Should knives with points be banned?

My hands could strangle someone. Maybe I should get a serial number for my murderous hands.

Just a quick glance around me in the living room and I can see at least half a dozen things (and that isn't counting the knitting needles individually) I could stab someone with if I was so inclined

None of them are pointed knives...

So how are people with low incomes supposed to be able to afford the knives they need to prepare their food, @OonaStubbs? Or do poor people not deserve to cook from scratch?

Anyone with criminal intentions will be able to buy a knife with a blunt tip, and make it pointed.

Because if someone wants to seriously harm another person, the lack of a pointy knife wont stop them. It is the mind set that is the problem, not the item/weapon.

By banning pointy ended knives, you be disproportionally affecting the absolute huge majority of people who use pointy knives and don't stab people.
I have at least 15 pointy knives/blades in my home right now. How on earth would you propose I hand them in, or have them registered?

Exactly what I said, when I heard this, @TheLightSideOfTheMoon.

It would be a completely pointless move.

Because if you van pointy knives they would just find some other implement / way of harming

You are beginning to sound like a stuck record at this stage

Imagine if they just made bullets less pointy they wouldn’t kill any one!

No, the best way to reduce stabbings it to address why people are doing it, and appeal to them.

Much easier to cause a fatal injury with a long knife than a short one, especially in a mass attack. That's why length is the basis of the ban for "zombie knives".

Starmer was on the TV news a few days ago essentially blaming people who don't have jobs for violent crime and terrorism - so maybe he too believes the same.

I don't have any truck with any political party; but for a party whose main stated purpose is to represent the ordinary people and care about the less privileged members of society, they're very good at demonstrating their disdain for their traditional core voter base. Apparently poor = terrorist in their eyes.

"You can't afford sharp knives? Poor you."
"Why don't poor people cook properly? It's not hard. They're just lazy..."

some people can only afford cheap knives. they cook too.
well off people love to pretend poorer people go hungry because they lack cooking skills, and now people are saying to put essential cooking utensils out of their reach.

oh dear, you're too poor to be trusted with a knife, just go and eat a pot noodle.

Exactly, there is a wider issue behind knife crime that needs to be looked at, if sharp knives were removed they would just find some other implement / way of attacking someone

I have plenty of small knives. I have yet to stab anyone.

Maybe we should ban cars. After all cars cause deaths. Sure they are useful for many, many other things and most people use them safely but they exist and therefore dangerous

Another thing that would help is banning cheap knives. Only allow the premium ones to be sold.

this is never going to happen, people on low incomes need sharp knives as well

Also, only selling sharp knives in a knife block set of 5 or more

Not going to happen, not everyone wants to buy 5 knives and anyway what if you wanted to replace one, would your only option be to buy 5 knives again!?!

Good plan. If only nice affluent people can afford knives then rates of violent crime will go way down. Everyone knows it's poor people who stab each other. And it's not like they need pointy knives to cook with - they just eat Pot Noodles after all.

Idris isn't just a random actor, he's done a fair amount of work and documentaries on disaffected urban youth and knife crime.

A ban on all pointed knives is unworkable. A ban on points for longer knives while still allowing you to have points on smaller knives should be workable. It wouldn't prevent serious criminals from getting hold of dangerous weapons, but it would make them slightly less accessible on the spur of the moment at very little inconvenience to anyone.

People do need points on knives sometimes, but if you've got a three inch knife with a point and a long knife with a round tip (or a cleaver) then there's nothing you can't cook.

Not a good idea at all, a good idea is one that can be implemented, this is just pie in the sky

I doubt it, he’s just an actor, his opinion is no more valid than anyone else’s