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Originally Posted by Pukka Bundook
look at the UK, stricktest laws it's ever had, and More crime than ever before. Even knives with blades over 4 inches are in the works now.
Richard.
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The crime figures are actually a subject of some contention at the moment over here. It really depends on how you read them, but our rates of violent crime OVERALL is roughly steady or declining. Some areas have shown slight increases, and there in lies the contention as some of the rises have been attributed to better detection, recording and increased reporting, while other areas have shown a decrease. Anyway the UKs figures are a whole thread in themselves.
As for strict laws!
In the UK any blade over 3.5cm IS classed as an offensive weapon if carried without specific cause (such as a fisherman carrying a knife whilst actually fishing or travelling to or from that activity) intent does not have to be proved, possesion in public is an offence. While any blade or sharp CAN be classed as an offensive weapon under certain circumstances even if below the 3.5cm threshold if intent can be proved.
Virtually all knives are legal to own in the home. With a few exceptions.
Those are in the main knives with concealed baldes that can be opened with one hand (apart from simple folding penknives with a small catch on the blade which are not specifically designed to be opened with one hand) In other words, completely prohibited knives include: 'switch blades' Spring opening knives, gravity knives, butterfly knives.
The recent addition of any curved bladed, single edged 'sword' where the overall length is 18inches is still undergoing some revisions as the authorities realise just how unenforcable such a vague law is. Although they are still legal to own 'in the home'
Other banned weapons in the UK include:
Electrical stun guns
Self defence gas/CS spray/Mace
Spring opperated telescopic batons (I think)
Air weapons with a muzzle velocity of over 12ft/lbs
Brocock air cartridge system weapons
The list is endless!