Any people here selling on eBay? Did you get an email (or multiple emails) about setting up Age Verification for selling bladed items? Were you actually listing any bladed items at the time ?
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eBay listings and bladed items
- Thread starter RogerS
- Start date
RogerM
Nordic Pine
Yep. Got the email and I have zero listings. I guess it's just an assumptive thing and people will take action if it fits.
That's a relief. I've got the Hammer listed and thought their AI had decided that as it was bladed then it needed Age-Verification. Just in case, I picked up the 600kg machine and stabbed someone with it.
Blackswanwood
Old Oak
I think you could be right Roger.
I got the e-mail which was a bit perplexing as it says I'm selling bladed items. I've only ever sold one thing ... my old bandsaw plus spare blades.
My daughter didn't get the e-mail - she's sold clothes etc.
Maybe they might think that you will strangle someone with them! TBH I wouldn’t worry.
Yeah, I think I'll just leave it and see what happens.
Steve Maskery
Old Oak
I've just been to a Saturday morning market. There is a bloke with a side-drop van who does the rounds. Bellac is the third Saturday of the month. I took him my planer blades to do. €56 for three sets of 3 x 300mm. I thought that was pretty reasonable, actually, I'm sure I was paying about £20 for a pair of 250mm in the UK.
Anyway, the point is, he has loads of knives openly on sale, you can just buy what you want and walk off with it. Even our local supermarket has a card of folding pocket knives by the till. No questions asked.
S
Anyway, the point is, he has loads of knives openly on sale, you can just buy what you want and walk off with it. Even our local supermarket has a card of folding pocket knives by the till. No questions asked.
S
Wolf
Seedling
It's a farce, I tried to bid on a set of ward chisels today only to get a message saying I needed to verify i was over 18 by inputting a credit card, well I don't have one and have no desire to, result being I can't bid on or buy edged tools (which includes chisels and planes by their absurd rules) on ebay anymore ,so sent ebay an email detailing exactly what I think of it.
AJB Temple
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What are they supposed to do then? They have to comply with the law and the law requires age verification.
Mike
Sapling
From what I see on the UK news, the age verification law is not limited to eBay, but any online vendor.
In early 2020, just before the world ended, I was in the Bideford Asda trying to buy an inexpensive paring knife before my wife and I continued on our vacation to Cornwall. I had to wait for a manager to unlock the display case and verify my ID. He then escorted me to the cashier and handed the blister-packed knife to her so I could give her £3.50 and leave.
Trevanion
Old Oak
I saw a mitre gauge for a saw on eBay the other day, eBay was flagging it as a bladed article that required age verification. It would probably sting a bit if you threw it at someone hard enough.
There seems to be a massive cultural shift, once upon a time not having a knife on your person was considered unusual (even school children would go to school with a knife for sharpening pencils if you go far enough back), but now the law-abiding people who were carrying knives no longer do so because they are scared of what repercussions might arise if they get caught with a knife on their person, and the criminals and thugs that wield them with malicious intent still do regardless of any law or how difficult it becomes to purchase a knife. So in the end, it only harms and inconveniences regular people.
There seems to be a massive cultural shift, once upon a time not having a knife on your person was considered unusual (even school children would go to school with a knife for sharpening pencils if you go far enough back), but now the law-abiding people who were carrying knives no longer do so because they are scared of what repercussions might arise if they get caught with a knife on their person, and the criminals and thugs that wield them with malicious intent still do regardless of any law or how difficult it becomes to purchase a knife. So in the end, it only harms and inconveniences regular people.
Blackswanwood
Old Oak
You can carry a knife in public with a folding blade of less than 3” and as long as you don’t use it to threaten or intimidate anyone it’s within the law. Arguably that’s sufficient for sharpening pencils etc?
