From: Asgaard <asgaard@Cor.sos.sll.se>
Date: Mon, 2 Sep 1996 22:26:51 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: RE: Sharp knives
In-Reply-To: <v03007803ae4fcff247f2@[17.219.103.198]>
Message-ID: <Pine.HPP.3.91.960902134028.4162B-100000@cor.sos.sll.se>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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 "James A. Donald" <jamesd@echeque.com>, writes:
 >I heard on talk.politics.guns somebody say that in Sweden they
 >had banned knives with a sharp point at the end, and were going
 >to ban sharp knives altogether.  I think he was just engaging in
 >hyperbole, that he really meant that gun control in Sweden was
 >unreasonably strict, but on reflection I am not sure.

There is a law in Sweden, some 5 years old, against carrying
'dangerous devices' (hunting knives, Ninja stars etc) in 'public
places' (unless you are a carpenter, electrician or some such
going about your business). It's okay to carry a knife when
going fishing/hunting or sitting on your terrace carving totem poles.
It's only a misdemeanour and might be punished with a fine,
but usually the cops just use the law to disarmour street gangs
on the spot. The effects of the law are dubious. Knives have come
into fashion among teenagers after this legislation (but not as
a consequence of it, I think).

Asgaard