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Knives here in UK?

This applies -

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That's it for buying one. As for wearing one, well, unless you want to feel like a total pratt, walking around town wearing a knife, please go ahead and try it and see what happens. Guess what? You'll be arrested. Y'see, the law hereabouts does not recognise that anybody would actually CARRY a knife around in public unless it is part of their work requirement - like being a professional fisherman, fire & rescue first responder, something like that. An ordinary Joe walking around the streets with a knife is an instant source of suspicion - I'll admit that I've never seen anybody with a knife here in UK that isn't a boy scout.

A young person carrying a knife is usually only doing so for two reasons - 1. To use on another young person. 2. To defend himself from another young person with a knife. People like this way outside my area of interest and experience - I live out in the countryside, and not in a town, where such youths are a commonplace sight. I know most of the youth in our double village, and TMK, none of them either carry a knife, or see the necessity to do so - it's an uban thang.

So a young person carrying a knife has no good reason to do so that would stand up on court, where he would be defending the charge of carrying an illegal weapon.

It's really not so hard to understand, is it?
Carrying the knife, or the gun, isn't the problem - It's how it is used by the person carrying it.

I doubt any person with criminal intent cares 1 bit about what the law says. Hence, those types of laws only guarantee that the criminals are armed while the "law abiding" populace are not. It's also a morality thing. I don't need a law to tell me not to stab/slice a person with a knife.

I carried a knife most of my adolescence and into adulthood. Haven't used it on anyone yet. A lot of boxes, branches, plastic rapped items, straps, and when cleaning fish, the fish. etc. have felt the blade.

Ultimately it becomes a conversation about freedom. If the government tells me I'm not allowed to carry something - that's a problem. A free people are capable of making decisions for how to comport themselves and what they carry on their person.
 
Canada is now trying to ban hunting Rifles and Shotguns, They have a LOT of dangerous animals and subsistence peoples away from cities.
 
Actually it is. At 54 years old and having had a knife on me every day since at least the third grade ( a birthday present from my folks), and never once having been tempted to use it on another person, most of these regulations seem rather silly. A knife is standard kit for anyone who actually DOES anything. Mine was kept in a pocket until a few years ago when the keys, wallet, cell phone, etc. got too much in the way and the knife moved to a sheath on my belt for easier access. As a mechanic I use a knife almost every day, scratching, scraping, prying, and sometimes even cutting something. Having to go get a knife every time I needed one would make about as much sense as having to go get shoelaces every time I wanted to walk. Being considered a criminal because of it is almost unfathomable.
Not wishing to argue with you, but you live in a different world to me. Here in some of the major cities, gangs of young boys, some as young as ten, roam the streets armed with knives that they use to cut up other young boys - gangs, y'know?

Not usual for a ten-twelve year-old schoolkid to walk around with a knife, but a GANG of similarly-aged kids certainly do. Maybe one youngster feels threatened by a local gang and carries a knife - and you can bet your last cent it won't be anything like a Swiss Army knife - for 'protection'.

However, we live in one of pair of villages with the same basic name, and there's absolutely nothing like that around here - not enough young people to make up a gang anyhow. But I bet that not a single one of them carries a knife of any kind. Why should they? They don't have a use for one.
 
Not wishing to argue with you, but you live in a different world to me. Here in some of the major cities, gangs of young boys, some as young as ten, roam the streets armed with knives that they use to cut up other young boys - gangs, y'know?

Not usual for a ten-twelve year-old schoolkid to walk around with a knife, but a GANG of similarly-aged kids certainly do. Maybe one youngster feels threatened by a local gang and carries a knife - and you can bet your last cent it won't be anything like a Swiss Army knife - for 'protection'.

However, we live in one of pair of villages with the same basic name, and there's absolutely nothing like that around here - not enough young people to make up a gang anyhow. But I bet that not a single one of them carries a knife of any kind. Why should they? They don't have a use for one.
So what I'm inferring is that despite all the laws against such, the people who cause problems still ignore those laws and the people that don't cause problems are restricted in their actions that generally wouldn't become a problem anyway.
 
So what I'm inferring is that despite all the laws against such, the people who cause problems still ignore those laws and the people that don't cause problems are restricted in their actions that generally wouldn't become a problem anyway.
Uh, your response is a tad convoluted, but it's a well-established fact that the law-abiding suffer because of the action of the NON-law-abiding.

In 1986 it cost us ALL our semi-auto centrefires and in 1997 ALL our standard cartridge-firing handguns.
 
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I frequently feel the need to "whittle." It relaxes me.

Aloha, Mark
 
Uh, your response is a tad convoluted, but it's a well-established fact that the law-abiding suffer because of the action of the NON-law-abiding.

