5 ms·

In the UK, both are now illegal, can't even sell a knife to anybody under 18, same with glue and many things above and beyond alcohol and tobacco. Equally, havi

by Zenst 8y ago

In the UK, both are now illegal, can't even sell a knife to anybody under 18, same with glue and many things above and beyond alcohol and tobacco. Equally, having a knife in public, would be mandatory jail in the UK in the current climate. For a child, they would be taken into care and some serious nightmares for the parents from social services and the police. As for explosives, all the above, but far worse. By default you would get classed a terrorist until proven innocent style justice on that one, again the current climate.

ada1981 8y ago
My friends and I grew up field testing pretty much everything in the anarchist cook book. Our summers were filled making exotic explosives and blowing things up. It’s a wonder we all lived, with no major injuries or jail time. Our antics would land a kid these days in Guantanamo Bay.
- BFLpL0QNek 8y ago
  Having a copy of the anarchist / jolly roger cookbook would have you serving jail time in 2019. I remember a time where you would see printed copies at car boot sales or numerous geocity copies.
  - Symbiote 8y ago
    Not on its own. It's been considered additional evidence for (planning) terrorism as far as I know.
  - ada1981 8y ago
    You could buy it at a local comic book store in the 90s in Erie, PA. (Ps, my local pizza shop, just down the road from the comic shop, was the feature of the Netflix doc Evil Genius. The Pizza Bomber was the dude who brought us our pizza and my best friends managed the shop when it all went down.)
frosted-flakes 8y ago
What kind of knives are we talking about? Are even mini Swiss Army knives with 1.5" blades banned? What about a multi-tool like a Leatherman Wave, which has three 3" blades along with pliers, etc? I carry my leatherman everywhere I go, and wouldn't blink if I saw a 14 year old with one. Ontario, Canada.
- Zak 8y ago
  UK law is that a folding knife under 3" is generally legal to carry in public. Anything else requires a "good reason", which can be problematic if the cop/judge doesn't see things your way. A court ruling some time ago decided that a folding knife with a locking mechanism is actually a fixed blade and therefore not generally legal to carry. Traditional Swiss Army Knives are non-locking and most of them are under 3". Most modern multitools do have locking blades and would run afoul of the aforementioned court ruling. I'm not sure if being under 18 changes things, but it very well might given the UK has such a hostile attitude toward teenagers that it popularized the use of a low-grade sonic weapon to discourage their presence in public spaces (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mosquito https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mosquito).
  - darkpuma 8y ago
    Sounds like the leatherman I had as a teenager would be illegal then; that's pretty nuts. The most dangerous thing I ever did with it was take apart a microwave oven, and that didn't even involve the blade.
    - tikkabhuna 8y ago
      I have a leatherman in London with a locking blade. It was a Christmas present from my dad and I emailed the local police about the legality of it. Ultimately, if you're walking round with it in the bottom of your bag and you have a use for it, you'll be fine. They're looking to stop people from having it in their pocket as they're walking round town. Same with the kitchen knives, got it down the back of your trousers 11pm loitering around, they're gonna get you. They're legal to have at home as well, and can be bought on Amazon.
blibble 8y ago
tesco sells gunpowder perfectly legally in the form of fireworks (but yes you have to be 18)
- dsfyu404ed 8y ago
  Fireworks are not legal for sale or possession in the more "progressive" parts of the US. (quotes added to emphasize the irony)
DanBC 8y ago
> Equally, having a knife in public, would be mandatory jail in the UK in the current climate. No, this is untrue, please don't spread misinformation like this. If you're carrying a small and legal knife you're okay. If you're carrying a bigger knife but have a good reason you're okay. It's only if you're taking a knife into a football stadium or school or if you're affiliated with a gang that you're going to risk prosecution, and even then jail would be unusual. https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/offensive-weapons-knives-bladed-and-pointed-articles https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/offensive-weapons-kniv... Here's the CPS saying that youths may not even be charged, let alone receive a prison sentence: > The first arrest of a youth aged 16 years or over, for simple possession of an offensive weapon or sharply pointed blade, with no aggravating factors will normally result in a charge. > The first arrest of a youth aged under 16 years for simple possession of an offensive weapon or sharply pointed blade, with no aggravating factors, will result, in a Youth Caution or a Youth Conditional Caution. This must be supported by an appropriate YOT intervention, preferably with elements focussed on anti-knife crime education. For a youth under 16 years, an out of court disposal which is not a youth caution or a youth conditional caution should not be used. The sentencing council has guidance here: https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/publications/item/bladed-articles-and-offensive-weapons-definitive-guideline/ https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/publications/item/blade... For "Section 139 Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Bladed and Pointed Articles)" the recommendation is here: https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/magistrates-court/item/bladed-articles-and-offensive-weapons-possession/ https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/magistrates-co... > Maximum: 4 years’ custody > Offence range: Fine – 2 years 6 months’ custody But you need to read it to work out what tips it into prison sentence vs a fine.
- bluedino 8y ago
  You can't take a knife into a football stadium here in the USA, either.
RugnirViking 8y ago
I was recently a child in the uk only a few years ago (I'm in my early 20s) and got into trouble for having a knife while playing out in the woods. I was sent home with the knife confiscated, and it was later returned to me. Of course, its entirely possible in other circumstances for it to be less/more acceptable. While at scouts we could of course carry knives without worry, and even met police officers who came to talk to us who had no issue with us carrying it while explicitly using them for scouting.
- Symbiote 8y ago
  Who decided it was a problem — police, or an interfering parent?
  - RugnirViking 8y ago
    police

by Zenst 8y ago

ada1981 8y ago

My friends and I grew up field testing pretty much everything in the anarchist cook book. Our summers were filled making exotic explosives and blowing things up. It’s a wonder we all lived, with no major injuries or jail time. Our antics would land a kid these days in Guantanamo Bay.

