I'm glad you brought up the wording of the legislation, every other reviewer I've seen says knives aren't legal that are because they just heard it was blade under 3 inches when the legislation makes no mention of the blade itself only that the cutting edge of its blade must be 3 inches or less. They also all say that ones smack on 3 inches are iffy when the legislation is clear that they can be 3 inches or less. There's so much misinformation out there about the legality of carrying a knife and people seem to make false interpretations of the law and put people off legal products. I appreciate you taking the time to research the law and put the correct information out there for people. Our laws are ridiculous enough without people making up their own subsections of them and restricting themselves even further. I think people should fight for our right to carry 3.5 inch locking knives again considering that pretty much all stabbings in the UK are done with a cheap kitchen knife some idiot has taken out their mothers kitchen drawer, not expensive locking folders. The law does literally nothing to prevent any knife crime in this country and is therefore not fit for purpose and should be thrown out.
I had a bit of a tizzy after ordering this knife and falling foul of the misinformation. Even the Ask Police UK website said a judge had ruled it was the entire blade length to the handle, whether it was sharp or not. What people seem to be referring to is Brooker vs DPP (2005). A blunt butter knife was ruled to be a bladed article, regardless of the fact it wasn't sharp. People have taken that as meaning the whole length of the blade counts, even if all of it isn't sharp. But the finger choil here isn't part of the cutting edge at all. It isn't "blunt" - it was never designed to cut and can't cut without serious modifications to the knife. It's thick and flat, and designed for your finger to grip. Still, while it is legal, I'm probably going to be wary of bringing it out, depending on who is around, which is a shame. It's better to avoid the fuss and whims of police or judges.
I enjoyed that rant on snobbery. Particularly as I've purchased 14 knives this year so far, all below £50. Obviously I keep it below £50 as I don't want to be charged with being an enthusiast. How could I be, buying below £50. Anyway, I'm looking forward to further rants on say the subjects of arrogance, hypocrisy and self-awareness in the future. Regards.
Your welcome. I am up to 21 this year which is ridiculous really when I could get by with just this boker. Plenty of of rants to come I'm sure. I could throw sarcasm in there as well. Thanks for the comment.
@@feeltheburr521 I'm dying to know- what is the most comfortable knife you own? Mine is a Mora that I only use when camping but it surprises me every time.
good review! i came to YT looking for a review because Heinnie Haynes just emailed (obviously just drumming up sales) saying this is in stock and selling at £41.95, looks like i am buying after seeing this review, subbed, i like your style of presentation...and your ~British like me :)
I have three(3) Boker Plus XS with broken back springs (light use,1brand new). I did modify two blades on a sander,but as I actually had a commercial knife sharpening business I know how to keep them cool. If you have one , Do Not play with it opening and closing repeatedly. Have a couple for sale (I bought them for gifts).
Probably protected under warranty, maybe the heat treatment didn't temper them to a low enough hardness and left that batch of springs a little brittle, that being said, if you've had and used them a while, it's just the nature of the beast with slip joint knives. Granted some last year's but eventually they all sheer at some point, if it's an extremely weak spring with barely any resistance it will last longer, but if like me you want a very stiff lock up and as much effort to close as possible the lifespan of the spring is considerably shortened. If your any good with tools it really isn't hard to use the old spring as a template and cut out and heat treat a new backspring at home in the oven out of the same thickness of steel.
@@MDM1992 Hi. As I bought them from different vendors over a 5 year period , that is not a "batch' but a flaw. I have well over 200 knives, including around 30 slip joints,. Never ! had a broken back spring. As I modified 2 blades and opened them up, no warranty. It has nothing to do with price since I have a couple of Douk Douks that lasted for years. Languilles are tighter, yet never brake. I don't have the equipment nor would I take the time to "resurrect" these knives. My lesson? Stay away from Boker, plenty of good makers out there.
I have the XS in standard black, and I get what you're saying about people being anxious about it being UK friendly. It looks like it's too big to be legal EDC carry, but it really is under the 3" length limit, and the law doesn't say anything about blade width, so a big beefy blade is fine as long as the cutting edge is 3" or less. Personally speaking, I'm not worried about carrying locking blades, because I do work where it can be justified, and I've never had any bother, but the XS is a good option for people who want a larger, Spyderco-style blade which is still without a doubt UK legal carry.
