Knife ban today
“In Norway, most murders are committed with knives.”
Verdens Gang (newspaper), 30.12.2023
Today, it is basically illegal to carry a knife in public. The decisive element is a knife’s potential to inflict harm, not its size, area of use, or shape. There are, however, some exceptions, so-called worthy purposes—for example when one needs a knife at work, engages in outdoor activities, or carries a knife as part of a traditional or historical costume. For example, in a medieval fair, one may carry a knife or sword as part of the costume one is wearing. The possession of certain types of knives, such as stiletto daggers, flick knives, butterfly knives, and machetes, is completely prohibited for any purpose. Nevertheless, customs and the police constantly confiscate such knives. But as in the Middle Ages, it is household and utility knives that are the most accessible and misused.
