Leatherman Charge UK Legal - Disable Liner Lock

As posted in my Instructable (Victorinox Swisstool UK legal) I learned that in UK you may not legally carry any fixed blade knife or lockable folding blade knife or folding blade knife with a blade longer than 3 inches (7.62cm) except if you have a very good, genuine reason.

Step 1: Background

I yet found a way to (temporarily) block the lock mechanism of my Victorinox Swisstool, but it does not lock so nice and I would prefer to carry my Leatherman Charge, as this has a belt Clip and also a serrated blade. The only Solutions I found in the wb to block the loch mechanism of the Leatherman involve heting the linerlock and bending it inwards until it no longer catches the blade. That sounds to me like violating the tool and may damage it permanently.

But ist that easy ...

CAUTION:

As BeachsideHank comments under my first Instructable - blade locks are an essential safety Feature to prevent harmful cuts and injury. Do not disable any blade lock unless really necesarry and without knowing what you do. And once you did - do not Forget, that the lock ist now disabled!

Unfortunately, UK government (and probably other governments too) thinks that a blade lock turns a great multitool into a absolutely deadly weapon and that folding knifes withOUT blade locks are safer than the ones WITH blade locks ...

Step 2: Solution

The solution to block the linerlock is quite simple - yet I have not found it documented anywhere.

There are two copper washers, one of each side of the blade. So heat the screw (to soften the red Locktite inside the screw) and unscrew it (first photo).

Take out the blade and the two washers. Both washers are of different outer Diameter, as shown in the second photo. The bigger one is originally located between the blade and the outside of the handle. The smaller one is originally located between the blade and the inner side of the handle (where the linerlock is located).

Switch the washers - place the bigger on where the linerlock is (third photo), then the blade and the smaller washer on top. It is a bit funbling, as you have to press down the linerlock to put the smaller washer on top and then the outer part of the handle. Eventually put some Locktite on the screw and screw everythin together again.

Voila - as shown in the last photo, the bigger copper washer blocks the linerlock but still exercises enough pressure to prvent the blade from accidentially opening in your pocket (or wherever else).

Best of it - you can undo the mod within minutes if it is no longer required (I will change it back and enable the linerlock once I'm back from UK). It should also work with many other Leatherman multitools.

PS: Don't Forget that the tool has two blades, so repeat it on the serrated blade!