AJB Temple
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My friend has a daughter now aged 13. When she was 11, coming out of school in Bromley, she was threatened and cut on her neck and hand with a knife wielded by a child under 10, who was tasked with stealing something. There was a point where in London (and Bromley is not a rough area) certain sections of our society are using children carrying knives to commit crime. Thefts, drug deliveries etc. It is difficult for the police to deal with children. The "public" expect the "authorities" to "do something". What they do is ineffective appeasement, but it's hard to see what else they can do. Laws to prevent people ordering zombie knives over the internet have morphed into all bladed items being affected. It's obviously ludicrous as every kitchen in the land has multiple knives in it, and we don't keep kids out of the kitchen. This is not eBay's fault - we have to take a closer look at the make up of our society and moral compass if we wish to address this problem. It's nothing to do with eBay.
Trevanion
Old Oak
That’s the thing, while it’s legal on paper to carry a folding knife that is less than 3” in length in public, it’s still completely at the discretion of the police officer whether they feel that you might decide to stab someone with it and they can still book you for having a dangerous weapon in a public place.
I carry two knives in my holster pockets on a daily basis, both would be classed as illegal to carry in public as they lock in place. One is a Milwaukee Fastback disposable razor knife and the other a Leatherman Wave which has a 3” liner-locking blade. I obviously use them to carry out my day-to-day work and both are essential, but I do wonder what would happen if I were to be pulled up on it, that said I do try avoid bringing them to non-work related occasions like popping into the shop for lunch.
spb
Nordic Pine
You'd say that you had a good reason for carrying them, namely that you use them for work and were travelling to or from said work. They may argue with that if you were going out to lunch, as you could have left them at your work site with your other tools, but I can't see an officer having a problem in that case unless they were trying to pin anything at all on you for unrelated reasons.
Unfortunately there's no definition in statute of what constitutes a good reason; it's entirely down to case law and, if your situation doesn't have an existing precedent, how well you can persuade a judge (if it gets that far). However, "I use knives for my work and was going to or from that work" is well established as a good reason, along with "I have just purchased this and am taking it home" and similar no-brainers.
AJB Temple
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It is interesting. I sometimes help out a friend in a well known restaurant kitchen in London. It's fun. When I go there I take my knife roll, which has a dozen or more razor sharp mostly Japanese knives including an 18" long Yanagiba (think small sword), some steel skewers and metal pointy chopsticks, sharp scissors and a couple of oyster / shellfish knives. Clearly dangerous in the wrong hands, but essential tools of the job. Professional cooks routinely carry a knife roll, often at anti-social hours and often on public transport (out of necessity in London).
Cabinetman
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Trevanion said “There seems to be a massive cultural shift, once upon a time not having a knife on your person was considered unusual (even school children would go to school with a knife for sharpening pencils if you go far enough back),”
Far enough back. Now I’m feeling old lol, I can’t remember a time when I haven’t had a penknife in my pocket. It surprises me how many people don’t and the number of times I’m called upon to undo packaging or cut something or undo small screws etc is huge.
Far enough back. Now I’m feeling old lol, I can’t remember a time when I haven’t had a penknife in my pocket. It surprises me how many people don’t and the number of times I’m called upon to undo packaging or cut something or undo small screws etc is huge.
MattS
Nordic Pine
I always carry a penknife in my pocket, unless going somewhere that I know I'll be searched such as a gig. Had an hour to spare at Charing Cross today, haven't been into The National Gallery in too long. Asked the guard and they apparently search you on the way in so left the queue - not worth the hassle.
I don't think Trevanion's reading of the law is quite right. Any knife under 3", so my penknife is legitimate to carry no questions asked. Knives over that or outside the law, such as locking can be carried if you have "good reason" such as for your work. That's the area which is down to interpretation, but let's be realistic you're highly unlikely to end up being searched walking down a street minding your own business.
I don't think Trevanion's reading of the law is quite right. Any knife under 3", so my penknife is legitimate to carry no questions asked. Knives over that or outside the law, such as locking can be carried if you have "good reason" such as for your work. That's the area which is down to interpretation, but let's be realistic you're highly unlikely to end up being searched walking down a street minding your own business.
Wolf
Seedling
Selling, buying and carrying knives and weapons
The laws on selling, buying and carrying a knife or weapon depend on the type of knife or weapon, your age and your circumstances.
That should give the answer regarding legal carry for knives.
