Pete, I think these are very practical thoughts.

We who frequent ETS naturally think of knives as tools, first, second, and third. Quite correctly; we are a cautious, responsible and law-abiding crowd. Our knives are there to support and assist, not to threaten or destroy.

Naturally, as reasonable and responsible people, we roll our eyes at any opposite assumption by the uninformed -- that knives are weapons first and always.

In the hands of reasonable people, they are not.

The fact remains, though, that there are many who are not reasonable, nor responsible, nor trustworthy. Knives can be devastatingly effective in their hands, to threaten or destroy. And it is practically impossible for the blunt instruments of law to make these fine distinctions. That's just the reality. Or so it seems to me. Insert "Facepalm" emoticon here

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But let me step back, and for discussion give you a practical example based on a sideline micro-business idea I have been kicking around.

You see, it annoys me to see people attempting to cook with a fleet of obscenely dull knives (a.k.a. funny shaped sticks, tent pegs) in their kitchens. Yes, I surreptitiously check their knife blocks when visiting, and yes, that's a little weird. But I try to be circumspect in offering assistance. Some accept with great gusto, and some don't know what to make of it.

So, I thought -- with impeccable logic -- if they could drop by a place like a car wash (open all hours anyway) and run their horrid blades through a good quality self-serve sharpener, for a buck or two, the world would be a better place, right?

Except, that presupposes reasonable people with honourable intent. You have a till with cash, a minimum wage attendant, and an excuse for numbskulls to walk in with large kitchen blades. Could this possible go awry (heavy sarc.)? Nobody would touch it with a barge pole, for safety and security and liability reasons. I can't blame them. And there dies an otherwise brilliant business idea (I'll add it to the list).

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Pardon my rambling thoughts; I'm just thinking out loud. I regret they don't come to an actionable conclusion.