Machete seized by UK customs

[Paul_B]

Website showing a zombie knife

Second image Google found for a zombie knife. What style of historical knife is that and does it matter? Apart from a few details, of which the guard is a minor one, I think it's fairly close to the OPs knife.

Whether it's a Kopis, seax or any other kind of knife in style it's not got the appearance of a knife in common use today. It's not utilitarian in design for modern, legal uses afaik. I think customs and I agree, confiscation was the best option.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Almost as worrying as someone buying something that’s effectively a cutlass crossed with a kopis and wondering why it’s seized

Let us put it down to inexperience, the OP has obviously never gardened before & his zombie fighting skills have yet to be honed.
However, the marketing boys have proven yet again, that the old P.T. Barnum quote is as relevant today as it has always been.

 

[TeeDee]

I don't think its either beneficial of charitable to poke fun at or criticise the OP for being as open and as transparent as they have been.


So what style of Blade do the Police seize in a Knife amnesty or take from a criminal activity?

Do only 'Zombie Knives' get used in crime? - No.
Maybe they are used for a higher representative proportion of crime? - Again , I don't think so.

 

[TeeDee]

 

[Mr Wolf]

I don't think its either beneficial of charitable to poke fun at or criticise the OP for being as open and as transparent as they have been

Apologies, I know I’m not alone when taking the op seriously when they are new and called Tesco bag

 

[TeeDee]

Apologies, I know I’m not alone when taking the op seriously when they are new and called Tesco bag

No , you are correct Mr Wolf.
We must read so much into the profile names people choose to bestow on themselves.

 

[Mr Wolf]

No , you are correct Mr Wolf.
We must read so much into the profile names people choose to bestow on themselves.

I’m scabby and not house trained

 

[Tengu]

Nobody judges me by my name.

 

[TeeDee]

I’m scabby and not house trained

Or maybe a Tarantino reference.

 

[gra_farmer]

I don't think its either beneficial of charitable to poke fun at or criticise the OP for being as open and as transparent as they have been.


So what style of Blade do the Police seize in a Knife amnesty or take from a criminal activity?

Do only 'Zombie Knives' get used in crime? - No.
Maybe they are used for a higher representative proportion of crime? - Again , I don't think so.

View attachment 66683


View attachment 66684

View attachment 66685View attachment 66686View attachment 66687

As can be seen from @TeeDee Post, the large majority of knives used are kitchen knives, and in fact stores such as tkmax have in the past been identified as a big contributer to knife crime.

The difficulties here is that 'labeling' knives is only a way to limit some of the knives out there, does it stop it, not really.

@TescoBag you were buying from what you thought was a UK store, thus UK stores have to abide by the law and thus you didn't think anything of it. No blame there, you are the victim here.

I honestly don't think that anyone has not been tempted in the past by very unsuitable knife choices, I know I have.

There was a recommendation of condor blades by Chris, I have the bushcraft parang, love it and makes very quick work of plants/trees I don't want to keep. Plus there is a playing factor here, which @TescoBag was obviously aiming for.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

I don't think its either beneficial of charitable to poke fun at or criticise the OP

You are absolutely right but I have to live up to my user name.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Interesting photos @TeeDee. The third one down, with all the folders, shows high percentages of Swiss Army Knives, mostly locking models, but notably two non-locking and Opinels, including one blunt kids' version and a Gerber multitool and a Leatherman Wave.

A little peer pressure criticism can be good, but meanness doesn't help. Ideal outcome would be to educate a chap about quality tools, and highlight how some designs marketed to look "cool" are viewed as...well......by the knowledgeable folk here. I think that has probably been done more than adequately by now!

 

[Mr Wolf]

Nobody judges me by my name.

I do, but I like Japanese mythology.... Tesco bags not so much

 

[TescoBag]

I do, but I like Japanese mythology.... Tesco bags not so much

It's a silly username, why would you judge anyone by their username anyway?

I've taken the advice of the forum and I'll be getting something much more utilitarian to clear the bushes, thanks very much guys.

 

[Wildgoose]

Interesting photos @TeeDee. The third one down, with all the folders, shows high percentages of Swiss Army Knives, mostly locking models, but notably two non-locking and Opinels, including one blunt kids' version and a Gerber multitool and a Leatherman Wave.

A little peer pressure criticism can be good, but meanness doesn't help. Ideal outcome would be to educate a chap about quality tools, and highlight how some designs marketed to look "cool" are viewed as...well......by the knowledgeable folk here. I think that has probably been done more than adequately by now!

