Re: Sharp Knives

[qut@netcom.com (Dave Harman OBC)]

!  "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).

In California, it's a felony to merely *own* a Ninja star.  It's a
felony to carry a *concealed* knife, but carrying it openly in a 
holster is legal.  It's a felony for most people to carry a 
concealed loaded handgun on the street only on a *second* offense.
It'a a felony to merely *own* a switchblade, brass knuckles, etc.
Do our weapons laws sound strange?  Are many of our weapons laws
stricter than countries like Sweden?  Yes!