European travel

[Meadowlark]

Hi guys,

Will be traveling from the States for a couple week Italy visit.

We're not checking bags so I'm pretty sure getting a knife over there is impossible but does anyone know if it's possible to carry over there?

We'll be pretty much all around the countrys main tourist spots.

Guess it'd be as good a time as any to finally pick up an Italian Spyderco? Would I be able to carry it there?

Thanks!

[Meadowlark]

Edit:

If I were able to score a decent knife over there that I could carry while visiting I was thinking of shipping it home a day or two before we returned..

[Delica_Nut]

Buy one when you get there.

[judoka]

Save your money and effort; you won’t need a “carry”.

[Meadowlark]

Buy one when you get there.

Like I said I'm willing to do so if I'm allowed to ship it back home and, hopefully, carry it while I'm there?

Any Italian members here or experienced euro travelers?

Thanks.

[ChrisinHove]

The big historical sites use scanners and will confiscate or refuse entry even it’s just a SAK, so be cautious what you take, and where.

[James Y]

Since you're not taking any checked bags, if it was me, I would forget about buying and carrying a knife in Italy. I know, I've just had my knife guy card revoked. But I would rather simply enjoy my vacation than always having to worry about carrying a knife, and about visiting sites where knives are strictly prohibited during my visit.

Jim

[ladybug93]

i know you're asking about spyderco specifically, but spydercos are way too expensive for me to chance losing to tsa or some power-hungry rent-a-cop. when i travel now, i put a gerber prybrid in my carry-on. i just take the blade out before going into security and buy a new blade soon after landing. if you ever aren't allowed to carry a blade somewhere, simply throw the blade away and replace it when you are able. utility blades are everywhere and super cheap. and, even if you had to sacrifice the whole thing, it's only around $20, which hurts a lot less than even a ladybug these days.

[Meadowlark]

Sounds like things are pretty grim over there.

[ChrisinHove]

You regularly read of some idiot being caught carving their name on an ancient monument, or attacking an art work in the name of some cause or another, so the caution of their custodians is understandable.

If you’re not planning on visiting anywhere historic or seeing any works of art, then outside of the airport the risk of any problem diminishes significantly, but you would be missing out.

[Ric]

Italy should be quite liberal, but in tourist areas it might be different.
In museums, jewish churches, ... you might not be allowed to carry any knife.
I would not use the clip but deep carry it in the pocket, jacket or bag.

Swiss army knife would be the general choice as it is well known. Opinel might also work.
I used a SAK Rambler and had no issues also with carry on luggage at the plane.

What would you use the knife for?
Real hiking and food prep?

[wrdwrght]

Sounds like things are pretty grim over there.

So, you’re not going, then?

Seriously, if you are going to pity Italians because they have no 2A to provide legal cover for self-defense, consider the following facts (provided by the Perplexity.ai tool):

“The murder rates in Italy and the United States differ significantly. In 2022, Italy had a homicide rate of 0.55 per 100,000 people, which is relatively low compared to other countries[4]. In contrast, the United States had a much higher rate of 7.8 homicides per 100,000 people in the same year[4]. This disparity highlights a significant difference in the level of violent crime between the two countries.

Additionally, Italy's murder rate is among the lowest globally, whereas the United States has the highest homicide rate among G7 countries[5]. This suggests that Italy is generally safer in terms of homicide rates compared to the United States, where the rate is substantially higher.

Sources
[1] Crime rate comparison United States vs Italy - Cost of Living https://www.numbeo.com/crime/compare_co ... try2=Italy
[2] Murders in US states compared to Italy - Italy, that many fear to visit ...
[3] List of countries by intentional homicide rate - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... icide_rate
[4] Murder Rate by Country 2024 - World Population Review https://worldpopulationreview.com/count ... by-country
[5] G7: murder rate by country | Statista https://www.statista.com/statistics/137 ... cide-rate/
[6] Italy vs United States Crime Stats Compared - NationMaster https://www.nationmaster.com/country-in ... ates/Crime
[7] Italy vs United States Crime > Violent crime Stats Compared https://www.nationmaster.com/country-in ... lent-crime
[8] Country comparison Italy vs United States Intentional homicides 2024 https://countryeconomy.com/countries/co ... sa?sc=XE28”

If you’re concern is not SD, but culinary instead (as it was mine when my wife [EDIT TO ADD: “and I”] spent a week in Tuscany, then a week in Venice some years ago), I’ll say I had many opportunities to buy a knife for picnics, but never did for all the wonderful eateries to eat wonderful food

And, without a knife in my pocket, I worried not a second about being scanned.

