Appealing to all UK collectors- urgent !!!

[FenrisWolf]

Originally Posted by fenlander

If this goes through does it mean that there will be a flood of cut price antique swords on the market? It could be a windfall for other collectors. Yipeee
We also won't have all those rich British collectors bidding on e-bay
See, there is a silver lining to every cloud.

Sorry just a bit of fun in an otherwise bad situation!
But seriously this law will never go through, it will be more of a mess than the dangerous dogs act. DDA

Trust me, the way the climate is in the UK, once a law like this makes it onto the Parliament floor, getting it passed is little more than a formality. Don't compare the way politics works in the US to the UK, their system is just weird. This law is already in effect in New Zealand and a couple other British Commonwealth nations. At least in New Zealand they had the excuse of a few nutjobs trying to revisit their headhunter roots as an excuse.

The problem is that despite the basic tenets of British Common Law, self defense and the defense of one's property is no longer considered justification for the possesion or use of arms of any kind. Sporting use or collecting is it, so if you aren't an aristo with shooting/hunting priveleges or a hobknobber who makes donations to the big name museums, forget getting a permit.

[katana]

Unfortunately, in the UK the media have been regulary reporting a so called 'knife culture', There is some substance to this as there have been a number of fatal stabbings ....usually young males are the perpetrators in gang related /street crime. But whether this is a newer phenomena or because it has been 'highlighted' by media attention making this seem to be a growing trend is not certain. Many previous fatal stabbings/knife attacks did not get so much 'media coverage'.
I also think that 9/11 has had a deep pychological effect on people. Although the planes were the destructive force used....knives were the simple tool that allowed the terrorists to 'take control' of the airliners.

As is widely known we had a knife amnesty in this country....which was hailed a success.....if you could call the handing in of weapons by law abiding citizens a triumph

Hopefully, including swords in this ban...is political manoeuvring...ban all bladed weapons and then 'negiotiate' some concessions....so we (the people) at least have a minor victory.

MP's seem blind to the fact that a 'sharpened' screwdriver is just as lethal as a knife, .....and would be 'legal' to carry

[Justin]

Go figure, you eliminate all the guns and stabbings go up, I wonder if there will be a rise in poisonings once the swords get banned?

This type of thing makes me appreciate living in a nation where we have 'a rifle behind every blade of grass.'





I wish there was something us non-UK collectors could do to help.

[katana]

Originally Posted by Justin

.....you eliminate all the guns and stabbings go up...............

I wish there was something us non-UK collectors could do to help.

Import more guns........ I'm joking......honest.....

[Sikh_soldier]

Although the recent rise in knife culture is seriously worrying, living in west london, from what i hear in the news most attacks are using flick knives, butterfly knives etc....... no incidents including a 18th century Damascus Wootz tulwar with gold koftgari hilt and fullered blade!!!

[derek]

I read this post and immediately saw an RSS feed from the BBC about a knife-related murder. The scare is on! Once the media start pounding an "issue", it's tough to fight the hysteria. Good luck guys.
-d

[Matt Easton]

Originally Posted by Sikh_soldier

Although the recent rise in knife culture is seriously worrying, living in west london, from what i hear in the news most attacks are using flick knives, butterfly knives etc....... no incidents including a 18th century Damascus Wootz tulwar with gold koftgari hilt and fullered blade!!!

Actually, depending on which statistics you believe, kitchen knives are used in something like 70% of British knife crime. Screwdrivers and craft knives make up about another 20%. Swords are used, apparently, in less than 1% of British knife (edged weapon) crime.
Of course, since handguns were banned gun crime has increased by 40% (or more).
I'm in West London as well . Never been attacked with a knife or gun, but I have been attacked by glasses and bottles (in Soho both times).

[ariel]

Boddington Bilge bottles have a particularly fine temper.
Unlike their users...