This is my view of the intention of the swedish knife laws, not the legal text because I have no translation.
You are in general allowed to carry whatever knife you need that serves it purpose as long as it is "justifiable". It is in reality a question of who, what, when, where etc. The 4" sami like knife worn by a hunter in the checkout line at the food store bothers noone. The 6" Rambo-survival knife worn by local drunko in the next line might worry people though.
If the police stops Mr Svensson and looks into his car and find axes and knives and stuff is it up to when, where and so on.
If Mr Svensson has no record in the system, the car is OK, it is saturday morning, the tools looks to be of quality and in a proper manor etc. He is greated with a smile and drives on.
If Mr Svensson has a record and looks like an addict, the car is a junk pile, it is 0400 in an industrial area, he has a sharpened screwdriver in his pants and so on he will most likely be arrested for breaking the law.
"Nice to have" dont work as justification if you bring the wrong knife to the wrong place. Usually the "Lag (1988:254) om förbud beträffande knivar och andra farliga föremål" is not enforced "on its own". They rarely send someone to court for "just" having a knife, but if you have assaulted someone or behaved drunk or so on, the knife thing is added to that.
You are in general not allowed to bring knives (or objects that are more weapons than tools) to restaurants, bars, schools and other public buildings.
Unless you need a knife in your work. A carpenter can bring his knife both to school (which is his workplace) and the restaurant (where he has lunch). It is also about who, what, when, where etc. You could probaly get a SAK or multitool through security at the bar, but it is adviseable to leave it at home.
Automatic knives, stilettoes, butterfly knives and other "street fighting weapons" are not allowed for people under 21 (you get to drive and vote when you are 18 and buy boose when you are 20) . So dont buy a medeival star of death or mallet and bring it to Sweden. There are permits for exceptions from this too.
I have heard about people deanimating a moose, that was hit by a car, with a replica of a medeival sword (they had been on a medeival fair) and the police just looked at them and smiled.
At my part of the country you always have at least one knife and an axe in your car, at least if you have a car that is more Volvo 240 than Lexus. The axe is for making roadkill. The police dont bother, they are even helped by it.
A SAK or multitool is not considered by anyone as a weapon, even though uneducated people state that they are not allowed at all.
A Mora clone brought into the Government building by a 15 year old kid makes big headlines in the news about terrorists and such. He is not allowed to carry a knife, no matter where.
A good quality knife left in the security filter bothers noone.
There is in general a 18 year age limit to carry a knife.
This is also about where, when, who etc. 15 year old boyscouts in the woods can use samurai swords if they find them useful (NOT) but the same kids at school will be liberated from their cheap Emerson OHO clones.
You can easily tell which kids use their knife as a tool or to impress people. A teenager with a regular SAK will maybe pass even though he is too young. If he had a 4" assisted open cheap china knife it will be confiscated. I have seen the box at school and it is just junk.
A good rule is not go overkill. A multitool is enough in a town and will most likely pass any inspection no matter when or where. Fixed blades are a little harder to justify, but it is here who, what and maybe HOW comes in. A decent guy with a high quality knife, even if it is big, will likely pass if in a backpack or in the original package. If you need to open a plastic wrapper while sitting on the Central Station, take out the SAK and not your brand new Fallkniven MC1
There have been incidents with überscared people sending the SWAT police on people showing their new pellet gun, soft air gun or big knife to their friend close by. Nowadays people see robbers, killers and terrorists everywhere. The old lady sitting five meters over can not tell the difference. So keep your new "weaponlike" things wrapped up.
One time even a broom handle was enough. One old guy were pointing a broom handle towards some crows, they flew off, a lady close by saw what she thought was a gun and she called the police saying there was an "armed maniac firing a gun next to a school" and the whole war started, the school was evaced, SWAT breached the house and so on. The old guy was handcuffed at gunpoint by the SWAT team (not common in Sweden) and the house searched and all they found was a 35 year old pellet gun.
Collectors can get permits for the most obscure weapons there is, short of NBCR weapons Depending on the means of storage etc.
Here is a rough translation
Law (1988:254) on restriction of knives and other dangerous items
1 § Knives, other stabbing and cutting weapons and other items designed to be used as weapons (........) is not allowed at public buildings and at schools.
The restriction in part one does not apply if the item is part of equipment needed for certain types of work or if the item considering its type, the users need and other circumstances is considered justified.
Stabbing weapons and knives manufactured in a way that the blade can easily be extended (balis or stilettoes) is not to be used by people under 21. Law (1990:413).
2 § Knuckledusters, ninja stars or other item especially designed to be used as weapons (....) and balis or stilettoes may not be handed to people under 21 or presented for sale.
3 § Restrictions on items covered in weapons law (1996:67) supersedes this law. Law (1996:69). "This is mostly about firearms and such".
4 § He who intentionally or by neclect breach "bryter mot" 1 or 2 shall be sentenced to fine or prison not exceeding six month. In minor cases there is no sentence.
5 § Knives and other items breaching 1 § or handed over or sold against 2 § is seized if not obviously unjustified. Law (1990:413).
