Multitools and Swiss Army Knives: UK Carry Rules

No. Not every Swiss Army knife or multitool is legal to carry in the UK without a reason. The rule depends entirely on the blade mechanism and length. It does not depend on the brand. A non-locking Victorinox Spartan is legal to carry without a reason. A locking Victorinox RangerGrip or a Leatherman Wingman is not. This is despite both being marketed the same way.

The legal test is the same one that applies to any folding knife. A folding pocketknife is exempt from needing a reason to carry only if its cutting edge is 3 inches (7.62cm) or under and the blade does not lock ^[1]. Multitool brands mix locking and non-locking models within the same product range. The brand name tells you nothing on its own.

Is a Swiss Army knife legal to carry in the UK?

Yes, only if that specific model is non-locking and has a cutting edge of 3 inches or under. The classic Spartan and Huntsman models are stated as “Blade lockable: No” directly on Victorinox’s own product pages. Both have a closed length of 91mm ^{[3] [4]}.

Victorinox does not publish a separate cutting-edge measurement on its own spec sheets for these models. It publishes only the overall closed length. Independent retailer measurements put the cutting edge at roughly 6 to 7cm. This is comfortably under the 7.62cm limit. Buyers relying on an exact figure should treat that specific millimetre measurement as retailer-sourced rather than manufacturer-confirmed.

Not every Victorinox product is non-locking. The Ranger 79 M Grip is part of the RangerGrip range. It is stated directly on Victorinox’s own page as “Blade lockable: Yes” and “One hand blade: Yes”. Its closed length is 130mm ^[5]. That model needs a Good reason needed to carry, the same as any other locking folder.

Is a Leatherman legal to carry in the UK?

No. Most current models need a good reason. Leatherman’s own product pages confirm a locking main blade on its popular general-purpose multitools. The Wingman states “Blade Lock: Yes” with a primary blade length of 2.6 inches ^[6]. The Skeletool states the same lock status and blade length ^[7].

A locking blade removes the folding pocketknife exemption entirely, regardless of length. This is true even though 2.6 inches (6.6cm) is well under the 7.62cm limit. The lock alone means the Wingman and Skeletool both need a Good reason needed to carry in public. A specific trade or outdoor activity is one such reason.

Leatherman produces multitools across heavy-duty, full-size and pocket categories, and lock status is not uniform across the whole range. Check the specific model’s own product page before assuming a Leatherman multitool is carry-legal.

How to check a multitool before you carry it

Check the manufacturer’s own product page for the specific model. Do not rely on the brand’s general reputation. Victorinox and Leatherman both publish a lock-status field directly on each product page. Victorinox words it as “Blade lockable: Yes/No”. Leatherman words it as “Blade Lock: Yes/No”. This is the single most reliable check available before carrying any multitool. Both brands sell locking and non-locking knife blades within the same overall range.

Three checks matter in order. Confirm whether the main knife blade locks open first. Use the manufacturer’s own spec page rather than a retailer description or forum comment. Check next whether the cutting edge is 3 inches (7.62cm) or under. This check only applies if the blade does not lock. ^[1] only exempts short, non-locking blades. Treat the multitool as needing a good reason to carry if either check fails. Only carry it for that specific purpose, such as work, fishing or a trade.

Retailer listings sometimes describe a knife as “UK legal” as a marketing shorthand. They do this without stating the manufacturer’s own lock-status field. Treat that phrase as a starting point for research. Do not treat it as confirmation. Go back to the manufacturer’s page before relying on it.

Why does a locking blade change the legal status?

The law’s exemption for folding pocketknives applies only to knives that are both short and non-locking. ^[1] exempts a folding pocketknife from the offence of carrying a bladed article in public only where the cutting edge does not exceed 3 inches. This is how section 139(2) and (3) work together. Case law treats a locking blade as taking the knife outside that exemption altogether. Length becomes irrelevant once a blade locks.

This means a locking multitool with a very short blade is treated the same in law as a locking knife with a much longer blade. The Wingman’s 2.6 inches is one example of a very short blade. Both need a good reason. Neither is automatically legal just because the blade is short. See the separate guide for the wider rule on lock knives.

Does the lock rule apply to the other tools on a multitool?

No. It applies only to the knife blade itself. A multitool may have locking pliers, a locking screwdriver bit or a locking saw alongside a non-locking knife blade. It is assessed on the knife blade alone. That is the specific component the folding pocketknife exemption in ^[1] refers to.

Confirm which tool on the multitool is the “blade” for legal purposes. Do this before assuming the whole unit passes or fails the test based on one locking component. gov.uk’s summary at ^[2] does not single out multitools separately. The ordinary knife rules apply to the knife blade on any multitool exactly as they would to a standalone pocket knife.

Some multitools carry more than one folding blade, such as a main knife blade and a smaller secondary blade or awl. Where more than one folding blade is present, apply the same lock-and-length test to each one individually, since a compliant main blade does not make a locking secondary blade legal to carry without a reason.

Does carrying a multitool ever become a more serious offence?

Yes. Threatening someone with any bladed article in a public place is already a separate offence in England and Wales. This applies whether or not the blade locks. Section 139AA of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 makes it an offence to have a bladed article in a public place or on school premises and unlawfully and intentionally threaten another person with it. This must be in a way that would make a reasonable person think there was an immediate risk of physical harm ^[9].

The Crime and Policing Act 2026 adds a further offence in a new section 139AB. This covers having a bladed article with intent to use unlawful violence or to cause someone to fear it. The maximum is 7 years’ imprisonment on indictment ^[8]. That section received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026. It was not in force on 28 September 2026. No commencement regulations have yet included it. Neither offence changes the everyday carry-status table above. That table is about whether a multitool needs a reason to be carried at all.

This is legal information. It is not legal advice. You may need to carry a specific locking multitool for work and be unsure whether your situation counts as a good reason. Get advice from a solicitor or Citizens Advice if so.