RM to stop carrying bladed items from April 2024

soolin

22laptops said:

soolin said:

22laptops said:

soolin said:

RealityS said:

I took some old cutlery, including a full canteen in a proper wooden box to my local charity donation centre & was told they would ‘have to’ throw away all the knives - yes even cutlery. Sold it online for £100 plus before the postage ban. Not sure what anyone with cutlery to dispose of should do! ???

There will still be a market for good quality vintage cutlery but very decreased, I suspect antique type shops will still have a market, but that’s about it. A lot of car boots now ban things, obviously they have to actually notice you selling it so it’s not an easy sale. The prices at auction have dropped like a stone as well, art deco and mid century cutlery used to sell very well, now it tends to be in the £10 mixed boxes as no one wants it. 

Swords and daggers were the same, the ban on them has been in force now for years so auctions started adding them to mixed lots to get rid of them, I have an absolute stash of vintage swords and daggers, wrapped and hidden away against harm and there’s nothing I can do with them. I did think of taking them into a police station under the amnesty policy, but I really don’t want to be the one trundling  a trolley load of sharp pointy things in a shopping trolley through town , or even worse trying to park near the police station with a boot full hidden under a blanket. We apparently have a police liaison officer locally (high crime area) so I might try and contact them for advice, but I’m worried they will send a van round and carry swords out of my house in front of the neighbours! 

Why do you have, as you say, "an absolute stash of swords and daggers"?

When they effectively banned the sale of long bladed items auction houses were still able to pass them on- but of course they had no real buyers. They did what the lower end of the auction house market always do- and added them to every bulk lot- so you bid and win a box of Royal Doulton ladies, and 2 fencing swords. A win for the auction houses who have effectively dumped their items without having to pay to dump them, but a pain for the buyer, like me, who would get charged for dumping them if I left them uncollected. I have wrapped the ones I have left, actually sealed and tied them up and stashed them safely- as legally I can keep them, I just can't carry them in public or sell them on. 

Could be worse, I once saw someone win 2 boxes of vintage crystal glass and a 3ft radiator......

Are they British swords and daggers? Do any of them look nice to you? How have you felt about, owning them whilst you've had them, knowing some may have injured people?
It's no harm in me asking is it? As you say you've preferred to keep them.

I suspect most are merely decorative, anything with any real value, or with links to a proper military function would have ended up in a higher end auction. I am not talking 'Charge of the light brigade' swords here .  I am more than happy for them to go - as I said they do nothing at the moment other than take up room and are probably rusting away nicely. However, finding a way to legally get them to a Police station or whatever to hand them in for disposal still leaves me with an issue of legally transporting them there. 

All old things have a history- I have dealt with mourning jewellery in the past , vintage surgical equipment, police items, who knows the history of some of those things- some probably more worrying than sitting in a sports centre in the 1920s (fencing swords) or made as a decorative wall hanging in the 50s. I did have, not sure if it hasn't already rusted away, a tourist piece from Toledo which people would happily transport back on aeroplanes in the 70s. 

22laptops

Sound like some quite frightening things I wouldn't have in the house! Hmm, you say "who knows the history of some of those things" but you would know if they were WW2 or not for instance? I tell you what! I saw a German WW2 sword once that had sold in perhaps an American auction in the past which was amazing if it was used as film prop for a villain for instance.

soolin

22laptops said:

Sound like some quite frightening things I wouldn't have in the house! Hmm, you say "who knows the history of some of those things" but you would know if they were WW2 or not for instance? I tell you what! I saw a German WW2 sword once that had sold in perhaps an American auction in the past which was amazing if it was used as film prop for a villain for instance.

As you rightly say there are some very interesting things still out there with proper provenance and WW2 stuff still has a fair value as does anything that can be linked to a particular regiment or battle.

We often think of swords as being old weapons , medieval etc  but some Japanese and Chinese soldiers still carried swords in WW2 and a lot of military personnel still have swords as part of their dress uniform as well. Even things like swagger sticks can be valuable if they can be linked to something specific, a regiment or a person for instance. Military history is fascinating , not something I know a lot about, but I am always surprised at what comes up at auction sometimes. I love history , I have some fascinating, non weapon, items that I keep as curios. 

22laptops

Can you describe all the swords and daggers you have? My friend works in a films props department, perhaps you're allowed to sell them to him? What are the exact measurements please.
Thank you 

soolin

22laptops said:

Can you describe all the swords and daggers you have? My friend works in a films props department, perhaps you're allowed to sell them to him? What are the exact measurements please.
Thank you 

They really aren’t in good enough condition, I have had them rolled up in paper and a blanket for years - I am also not allowed to dispose of them, unless I hand them in somewhere. Do check out easylive auctions though, it is still legal for auction houses to sell them and I think you’d be shocked at how cheaply some go for. 

Perhaps this is the kick I need to contact my local police station and make arrangements to hand them over. They can even keep the blanket (or blankets I can’t even remember how many I wrapped up) and then if they have fallen apart with rust it will be them that has to clear up the mess. 

It’s so much easier disposing of the last of my cutlery sets , charity shops seem quite happy to accept them and seem to sell them quite well. 

theoretica

It looks like Royal Mail have reconsidered - the butter knives may travel!

https://tablewareinternational.com/royal-mail-changes-stance-on-delivery-of-bladed-items-following-bheta-campaign/

I usually carry my swords around in an old guitar bag.

22laptops

soolin said:

22laptops said:

Can you describe all the swords and daggers you have? My friend works in a films props department, perhaps you're allowed to sell them to him? What are the exact measurements please.
Thank you 

They really aren’t in good enough condition, I have had them rolled up in paper and a blanket for years - I am also not allowed to dispose of them, unless I hand them in somewhere. Do check out easylive auctions though, it is still legal for auction houses to sell them and I think you’d be shocked at how cheaply some go for. 

Why don't you sell them then? I thought you wanted to get rid of them!
You might make some money in auction.

soolin

22laptops said:

soolin said:

22laptops said:

Can you describe all the swords and daggers you have? My friend works in a films props department, perhaps you're allowed to sell them to him? What are the exact measurements please.
Thank you 

They really aren’t in good enough condition, I have had them rolled up in paper and a blanket for years - I am also not allowed to dispose of them, unless I hand them in somewhere. Do check out easylive auctions though, it is still legal for auction houses to sell them and I think you’d be shocked at how cheaply some go for. 

Why don't you sell them then? I thought you wanted to get rid of them!
You might make some money in auction.

My business model is to sell things that are worth selling, these are not. I have better things to sell that will make more money for much less effort.