Scottish Knife Dealers Licence scheme now enforced.

[Macdonald]

As from 1st June, anyone selling or hiring any non-domestic knives or swords over 3.5" must have a valid knife dealers licence.

I have paid for one myself. Money taken from bank, but no licence yet. I don't believe Edinburgh Council have yet drafted the licence itself along with specific conditions...

What I did learn this morning from helpful chap in Edinburgh Council Licensing Department was that the Council have informed Lothian and Borders Police of all subscribed businesses and individuals.
From this has been concluded a list of businesses that deal with blades but have not yet subscribed to licence, and over the next few days and weeks, this legislation shall be enforced.

All present news here points towards a nation-wide blitz throughout Scotland to uncover dealers that are now trading unlicensed.

I might expect some media coverage soon, particularly if coupled with any imminent knife incident or crimes in Scotland.

Be prepared folks!

[maz]

Sounds good. Goodbye Victor Morris selling samurai swords to ned's hopefully.

[PS_Bond]

Sounds good.

No it doesn't. Nor will it make any difference to the availability of knives to neds.

1. Legislate & licence.
2. Ban.
3. ???
4. Profit!

[mirage]

[sarcasm]Excellent! Now we're all safe.[/sarcasm]

Step 2: Written records of names & addresses of all knife purchasers required.

Step 3: Knife licences introduced. (Ker-ching!) All law-abiding members of the public required to undergo government training course (Ker-ching!) before purchase of knives, specify exact details of all knives required and their purposes, then wait for several weeks while application is processed by local Knife Enquiry Officer (Ker-ching!)

Step 4: Amazingly, criminals still find a way to obtain sharp bits of metal, therefore...

Step 5: Government decides that the answer is more restrictions applied to the law-abiding!

mirage

[Pikebite]

Does this apply to private sales? If we buy a knife from someone in Scotland on BB do we need to make sure they have a licence?

[Rab]

Sounds good. Goodbye Victor Morris selling samurai swords to ned's hopefully.

No, it won't stop that at all, but it has meant that I've stopped selling Highland Dirks and longer Sgian Dubhs, especially pointless considering that most were exported !

Rab

[MeetTheGeeks]

Im to speechless to give anything nice as a reply. Im stunned and hoping its april the first..

[maz]

Step 3: Knife licences introduced. (Ker-ching!) All law-abiding members of the public required to undergo government training course (Ker-ching!) before purchase of knives, specify exact details of all knives required and their purposes, then wait for several weeks while application is processed by local Knife Enquiry Officer (Ker-ching!)

I would love that idea if it meant I could carry a locking +3" knife without fear of being given 6 months in jail. It keeps the harsh penalties in place for the people that need them, and allows a sense of trust for the trustworthy. At least it would be a compromise on 'sharp = bad, sharp = jail'.

[mirage]

I would love [the idea of knife licences] if it meant I could carry a locking +3" knife...

Nooooo...

In politicians' eyes the automatic, simple progression is:

Licencing > Registration > Confiscation.

Knife licences would be nothing more than a convenient way of lining yourself up to have your property seized at the regime's whim: "Coo-ee, Mr. Home Secretary! I own a Sebenza, a Strider [etc.] and I live at No.47, High Street!"

See handguns and self-loading rifles, for example.

mirage

[zorro]

Will this apply to car boot sales?

Every other stall at our local site seems to be selling kitchen knife sets lately.

[PS_Bond]

I would love that idea if it meant I could carry a locking +3" knife without fear of being given 6 months in jail.

It wouldn't.

[maz]

Nooooo...

In politicians' eyes the automatic, simple progression is:

Licencing > Registration > Confiscation.

Knife licences would be nothing more than a convenient way of lining yourself up to have your property seized at the regime's whim: "Coo-ee, Mr. Home Secretary! I own a Sebenza, a Strider [etc.] and I live at No.47, High Street!"

See handguns and self-loading rifles, for example.

mirage

Excuse my naivety, I wasn't around for the great gun confiscation era! An how'd did you know where I live?

[Macdonald]

Will this apply to car boot sales?

Every other stall at our local site seems to be selling kitchen knife sets lately.

It would not in such a case Zorro, because....(and this is the really funny bit).......the licence only applies to swords and "non-domestic knives".

That's right, all the usual High Street suspects who regularly sell cheap kitchen knives do not need to apply for or possess this licence.

And what types of blades are typically carried and used on the streets of the UK?

Oh that's right, high quality handcrafted historical reproductions and custom made dirks of course.....

[PeterC]

What counts as a Domestic Knife?

[651bobby]

What counts as a Domestic Knife?

well I use my trailmaster on my own land and in the kitchen so that is surely domestic.

and the light cavalry sabre is for the hog roast...