The law is 3” overall blade length,. The cutting edge is irrelevant. Check out the Black Belt Barrister. He’s a martial artist and a barrister he does good videos on the subject.
Just got one of these, I haven't used a thumb stud before, and I can open it one handed, but it's very uncomfortable. I think I may have bruised the tip of my thumb. Any tips on smooth opening?
@@feeltheburr521 I found it very difficult with the screw completely undone and the side panel removed! And having greased everything. I was honestly considering grinding away at bits...but it seems, the knife and I have gotten used to each other. I can now reliably open it with one hand(but it's more of a push than a flick), it is still slightly uncomfortably, so for example doing it five times in a row would start to get unpleasant...but, I'm improving
@@Thesrin just keep playing with it, you'll soon toughen up the skin on your thumb and wonder why it ever caused you any problems. I've never had that issue because I have rough working hands but If you have softer skin it will toughen up very soon in the hot spots if you just keep doing it over and over.
not sure if heinnie got it backward or what but the HH version says it has 440c and the standard version says 9cr13 (heinnie is notorious for getting info on the specs wrong in my experience) either way they both aren't bad steels at all and are more than serviceable as long as the heat treat is done well, you won't really get much better for £40 and if you do it will almost certainly be d2 and will snap on you if you give it any hard use so personally I'd take the 440c or 9cr13 and be happy with it for a budget knife like this.
I'm glad you brought up the wording of the legislation, every other reviewer I've seen says knives aren't legal that are because they just heard it was blade under 3 inches when the legislation makes no mention of the blade itself only that the cutting edge of its blade must be 3 inches or less. They also all say that ones smack on 3 inches are iffy when the legislation is clear that they can be 3 inches or less. There's so much misinformation out there about the legality of carrying a knife and people seem to make false interpretations of the law and put people off legal products. I appreciate you taking the time to research the law and put the correct information out there for people. Our laws are ridiculous enough without people making up their own subsections of them and restricting themselves even further. I think people should fight for our right to carry 3.5 inch locking knives again considering that pretty much all stabbings in the UK are done with a cheap kitchen knife some idiot has taken out their mothers kitchen drawer, not expensive locking folders. The law does literally nothing to prevent any knife crime in this country and is therefore not fit for purpose and should be thrown out.
I had a bit of a tizzy after ordering this knife and falling foul of the misinformation. Even the Ask Police UK website said a judge had ruled it was the entire blade length to the handle, whether it was sharp or not.
What people seem to be referring to is Brooker vs DPP (2005). A blunt butter knife was ruled to be a bladed article, regardless of the fact it wasn't sharp. People have taken that as meaning the whole length of the blade counts, even if all of it isn't sharp.
But the finger choil here isn't part of the cutting edge at all. It isn't "blunt" - it was never designed to cut and can't cut without serious modifications to the knife. It's thick and flat, and designed for your finger to grip.
Still, while it is legal, I'm probably going to be wary of bringing it out, depending on who is around, which is a shame. It's better to avoid the fuss and whims of police or judges.
Case law, for some years now, is total blade length, but in anycase the Boker XS is designed with that in mind.
I enjoyed that rant on snobbery. Particularly as I've purchased 14 knives this year so far, all below £50. Obviously I keep it below £50 as I don't want to be charged with being an enthusiast. How could I be, buying below £50. Anyway, I'm looking forward to further rants on say the subjects of arrogance, hypocrisy and self-awareness in the future. Regards.
Your welcome. I am up to 21 this year which is ridiculous really when I could get by with just this boker. Plenty of of rants to come I'm sure. I could throw sarcasm in there as well. Thanks for the comment.
Kind of surprised that you found it more comfortable in the hand than the pilar. Love me a good finger choil.
Don't get me wrong the pilar is comfortable. This just keeps my fingers of the sharp edge and its that bit bigger.
@@feeltheburr521 I'm dying to know- what is the most comfortable knife you own? Mine is a Mora that I only use when camping but it surprises me every time.
@@DullPoints tough one. I would say either the kizer zipslip or the bestech junzi out of mine. I predominantly collect uk legal slipjoints.
good review!
i came to YT looking for a review because Heinnie Haynes just emailed (obviously just drumming up sales) saying this is in stock and selling at £41.95, looks like i am buying after seeing this review, subbed, i like your style of presentation...and your ~British like me :)
Thank you very much. Enjoy, it's a knife I pick up all the time.