The photos are more than likely the result of a knife bin or knife amnesty rather than seized by police.
during an amnesty you could walk into a police station with a canteen of cutlery and it would be accepted.
As much as I want the wrong knives off the street, seeing some of those knives going to the chop saw is a pity, many a scout group or similar could use them.

 

[C_Claycomb]

The photos are more than likely the result of a knife bin or knife amnesty rather than seized by police.
during an amnesty you could walk into a police station with a canteen of cutlery and it would be accepted.
As much as I want the wrong knives off the street, seeing some of those knives going to the chop saw is a pity, many a scout group or similar could use them.

I think its more likely to be the result of seizures than people dumping stuff in an amnesty bin. I don't believe anyone who owned a Leatherman Wave, or a non-locking SAK would be persuaded that they could make the world a safer place by turning it in to be chopped up. I think the number of locking SAK is telling, people thinking that "its just a Swiss Army Knife" without realising that the lock is significant. Same with the Opinel, people buy those for picnics without realising that as a lock knife they have restrictions. We all know about the significance of locks, but a lot of people still do not, and many of those knives were just the sort that can be bought by Joe or Janet Blogs at the local Cotswolds Outdoors.

 

[Jared]

The 111mm SAKs have blades just longer than 3" anyway so whether it has a lock or not makes no difference.

There are SAKs with less than 3" blades and locks too. Those in the "Delemont collection", from when Victorinox merged in the Wenger SAKs. Neither in that 3rd picture seem to be one though.

 

[Paul_B]

Just to clarify things, perhaps someone will be able to confirm this. I thought the zombie knives got banned not because they were actually used for violent means but because they were used as part of a gang culture that glorified violence and revenge/ territory attacks on rivals. In particular using social media videos to threaten and promote violence. These knives were being used in these images and videos.

So that's probably why there's very few zombie knives used and siezed on the streets. They're left at home and only brought out for filming a video. Incidentally I believe they use rap in those videos too it is a culture of violence that the ban is trying to affect not actual use of them in violent acts which isn't common.

If someone can confirm this perhaps we can move on from the idea that them not figuring high in seizures following violence or stop and search means they shouldn't be banned. Glorification of violence is surely worth reducing or stopping however you can. Stopping the sale of knives

 

[Smudge]

It's a silly username, why would you judge anyone by their username anyway?

I've taken the advice of the forum and I'll be getting something much more utilitarian to clear the bushes, thanks very much guys.

Tramontina bolo or Lasher (kukri or latin) are hard to beat for the price.

 

[TeeDee]

Just to clarify things, perhaps someone will be able to confirm this. I thought the zombie knives got banned not because they were actually used for violent means but because they were used as part of a gang culture that glorified violence and revenge/ territory attacks on rivals. In particular using social media videos to threaten and promote violence. These knives were being used in these images and videos.

So that's probably why there's very few zombie knives used and siezed on the streets. They're left at home and only brought out for filming a video. Incidentally I believe they use rap in those videos too it is a culture of violence that the ban is trying to affect not actual use of them in violent acts which isn't common.

If someone can confirm this perhaps we can move on from the idea that them not figuring high in seizures following violence or stop and search means they shouldn't be banned. Glorification of violence is surely worth reducing or stopping however you can. Stopping the sale of knives

Most crime I'd suspect is done with what is too hand - it doesn't tend to be pre-mediated that someone purchases , waits for the appropriate time or incident then unfurls their " special " knife to go and do damage to some soul.

I'd imagine the most used knife in blade attacks is something small and pocketable , not anything the size of your arm that needs to be kept outside and overtly signalling ones intentions to do harm with it.

I've done a lot of studying via my interests and activities in Combatives relating to knife crime and I could easily point people to some horrifying footage and outcomes of knife attacks.

I suspect most people purchasing these Zombie knives are people who just want to own it an fondle it in their bedrooms - most likely pre-pubescent boys.

The most used knife style in any attack I'd guess is probably a small kitchen knife when one partner 'flips' in a domestic scenario and attacks the other.

I'm not outwardly defending anyone's right to own a Zombie knife - I certainly don't wish to possess one , but I would where the enforcement of the law is concerned be wary of mission creep in terms of what is now seen as acceptable vs unacceptable and then thus banned.





This echos to me of the similarity in Gun crime in the UK and the reactionary response to it - Most guns used in gun crime are not recorded firearms but have been smuggled in and so ' off the books' but the reactionary legal response is to make it harder and harder for those firearms owners who follow all legal requirements to own firearms. Punish the collective for the crimes of a few.

And yet the wonderment is why Gun crimes still continue..