In case you guys didn’t know, I’m a pretty big fan of knives, swords, and other weapons that predate the gun. As such, one of the Youtube folks I watch is Lindybeige, and came across this video on the Messer:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcLcsvw8rw0&w=560&h=315]
The part I found interesting is right at the beginning of the video. Apparently, it was illegal in Germany for most people to wander the streets with a sword. Not terribly surprising. What was surprising to me was that apparently the Germans had defined a sword in such a way that the messer was, legally speaking, not a sword. The reason? It hand a knife handle on it instead of a sword hilt.
Anyone else instantly make the connection to the modern assault weapons bans where one rifle is ok because it has a traditional rifle grip on it, but another is evil because it has a pistol grip? Or better yet, my Beretta Cx4 that has a “thumb hole grip” that I can stick my entire hand through, and isn’t a pistol grip because of a thin piece of plastic?
Yep… making things illegal because they’re scary looking/designed for the military has been going on for centuries.
“That’s not a knife, *this* is a knife.”
And of course the REAL mistake was banning swords from the general population when there was a desire or need for them.
This also dives into the yobs of the UK carving each other up with kitchen cutlery, because you’re allowed to have a knife for cutting your veggies and meat, but NOT for cutting other people…despite them also being made of meat…