00WHAT THE GUIDANCE SAYS

Sharp tool,
steady hands.

A retractable craft cutter with its blade retracted and a small closed folding pocketknife lying on a green cutting mat beside a steel ruler — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

A cutter is only as safe as how you use it.

Workplace safety guidance points to retractable blades, cutting away from the body and somewhere safe for old blades. The law adds one more thing to know: a blade in your pocket in public is not always allowed.

CUT AWAYfrom the bodyUpdated 14 October 2026

Check your blade

01Principles

Retract the blade
Cut away from you
Bin blades safely
Simple habits, fewer cuts

02THE SHORT ANSWER

Choose it, use it,
carry it with care.

HSE guidance focuses on the tool and the technique.
The law covers what happens outside your door.

TECHNIQUE

Cut away from yourself

HSE guidance on hand knives says training should cover cutting away from the body and the dangers of blunt knives.

Four habits

THE LAW

Not every blade can go out

In England and Wales, having a bladed article in public is an offence, except a folding pocketknife with a cutting edge of 3 inches or less. Lock knives are not exempt.

Check your blade

FIRST AID

Pressure, clean, cover

The NHS says to treat a cut by stopping the bleeding, cleaning it and covering it with a plaster or dressing.

When to get help

03A QUICK BLADE CHECK

Can it come
out with you?

Pick the blade and the situation. The bar shows how strongly the rules restrict carrying it in a public place in England and Wales.

General information from GOV.UK and the Criminal Justice Act 1988, not legal advice. A court decides whether a reason is good enough.

Blade check

Choose a bladeFolding pocketknife, edge 3 inches or less, no lockA cutter taken to use at workFolding lock knife, no particular reasonA flick knife or gravity knife

Folding pocketknife, edge 3 inches or less, no lockExempt

GOV.UK says folding pocketknives with a cutting edge no longer than 3 inches that are not lock knives are exempt from the carrying rule.

A cutter taken to use at workWork is a defence

Having a bladed article in public without good reason is an offence, but the Act lists having it for use at work as a defence. A court decides if it applies.

Folding lock knife, no particular reasonNeeds good reason

Lock knives, which need a button, spring or catch to fold, are not covered by the pocketknife exemption. Carrying one without good reason is illegal.

A flick knife or gravity knifeBanned

These are on the banned list. Owning, selling or giving one away is illegal, and the exemption for items over 100 years old does not cover them.

Sources: GOV.UK, Selling, buying and carrying knives; Criminal Justice Act 1988, section 139 (England and Wales).

04TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING

Two measurements
to remember.

One for the blade in your pocket,
one for the cut on your hand.

3 inches

Longest exempt folding pocketknife edge

The offence applies to a folding pocketknife if the cutting edge of its blade exceeds 3 inches. GOV.UK adds that lock knives are not exempt, whatever their length.

THE LAW · CJA 1988 s139

≈ 5 cm

Cut size that needs an urgent check

The NHS says to ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if a cut is larger than around 5cm (2 inches), or still dirty after cleaning.

FIRST AID · NHS

Call 999 or go to A&E if you cannot stop the bleeding, or if blood comes out in spurts and is bright red and hard to control. The NHS says not to drive yourself to A&E.

05FOUR HABITS TO TRY

Safer cutting,
every time.

These come from HSE guidance written for workplaces, but they fit a craft table or a pile of delivery boxes just as well.

Pick a safer tool
HSE suggests retractable blades, round-ended blades where a point is not needed, and scissors or other safer tools where they will do the job.
Cut away from your body
HSE says training should cover cutting away from the body, so keep the blade's path pointing away from you on every stroke.
Change blunt blades
HSE lists the dangers of blunt knives among the things people should be trained on.
Give old blades a safe home
HSE recommends providing disposal points for used blades, such as sharps containers.

Hands placing a fabric plaster on a fingertip next to a small open first aid kit on a kitchen table — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

06BUYING A BLADE

Age limits
at the till.

Hands cutting a sheet of cardboard along a steel ruler with a retractable cutter, the blade moving away from the body — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

GOV.UK says most knives cannot be sold to anyone under 18. In Scotland, 16 and 17 year olds may be sold cutlery and kitchen knives.

Some knives cannot be sold, owned or given away at all, including flick knives, gravity knives, butterfly knives and zombie-style knives. Using any knife in a threatening way is illegal.

07Questions

Questions people ask

Is it legal to carry a pocketknife in the UK?

GOV.UK says folding pocketknives are exempt from the carrying rule if the cutting edge is no longer than 3 inches and they are not lock knives. Other knives need a good reason, such as use at work.

What counts as a lock knife?

GOV.UK describes lock knives as folding knives with a button, spring or catch that you have to use to fold them. They are not covered by the pocketknife exemption.

Can I carry a box cutter for my job?

The Criminal Justice Act 1988 makes it a defence to prove you had a bladed article with you for use at work. GOV.UK notes a court decides whether a reason is good enough if you are charged.

How do I treat a small cut?

The NHS says to stop the bleeding by pressing with a bandage or clean folded cloth, rinse the wound with tap or bottled water or sterile wipes, and cover it with a plaster or dressing.

When does a cut need medical help?

The NHS says to get an urgent GP appointment or use NHS 111 if a cut is larger than around 5cm or still dirty after cleaning, and to call 999 or go to A&E if bleeding will not stop.

08Sources

Sharp tool,
steady hands.