In 1986 it cost us ALL our semi-auto centrefires and in 1997 ALL our standard cartridge-firing handguns.
Yep, so basically the law serves no benefit because those with criminal intent ignore it anyway.
 
Not wishing to argue with you, but you live in a different world to me. Here in some of the major cities, gangs of young boys, some as young as ten, roam the streets armed with knives that they use to cut up other young boys - gangs, y'know?

Not usual for a ten-twelve year-old schoolkid to walk around with a knife, but a GANG of similarly-aged kids certainly do. Maybe one youngster feels threatened by a local gang and carries a knife - and you can bet your last cent it won't be anything like a Swiss Army knife - for 'protection'.

However, we live in one of pair of villages with the same basic name, and there's absolutely nothing like that around here - not enough young people to make up a gang anyhow. But I bet that not a single one of them carries a knife of any kind. Why should they? They don't have a use for one.
I grew up amongst gangs who on more than 1 occasion did try to cut me up. My big old knives saved my hide. My crime was being Caucasian in the territory between the Mexican and Hmong gangs. Unfortunately, my family was extremely poor, and could not move out. I would never begrudge someone the right to life. And I only survived because I was armed. As I got to be older, I learned to make alliances for safety, that involved no knives, but was far, far more dangerous. Now my knives were also far more than weapons, they were tools as well which I used for darn near everything. I mowed lawns and did all kinds of manual labor.

I no longer deal with that regularly. I got out of the 3rd world poverty of where I grew up. But I still carry a knife. And my 10 year old daughter has a nice blade. Small, not defense oriented, but for carving and any other cutting tasks she encounters outside. My other daughter gets her blade at 10 as well. As it has been for the last 400 years for those of my line.
 
Just as with firearms...
The majority of folks who own and carry knives , do no harm to anyone.
Those that do harm others are criminals and should not to be confused or compared with the above.

Speaking for myself...
Being allowed to carry a knife , at a young age , was a rite of passage and mark of trust.
I carry one daily and have since I was 8 years old...and I ain't harmed anyone with my everyday carry knives.

However...
Laws are made...restrictions are placed and bans are enacted.
Yet folks are still harmed.

Perhaps a better method of curbing violence would be a focus on the criminals and not on the folks being harmed.
Andy
 
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Just as with firearms...
The majority of folks who own and carry knives , do no harm to anyone.
Those that do harm others are criminals and should not to be confused or compared with the above.

Speaking for myself...
Being allowed to carry a knife , at a young age , was a rite of passage and mark of trust.
I carry one daily and have since I was 8 years old...and I ain't harmed anyone with my everyday carry knives.

However...
Laws are made...restrictions are placed and bans are enacted.
Yet folks are still harmed.

Perhaps a better method of curbing violence would be a focus on the criminals and not on the folks being harmed.
Andy
Like I wrote - a message that appears to have eluded a number of people here - people in UK do not habitually carry knives on their persons. I've never met ANYBODY who does/did, apart from my grandad who used a little pearl-handled folder to clean out his pipe. He died in 1951.

I bleeve you'd find that it you went into a city in the USA and asked people in a shopping mall, for instance, if they carried a knife, the response would be a resounding 'huh?' However, if you went to a part of the city where most folks seemed to be 'hanging out' on street corners, watching the world go by, you'd get a different answer.

Same here.

Why make so much about it? Almost every country in Europe has some sort of law about carrying what they call an 'offensive weapon' for no good reason. I can see that crewing a fishing boat, you'd need a knife. So would a paramedic or other emergency services personnel. Linesman? Knife. Horseshoe-ist? Knife. However, they are not the sort of folks who use them on other people, are they?

When I go to the range, I carry my old Leatherman Wave - however, I have good reason - it's very handy with its multiplicity of screwdriver blades et al. However, it has a couple of locking blades, which makes it illegal in law, but just like police in the USA, a 'good reason' is required to stop and search. In THIS country, at least, a VERY good reason. Freaky behaviour? threatening other people? 'Known to carry a knife'? Gimme a break, FFS, I'm 76. Driving the nine miles between me and my gun club, in narrow country roads, I'm unlikely to encounter any problems involving gangs. Apart from that, I don't carry a knife at all, never having had a mad urge to whittle a penny whistle or do a bit of scrimshaw, nor the time to do it.
 
Like I wrote - a message that appears to have eluded a number of people here - people in UK do not habitually carry knives on their persons. I've never met ANYBODY who does/did, apart from my grandad who used a little pearl-handled folder to clean out his pipe. He died in 1951.

I bleeve you'd find that it you went into a city in the USA and asked people in a shopping mall, for instance, if they carried a knife, the response would be a resounding 'huh?' However, if you went to a part of the city where most folks seemed to be 'hanging out' on street corners, watching the world go by, you'd get a different answer.