BFLpL0QNek 8y ago
Having a copy of the anarchist / jolly roger cookbook would have you serving jail time in 2019. I remember a time where you would see printed copies at car boot sales or numerous geocity copies.
- Symbiote 8y ago
  Not on its own. It's been considered additional evidence for (planning) terrorism as far as I know.
- ada1981 8y ago
  You could buy it at a local comic book store in the 90s in Erie, PA. (Ps, my local pizza shop, just down the road from the comic shop, was the feature of the Netflix doc Evil Genius. The Pizza Bomber was the dude who brought us our pizza and my best friends managed the shop when it all went down.)

frosted-flakes 8y ago

What kind of knives are we talking about? Are even mini Swiss Army knives with 1.5" blades banned? What about a multi-tool like a Leatherman Wave, which has three 3" blades along with pliers, etc? I carry my leatherman everywhere I go, and wouldn't blink if I saw a 14 year old with one. Ontario, Canada.

Zak 8y ago
UK law is that a folding knife under 3" is generally legal to carry in public. Anything else requires a "good reason", which can be problematic if the cop/judge doesn't see things your way. A court ruling some time ago decided that a folding knife with a locking mechanism is actually a fixed blade and therefore not generally legal to carry. Traditional Swiss Army Knives are non-locking and most of them are under 3". Most modern multitools do have locking blades and would run afoul of the aforementioned court ruling. I'm not sure if being under 18 changes things, but it very well might given the UK has such a hostile attitude toward teenagers that it popularized the use of a low-grade sonic weapon to discourage their presence in public spaces (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mosquito https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mosquito).
- darkpuma 8y ago
  Sounds like the leatherman I had as a teenager would be illegal then; that's pretty nuts. The most dangerous thing I ever did with it was take apart a microwave oven, and that didn't even involve the blade.
  - tikkabhuna 8y ago
    I have a leatherman in London with a locking blade. It was a Christmas present from my dad and I emailed the local police about the legality of it. Ultimately, if you're walking round with it in the bottom of your bag and you have a use for it, you'll be fine. They're looking to stop people from having it in their pocket as they're walking round town. Same with the kitchen knives, got it down the back of your trousers 11pm loitering around, they're gonna get you. They're legal to have at home as well, and can be bought on Amazon.

blibble 8y ago

tesco sells gunpowder perfectly legally in the form of fireworks (but yes you have to be 18)

dsfyu404ed 8y ago
Fireworks are not legal for sale or possession in the more "progressive" parts of the US. (quotes added to emphasize the irony)

DanBC 8y ago

> Equally, having a knife in public, would be mandatory jail in the UK in the current climate. No, this is untrue, please don't spread misinformation like this. If you're carrying a small and legal knife you're okay. If you're carrying a bigger knife but have a good reason you're okay. It's only if you're taking a knife into a football stadium or school or if you're affiliated with a gang that you're going to risk prosecution, and even then jail would be unusual. https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/offensive-weapons-knives-bladed-and-pointed-articles https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/offensive-weapons-kniv... Here's the CPS saying that youths may not even be charged, let alone receive a prison sentence: > The first arrest of a youth aged 16 years or over, for simple possession of an offensive weapon or sharply pointed blade, with no aggravating factors will normally result in a charge. > The first arrest of a youth aged under 16 years for simple possession of an offensive weapon or sharply pointed blade, with no aggravating factors, will result, in a Youth Caution or a Youth Conditional Caution. This must be supported by an appropriate YOT intervention, preferably with elements focussed on anti-knife crime education. For a youth under 16 years, an out of court disposal which is not a youth caution or a youth conditional caution should not be used. The sentencing council has guidance here: https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/publications/item/bladed-articles-and-offensive-weapons-definitive-guideline/ https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/publications/item/blade... For "Section 139 Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Bladed and Pointed Articles)" the recommendation is here: https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/magistrates-court/item/bladed-articles-and-offensive-weapons-possession/ https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/magistrates-co... > Maximum: 4 years’ custody > Offence range: Fine – 2 years 6 months’ custody But you need to read it to work out what tips it into prison sentence vs a fine.

bluedino 8y ago
You can't take a knife into a football stadium here in the USA, either.

RugnirViking 8y ago

I was recently a child in the uk only a few years ago (I'm in my early 20s) and got into trouble for having a knife while playing out in the woods. I was sent home with the knife confiscated, and it was later returned to me. Of course, its entirely possible in other circumstances for it to be less/more acceptable. While at scouts we could of course carry knives without worry, and even met police officers who came to talk to us who had no issue with us carrying it while explicitly using them for scouting.

Symbiote 8y ago
Who decided it was a problem — police, or an interfering parent?
- RugnirViking 8y ago
  police