[James Y]

I would imagine that the biggest concern in Italy (and in other European tourist destinations) would be organized groups of Romani pickpockets.

Jim

[Meadowlark]

Sounds like things are pretty grim over there.

So, you’re not going, then?

Seriously, if you are going to pity Italians because they have no 2A to provide legal cover for self-defense, consider the following facts (provided by the Perplexity.ai tool):

“The murder rates in Italy and the United States differ significantly. In 2022, Italy had a homicide rate of 0.55 per 100,000 people, which is relatively low compared to other countries[4]. In contrast, the United States had a much higher rate of 7.8 homicides per 100,000 people in the same year[4]. This disparity highlights a significant difference in the level of violent crime between the two countries.

Additionally, Italy's murder rate is among the lowest globally, whereas the United States has the highest homicide rate among G7 countries[5]. This suggests that Italy is generally safer in terms of homicide rates compared to the United States, where the rate is substantially higher.

Sources
[1] Crime rate comparison United States vs Italy - Cost of Living https://www.numbeo.com/crime/compare_co ... try2=Italy
[2] Murders in US states compared to Italy - Italy, that many fear to visit ...
[3] List of countries by intentional homicide rate - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... icide_rate
[4] Murder Rate by Country 2024 - World Population Review https://worldpopulationreview.com/count ... by-country
[5] G7: murder rate by country | Statista https://www.statista.com/statistics/137 ... cide-rate/
[6] Italy vs United States Crime Stats Compared - NationMaster https://www.nationmaster.com/country-in ... ates/Crime
[7] Italy vs United States Crime > Violent crime Stats Compared https://www.nationmaster.com/country-in ... lent-crime
[8] Country comparison Italy vs United States Intentional homicides 2024 https://countryeconomy.com/countries/co ... sa?sc=XE28”

If you’re concern is not SD, but culinary instead (as it was mine when my wife spent a week in Tuscany, then a week in Venice some years ago), I’ll say I had many opportunities to buy a knife for picnics, but never did for all the wonderful eateries to eat wonderful food

And, without a knife in my pocket, I worried not a second about being scanned.

Easy, cowboy..

By grim I meant the apparent European tendency to ban/outlaw general knife carry.

And, yes, I absolutely pity any nation that strips the rights of its own citizens under the guise of security or any nation that lacks enumerated rights, especially the right to own firearms.

If you're an American I hope you pity them, too.

I appreciate the lecture, though.

[Meadowlark]

I would imagine that the biggest concern in Italy (and in other European tourist destinations) would be organized groups of Romani pickpockets.

Jim

Yes, multiple people who've experienced European travel have warned against this, especially certain parts of Italy.

Maybe widespread muggings are cultural enrichment?

Too bad Italians can't legally carry firearms, eh?

[James Y]

I would imagine that the biggest concern in Italy (and in other European tourist destinations) would be organized groups of Romani pickpockets.

Jim

Yes, multiple people who've experienced European travel have warned against this, especially certain parts of Italy.

Maybe widespread muggings are cultural enrichment?

Too bad Italians can't legally carry firearms, eh?

Yes it is. Or at least to carry a normal pocketknife.

I wonder if anybody has ever put mousetraps in their pockets or bags to get those pickpockets. Even if it could work, you would have to be extra meticulous about not reaching into your own booby-trapped pockets or bags.

Jim

[kobold]

I went through Italy with just a Rambler. But it was enough.

[SpyderVol]

Good reason to visit Maniago....known as the "city of knives." LionSteel makes a fine knife.

[Naperville]

Buy one when you get there.

Like I said I'm willing to do so if I'm allowed to ship it back home and, hopefully, carry it while I'm there?

Any Italian members here or experienced euro travelers?

Thanks.

You might try to get a knife in and have it confiscated at customs.

You have an itinerary or know where you plan to travel to. Use the Internet to look for knife retailers and buy one when you get out of the airport or in your travels. VG-10 or N690 will work in a pinch. Gift the knife you buy to the cleaning lady at the hotel!

[Naperville]

I would imagine that the biggest concern in Italy (and in other European tourist destinations) would be organized groups of Romani pickpockets.

Jim

Yes, multiple people who've experienced European travel have warned against this, especially certain parts of Italy.

Maybe widespread muggings are cultural enrichment?

Too bad Italians can't legally carry firearms, eh?

Carry very little, and put 10 rubber bands around the stack of folded travelers checks, ID and credit card, and stick it in your underwear or front pocket.