus DIY. No knives there then !

 

[Darkwood]

I once had to work in the local "secure hospital" where some of the "patients" had done some very bad things indeed. We had to decide what tools we needed each day and have them checked in at reception and listed. We were definately not allowed knives of any sort ! This was done in a maglock door "airlock". We were also frisked, pocket searched, and metal scanned.
One day we were in the middle of this rigmarole when some bloke knocks on the door asking to be let in. "Oh hi Brian" says the door button presser and lets this guy straight through the airlock with no searches. We asked the supervisor who it was thathe could go through with no search, unlike us and the staff that worked there. "He's one of the patients" we were told. "he's just been to the shops for a bit"

The nearest shop that I knew of was a focus DIY. No knives there then !

Worked in such places too although your story could throw an air of disbelieve each resident has a catogory of mental illness and this determines the level of security and caution needed, the resident who passed through the security lock was a non violent, low risk thus no need for the checks.... where-as your job will take you through various areas including the high risk residents hence you need to be logged and checked.