Cabinetman
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I found this to be almost unbelievable, must say I haven’t tried to get my penknife through Heathrow , only once forgot to put it in the suitcase but I was coming the other way and the guy definitely turned a blind eye thank goodness.
Wolf
Seedling
Just give the option to upload any recognised form of ID if it is a legal requirement for tools, instead of their only option given which was to have and give them credit card details, which as far as a quick google search concluded wouldn't be proof of age anyway.
Trevanion
Old Oak
The police often make their reasons up on the spot, as I said it's at their discretion as with most things involving the police. If they do not want you to have that knife on your person they will take it off you and book you for it, no matter what the law actually says.
That should give the answer regarding legal carry for knives.
What I find unusual about the law is this bit, "Flick knife, gravity knife, ‘switchblade’ or ‘automatic knife’ : A knife where the blade opens automatically or is released from the handle, either by gravity or by pressing a button or something else on the knife." which is basically the illegal category that my Milwaukee Fastback comes under because it opens with the push of a button and a flick of the wrist, despite buying it in this country and you can still buy them.
AJB Temple
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Ineffective. Easy to borrow your dad's driving licence from his wallet, or borrow passport from his bedside drawer, save it on your phone and upload it. Any ten year old could do that.
This issue is a growing one in our society and online verification tools are becoming more commonplace, partly driven by the alcohol licensing laws for on-line sales, where the seller in order to be licensed (as I am) to sell retail, has to have an effective system in place. It will also be driven into laws governing access to pornography in due course. The best control is always at the point of handover.
Banks and providers are not supposed to issue credit cards to under 18s in the UK I believe. Of course iof parents allow their children to use their credit card and pin and ignore the app notifications of use, then that measure is circumvented as well.
What we have here is politicians and civil servants enacting laws without having properly thought through how they can be applied to catch people who are actually criminals. So they merely inconvenience the law abiding.
Wolf
Seedling
That's my point exactly, it's another half baked scheme that won't actually stop any criminal activity, partly as it's so easily circumvented by any herbert of the mind to using somone elses ID or indeed credit card, also in part that if the police seem unable to enforce the existing laws ( which there are already plenty of) how can they enforce additional ones?
It's just a nonsense, which like the similar knee jerk measures imposed on us in the past only inconvenience or stop the law abiding from going about their business.
The irony of it is, they don't ask for anything to buy a screwdriver, which would arguably be more usable as a weapon than a chisel or plane cutter?
Trevanion
Old Oak
Don't give them any ideas, please!
Wolf
Seedling
You're right there!
expunge it from the record before they cotton on.
AJB Temple
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It's quite bizarre actually. Although there are very strict laws preventing ownership of hand guns as a result of the Hungerford incident as I recall, I am reliably informed by the local (civilian) firearms officer who I know from the local clay club, that illegal "clean" handguns and ammunition are quite freely traded in Kent by a certain segment of "society". He reckons that they come in from Belgium mainly and are not expensive. Mostly Glock 17 apparently, or Walther P something, which by total coincidence are the standard issue sidearms for Belgian and Dutch police.
Walther PPK. Not a bad hand gun. I prefer the Glock G29 Gen 5.
Trevanion
Old Oak
It was the later 1996 Dunblane incident that resulted in restrictions (effectively a complete ban) on handguns, the 1987 Hungerford incident resulted in restrictions on semi-automatic rifles and shotguns.
There's been a bit of a war against firearms and shotgun owners since the more recent Plymouth incident in 2021, very few new certificates have been issued, and many have been revoked and firearms seized for seemingly very little reason. I follow Fieldsports Britain and there seems to be a story every couple of weeks of someone having theirs seized for little reason.
I do not doubt that if the teenage individual who has been in the news for the last few days for stabbing and then shooting his mother, brother, and sister with a shotgun acquired with a forged certificate had managed to carry out his plan of a school shooting, that there would be a serious clamp-down on shotguns as a result.
While I don't disagree with reasonable control of firearms and shotguns, it's clearly getting out of hand when it comes to police dealing with the general public, everyone is being treated as if they are villains when the real villains are getting away with daylight robbery, drug empires, and everything else...
