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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

found out son has been buying knives

12 replies

wornoutbyarguing · 04/01/2008 16:42

my ds 17 has just spent his xmas money on 3 samurai swords and flick knives off ebay.we are confiscating them and no more money ever to him right now.
I am so angry that anyone can buy these off an internet site,the flick knives are dead sharp and with 2 under 7 year olds in the house,there is no way he is having them.where the hell have I gone wrong.any one else had this problem... tara

OP posts:

ShowOfHands · 04/01/2008 16:46

Do you know why he wants these things? Of course I understand your concerns, especially regarding younger children but what has your son told you about his interest?

My brother started to collect knives when he was 16. He is very interested in antique knives and daggers in particular. He is a happy, well-adjusted, married father. He is a butcher too but which may or may not be relevant.

Sorry, I do not know your situation but could this interest be less sinister than you are presuming?

FWIW, I think buying these things off Ebay is not acceptable. My parents were very involved in my brother's hobby and his purchases were from reputable collectors or shops.

Again, I apologise if I am way off the mark.

ShowOfHands · 04/01/2008 16:47

And they were safely stored of course.

edam · 04/01/2008 16:48

I'd complain to ebay and contact the police, think it's illegal to sell knives to under-18s.

noddyholder · 04/01/2008 16:51

At an old job dp had a friend who was a really sweet guy and he invited us round for dinner and the house was full of knives and swords which he collected.I was a bit freaked out but he is now married with a little girl and his wife is lovely too.Some people just like to collect gothic stuff talk to him?whay does he want them?

Wisteria · 04/01/2008 16:54

You aren't allowed to sell stuff like that on Ebay so contact them to report the seller and just ask your son why he wants them - my brother was obsessed with things like that when he was that age but he'd never have done anything 'bad' with them.....

wotz · 04/01/2008 16:54

I thought you had to be 18 to buy and sell with ebay's T&C's

KaySamuels · 04/01/2008 16:56

He is not buying them as he feels vulnerable is he?? The flick knives made me wonder if he wants these for protection, to put people off threatening him.

May also be way off the mark but i think you should ask him why he wanted them, if everything is ok etc. A lot of boys of his age are attacked/mugged, may have happened to a friend of his for example.

My dds is 10 and is training in his martial arts class with samurai type swords. But he has been doing disciplined classes for six years now and is very restrained and careful - and does not have them at home!!

I would report the sale of them too BTW.

KaySamuels · 04/01/2008 16:57

That should say dss sorry

wotz · 04/01/2008 16:59

Ebays user policy is
You may not use the Site if you are under the age of 18

that what it says...so that is what the seller expects the buyer to be.

sorry, but I don't think this helps much.

colditz · 04/01/2008 17:00

My brother has collected samurai swords since 17 - he's not the best example of well-adjustment, but he's never used them for anything other than posing with and displaying, and he's 22 now.

Don't blame you for banning them with small children in the house. they are not safe things. But please don't treat your son as weird for wanting them, because he isn't at all. It's a teenage boy thing.

The flicknife I would be even more unhappy about, but it most likely was not bought with violent intent, and when I was 17 I had one I just found them fascinating.

Original poster

wornoutbyarguing · 04/01/2008 17:01

thanks for all the comments,he says he just likes them as they are cool,
I am contacting ebay as he has ordered them via a mates computer and not delivered here as he has been bloody crafty knowing I would be furious..he says its not because he feels threatened he just likes them.
I am pretty liberal with him since he left school but he seems to think he can do what he likes.
the bottom line is I dont want him getting hurt or hurting anyone else or being arrested for carrying a knife.

OP posts:

Wisteria · 04/01/2008 17:14

You need to report the seller anyway as you are not allowed to sell offensive weapons of any description, including knives. You can't have a go at the seller for selling to under 18's as you would have to lie to register in the first place.

I would confiscate the flick knife, as you rightly point out you can be arrested for carrying one, although ascertain that there is not threat first. I don't think he'll be creating havoc in the neighbourhood with a samurai though; so probably ok. I would be concerned about the los getting hold of them though; so he must keep them out of reach.

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