UK Spyderco pen knife....

[Boom-stick]

For those that have read the utter ramblings of a mad englishman (me) over the past few months, you'll know I've been harping on about getting the new Spyderco UK pen knife.

Well, I finally bit the bullet and ordered one yesterday afternoon from www.heinnie.com only to have it land on my desk first thing this morning!!
(Not too bad for a company that supplies free P&P)

For starters this knife appeals to me because it is UK legal to carry, it's a non locking folder with sub 3" blade.



The blade is S30V supersteel,(which helps push the price up) comes very sharp as expected and dispite my chopping, cutting and slicing tests today has yet to dull and is still capable of shaving with

Part of the blade forms the choil which helps secure it whilst in your hand and opening is almost two fold in stages, which to me feels more likely to help with it not closing on your fingers.
It is quite easy to open one handed and although is non locking offers a very secure slip-joint when open, more so infact than some of my cheaper locking folders.

It also sports a very nice burnished bronze colour wire pocket clip for tip up carry that is placed so close to the rear of the handle, that when it's clipped in your pocket all you can see is the clip. Helps avoid all those stupid "is that a knife?" questions.



In the hand, it is lightweight and offers excellent ergonomics and the only thing you notice in your pocket is the dent in your wallet

Highly recommended to all and especially the UK contingent.

Thanks for reading.

Boom.

 

[hso]

Boom,

I appreciate your review, but I can't ever advise anyone to give up a safety feature on a knife like a lock (unless forced to by legal evil as you are).

In your case though, and that of any jurisdiction that bans locking blade knives, the knife sounds like a good purchase.

Folders have been around a long time and there are even a few that incorporate a "tail" on the tang to be held in place under your hand while using it. Examples include clasp knives or the standard straight razor

Thanks again, but where the safety of the public is the true concern of government, locking folders are the only safe way to go.

 

[Boom-stick]

Hso,

Clasp knives and straight razors in my experience normally have blades in excess of 3" which inturn rules them out as street legal carry in the UK. Even If I got stopped whilst carrying my Leatherman Wave I could still be in hot water so-to-speak.

I do have other locking and fixed blades, but this spyderco is very impressive, I've just 'put' it through a telephone directory and some strong tin cans without the blade even twitching.

When you take into consideration that part of the blade forms the choil it actually puts the hinge of the blade under your second finger in a normal hold, so even if you can make the joint slip the blade only moves slightly before getting the choil bound up in your finger. It is a very clever basic design which I'm suprised has not been addressed before.

 

[Matt_W]

The UK Spyderco is probably the best folding pocket knife to carry in the UK if you dont want the hassle of carrying a locking knife, however I have managed to close one on my hand whilst evaluating one last year. (I took the precaution of wearing Kevlar gloves).

They look good, they are bigger and stay open better than a Swiss Army knife so are a very good option but I'm not sure that I want to risk my fingers for the sake of keeping the Police happy. When I carry a folding knife its because I expect to use it and I carry the one most appropiate for the task at hand. In the UK you only need to have a good reason for carrying a lock knife and you have to demonstrate it on 'balance of probabilities' - so with that in mind I dont find carrying a knife suitable for the task at hand too daunting.

If its just for everyday chores I am sure its very good but I feel that the knife still closes too easily to be used for moderate cutting or emergency defensive use, plus if a Copper sees it in your pocket they are going to think it is a lock knife and hassle you anyway.

Having said that though I think that if you live in the UK they are worth having just to remind every copper who asks you about it that you can still legally carry a pocket knife without giving a reason - something that some of the young officers seem a little confused about, especially with this stupid amnesty currently in operation.

 

[Don Gwinn]

HSO, do you really avoid slipjoints at all times, or are you talking about "tactical" or fighting use when you suggest a lock? Locks are awesome and I usually carry a lockback, but I would never turn my nose up at one of my favorite Case or Camillus slipjoints.

 

[hso]

Don,

As craft I appreciate the slips and clasps and other non-locking folders. Heck, one of my favorite knives is an issue SAK Soldier that my former mother in law gave to me. But, I won't willingly use a knife that isn't locking regardless of how much I appreciate the work and talent that went in to making it.

