telegraph.co.uk — The sale of imitation samurai swords could be banned by the end of the year, the Home Office announced today.Importing or hiring the weapons could also be made illegal following a string of samurai sword attacks in recent years.Breaching the ban would result in up to six months in jail and a £5,000 fine.
Mar 5, 2007 View in Crawl 4
technopunditMar 6, 2007
The way I figure it, Samurai swords must be especially dangerous in the hands of Britons.The sight of a limey wielding a Samurai sword evokes hysterical laughter. By the time the victim composes himself, he can potentially be hacked to shreds.
abigsmurfMar 6, 2007
The comments about guns amuse me. Sure if guns are legal then you could use them to defend yourself.... Against other people with guns.Violent crime my be something like 40% higher in the UK but in 2005 there were 16,692 murders in the US, 765 in the UK. Adjust that for populations (60mill in UK, 300mill in the US) and there would be 3825 murders if the UK had the same population. You're over 4 times more likely to be murdered in the US than the UK.
javaapeMar 6, 2007
Several people have commented that the price of an authentic "Samurai" sword would preclude their possession by anyone but the most avid collectors. This is not the case. My son is an amazing martial artist, specializing in sword forms, and I'm a bit of a collector. Between us, we have a goodly collection of "Samurai" swords, in various price ranges. First, as others have stated, there are MANY styles of bladed weapon or oriental origin, and I have no idea which ones are considered "Samurai" swords. Presumably those would be late-period Japanese weapons . . . of which there are still several distinct styles. The authentic Japanese swords are collector's items, but like most collectible items, they vary greatly in desirability (hence price) based on a number of criteria: the method and date of manufacture, the various patterns in the steel, and the maker's mark, for example. There were many high-quality blades produced for army use, for example, that are quite usable, but are not desirable collector's items. These can be obtained quite cheaply (often under $100). These would satisfy almost any reasonable interpretation of "genuine Samurai sword", and would be every bit as lethal as a 50k museum piece. Maybe I'll stockpile a few of these and sell them to you blokes in a few months. Cheers!
akzidenzgroteskMar 6, 2007
no, i kind of get what he's saying here. for instance, i had an ex that, in a heated argument, decided to throw a tv remote at me. had he had a gun or a katana within easy reach, i may have left that relationship with a lot more damage than a bruised up shoulder and a broken remote control. although i also see the other points, and i don't really think that banning swords is the answer, since brandishing a sword in public is ALREADY illegal, and obviously hasn't helped a whole lot.
mikeliemanMar 7, 2007
If the hated British had more firearms, Shaun of the Dead wouldn't have been nearly as funny.
originallucid1Mar 8, 2007
Hey! I resemble that remark.
curthowlandMar 8, 2007
"had he had a gun or a katana within easy reach, i may have left that relationship with a lot more damage than a bruised up shoulder and a broken remote control."While that makes emotional sense, it isn't borne out by experience. Those places where firearms are _less_ illegal have lower violent crime rates, and that includes the kinds of things you're talking about.I can suggest _More Guns, Less Crime_ by the University of Chicago Press.
curthowlandMar 8, 2007
Hey! Persuing violent criminals is _dangerous_! Police can get _hurt_ that way!It's much easier to make a prohibition and then go after peaceful people who break the "law" by trying to protect themselves, or relieve chronic pain.
knightomiteMar 14, 2007
I could kill you with a wooden stake ....will trees and posts be banned by the brits also ? btw if guns and knifes are outlawed then if only outlaws carry them my question is ... the men following the queen with guns and knifes are outlaws right? THANK GOD for America and the second amendment Thank god you wont have to prove it .
frostekJan 3, 2009
Yes, you can buy real ones. People who own real swords instead of cheap stainless steel knockoffs (the items banned), don't go waving them around in public.
Closed AccountFeb 26, 2009
Ban the f**king nine irons mate.