why are big pointy knives on sale?

[Blackpuddin]

Just wondering, what with all the casual stabbing that seems to be so trendy these days, why nobody has brought up the idea of banning the sale of large pointy knives?
I can't remember ever using the point on a big knife. Only the blade.
Keep points on small-bladed (ie under three inches) kitchen knives if you must for coring or whatever, but get rid of the big pointy ones on the grounds that the only possible justification for them is for stabbing.
Now donning the tin waistcoat in readiness for all the reasons why this is the stupidest idea in history, ie we need big pointy knives when we can't find the screwdriver, people will just buy your round-ended ones and sharpen them to a point etc. There may be something in the backup screwdriver thing but I can't imagine that the spotty gits who carry knives would ever have the wit, equipment or energy to put a point on a round-ended one.

[Butter Face]

I can’t imagine that those carrying knifes around carry much stuff larger than 3in do they? Small pointy knives are as dangerous as big pointy knives.

[Blackpuddin]

Oh I think they do carry big uns. This Fail article (sorry) shows that most blades carried for stabbing are cheapo kitchen knives.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1022734/K...
Funnily enough an anti-stab knife was designed ten years back, not sure what happened to that. It still had a point for some reason.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8101032.stm

[anonymous-user]

Not having a point doesn't mean you can't stab someone with it. Getting stabbed with a screwdriver can do as much if not more harm than a knife. That said, you do have a point about points, I can't really think of a use for it!

[Blackpuddin]

The only use I can think of for pointy kitchen knives is accidental self-stabbing, and that's something I'd happily forego.

[Butter Face]

Well that's me told. I always assumed they'd be using flick knife type thingys!

I think the tip/point is for rocking the knife on when slicing vegetables etc (proper chef stuff isn't my forte so I looked it up on YouTube)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-Fg7l7G1zw

[julian64]

Cool thread. I think we should ban pointy knives too but I think you are missing the obvious problem of associating 'pointy' with knives. All sorts of things are pointy and can be used to stab people.

I once made a bow and arrow out of bamboo. Bamboo is really pointy. I recon if you ban pointy knives within a small time people will discover pointy bamboo as an alternative, and its advantage is that its really really long which means you can stab people fro ma long distance away, much longer than a knife, or if you really don't want to see them then make a bow and arrow.

Having said that when I think about all the very pointy stuff around I can't help thinking all pointy stuff is dangerous. Screwdrivers, both Phillips and flat, any metal poles, those wierd things that people eat Chinese meals with. All could be used to stab people and all should be banned.

I'm therefore going to go away and thing about this more, I suggest you may want to do the same?

[Agammemnon]

Blackpuddin said:

Just wondering, what with all the casual stabbing that seems to be so trendy these days, why nobody has brought up the idea of banning the sale of large pointy knives?

Why don't we just ban people sticking knives into each other?

Oh yes- we did; banning doesn't seem to work.

[Blackpuddin]

Ha well I wasn't expecting to stop stabbing overnight, and of course you're right that there are many things that can be used for this purpose, but taking the leading culprits off the market has surely got to be a good thing?

[768]

This is how we end up giving out criminal records for having a penknife in a glovebox.

[citizensm1th]

julian64 said:

Cool thread. I think we should ban pointy knives too but I think you are missing the obvious problem of associating 'pointy' with knives. All sorts of things are pointy and can be used to stab people.

I once made a bow and arrow out of bamboo. Bamboo is really pointy. I recon if you ban pointy knives within a small time people will discover pointy bamboo as an alternative, and its advantage is that its really really long which means you can stab people fro ma long distance away, much longer than a knife, or if you really don't want to see them then make a bow and arrow.

Having said that when I think about all the very pointy stuff around I can't help thinking all pointy stuff is dangerous. Screwdrivers, both Phillips and flat, any metal poles, those wierd things that people eat Chinese meals with. All could be used to stab people and all should be banned.

I'm therefore going to go away and thing about this more, I suggest you may want to do the same?

We should also ban Blunt round things like say sprouts, people might get the idea of firing them in catapults and that could have someone's eye out you know

[Keoparakolo]

Blackpuddin said:

Ha well I wasn't expecting to stop stabbing overnight, and of course you're right that there are many things that can be used for this purpose, but taking the leading culprits off the market has surely got to be a good thing?

Not really, firstly existing pointy knives won’t just vanish overnight. Secondly, something will replace them instantly as already mentioned. The issue that needs addressing is the desire to stab people, not just trying to take away the tools to do it. After all, even if you’re successful and there are no more pointy stabby things, then they’ll just move to blunt hitty things .

[Blackpuddin]

I've been totally persuaded by all the arguments put forward so far and look forward to living in a world of sharpened Brussel sprouts and harmless kitchen knives with eight-inch pointed blades that no teenager will ever buy or steal from his mum's cutlery drawer.

[768]

Uh huh.

I look forward to choosing a safe knife in this brave new world to open my next Amazon delivery with.

[markjmd]

Just to make the point, filleting knives would be near enough useless without a sharp tip.

[garagewidow]

Bishops finger trick wouldn't be as thrilling without them.

[glazbagun]

hucumber said:

Not having a point doesn't mean you can't stab someone with it. Getting stabbed with a screwdriver can do as much if not more harm than a knife. That said, you do have a point about points, I can't really think of a use for it!

Happened in Newcastle when a random scumbag and a random normal person used the same entrance to a shopping centre:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-49382338

Re: points on kitchen knives, I think they're to allow greater maneuverability when doing more detailed cutting. So breadknives and cleavers don't have them at all, but if you want to pick seeds out of a chilli or fillet inside a ribcage, then you'll be using the narrow end of the blade, though not with a stabbing motion.

[Agammemnon]

Blackpuddin said:

Ha well I wasn't expecting to stop stabbing overnight, and of course you're right that there are many things that can be used for this purpose, but taking the leading culprits off the market has surely got to be a good thing?

Something must be done, this is something therefore this must be done? Not entirely convinced.

The government banned the sale, import & manufacture of bat'leths & mek'leths a fair few years ago- did this have a massive effect on deaths & injuries caused by these pointy weapons or was it a pointless (no pun intended) gesture with zero actual effect?

Edited by Agammemnon on Friday 3rd January 16:33

[Drumroll]

Knives without a point have been around for years. We used to carry what were called Quick release knives when I started marshalling.

It meant you could cut seatbelts without stabbing the driver, (This was before Tufcut type scissors.) It was also "chunky" enough to lever up part of a cars bonnet to get a fire extinguisher nozzle in.

https://technomarine.com.sg/products/quick-release... The knife on the left is the one I am referring too.

[Blackpuddin]

That looks like a knife that would do every job I'd want to do. Might be a bit awkward in the dishwasher though