A....amnesty for knives!

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Erm...knives aren't banned, per se. Carrying them in public without a valid reason is. So, I can't take my 12" Bowie knife shopping with me, but I can carry it if I'm going camping. If memory serves correctly, you can carry non-locking folders with blades of less than 3" without any restrictions. Seems pretty reasonable to me.

(Edit-just realised it said this in the article. Never mind)

I don't quite get this knife amnesty, to be honest. Can't you just keep them in your house? It's legal there, and you could use it as cutlery or something.

[Marcellus]

I don't quite get this knife amnesty, to be honest. Can't you just keep them in your house? It's legal there, and you could use it as cutlery or something.

Not necessarily - certain types of knives (combat knives, for example) are banned altogether.

On the amnesty - whilst getting illegal knives off the street is a good thing, an amnesty on its own is certainly not going to solve the knife crime problem. A change in the perception of knives (so that they are not viewed as fashion accessories, for example) is needed. Just don't ask me how this could be brought about.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Oh, I wasn't aware of that. How do they categorise a 'Combat knife'? I know they come down really strongly on flick-knifes, but I thought knife legislation only covered public useage.

Still, if you keep it at home the only way the police are going to notice is if you give them reason to search your house.

[scooter_the_shooter]

A switch blade would be illegal. But a one handed opener would not?

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

I'm pretty sure the one handed opener would be illegal as well, if the blade was over 3" long or locking.

This is asuming you haven't got a bona fide reason for carrying it, of course.

[InsaneApache]

My knees are old and knarled...

[Blodrast]

I'm sorry, I must be missing something. Is there any significant difference in the lethality of a flick knife and one of my kitchen knives ?
So can't I just carry one of my kitchen knives with me all the time ? I mean, heck, they can't possibly arrest me for that - I can always justify carrying it ("I've just bought it/for someone else", "I'm going to xxxx place_which_justifies_carrying_a_kitchen_knife", etc)...

I suppose we'll live and see, but it seems to me a lot of absurd situations are gonna be created, and this won't really have the hoped-for impact on people who would prefer to carry a knife - just that it won't be the same _kind_ of knife...

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

I think the point is that flick knifes are easier to conceal. Carrying a kitchen knife in your hip pocket would most likely result in some injuries that aren't really worth contemplating.

[Marcellus]

Actually, I'm not sure what the law is on combat knives (although the article says that it is illegal when advertising a knife to indicate that it is suitable for combat, or is otherwise likely to stimulate violent behaviour). They may be legal (or not). Flick knives are definitely illegal.

[Beirut]

If memory serves correctly, you can carry non-locking folders with blades of less than 3" without any restrictions.

You mean there is no lock to keep the blade open and stop it closing on your fingers? Odd.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

You mean there is no lock to keep the blade open and stop it closing on your fingers? Odd.

Yes, pretty much. Something like your standard Victorinox Swiss Army knife.

[Beirut]

Double - sorry.

[Kaiser of Arabia]

Commies.

[Duke of Gloucester]

Don't know but I think they have courses there where you can learn how defend yourself against people who attack you with fruits and vegetables.

"...and now: I'm eating the banana!"

What about a pointy stick?

[AntiochusIII]

Just so some of the non-British members who are unaware note the point: the UK have had a general increase in knife-related crimes lately, especially among the youngsters, whose version of "yo yo im a dumb gangsta cool yo" values the knife, and not, say, the gun, as a symbol of macho superiority.

This seems to be a response to the overall situation.

[Banquo's Ghost]

What about a pointy stick?

Oooooh, aren't we all 'igh an' mighty? Want to defend yourself against pointy sticks, do you? Fruit not good enough?

[Red Peasant]

Commies.

Fascist.