 

[Boom-stick]

Before yesterday I always carried either a SAK camper or a limited edition locking Boker ( my favorite!!) but this spyderco is now firmly a keeper.

 

[Fosbery]

Got mine when it first came out. Definitely the most practical non-locking folding knife ever, although my Loveless City Knife come close. I suppose in a pinch it could be used to slash a wrist or some such but I wouldn't try and use it in self defence. Personally, I'd draw and open it to scare off an attacker (a blade is a blade to the untrained eye) but use my maglite as a kubaton if it came to a fight.

 

[Boom-stick]

but use my maglite as a kubaton if it came to a fight.

I agree, but on that note as soon as funds allow I'll be ordering a surefire defender

 

[Fosbery]

In principle I'd agree with you there, but in practice, I'm steering clear of that paticular light. If I got stopped with that in my pocket there'd be serious questions asked, most likely the officer in question would call it an offensive weapon as it is clearly designed to be used as one.

 

[Boom-stick]

Fosbery,

I can see where you're coming from on that one but my mag light's (and I've quite a few now) just don't offer that blinding light like the sure fires or are that quick to activate.

for twist on's I got an LED-LENSER Frogman which is much brighter than any of my maglites, even the big D6.

 

[Fosbery]

I don't use my maglites for light, that's just my excuse if a copper asks 'what's this for?' I keep a Princeton light on my keys but if I think I'll need a light I use a Surefire 6P.

 

[JNewell]

Flashlight fans discuss the Surefire E2D Defender and TSA security a lot - no one has ever reported being given even a second look. I think you're probably safe carrying an E2D in the US.

 

[Fosbery]

Ah, but I'm not in the US, I live in Nazi Germany *ahem* sorry, I mean the UK

 

[Dirty Bob]

I carry an Inova T1 for EDC. Very low profile. It's gone through a bunch of checkpoints in the US, Switzerland and France, and no one ever seemed to look twice. I find it just big enough to use as a pocket stick, yet no one sees it as anything but a light. It's quite a bit brighter than the Mini MagLites, but less expensive than some of the "elite" lights.

All my best,
Dirty Bob

 

[Cromlech]

That is my 'Spyderco U.K Pen Knife' and 'Spyderench' alongside my maglite.

I recieved both Spydercos a couple of hours ago, as I got home from work. They really are awesome, simply awesome. They are expensive, but I am as happy as Larry.

 

[Boom-stick]

recieved both Spydercos a couple of hours ago, as I got home from work. They really are awesome, simply awesome. They are expensive, but I am as happy as Larry.

They is a sharp little sucker ain't they

 

[Cromlech]

Damn right, I managed to cut my-stupid-self already! That's a lesson well learned I must say!

I have been using the Pen Knife at work today, it cuts through plastic cable ties and the like as if it were spaghetti. Simply awesome.

 

[Skofnung]

In principle I'd agree with you there, but in practice, I'm steering clear of that paticular light. If I got stopped with that in my pocket there'd be serious questions asked, most likely the officer in question would call it an offensive weapon as it is clearly designed to be used as one.

That is the most depressing thing I've read all day. Serious questions? About a flashlight?

How would he even know it was in your pocket? Do they just do random searches or something?

 

[Matt_W]

In the UK they need reason to stop and search you, unless the area has been designated for random stops/searches for weapons or under terrorist legislation, such as at train stations etc.

They like to try it on and with the E2d they might ask you why you have it. If you answer 'self defence' they will arrest you however if you tell them its a torch and you have it for the reasons one would normally want a torch for they would have to think twice about whether or not to arrest you.

Of course the Police in the UK generaly allow drug addicts to carry hypodermic needles in public but the innocent citizen has to think twice about a torch. Great or what?

 

[Fosbery]

It is infact an offensive weapon under law because it is 'designed or atapted or intended to be used as a weapon'. I'm not saying that's right, it's just the way it is.

Yes, they do have to have a good reason to search you, but you never know what can happen. If for instance I was forced to defend myself with it, obviously the police would want to see it as evidence and would immediately say it was an offensive weapon. If I ever got into a fight or had a little too much to drink and was taken in to sober up or if I was wrongly accused of some crime and arrested.

