Thread: eBay UK Knife Ban

Originally Posted by icedog

So people in the UK don't know how to remove a boning knife or a meat cleaver from their kitchen?

According to their government, no. Such simple folk

Can anyone from the UK explain this aversion to both arming the populace and allowing kids to get away with murder? Once again, it's a culture difference that I'm just trying to understand because I don't get it. One of my goals for the year is to better understand the world and the people in it

I think where my confusion stems from is the non-action from people about this. How many kids got killed last year in England? Wasn't it upwards of 30? I don't get how the answer to this is "ban knives" and not "let's go kick these gang bangers' asses".

Originally Posted by Quick Orange

I think where my confusion stems from is the non-action from people about this. How many kids got killed last year in England? Wasn't it upwards of 30? I don't get how the answer to this is "ban knives" and not "let's go kick these gang bangers' asses".

well, it's britain, so i think they say "arses" instead. it's a weird cultural difference.

Originally Posted by Quick Orange

I think where my confusion stems from is the non-action from people about this. How many kids got killed last year in England? Wasn't it upwards of 30? I don't get how the answer to this is "ban knives" and not "let's go kick these gang bangers' asses".

I was seriously tempted to use the ROFL emoticon if this wasn't such a sad issue
I think you are confusing '2008' with 'december of 2008'

A quick check confirmed that there's nearly one stabbing-a-day.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/ja...ime-statistics
270 in England and Wales. That's Northern ireland and Scotland not included.

Really. If it was 'only' 30, it wouldn't be that big a problem.
Before anyone gets angry at me: yes, I know, every single one of them is life wrecking a tragedy too much.
But for a society with the population of the UK, 30 in a year would be much different than 30 per month.

Without getting too political, in the UK, the government likes to be seen to be doing something. Usually whatever makes a good soundbite on the evening news, whether or not it is actually a sensible solution that works. We, believe it or not, have knife amnesties. Usually on the TV news, a police officer is shown along side a table covered, to be honest, in what looks like the contents of the average kitchen drawer/workshop toolbox. He says something along the lines of " Look at all the potential weapons we have taken off the streets" Unfortunately, a high proportion of the viewing/voting public are daft enough to think that this will actually reduce knife crime. Well, they say you get the government that you deserve.

all joking aside, it really IS a cultural difference.
Watch the Metropolitan police's anti-knife crime ad | Media | guardian.co.uk

I just watched the above anti-knife commercial, which is apparently british in origin. To me, as a gun-carrying, knife-carrying (since I was 6) responsible citizen, it's absolutely hysterical. I mean, it's like they're trying to be funny.

1. he sticks a paring knife with a naked blade in his waistband. how would you NOT cut your ass when you sat down?
2. did I mention that it's a tiny paring knife? I have a bigger knife in my pocket right now, and carried a bigger boy scout knife with me starting from elementary school on up into college. hell, I loaned it to teachers. no one has EVER cared. before 9/11 I carried a knife with me on planes and no one cared. it's just a tool.
3. the orwellian overtones of the commercial are so overdone it borders on melodrama.

seriously, this is hoplophobia taken to its radical, illogical extreme. a knife is a useful thing. cars are far more dangerous and far more people are killed with them every year. knives have just been propagandized as "scary" for some inexplicable reason.

I really, truly don't get it.

Whilst this thread has turned into a great session of bait the Brits, it has entirely missed the point of the question I asked. I was wondering where us British & Irish shavers would turn to as our primary source of vintage blades, if indeed straight razors are banned by & on the Bay in these Isles.

The knife laws in this country are an utter mess. No argument from me. Every time the crime figures go up, we have a "knife crackdown". It doesn't really affect most people at all, I think it is fair to say. Us shaving loonies are so far outside the politico's target demographic that we do not matter. My perspective is that a knife makes a better tool than a weapon & I, like icedog, would reach for a pool cue over a blade. I just can not see the logic behind potentially handing my adversary a means of attack.

Originally Posted by Spike J

Whilst this thread has turned into a great session of bait the Brits, it has entirely missed the point of the question I asked. I was wondering where us British & Irish shavers would turn to as our primary source of vintage blades, if indeed straight razors are banned by & on the Bay in these Isles.
.

Maybe now is the time to invest in a belt grinder.

Originally Posted by Bruno

I was seriously tempted to use the ROFL emoticon if this wasn't such a sad issue
I think you are confusing '2008' with 'december of 2008'

A quick check confirmed that there's nearly one stabbing-a-day.
Fatal stabbings at 30-year high | UK news | The Guardian
270 in England and Wales. That's Northern ireland and Scotland not included.

Really. If it was 'only' 30, it wouldn't be that big a problem.
Before anyone gets angry at me: yes, I know, every single one of them is life wrecking a tragedy too much.
But for a society with the population of the UK, 30 in a year would be much different than 30 per month.

Sorry, I meant the 30 teens from the same area...my mistake.

Spike, sorry to jack your thread. The article explicitly mentions sending things as gifts, so that's out. You might be able to get by with "historic instruments" or some such. If it's a real live antique, like most of these are, there might be some loophole.

Originally Posted by Spike J

Whilst this thread has turned into a great session of bait the Brits, it has entirely missed the point of the question I asked. I was wondering where us British & Irish shavers would turn to as our primary source of vintage blades, if indeed straight razors are banned by & on the Bay in these Isles.

The knife laws in this country are an utter mess. No argument from me. Every time the crime figures go up, we have a "knife crackdown". It doesn't really affect most people at all, I think it is fair to say. Us shaving loonies are so far outside the politico's target demographic that we do not matter. My perspective is that a knife makes a better tool than a weapon & I, like icedog, would reach for a pool cue over a blade. I just can not see the logic behind potentially handing my adversary a means of attack.

No wonder the actions of so many governments creates 'conspiracy theories.'
It's hard to imagine they are actually so inept but I digress.

As straights are made by 'cutlers' and therefore a cutlery knife they should 'logically' be exempt, but convincing 'Big Brother' may be another thing. I would look at any loopholes re antique collecting that may serve you.
Stupid laws are often flawed in more ways than one.

Hey! I got an idea..... make the punishment fit the crime.
I'm also very much for an armed citizenry.