The 10 Best UK Legal Single Blade Knives

UK law restricts the possession of knives in a public place. Carrying a fixed blade knife or lock knife in public in the UK requires a good reason. Lock knives are treated the same way as fixed blade knives in the eyes of the law in the UK. A suitable reason to have a knife in public would be where the knife is needed as a tool of the trade. For example, an electrician actively working on a job would probably not be breaking the law by using a lock knife. Similarly a chef on his way to work in a kitchen would legally be able to carry a set of kitchen knives. Because of the legal restriction on carrying lock knives in the UK, they are not suitable for 'Every day carry' and no lock knives are included in this list.

As a general guide, the only knife allowed to be carried in public in the UK, without any reason is a non locking blade pen knife with a blade of less than 3 inches. The full interpretation of UK law is highly complicated, and other restrictions may apply depending on individual circumstances. As there are severe penalties in place for breaking the law on knives, all readers are encouraged to fully familiarise themselves with the law and not to rely wholly on this general information article. Further information can be found online on the UK Government Website

There are many non locking knives on the market, with blades just short of three inches, which afford maximum blade real estate for UK legal carry. New innovations in slip joint design have improved the safety of folding knives. Designs such as the Spyderco notch joint and Terzuola ball joint detents have produced slipjoint knives which are as close as possible to lock knives but still remain legal to carry in public in the UK.

	1 - Taylors Eye Witness Clip Blade Knife Sheffield Pocket Knife- Flat grind, 2 mm thick, Sheffield steel blade, stainless handle liners and bolsters, synthetic handle scales. Excellent quality for the modest price with a lifetime guarantee.
	2 - Taylors Eye Witness Spear Point Pocket Knife Hardwood Handle - Designed and made in Sheffield, England, stainless blade and bolsters, hardwood handle scales. Solid as a rock, multi purpose spear point blade, ideal for every day carry
	3 - Taylors Eye Witness Clip Blade Pocket Knife Hardwood Handle - 2 mm thick, 2.75 inch long clip-point blade, natural hardwood handle scales, stainless bolsters.
	4 - Taylors Eye Witness Lambfoot Pocket Knife Hardwood Handle - 2.75 inch long, 2 mm thick stainless lamb-foot blade, natural hardwood handle scales. made in Sheffield, England, lifetime guarantee.
	5 - Taylors Eye Witness Barlow Knife Hardwood Handle- 2.75 inch, clip-point, stainless, Sheffield steel blade, stainless handle with hardwood handle scales. Updated Barlow design, every day hard working knife.
	6 - Eye Witness Sheffield Tackler's Knife Ettrick Blade- The Ettrick blade is a traditional Scottish design, essentially a lamb foot blade with a thinner tip. An ideal knife for cutting cardboard, with a strong back-spring, stainless handle liners and bolsters, imitation buffalo horn handle scales.
	7 - Taylors Eye Witness Lambfoot Pocket Knife Imitation Stag- Made in Sheffield, measures 9 cm (3.5 inches) closed, flat grind, 2 mm thick, stainless, 7 cm (2.75 inch) lamb foot blade, imitation stag horn handle scales, stainless handle liners and bolsters.
	8 - Spyderco UK Penknife FRN Lightweight Leaf Blade C94PBK- The lower price, made in USA Spyderco UK penknife has thumb opening hole, side changeable pocket clip and adjustable pivot pin. Unlike the original UK Penknife the half length back spring provides very low degree of tension. The advantage of this is it much easier to open and close the knife. It is recommended to place the index finger in the finger choil when using the knife, to prevent the blade accidentally closing.
	9 - Spyderco Kiwi Knife Stainless Handle - With a very strong back spring, the thumb hole on the Kiwi knife is not a practical method of opening the knife. The wharncliffe blade shape is more suitable for cutting and slicing rather than piercing tasks. Handle ergonomics are excellent with finger gooves providing a secure forward grip.
	10 - Case Knives Sodbuster Junior Knife Chrome Vanadium Blade- A mid price, traditional style production folder. The chrome vandium steel version of the Sodbuster Junior knife has better edge holding abilities than stainless steel, but is less resistant to corrosion. This is not a problem when the knife is in regular use and only occurs if the knife is left in storage for some time. The sheer strength of the back spring here is the safety mechanism against accidental closure.