You are in general allowed to carry whatever knife you need that serves it purpose as long as it is "justifiable". It is in reality a question of who, what, when, where etc. The 4" sami like knife worn by a hunter in the checkout line at the food store bothers noone. The 6" Rambo-survival knife worn by local drunko in the next line might worry people though.
If the police stops Mr Svensson and looks into his car and find axes and knives and stuff is it up to when, where and so on.
If Mr Svensson has no record in the system, the car is OK, it is saturday morning, the tools looks to be of quality and in a proper manor etc. He is greated with a smile and drives on.
If Mr Svensson has a record and looks like an addict, the car is a junk pile, it is 0400 in an industrial area, he has a sharpened screwdriver in his pants and so on he will most likely be arrested for breaking the law.
"Nice to have" dont work as justification if you bring the wrong knife to the wrong place. Usually the "Lag (1988:254) om förbud beträffande knivar och andra farliga föremål" is not enforced "on its own". They rarely send someone to court for "just" having a knife, but if you have assaulted someone or behaved drunk or so on, the knife thing is added to that.
You are in general not allowed to bring knives (or objects that are more weapons than tools) to restaurants, bars, schools and other public buildings.
Unless you need a knife in your work. A carpenter can bring his knife both to school (which is his workplace) and the restaurant (where he has lunch). It is also about who, what, when, where etc. You could probaly get a SAK or multitool through security at the bar, but it is adviseable to leave it at home.
Automatic knives, stilettoes, butterfly knives and other "street fighting weapons" are not allowed for people under 21 (you get to drive and vote when you are 18 and buy boose when you are 20) . So dont buy a medeival star of death or mallet and bring it to Sweden. There are permits for exceptions from this too.
I have heard about people deanimating a moose, that was hit by a car, with a replica of a medeival sword (they had been on a medeival fair) and the police just looked at them and smiled.
At my part of the country you always have at least one knife and an axe in your car, at least if you have a car that is more Volvo 240 than Lexus. The axe is for making roadkill. The police dont bother, they are even helped by it.
A SAK or multitool is not considered by anyone as a weapon, even though uneducated people state that they are not allowed at all.
A Mora clone brought into the Government building by a 15 year old kid makes big headlines in the news about terrorists and such. He is not allowed to carry a knife, no matter where.
A good quality knife left in the security filter bothers noone.
There is in general a 18 year age limit to carry a knife.
This is also about where, when, who etc. 15 year old boyscouts in the woods can use samurai swords if they find them useful (NOT) but the same kids at school will be liberated from their cheap Emerson OHO clones.
You can easily tell which kids use their knife as a tool or to impress people. A teenager with a regular SAK will maybe pass even though he is too young. If he had a 4" assisted open cheap china knife it will be confiscated. I have seen the box at school and it is just junk.
A good rule is not go overkill. A multitool is enough in a town and will most likely pass any inspection no matter when or where. Fixed blades are a little harder to justify, but it is here who, what and maybe HOW comes in. A decent guy with a high quality knife, even if it is big, will likely pass if in a backpack or in the original package. If you need to open a plastic wrapper while sitting on the Central Station, take out the SAK and not your brand new Fallkniven MC1
There have been incidents with überscared people sending the SWAT police on people showing their new pellet gun, soft air gun or big knife to their friend close by. Nowadays people see robbers, killers and terrorists everywhere. The old lady sitting five meters over can not tell the difference. So keep your new "weaponlike" things wrapped up.One time even a broom handle was enough. One old guy were pointing a broom handle towards some crows, they flew off, a lady close by saw what she thought was a gun and she called the police saying there was an "armed maniac firing a gun next to a school" and the whole war started, the school was evaced, SWAT breached the house and so on. The old guy was handcuffed at gunpoint by the SWAT team (not common in Sweden) and the house searched and all they found was a 35 year old pellet gun.
Collectors can get permits for the most obscure weapons there is, short of NBCR weapons
Depending on the means of storage etc.Here is a rough translation
Law (1988:254) on restriction of knives and other dangerous items
1 § Knives, other stabbing and cutting weapons and other items designed to be used as weapons (........) is not allowed at public buildings and at schools.
The restriction in part one does not apply if the item is part of equipment needed for certain types of work or if the item considering its type, the users need and other circumstances is considered justified.
Stabbing weapons and knives manufactured in a way that the blade can easily be extended (balis or stilettoes) is not to be used by people under 21. Law (1990:413).
2 § Knuckledusters, ninja stars or other item especially designed to be used as weapons (....) and balis or stilettoes may not be handed to people under 21 or presented for sale.
3 § Restrictions on items covered in weapons law (1996:67) supersedes this law. Law (1996:69). "This is mostly about firearms and such".
4 § He who intentionally or by neclect breach "bryter mot" 1 or 2 shall be sentenced to fine or prison not exceeding six month. In minor cases there is no sentence.
5 § Knives and other items breaching 1 § or handed over or sold against 2 § is seized if not obviously unjustified. Law (1990:413).
