Dive Knives - The Law?

[gchapman]

Does anyone know the law regarding the length of Dive Knife Blades? In England and generally all over the world, if this is not too bigger question in itself! I do not fancy a stay in jail!
Thank you for your responses
Craig

The below is liberally paraphrased from http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/knives/canada.html

In Canada - certian knives are "prohibited weapons". Basically, this bans switchblades and knives that you can flip open ie. swinging/snapping the knife in a circular motion. Note one handed opening via holes in the blade, disks, studs etc., are not illegal.

There are no federal laws about about the lengths of knives allowed. As far as I know, no provinces have specific legislation about knife lengths either. However there are many informal "blade length rules" in Canada. These vary from 3" to 4" for folders in various areas around the country depending on what differentiates a pocket knife from a fighting knife to the local constabulary

So... yeah - I know some people that could technically get in trouble.... As with most things - common sense goes a long way. Getting caught with it under your street clothes == bad. In your trunk with your dive gear == officer doesn't care.

(not a lawyer)
-- greg

 

[offroaddiver]

I've seen people loose disposable razors on airplanes. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it all. If people truly wanted to commit some form of terrorism a simple ink pen can do alot of damage.

It's just like when I was in grade school, you could have a knife in your pocket but if you were playing with it, up it went and the belt hit my rump when I got home. Now the old fashioned metal compasses are forbidden and scissors must be "dull" and blunt tipped.

 

[Ishie]

Yeah, the illusion of security.

I remember when I was in school, I had to jump through all sorts of hoops, and then was prohibited at the last minute, to bring a gun to school for show and tell (wait for it).

Now despite many many things doubling as weapons being perfectly allowed, such as baseball bats, sharpened pencils, and so forth, they did not allow me to bring a 4.5' BLACK POWDER/ramrod ivory inlaid 250 year old rifle because it's a "gun". Nevermind that if the thing didn't blow up upon being fired, which is likely, it would take 15 minutes for someone who knew what they were doing to load it, and aiming it would be a nightmare.

And having my parents bring it and take it? Nope.

I cannot imagine tweezers on an airplane being used to take down anyone or anything, nor a compass needle. People don't seem to realize that 9/11 happened due to a number of factors, and such an instance would be nearly impossible to reproduce. Now bombs in shoes and such, that's more of a concern.

First of all, I can't believe box cutters were allowed on airplanes to begin with. Considering I had to check my ice skates when I was 8, I wouldn't think a box cutter would be a necessary implement in carryon. Second of all, prior to 9/11, an airplane hijack usually meant you were making an unintended stop somewhere, would be scared and hideously inconvenienced, but even if the flight crew was killed (which is horrible), keeping quiet ensured the loss of the fewest lives.

Now, as the reaction to the shoe bomber has demonstrated, I would pity the hijacker that really was just trying to get to Cuba. We now assume that a hijacker is going to kill us all anyway, thus if one is trying something, he's likely going to get beaten into a coma by as many people that can get their hands on him. A nail file is not going to allow you access to the cockpit, and said nail file is not adequate to fend off an airplane full of adrenoline-high angry people. In fact, after 9/11, I doubt a gun would be sufficient.