Lons
Old Oak
There are even strong rumours of a crackdown on sub 12ft/lb air guns which are already subject to licencing rules in Scotland.
As already said, none of these actions will stop the criminal fraternity getting hands on illegal weapens.
As already said, none of these actions will stop the criminal fraternity getting hands on illegal weapens.
It depends on where you live.
Blackswanwood
Old Oak
Quick update on this. One of the bandsaw blades sold and I posted it via Royal Mail's tracked 48 service and it has been delivered successfully. So no problems listing it with eBay and no questions asked in the post office. I don't know if the buyer had to prove age or not but I had no issues.
Not sure how this got through but yesterday I was told that my other listing has been removed as it is a 'bladed item'.
I guess that they've only just got around to my account and I was lucky with the first one.
I wonder if different wording to remove 'blade' would let it past? But I suppose then no one would think to look for 'long loop of toothed steel strip for a Record 352" might not get many hits.
AJB Temple
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It can be bizarre. Yesterday I wanted to replace my langoustine de-shelling and de-veining pliers for the restaurant. These take the shells off without removing the head and a super quick on large prawns if you are doing a lot. This fell foul of the bladed item rules for some inexplicable reason (as basically they are just thin long nose pliers for the restaurant industry) and I had to do the age verification malarky. If I was out to attack someone, this would not be my weapon of choice
It truly is a stupid piece of idiocy on eBay's behalf. Ice-skating blades ? Preserved prehistoric shoulder blade. The film 'Bladerunner'.
eBay are currently top of my ordure pile as despite having sold through them on and off for 20+ years and having previously verified my identity, they are insisting on it all over again. I did tell them that the person who stares back at me from the bathroom mirror is still the same person I saw over 70 years ago didn't seem to cut it.
I'm going to take a photo of my driving licence and then cut'n'paste this face
eBay are currently top of my ordure pile as despite having sold through them on and off for 20+ years and having previously verified my identity, they are insisting on it all over again. I did tell them that the person who stares back at me from the bathroom mirror is still the same person I saw over 70 years ago didn't seem to cut it.
I'm going to take a photo of my driving licence and then cut'n'paste this face
I just ended the listing. I couldn't find how to add in age verification then considered that if I could find it, it's likely to be so much that no one would consider buying it.
I just checked Axminster and they are much more sensible, they have the 'you must be over 18 to buy' policy and require an age verified delivery method for real knives but pallet knives and bandsaw blades aren't under this massive umbrella that will only catch the law abiding. Their delivery charges also seem to be the same whatever the item.
I think at the end of the day, it will benefit the non-eBay sellers like Axminster but will have next to no impact on knife crime figures. God I hate politicians.
I just checked Axminster and they are much more sensible, they have the 'you must be over 18 to buy' policy and require an age verified delivery method for real knives but pallet knives and bandsaw blades aren't under this massive umbrella that will only catch the law abiding. Their delivery charges also seem to be the same whatever the item.
I think at the end of the day, it will benefit the non-eBay sellers like Axminster but will have next to no impact on knife crime figures. God I hate politicians.
AJB Temple
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I must admit I find the buyer's protection levy on eBay a bit of a scam. Since buyer's have paid for this in effect insurance, they may as well claim for any trivial thing. Sellers are fully at risk as they don't get paid until delivery is returned. I think basically eBay is trying to emulate Amazon and become a business shop not a venue for private sellers.
I had a (no returns) acoustic stage amplifier returned by a buyer in norther ireland recently on the basis that he thought it had guitar and mic jack inputs, not XML - despite the listing and manufacturer spec clearly stating the inputs. eBay just allowed him to get away with this nonsense and as a result I have stopped selling on eBay.
I had a (no returns) acoustic stage amplifier returned by a buyer in norther ireland recently on the basis that he thought it had guitar and mic jack inputs, not XML - despite the listing and manufacturer spec clearly stating the inputs. eBay just allowed him to get away with this nonsense and as a result I have stopped selling on eBay.