Same here.

Why make so much about it? Almost every country in Europe has some sort of law about carrying what they call an 'offensive weapon' for no good reason. I can see that crewing a fishing boat, you'd need a knife. So would a paramedic or other emergency services personnel. Linesman? Knife. Horseshoe-ist? Knife. However, they are not the sort of folks who use them on other people, are they?

When I go to the range, I carry my old Leatherman Wave - however, I have good reason - it's very handy with its multiplicity of screwdriver blades et al. However, it has a couple of locking blades, which makes it illegal in law, but just like police in the USA, a 'good reason' is required to stop and search. In THIS country, at least, a VERY good reason. Freaky behaviour? threatening other people? 'Known to carry a knife'? Gimme a break, FFS, I'm 76. Driving the nine miles between me and my gun club, in narrow country roads, I'm unlikely to encounter any problems involving gangs. Apart from that, I don't carry a knife at all, never having had a mad urge to whittle a penny whistle or do a bit of scrimshaw, nor the time to do it.
Lots there...that don't apply to me.
My post which you quoted , was not aimed at you , the UK or knife laws in the UK.

It was just my thoughts and experiences with carrying a knife since I was a boy.

We live in two different worlds...I would expect different experiences and outlooks.
Never in any of my postings , have I questioned or criticized the UK , the people who live there , or any of its laws.

I also wouldn't question folks at a shopping mall if they carried a knife.
To be blunt...It ain't about whether I or anyone else knows or approves if they carry a knife or not.
However , I do carry one...everyday.
I find it useful to do so...and I have never harmed anyone with any of the knives that I choose to carry in my pocket.
Nor do I use / carry it for protection....it is a damn good and handy tool.
Most folks don't know that I even have it on my person.
And If I need to use it...I do so , all without making a big deal out of it.
So again , most folks don't even notice.

Just like firearms...
If you want to own them or carry , then carry...if you don't then don't
Just don't make that choice for me.

The above is just me...it works for me and where I live...it may not apply elsewhere or to anyone else.

I was quoted by you , so I have replied.
However.....
Understanding the hazards of electronic only communication ...
If I have read you wrong tac or read way too much into what you wrote, then I apologize.

Andy
 
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In the state of Idaho, a knife in the pocket is considered a "concealed weapon" and requires a permit. On the belt it would be 'open carry' and allowed by law. Of course local ordinances do apply. And one should be aware of the 'law'!
....are you telling me that I can't have a 3" Kershaw Dividend clipped to my pocket without a permit? And Idaho has such a permit for knives?
 
Like I wrote - a message that appears to have eluded a number of people here - people in UK do not habitually carry knives on their persons. I've never met ANYBODY who does/did, apart from my grandad who used a little pearl-handled folder to clean out his pipe. He died in 1951.

I bleeve you'd find that it you went into a city in the USA and asked people in a shopping mall, for instance, if they carried a knife, the response would be a resounding 'huh?' However, if you went to a part of the city where most folks seemed to be 'hanging out' on street corners, watching the world go by, you'd get a different answer.

Same here.

Why make so much about it? Almost every country in Europe has some sort of law about carrying what they call an 'offensive weapon' for no good reason. I can see that crewing a fishing boat, you'd need a knife. So would a paramedic or other emergency services personnel. Linesman? Knife. Horseshoe-ist? Knife. However, they are not the sort of folks who use them on other people, are they?

When I go to the range, I carry my old Leatherman Wave - however, I have good reason - it's very handy with its multiplicity of screwdriver blades et al. However, it has a couple of locking blades, which makes it illegal in law, but just like police in the USA, a 'good reason' is required to stop and search. In THIS country, at least, a VERY good reason. Freaky behaviour? threatening other people? 'Known to carry a knife'? Gimme a break, FFS, I'm 76. Driving the nine miles between me and my gun club, in narrow country roads, I'm unlikely to encounter any problems involving gangs. Apart from that, I don't carry a knife at all, never having had a mad urge to whittle a penny whistle or do a bit of scrimshaw, nor the time to do it.
Around here in the shopping malls, I would wager among men at least 70% would be carrying a knife in the suburbs of the Portland area. The pocket clips are pretty ubiquitous. In Oregon, there is also the fact that benchmade, gerber, leatherman, and several other knife companies are based here. I think that dramatically ups the number. Most of those knives would fall into the swiss army / leatherman style.

Oddly, having lived in gang areas and here, I would note Oregonians carry more knives than you would find in Los Angeles slums when I worked there a decade back. A lot of it is cultural.
 
Autres pay, autres facons.

We DO live in a different world to you.

I find that I've run out of information on this subject - like many things, the differences between your lives and mine can often be an uncrossable gap.
 

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