Under Lithuanian law, it is legal to possess and carry most types of knives. These include hunting knives, pocket knives, multiple tools, survival knives, butterfly knives, etc., as knives are not considered weapons. The only exception is switching blades. It is illegal to carry or possess a switch blade if it meets one of the following criteria: the blade is larger than 8.5 cm; the width in the middle of the blade is less than 14% of its total length; The blade is double-sided. [39] [40] “No person shall carry a knife in public without a valid reason, unless it has a manual folding blade less than 3 inches long.” The California Court of Appeals ruled in People v. Mitchell (2012) that the prohibition on concealing the concealment of dirt or dagger is constitutional. [130] There may be areas where you are not allowed to carry a knife at all, regardless of size or locking mechanism. As you can understand, this is often the case in football stadiums, bars, clubs, city centers and other crowded places. In Scotland, the Reduction of Violent Crime Act 2006 criminalises the sale of knives to anyone under the age of 18 (including blades, razor blades, sharp objects, or articles manufactured or adapted to cause bodily harm).
On our website, we mark every British friendly knife we can, which most websites don`t. Make sure that if you want a knife that you can legally carry, you look not only at the size of the knife, but also whether it locks or not. Bulgaria`s firearms law is maintained every year. It is called ZOBVVPI (Bulgarian: Закон за оръжията, боеприпасите, взривните вещества и пиротехническите изделия)[10] and covers ONLY the possession and use of firearms (including gas and signalling weapons) and pellet pneumatic weapons or BB (Bulgarian: сачми). There are no state regulations on melee weapons of any kind, whether knives, swords, bats or electrical devices. There is also no legal definition of the terms “melee weapon” or “cold weapon” in any Bulgarian law. Therefore, it is perfectly legal to possess and carry a knife in Bulgaria without having to get the reason. Secret messaging is acceptable, anywhere, anytime. Although there are no restrictions on the possession or carrying of any type of knives or swords, it is generally not accepted or deemed appropriate to carry a knife openly in public places such as streets or public buildings, shops or restaurants. In urban areas, expect immediate examination and trouble if a police officer sees that you are openly carrying a larger knife, even though you have the right to do so. From a social point of view, the open carrying of knives in Bulgaria is justified only in rural areas, when fishing or hunting, or when the knife is used as a tool in professional activities such as gardening.
Some places like courts, banks, clubs, bars, etc. deny you access with any type of weapon (including knives) and most of them do not offer storage. It`s an urban legend in Bulgaria that knives larger than 10 cm (3.9 inches) are illegal, so expect the police to try to convince you to voluntarily give up the knife, even if such a move is illegal. You should not abandon your knife, but indicate the purpose of “daily necessities”, “use” or even “self-defense” to carry it and be aware that you have not committed a crime. Insist that the police officer cite a law against you with a knife in public. Since there is no such law in Bulgaria, the police will most likely let you keep your knife and send you on your way with a “warning”. If they insist or continue to misbehave, ask to contact their supervisor before handing them your knife, otherwise you won`t see it again. In fact, there are random city councillors who try to limit the length of knives to more than 10 cm (3.9 inches) with laws in place, but these laws are all illegal and have no compliance powers because councils only do administrative functions and they do not have the power to invent or enforce laws of any kind.
[11] Recall that although very liberal in terms of possession and carrying of knives (weapons), Bulgaria is not the place where one can defend oneself with lethal force compared to many European countries. If the need for self-defense with a knife arises, think about it very carefully. As a rule, courts often consider armed self-defense on the basis of the penal code to be “unjustified” and the defendant ends up with an effective prison sentence, even if the reason (dealing) with self-defense is proven. [12] You should contact your local police to check if a knife or weapon is illegal. The Wisconsin Court of Appeals ruled in State v. Herrmann (2015) that banning possession of a switch blade in the apartment is unconstitutional. [150] [151] In France, any knife of any blade length with a fixed blade or a folding blade with a locking system falls within the non-regulated D over-the-counter weapon category. [26] Unregulated Class D weapons can be legally acquired if they are over 18 years of age, but they can only be worn on the body if they are worn “for a good reason”, such as as part of one`s own professional tools.
If these knives are transported in a vehicle, they must be placed in a secure and locked compartment that is not accessible to the occupants of the vehicle. [9] In addition, French law provides that authorities may classify any knife as a prohibited article, depending on the circumstances and discretion of police or judicial authorities. Since “appropriately sized” knives are only tolerated in most cases, the authorities can confiscate them without further trial. [27] Under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, the sale of a knife, knife blade or razor blade is a criminal offence for a person under the age of 18. It is illegal to carry a knife to use it as a weapon in attack or defense. The only general limitation is the intended use, not the characteristics of the knife itself (in particular, contrary to popular belief, there is no limitation on the length of the blade).
