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Leatherman UK knife law

Updated: 22 October 2026

You have a Leatherman in a pocket on the way to the station. Leatherman UK knife law keeps a short locking blade outside the folding-pocketknife exception. GOV.UK requires a cutting edge no longer than 3 inches and a knife that does not lock. With a lock, you need a good reason a court would accept. Prices are on the [Leatherman comparison](/hub/tools/leatherman). Peter F. updated this page on 22 October 2026 from GOV.UK, Criminal Justice Act 1988 section 139, CPS guidance and the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 statutory guidance. This is not legal advice. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You have a Leatherman in a pocket on the way to the station. Leatherman UK knife law keeps a short locking blade outside the folding-pocketknife exception.

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On this page
  1. 1.The exception, and why length is not enough
  2. 2.Good reason is specific
  3. 3.The Bond is not an automatic pass
  4. 4.Age of sale

The exception, and why length is not enough

The folding-pocketknife exception needs both conditions. The cutting edge must be no longer than 3 inches, and the knife must not lock. GOV.UK describes a lock knife as one with a button, spring or catch that you have to use before it will fold. CPS guidance says a lock knife is not immediately foldable, so it sits outside the exception. Section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, in the England and Wales text, covers a bladed article in a public place. The same page has a Northern Ireland provision. GOV.UK states an adult maximum of 4 years, an unlimited fine, or both. Pliers do not remove the blade. Which lock you are buying is on the Leatherman buying guide.

Good reason is specific

Outside the exception, section 139 gives a defence of good reason or lawful authority. The statute's examples are use at work, religious reasons and national costume. GOV.UK says a court decides. You would be explaining one journey, such as a tool you are taking to a job, rather than a knife you carry every day. CPS guidance says carrying a knife just in case is not a good reason, and forgetfulness alone is not one either. Self-defence appears only where an attack is imminent, and it is not a reason to carry a locking tool all week. A campsite is not lawful merely because of the place. If you are stopped, ask the police or a solicitor.
Leatherman Leatherman ARC

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Leatherman Leatherman ARC
7.1/10about £286.95
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The Bond is not an automatic pass

The Bond's UK specification table says the blade does not lock, and the published blade length is 2.8 inches. That is nearer the folding-pocketknife wording than a locking Wave+ or Surge. The statute measures the cutting edge, not the printed blade length. If the cutting edge is over 3 inches, section 139(3) applies the offence even though the knife folds. A non-locking knife inside 3 inches can still be an offence if the reason is wrong. The Bond is not a standing permission for a pocket, and a retailer line about everyday carry is not the GOV.UK exception.

Age of sale

GOV.UK says it is illegal to sell most knives to anyone under 18. The folding non-locking pocketknife is the sale exception. A locking Leatherman is outside it. The Scotland note is cutlery and kitchen knives for 16 and 17 year olds, not a locking multi-tool. A remote seller who wants the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 defence needs an age check likely to stop an under-18 purchase, a parcel marked for someone 18 or over, a handover to someone 18 or over, and no collection locker. Section 32 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 was not in force at Royal Assent. Read the 2019 conditions until it is commenced.

Common questions

Is it legal to carry a Leatherman in public in the UK?
It depends on the tool and on why you have it. A locking Leatherman is outside the folding-pocketknife exception, so a public place can mean the section 139 offence unless you have a good reason or lawful authority. This page uses the England and Wales text, and the Act has a Northern Ireland provision. If the journey is unclear, ask the police or a solicitor.
Does a blade under 3 inches make a locking Leatherman legal?
Length and lock are separate conditions. GOV.UK's exception is a folding pocketknife with a cutting edge no longer than 3 inches that does not lock. CPS guidance treats a lock knife as outside that exception because it is not immediately foldable. You would still be relying on good reason.
What counts as a good reason to carry a knife?
Section 139 names good reason or lawful authority. Its examples are use at work, religious reasons and national costume, and GOV.UK says a court decides. Carrying a knife just in case is not one of those examples, and forgetfulness alone is not enough. Work still has to match the journey.
Is the Bond the legal everyday-carry Leatherman?
The Bond's UK specification table says the blade does not lock, and the published blade length is 2.8 inches. The statute measures the cutting edge, and a non-locking knife can still be an offence if the reason is wrong. A shop line about everyday carry is not the GOV.UK exception. If the edge or your reason is in doubt, ask the police or a solicitor.
Can a shop sell a Leatherman to someone under 18?
GOV.UK says it is illegal to sell most knives to anyone under 18. The folding non-locking pocketknife is the sale exception on that page, and a locking model is outside it. The Scotland note is cutlery and kitchen knives for 16 and 17 year olds, not a locking multi-tool.
Is the Crime and Policing Act 2026 knife-sale rule in force yet?
Section 32 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 deals with remote knife sales. The legislation page says it was not in force at Royal Assent, under section 255(1). Until it is commenced, the remote-sale conditions to read are those in the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 statutory guidance.

Related pages

How to maintain a Leatherman

Leatherman for camping

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Best Leatherman UK for the bench or the garden shed

Leatherman buying guide: job, opening, and the box

Sources

Public UK sources used for this page in October 2026. Prices are the five amazon.co.uk bundle listings captured on 21 October 2026. Four of those listings have no star line. The ARC listing shows 3.5 from 2 ratings. None of these scores is a laboratory test. A locking blade is not the folding-pocketknife exception on GOV.UK.

  1. GOV.UK, selling, buying and carrying knives (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. Criminal Justice Act 1988 s.139 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. CPS, knife and other weapons offences (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. Offensive Weapons Act 2019 statutory guidance (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. Leatherman UK warranty (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. Leatherman UK maintenance (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. Leatherman UK multi-tools (retrieved 21 October 2026)