Saturday, November 13, 2021

Leave It To The UK To Force Someone To Get Rid Of His "Collection"!

 The following is from a post at a now defunct online forum that I found while surfing the Web. Apparently the author of the post was lamenting a Law passed in the UK back in 2019. He appears to be an old school self defense adherent with a liking for effective close combat weapons for self defense. Unfortunately the UK government has decided that such items, most of them anyway, which used to be legal as long as you didn’t carry them around with you, are no longer permitted for you to own even as collectors items.

Anyway, the poster is lamenting the fact that due to the stringency of the penalties just for possession of said items, that he now must get rid of his impressive collection of eclectic items in order to avoid legal complications.  He also included a link to a music video at the end to, I would guess, exhibit his grief over the loss of his property.

The pictures are the best part of his collections obituary. My old instructor Carl would definitely have approved.

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1/4/19

Well everyone the Offensive Weapons Act of 2019 is coming into effect. I've decided to go all out and just get rid of my stuff. Its a  five year sentence to just own any of these things, at this point even they aren't sure if thats per item.

The act allows compensation if you can provide receipts, for 50p per knuckleduster thats not going to buy me a MacDonalds. How you are supposed to have a recipt for an item you can't buy in a shop beggars belief. Thats UK law for you.                



First - from ledt to right:
Top - Extendable baton, generic - Bottom - Telescopic spring cosh, no markings, US Police Truncheon, wood, no markings, PR24, genuine





 Lefdt To right

Knuckleduster and Koppo combo, steel, handmade, no markings
Knuckleduster, aluminium, handmade, no markings
Knuckleduster, iron, no markings, boxer style
 Knuckleduster, steel, no markings, classic style



I am a law abiding citizen but I will admit some of these things used to get carried on occasions that I (as an educated Adult male with no mental illness or criminal record) determined required it. I don't judge other people and I don't rely on others for my own or my families safety.

The extendable baton was bought from an Amry Surplus shop, likewise the telescopic cosh. The former just generic, it and the telescopic springcosh cost me twenty pound each. The latter had no markings but was old, whether or not it was an original SIPO or a WW2 manufacture I have no idea.

 

 
The SIPO broke my snips!



I bought a bunch of the extendable batons to give to friends and family in need. It brought comfort to people when they'd tell you they were in fear for theirsafety. I know this from personal experience. A friend in need is a friend indeed. The US Police Truncheon was sent by a friend when it was still legal. Both Batons got carried on occasionswhen I deemed it neccesary. The truncheon never.

 



   The PR24's were prohibatively expensive over here before they too got banned from sale. Up to three hundred pounds kind of expensive. As soon as the retailers found that they were going to be stuck with stock they couldn't legally sell they dumped the prices. I paid fifteen pounds each for them. They never got any carry, they weren't concealable.

The Knuckledusters are a different story, they haven't been legal to buy since 1958. You could be "grandfathered" them (found in an deceasedrelatives possesion and taken home) but you couldn't buy, sell, lend or make one.

The top one was my first, it was given to me by someone i'd done a favour for. They knew my interests and offered it to me, after letting them know it was against the law they were even more insistent I took it.I've had that thing many years, sometimes it used to come out with me
(concealed inside a woolen glove) on cold, dark nights. Gave me comfort in some of the awful places which were the only places I could afford to live. The finger stalls were oval, which made it comfortable to put on. The gap for the palm swell was excellent for the fingertips to be in when the fist was clenched. It was very old but I can't give a date or whether or not it was factory or hand made. It was magnetic so I know it was steel.

The second was a bring back from the Czech Repblic by a good friend, I didn't know he was going to do this and I don't think he knew the penalties. He got one of the extendable batons later when he was in fear for his safety, one good turn deserves another. I know it was iron as a bit of the coating came off and I saw underneath it. This was not comfortable to hold, no palm gap meant there was no where for the finger tips to go.

The third was handmade by a friend who worked in manufacturing and hated his boss and took every opportunity to not do work. The finger stalls weren't oval but it was actually very comfortable to wear. Sheet aluminium the credit card shape of it meant it didn't print in clothing like the others would have. Perfect for the back pocket on a night out if you can believe. The corners also gave other options if i'd ever needed to.
                                                
Number four was made by the same friend, steel pipes welded into one unit. It wasn't comfortable, concealable or practical - but it was mine.

 

 

When I looked into the Act i'd missed the part about disguised and non magnetic knives. From left to right, the CIA letter opener, a disguised penknife and a generic were all bought from the USA via Ebay. I never carried any of them, they were just of interest.

 


All gone now. I'll have to rely on the Police! They are the only one's adult enough to posses weapons and they ensure I don't have any need for them.


Terry 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGSKrC7dGcY



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