The Netherlands: Automatic or Assisted-Opening Knives?

[EDCeeker]

I'm going to be visiting the Netherlands again. I'd like to bring a Bokor Mini-Kalashnikov as a gift for a relative. From this post in Netherlands (Dutch) Knife Laws? Amsterdam? it is clear switchblades are disallowed. Does that mean auto knives like the Kalashnikov and AO knives like my Kershaw Chive are also verboden?

 

[EDCeeker]

*bump* Nobody?

 

[schwep]

Reading a Dutch knife sellers site (knivesandtools) in Dutch I understand that normal one-handed opening, locking blades are legal in the Netherlands. Anything that is fully automatic opening however is not allowed, and looking at the description of a Boker Kalashnikov I'd say that it will be considered an illegal weapon that you are not even allowed to possess at home. Which is aggravated by the fact that it has a spine that will be seen by many police as a second edge. Don't bring anything like those. You won't be doing your relative any good by gifting them an illegal weapon.

 

[bigfish]

Forbidden are:

- All sorts of knives with automatic opening.
- double edged blades (serrations on the spine are also considered as an edge)
- pushdaggers
- conceilable knives like creditcard knives or knives that look like another object
- Butterfly knives
- Ballistic knives

Be aware that in most of the larger cities knives are totally forbidden.
You would have the least problems with a small Swiss army knife....

 

[Knife_Collector_101]

It seems like assisted knives are usually more accepted than automatics. At least most of the localities, states, and countries that ban automatics seem to accept AO’s. I don’t know about the Netherlands, but if you see it in an officially licensed retail shop and not at some shady night market, chances are it’s legal to possess. Doesn’t mean you couldn’t get some crap over it (AO’s are still sold in retail shops in places in the US where the laws are sketchy), but if you’re responsible and don’t go snapping your knife out in public scaring people, you should be fine.

If I had a relative in the Netherlands I wanted to gift a knife to, I’d play it safest by making it something like a Buck 110 or a Gerber Paraframe. Simple, safe, and not menacing at all.