U.K. Sword Ban

My tantō was delivered without any issues from BF 😳 I had to sign a declaration to UPS that it was over 200 years old and show proof which I already had. Here it is…

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I’ve prepared the documentation for the one that’s currently on order. Let’s see if it’s as smooth as this delivery or if I have to deal with you-know-who again. I’m prepared 😈
 
I’ve prepared the documentation for the one that’s currently on order. Let’s see if it’s as smooth as this delivery or if I have to deal with you-know-who again. I’m prepared 😈
At some point you could apply to the border control as a weapon import specialist and help others navigate the process. You likely know it best.
 
At some point you could apply to the border control as a weapon import specialist and help others navigate the process. You likely know it best.
In my preparations, I looked into the profession of a BF officer ( ‘know you’re enemy’). I’d been told they were paid well (so they’re not tempted to steal seized goods) and required a good education for the role. It turns out neither are true; their pay is poor and they only require a basic education to be permitted to apply to the job. I try and be generous thinking they’re in a complex, ever-changing career because of knee-jerk updates to the legislation by the government but it isn’t true. They are just poor at following their own rules and regulations or more likely, they don’t really understand them. I could spend an hour writing out their rules in simple to apply points, put the single sheet of paper in a nice stainless steel file (because they’re cool) and hand it to them as a quick, fair and easy reference for when confronted by a bladed object <sigh> 🤷🏾
 
It looks quite long, like a shorter sword?
what’s the length limit for a tanto ?
30cm is the usual length limit for classification as a tantō. Anything longer than that and it's called a 'wakizashi' or short sword.

Interestingly, dealers refer to any bladed article as a 'sword'. The small 'utility knife in the scabbard is know as a 'kozuka' or 'kogatana' which literally means little sword!
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In my preparations, I looked into the profession of a BF officer ( ‘know you’re enemy’). I’d been told they were paid well (so they’re not tempted to steal seized goods) and required a good education for the role. It turns out neither are true; their pay is poor and they only require a basic education to be permitted to apply to the job. I try and be generous thinking they’re in a complex, ever-changing career because of knee-jerk updates to the legislation by the government but it isn’t true. They are just poor at following their own rules and regulations or more likely, they don’t really understand them. I could spend an hour writing out their rules in simple to apply points, put the single sheet of paper in a nice stainless steel file (because they’re cool) and hand it to them as a quick, fair and easy reference for when confronted by a bladed object <sigh> 🤷🏾
At one point they tried to recruit MoD police but everyone just went nah. Training Afghan police was preferable 😁
 
At one point they tried to recruit MoD police but everyone just went nah. Training Afghan police was preferable 😁
I can imagine it could be a rewarding role; stemming the flow of drugs, guns and other weapons into the U.K. keeping people safe. But they're clearly not employing the right sorts of people. The front line BF officers seem to be ill-informed jobsworths. Once I started dealing with more senior staff, my confidence increased.

I have a friend who collects new, often large knives, buying them online from retailers in the Netherlands and Finland who specifically advertisethat they 'ship to the U.K.' He never has a problem receiving them via UPS and he's never questioned about them. I just don't understand!
 
In my preparations, I looked into the profession of a BF officer ( ‘know you’re enemy’). I’d been told they were paid well (so they’re not tempted to steal seized goods) and required a good education for the role. It turns out neither are true; their pay is poor and they only require a basic education to be permitted to apply to the job. I try and be generous thinking they’re in a complex, ever-changing career because of knee-jerk updates to the legislation by the government but it isn’t true. They are just poor at following their own rules and regulations or more likely, they don’t really understand them. I could spend an hour writing out their rules in simple to apply points, put the single sheet of paper in a nice stainless steel file (because they’re cool) and hand it to them as a quick, fair and easy reference for when confronted by a bladed object <sigh> 🤷🏾
Similar to the CA dept of justice and the Federal ATF. They lack the wherewithal to apply their own capriciously and arbitrarily created rules. They do not have the authority to make law, but their rules carry the weight of law.
 
30cm is the usual length limit for classification as a tantō. Anything longer than that and it's called a 'wakizashi' or short sword.

Interestingly, dealers refer to any bladed article as a 'sword'. The small 'utility knife in the scabbard is know as a 'kozuka' or 'kogatana' which literally means little sword!
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Thanks !
So I looked up on “tanto” and it’s written as 短刀 and according to the webpage I found it translate to “short sword”. However from Chinese point of view I would translate as “short knife”. Chinese single edge blades are all called knife including the sabre
 

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