On the flipside, if you want to access any of your OTHER tools, you have to get the pliers out first. I think the rest of the Gerber multitool, the entire design suffers because of that one feature. I'm not a fan of the plastic locking thingies either. I'd say yes because their main blade is under 3 inches. But of course it never hurts to ask an official. As for the orange paint, if that's the accepted "oh i'm not a real gun dont worry" sign, what's keeping a bad guy from painting a real gun orange to throw people off?
If the blade is under 3" and is a folding knife (unsprung), then it is legal. That is unless you are carrying it with the intention of using it as a weapon, and this includes the act of threatening someone with it. Police offficers may question your intent, if they find you with a pocket knife, and are legally entitled to do so.
Guys a locking knife of any kind is, while not illegal, classified as an offensive weapon unless you have good reason to be carrying it. There are basically two catagories: 1) Less than 3 inches, non-locking, folding blade = legal with or without good reason for carriage. 2) More than 3 inches, lockable (or any combination thereof) = legal only with good reason. There are very few blades which are inherently illegal to carry, such things are butterfly knives, switchblades, etc. Not something you're likely to have. If you have a good reason to be carrying it (according to the copper who catches you with it, and the CPS), you're OK. If they decide it doesn't seem a good reason you're screwed. It's pretty crappy. Then again how often have any of us been searched? I've never been. Carry away!
Actually any knife can be classified as an offensive weapon, if it is proven that there were no reasonable grounds for carrying it, regardless of the blade size, blade extraction method or whether it locks or not. Carrying a knife in public, on your person, out of habit, or because it may come in handy in some future scenario is not legal justification for carrying said knife. The act which covers knife laws is the Criminal Justice Act 1988. EDIT: Scrap the above and my apologies, I think I just read the passage concerning knife law wrong.
That's fine, if they're being transported. If I remember my Air Cadet days, rifles had to be transported separately to the ammunition and the firing pins or bolts (if removable). If he kept them at home, then that's different! I have found Leatherman-like tools to be quite useful, but there are very few situations in which I'd say that I'd absolutely need one. Any time I'm going to need tools like pliers, screwdrivers, etc (such as PC repair), I've normally got a full tool kit with me. If I was in IT support, then I can imagine it'd be handy; i.e., wouldn't have to nip back to the workshop to get a screwdriver when you're trying to resolve a problem at the user's desk.
