If possible, where can I buy pepper spray?

[sammy]

In Finland one does NOT enjoy the rights of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." It is against the law for you to fight back against robbery, rape or even murder. DO NOT act like an American and fight against the defilement of your "non-rights". Just resolve yourself to the fact that you are just another sheep in a world full of wolves.

No offence, but this just sounds quite absurd to me... almost hilarious, were it not for the serious subject matter.

I've enjoyed life, liberty and the occasional bout of happiness here for almost 40 years now, and strangely enough that has also included the liberty from having to lug any sort of weapon about with me. Even the thought of 'having' to do that would be a burden - not something I'd call 'freedom'

Goes to show how different our societies (or views of them) can be like, eh...

[catfish78]

My pocket knife isn't a self defense item. It is a tool. I have been carrying a pocket knife since Boy scouts. I have never once had to use it in any sort of self defense application. I was just curious if it was legal to carry.

[EP]

I know of an incident when a taxi driver sprayed tear gas into someone's eyes

Taxi drivers are a group that is allowed to have a pepper spray. But even they have to get a permit for it. It is not a very long time ago when taxi drivers were constantly robbed and even murdered. Those were the days when people payed with money, and at the end of the day there could be quite lot of it in the car. Nowadays people are starting to learn that it is no use robbing a taxi because there are only receits of payments by credit card.

When my son drove a cab he didn´t have a pepper spray. At nights he had a baseball bat in a place where sometimes aggressive clients could see it but could not reach it.

[EP]

Now I see you said tear-gas. I don´t know about that.

[mCowboy]

My pocket knife isn't a self defense item. It is a tool. I have been carrying a pocket knife since Boy scouts. I have never once had to use it in any sort of self defense application. I was just curious if it was legal to carry.

well the law stupidly states that anything that can be used as a weapon is illegal... including golf clubs or bicycle chains.

[catfish78]

Well there goes bringing my putter with me.

[sinikala]

My pocket knife isn't a self defense item. It is a tool. I have been carrying a pocket knife since Boy scouts. I have never once had to use it in any sort of self defense application. I was just curious if it was legal to carry.

Define pocket knife. How long is the blade. Is it fixed?

I have seen lots of people carrying "puukko" general purpose knives... I have 2 in my office... I just measured one the blade is 95mm. Perhaps a local can tell if carrying that is legal, as lots of workmen do so.

In England I think it would be illegal... IIRC 3" (76mm) is the limit.

I often have a penknife with me, just measured the blade length is 65mm but it would make a crap offensive weapon as the blade is not fixed.

[catfish78]

The one i carry most often has a 85mm lenght blade. It is a folding knife.