I know a guy who used to carry a UKPK. He got into a fight with someone (self-defence it was decided in the end, but he was taken in for questioning). They asked him to give them his keys, wallet etc. He said "I have a knife on me, but it's legal to carry." and they said "Ok, let's have a look at it then." So he took out his UKPK and showed it to them. The officer just said "that's an offensive weapon". He explained tht the blade was under 3 inches, that it was a folding knife and it didn't lock so was completely legal. The policeman tried opening and closing the knife and said "It locks, you can hear it click when it opens." Eventually the policemen gave him a choice "Either you can hand it over, I destroy it and I forget I found you with it, or you can go to court and have a judge decide if it locks or not." Now, I have every confidence he would have won a courtcase, but he didn't want to risk it or bother with legal fees etc so he handed it over. When he was leaving after being questioned he saw the policeman still with it so he reckons he kept it for himself!

In truth, whether it locked or not was only an issue if he was accusing him of carrying a knife in public without good reason. Even the UKPK can still be an offensive weapon if you intend to use it as such (a newspaper becomes an offensive weapon if you attack someone with one) so the issue really was if he had it on him for violent purposes.

 

[Cromlech]

I know a guy who used to carry a UKPK. He got into a fight with someone (self-defence it was decided in the end, but he was taken in for questioning). They asked him to give them his keys, wallet etc. He said "I have a knife on me, but it's legal to carry." and they said "Ok, let's have a look at it then." So he took out his UKPK and showed it to them. The officer just said "that's an offensive weapon".

That is exactly what I am still concerned with, that the Police either don't know, or don't care about the Spyderco being exempted from the list of illegal items.

I am currently carrying my new one about with me, as I use it at work, but I would be really pissed off If I lost a £69.95 knife because some " " decided I wasn't fit to carry it.

:banghead:

 

[Nursie]

Cutting fingers!!

Dear All,
I am currently sporting a 1" cut on my middle finger from a razor sharp UKPK
It closed when I tried to put some weight behind the point.
It stopped cutting when I felt it connect with something hard, probably bone
Locks are extremely useful in preventing amputations
No more stupid attempts to cut hard stuff for me but probably need a lock knife anyway

Take Care
Graham

 

[hso]

Graham,

Welcome to THR! (looks like non-firearms is becoming a UK hangout)

The state of New York started to ban locking blade knives perhaps 10 years ago. I supported several folks in NY in trying to kill that piece of legislation. Seems the key turned out to be my argument that the OSHA general duty clause requiring an employer to provide a safe workplace would cause the legislators to exempt workplace use of locking blades because they constituted a safety engineering control needed to prevent injuries. If it was a safety feature required for the workplace then the general public shouldn't be put in danger in a missguided attempt to prevent criminals (who don't obey laws anyway) from using locking folders (which they don't for the most part preferring cheap kitchen knives) in crimes. The clincher was when I 'innocently' requested an interpretation from U.S. OSHA, N.Y. State OSHA and the US Dept. of Energy about whether a lock on a folding knife constituted a safety engineering control. They all replied that they were and the DOE said that they were considing banning non-locking folding knives on their site (2 of which are in N.Y. state). I happened to note that there were discussions in N.Y. about banning such knives and if it wouldn't vilolate the general duty clause under OSHA. The legislation died in committee.

Perhaps the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work would be a good place to start to exert pressure? Use their own rules.

 

[Fosbery]

Nope. Locking knives and fixed blades are not illegal, only illegal to carry in public without 'good reason or lawful authority'. So electricians, carpet fitters, firemen etc can carry knives, I can carry a knife if it's for a specific purpose like camping or bushcraft. However, you can't carry one 'just incase', unless it's a "folding pocket knife with a cutting edge no greater than 3" in length". Until a few years ago that just meant any folding knife but there was a court case where it was ruled that a folding knife with a lock is just the same as a fixed blade, so is not exempt.

However, firstly, this was a lower court, can't remember which one, so did not have the power to set a precedent. So technically, lock knives under 3" are still legal to carry just incase, but I can guarantee you'll get taken to court for anything over maybe 1 1/2" and will lose. Secondly, I believe a lock knife only actually becomes illegal when the lock is engaged. So even if it were law, technically you could carry one, just not use it...but like I said, don't try it, you'll go to jail.