I have three(3) Boker Plus XS with broken back springs (light use,1brand new). I did modify two blades on a sander,but as I actually had a commercial knife sharpening business I know how to keep them cool. If you have one , Do Not play with it opening and closing repeatedly. Have a couple for sale (I bought them for gifts).
Probably protected under warranty, maybe the heat treatment didn't temper them to a low enough hardness and left that batch of springs a little brittle, that being said, if you've had and used them a while, it's just the nature of the beast with slip joint knives. Granted some last year's but eventually they all sheer at some point, if it's an extremely weak spring with barely any resistance it will last longer, but if like me you want a very stiff lock up and as much effort to close as possible the lifespan of the spring is considerably shortened. If your any good with tools it really isn't hard to use the old spring as a template and cut out and heat treat a new backspring at home in the oven out of the same thickness of steel.
@@MDM1992 Hi. As I bought them from different vendors over a 5 year period , that is not a "batch' but a flaw.
I have well over 200 knives, including around 30 slip joints,. Never ! had a broken back spring. As I modified 2 blades and opened them up, no warranty. It has nothing to do with price since I have a couple of Douk Douks that lasted for years. Languilles are tighter, yet never brake.
I don't have the equipment nor would I take the time to "resurrect" these knives.
My lesson? Stay away from Boker, plenty of good makers out there.
Many Thanks for the clarification.
I have the XS in standard black, and I get what you're saying about people being anxious about it being UK friendly. It looks like it's too big to be legal EDC carry, but it really is under the 3" length limit, and the law doesn't say anything about blade width, so a big beefy blade is fine as long as the cutting edge is 3" or less. Personally speaking, I'm not worried about carrying locking blades, because I do work where it can be justified, and I've never had any bother, but the XS is a good option for people who want a larger, Spyderco-style blade which is still without a doubt UK legal carry.
The law is 3” overall blade length,. The cutting edge is irrelevant. Check out the Black Belt Barrister. He’s a martial artist and a barrister he does good videos on the subject.
@@requiscatinpace7392 Nope, that's exactly wrong. The legislation specifically refers to cutting edge, not overall blade length.
@@requiscatinpace7392I've seen that video and it's a load of bollocks. Totally wrong!
Good review. I am going to pick one up. And yes, there are certainly many steel snobs in the community! 😅
Just ordered one 👌
Hot diggity dog buddy, you hit 30 subscribers. You are on fire son, I said ON FIRE. 📈🍀
Thank you buddy.
There are not enough UK knife guys on CZcams. Happy to find your channel, very informative. Now.... go and buy some more knifes 🔪 😉
Good review. How did you find a clip that fits the three holes?
I replaced mine, didn't like it.
Thanks for another interesting and well considered video
Thank you, I will keep them coming.👍
Just got one of these, I haven't used a thumb stud before, and I can open it one handed, but it's very uncomfortable. I think I may have bruised the tip of my thumb.
Any tips on smooth opening?
Can't say I found the opening pressure to be much to be honest. Are you sure the pivot screw 8s not over tightened?
@@feeltheburr521 I found it very difficult with the screw completely undone and the side panel removed! And having greased everything.
I was honestly considering grinding away at bits...but it seems, the knife and I have gotten used to each other.
I can now reliably open it with one hand(but it's more of a push than a flick), it is still slightly uncomfortably, so for example doing it five times in a row would start to get unpleasant...but, I'm improving
@@Thesrin just keep playing with it, you'll soon toughen up the skin on your thumb and wonder why it ever caused you any problems. I've never had that issue because I have rough working hands but If you have softer skin it will toughen up very soon in the hot spots if you just keep doing it over and over.
@@MDM1992 thanks, you I'm pretty alright with it now. Big difference from when I started
good advise mate , sound as a pound
i just ordered this but it says blade material is 440c..?
The HH version is 9cr13 which is about equivalent.
@@feeltheburr521 Yes the HH version on their website says 440C. Maybe they changed it...
@@simonh2011 just got mine,says 440c on the blade
not sure if heinnie got it backward or what but the HH version says it has 440c and the standard version says 9cr13 (heinnie is notorious for getting info on the specs wrong in my experience) either way they both aren't bad steels at all and are more than serviceable as long as the heat treat is done well, you won't really get much better for £40 and if you do it will almost certainly be d2 and will snap on you if you give it any hard use so personally I'd take the 440c or 9cr13 and be happy with it for a budget knife like this.