I am grateful for your highly informative and entertaining discourse on the use of blades in the UK. I haven't been there for five years, and at that time I customarily wore my folding Buck in a belt sheath, and no one paid the slightest attention. At the airport I remember putting it in the basket provided while I walked through the metal detector, and again, no problems. However, enroute to London I happened to rummage through my carry on bag (which was actually my shooting bag) and I was surprised to find a Colt magazine fully loaded with hollow points. I just overlooked it when I emptied the bag before filling it with toiletries and snacks. Anyway, in London I disposed of the ammo but kept the mag. When departing the UK somehow the mag was discovered, and you can imagine what hit the fan! A couple of bobbies took me into custody and spent three hours interrogating me and looking for the rest of the firearm. My documents as a member of a law enforcement agency meant absolutely nothing to them. they called the magazine "part of a destructive device." Eventually I was compelled to sign a paper allowing them to confiscate my expensive factory stainless mag, and I was sent on my way. On my arrival in the UK next week my name will probably pop up in their computer and I expect another interesting go around. Another time in the UK I was staying with a friend in London when a car full of bobbies showed up at his door to collect his shotgun. It seems that his registration had expired about 24 hours before and he had forgotten to renew. You can see why I am a little hyper about knives as gifts. I know they would appreciate them, as they expressed interest in knives when visiting me in the U.S., so I will take them in my checked luggage, and oh yes, to play it safe I will see that the blades are limited to three inches!
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