http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/17/ba...overnment/

Hi all, I am not sure if this will go through or not, but if it does it will really effect UK collectors of both antiques and modern swords.

For me at least, if this goes through, it would be the final nail in the coffin for me enjoying my hobby.
It already is a huge pain to ship swords here in the UK with almost no carriers accepting bladed items into and there is no way I can ever have swords delivered to my work address.. So the only way for me to trade swords would be to be in Person, which isn't great.

A few lines of that stand out

Arrangements for how online sellers without physical stores can comply will be considered as part of a consultation to be launched later this year.

Any restrictions will be drawn up so that those who keep weapons for a legitimate purpose, such as cultural items or antiques, are not penalised.

Look, I know I don't live in the UK or Australia, or any other highly restrictive country or state. There had been a lot of chatter at SFI before the sword "ban" came into effect that amounted to restrictions, not a complete ban. I do know that there have been shipping threads recently enough at SFI and folk seem to be finding the shippers that do (such as Parcel Force aka the postal system). No doubt and no denial that UK collectors are often at wits end but so far, there have been some solutions.

I would be pushing harder politically to add amendments, just as 50 US states do, to have laws changed for the benefit of bladed commerce, use and even carry (see Texas to allow wearing big blades again). Form coalitions, create clubs, clamor for exceptions. Chat up Matt Easton on the Schola board or facebook. At any rate don't isolate yourself from others in the same situation.

Cheers

GC

Well that will do bugger all to the steady flow of kitchen knives being used by thugs.

It strikes me as kinda odd that a postal service could refuse an item based on it being bladed.

In Germany we have this thing called "Postgeheimnis" (postal secret) in our Grundgesetz (sort-of-constitution), which dictates that without proper cause (either due to immediate necessity or through official channels/with permission of a judge) the contents of any package transported and delivered by postal services are not to be scrutinized.

That means they wouldn't even be allowed to know what's in the box, and have no right to ask beyond whether it's properly declared as far as dangerous content (e.g. compressed gases, flammables etc.) are concerned.

Is that not the same in other countries?

(please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm no legal expert)

It is of course just a consultation, not even a proposed Law. Long way to go, plenty of time to fight. Home office need to be seen to be doing something but suspect there will be enough lobbying to dilute it down sensibly.

One would think your legislators would have more important things on their minds. It's like, "we can't fix those fire-trap buildings, terrorists with driver's licences, or over-the-counter products with concentrated acid in them, so lets make a show by taking away people's swords".

J D crawford wrote

Quote:

One would think your legislators would have more important things on their minds. It's like, "we can't fix those fire-trap buildings, terrorists with driver's licences, or over-the-counter products with concentrated acid in them, so lets make a show by taking away people's swords".

All of which pales into insignificance next to the rapidly looming car crash of Brexit.

Brexit is why I am currently not worried about this; politically there will be no time to even breathe for the next two years and then we will be rapidly trying to work out how not to become a third world country, so I doubt this will get time on the floor for a long while yet.

Tod

Sounds really stupid, not thought out very well. What about movie swords and other sword like objects that won't function effectively as a sword or even hold an edge?
Perhaps a postal declaration... decorative metal artwork, might be enough to satisfy, the post office. At worst you might have to ship it with a slightly blunted edge.