A further tightening up of the law will come into force in the near future. The Online Purchasing of Goods and Services (Age Verification) Bill is currently processing through the parliamentary approval process. This will make it a legal requirement for online knife retailers to take all reasonable steps to establish the age of customers

Online Age Verification Bill

Selling knives is already restricted by law to those over the age of 18. The new law will require online retailers to actively confirm the age of customers when selling knives.

In order to ensure compliance with the law, it is necessary to carry out an age verification check when selling any knife. There are various ways of doing this with increasing levels of certainty. It is fairly easy in a retail shop outlet to tell by looking whether the customer is over the age of 18.

Selling age restricted products online presents a particular problem when the customer is unseen and true identity is never 100% certain. Various companies now provide identity and age verification services. These have been used by the online gambling industry for some time. It is possible to confirm the identity and age of 95% of the UK population by cross referencing credit records and electoral register information. The customer may never be aware that these checks are being carried out as it is usually integrated into the website checkout system.

If further proof is required, actual documentary evidence may be requested such as a photocopy of a driving license, passport or utility bill . This creates a permanent audit trail of age confirmation recorded for each sale.

UK law restricts the posession of knives in public places. Knives are only allowed in public where there is a good reason for having the knife.

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.

Restrictions apply to public use of knives and not to situations such as camping, hunting or fishing trips on private land or private collections of knives

The only knife allowed to be carried in public in the UK without a specific reason is a non-locking pen knife with a blade no longer than 3 inches.

The full interpretation of UK law is highly complicated, and depends 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. www.direct.gov.uk/en/CrimeJusticeAndTheLaw/Typesofcrime/DG_181675

A Selection of UK legal Carry Knives

Spyderco Grasshopper Knife Spyderco C138 Penknife Single Blade £19.99	Spyderco Honeybee Knife Spyderco C137 Keyring Penknife £13.99
Spyderco Kiwi Knife Spyderco C75P3 Slip Joint Slipit Penknife £29.99	Spyderco Kiwi Knife Stag Horn Handle C75STP3 Slipjoint Slipit Penknife £41.99
Byrd Tern Knife BY23GP Byrd Non Locking Single Blade Knives £34.99	Byrd Wings Knife BY21GPS G10 Handle 2 Blade Slipit Knives £31.99 (Out of Stock)
Spyderco UK Penknife Titanium Handle C94TI Spyderco UKPK Knife £220.00	Spyderco UK Penknife FRN Handle C94PBL Carpenter Steel Blade £54.99
Spyderco UK Penknife Lightweight Black FRN Handle C94PBK Knife £54.99	Spyderco UK Penknife Lightweight Blue FRN Handle GIN-1 Steel Blade £54.99
Spyderco UK Penknife Lightweight Grey FRN Handle C94PGY Knife £54.99	Spyderco UK Penknife Lightweight Maroon FRN Handle C94PMR £54.99
Spyderco UK Penknife Lightweight Maroon FRN Handle C94PMR3 Drop Point £54.99	Spyderco UK Penknife Rescue Knife Orange FRN Handle C94SOR2 £54.99
Spyderco UK Penknife Rescue Knife Serrated Blade C94GSOR2 £105.00	Spyderco Squeak Knife Black FRN Handle C154PBK Knife £54.99
Victorinox Cadet Knife Alox Handle 4 Blade Swiss Army Knives £34.99	Victorinox Classic Knife Alox Handle 3 Blade Swiss Army Knife £25.99
Victorinox Electrician Knife Alox Handle 4 Blade Swiss Army Knife £34.99	Victorinox Pioneer Knife Alox Handle 4 Blade Swiss Army Knife £23.99
Victorinox Pioneer Knife Alox Handle With LED Torch Gift Set £24.99	Victorinox SwissChamp Swiss Army Knife Multi Tool Champ £74.99
Buck Stockman Pocket Knife Buck 301 3 Blade Pen Knife £24.99	Buck Lancer Pocket Knife Buck 305 Penknife 2 Blades £19.99
Wenger Soldier Knife Alox Handle Swiss Army 70 4 Blade Knife £33.99