Taking knives out of society? Is it possible?

[Badluckstreak]

would it be possible to make it a legal requirement to have a license in order to own a knife that’s over an inch long? I know it sounds crazy at first but we could replace kitchen knives with kiddicutter knives throughout the country? Restaurants and cafes would be exempt, but people need a police check to work there. I think it’s potentially a good idea. Thoughts?

A solution is clearly wanted so it's fine to start discussions on it and make suggestions because that's how ideas evolve.

I do think it's a bit of a losing battle though. We need knives. Even if they were only sold for kitchen use, there's nothing to stop someone from concealing one and taking it out with them. No one would know they've got it until it was used.

We may as well try banning big stones because they could be used to hit someone over the head with

The vasr majority of households will have an array of sharp knives, scissors and other pointy tools desgned, and intended for functional use.

As horrific as knife crimes are, they're generally not done with standard domestic knives, and certainly not the types of attack that initiated this conversation; illegal knives bought for status and maximum harm value are used.
The percentage of domestic knives that get used in violent crime is very, very low.

There are already laws and age restrictions on buying blades that are proportionate to their functional use

It was possible to further tighten gun controls because guns are only a functional tool to a minority of people, and our existing gun control and culture already had that at a practical level to manage.

Humans have used blades since they bashed rocks and found sharp edges of flint. They are prety much our earliest tools

It's not blades that are the problem, it's a minority of people who are drawn into dangerous violent subcultures and ideologies. Cars and other motor vehicles have already been used world-wide for mass murder and maiming. We can't ban those too.

It's a culture problem not a tool problem.

I always thought I'd pop a rock in a sock to kill someone. Then throw both in the river. Or soap in a sock, that would dissolve in the river.

Exactly this. Great post.
a lot of it comes down to government spending cuts.

It would be much cheaper to invest properly in MH services than try and enforce the law you're proposing OP.
Added bonus: levels of population happiness would be higher, more people would be able to stay in work and be net contributors, and nobody would have to give up homemade carrot batons.

That would be butternut squash out the window

What we need is less stupid panic asking about "should we ban all knives and chew things into pieces instead" and start asking serious questions about why someone who said numerous times to numerous people they want to kill someone was not sectioned and threats investigated properly.

It's not blades that are the problem, it's a minority of people who are drawn into dangerous violent subcultures and ideologies. Cars and other motor vehicles have already been used world-wide for mass murder and maiming. We can't ban those too

You have put up bollards and will enact China-type knife restrictions. It is inevitable, you are not going to be able to change hearts and minds with ‘programs’ or ‘interventions’. They need to face very real consequences and serious prison time.

What’s wrong with cooking pork? Nothing.

What's wrong is that so many of us have no idea of normal everyday activities that they think knives in a household are not needed.

You won’t even be allowed to say this in OP’s brave new world.

It’s literally inciting violence by butternut squash.

Drills, garden shears, hammers, axe, etc. All potential weapons. Don't be ridiculous. The issue it the behaviour not the item used to chop my vegetables. I've had knives in my house all my life and miraculously managed not to stab anyone.

This really is barking up the wrong tree.
It's not owning a knife that is the problem here.

I didn't say there was.

I just don't think the mocking of Op is necessary.

Scissors. How would people manage without scissors op?

It's fine. We can have our scissors replaced with those blunt plastic ones that you give to toddlers.

I cut myself on child safety scissors a few weeks ago.

The need to have a licence for all manner of things will not stop law breakers having the item.

In a fit of rage I once stabbed a normal dinner knife into a wooden stool.

it slipped and I managed to tear a finger open in a cut that would have been easier to staunch the blood flow if it had been made with a sharp knife.

you’re being ridiculous.

chefs are always saying you're more likely to cut yourself on a blunt knife