Government consultation on banning large knives and machetes

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TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
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I make knives for a living mate, so it's pretty relevant to myself also. Understandable to be worried about some things, but i do generally find our government pretty sensible when it comes to knife law.

BTW - Nice to see you are back - hope all is good with you.
 
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Kepis

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 17, 2005
6,705
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Criminals will carry anything they can get their hands on.
One of my good friends is a serving Police Officer and she was telling me that one of the favoured "tools" that are used these days are sharpened bicycle spokes, easy to carry, easy to hide, easy to lose in a hurry, but cause awful deep wounds.
 
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Herman30

Native
Aug 30, 2015
1,376
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Criminals will always find something to use as a weapon no matter what the goverment bannes. In the end you have to ban fist size rocks as they too can be used as weapons. This is a race the the men in charge never can win.
 

Broch

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Jan 18, 2009
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I think there are different issues here. If we use the Knotting Hill Carnival as an example, there was clearly a VERY small number of people that were out to create their 'show' by wielding knives; it wouldn't have been a show with a screwdriver, a kitchen knife, or a bicycle spoke - it had to be a big, curvy, ugly knife. To some of these youths, the 'show' part of the weapon is important - what percentage, I don't know.
 
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plastic-ninja

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Jan 11, 2011
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Obviously this is ( to us at least ) common sense, but it seems clearly that all that is required of any new knife legislation is a heavy sentence for possession with intent to commit further offences of fear or violence with the item concerned. That and better education of police officers and in schools.
The rest all just seems to be posturing for the pr machine leading to the next election.
 
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Dec 5, 2010
9
14
London
The draft SI has been published now. It looks like it will come in to force on 24 September.

 

Broch

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Derr... I've just skimmed through, so correct me if I'm wrong but - it's a defence if charged for the little yobs to claim they have made their zombie knives by hand?

I must have got that wrong; I'll read again in the morning :)
 
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nigelp

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Jul 4, 2006
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I think there are different issues here. If we use the Knotting Hill Carnival as an example, there was clearly a VERY small number of people that were out to create their 'show' by wielding knives; it wouldn't have been a show with a screwdriver, a kitchen knife, or a bicycle spoke - it had to be a big, curvy, ugly knife. To some of these youths, the 'show' part of the weapon is important - what percentage, I don't know.
I think you are right. The zombie knifes have no practical purpose other than ‘show’. I’d imagine someone coming at you with a machete would be a terrifying experience.
 

Chris

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Sep 20, 2022
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Lincolnshire
Interesting to point out that they are defining blade length as follows:

“(iii)a blade of over 8 inches in length (the length of the blade being the straight-line distance from the top of the handle to the tip of the blade)”

This is contrary to what people have said with regards to pocket knife exemption. For example if this is the interpretation to be made regarding blade length on a more general basis, it would make things like the Boker Plus XS folder illegal to carry as a pocket knife.
 

nigelp

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Jul 4, 2006
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sa)the weapon sometimes known as a “zombie-style knife” or “zombie-style machete”, being a bladed article with—

(i)a plain cutting edge;

(ii)a sharp pointed end; and

(iii)a blade of over 8 inches in length (the length of the blade being the straight-line distance from the top of the handle to the tip of the blade),
 

Chris

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Sep 20, 2022
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Lincolnshire
Yes, this legislation is regarding zombie knives, but my fear is that this is an indication of how the government is wanting to define blade length in general.
 

Pattree

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Jul 19, 2023
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I’m confused: This would appear to include nearly every carving knife in the country being typically 220mm = (8.66 inches)
 

nigelp

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I’m confused: This would appear to include nearly every carving knife in the country being typically 220mm = (8.66 inches)
which also has one or more of the features specified in paragraph 1A and which is not a weapon that falls under paragraph 1(s);”

(3) After paragraph 1, insert—

“1A.—(1) For the purposes of paragraph 1(sa), the specified features are—

(a)a serrated cutting edge (other than a serrated cutting edge of up to 2 inches next to the handle);

(b)more than one hole in the blade;

(c)spikes;

(d)more than two sharp points in the blade (other than a sharp point of a kind specified in sub-paragraph (2)).

(2) The kinds of sharp point mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(d) are—

(a)a sharp point where the angle between the edges which create the point is an angle of at least 90 degrees (where there is a curved edge, the angle will be measured by reference to the tangent of the curve);

(b)a sharp point on the cutting edge of the blade near the handle.”
 

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