Royal mail to stop shipping blades from april

The whole setup continues to amaze me by how convoluted and non-specific-on-purpose it is. The offensive weapons 2019 act seems to introduce two categories of bladed things, "bladed articles" and "bladed products"; the second being a subset of the first, with more restrictions on shipping.
See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...eapons-act-2019-accessible-version#key-note-2
It is not clear to me where DE/SE razor blades would fall; the govt basically says "use your judgement, the final arbiter will be the courts when someone will challenge this".
And _of course_, to muddy the waters further, Royal Mail uses the language of "bladed items" which is not referred to in the law guidance linked above.
 
exists said:
It is not clear to me where DE/SE razor blades would fall; the govt basically says "use your judgement, the final arbiter will be the courts when someone will challenge this".
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I think that with any potential weapon, the law will ask "Did you have good reason to have that with you, in that place, at that time ?"

So carpet fitters can legally carry a stanley knife in their pocket all day whilst working, but might struggle to justify still having it in their pocket in a pub at lunchtime, when it should be back in the toolbox.

Getting Razor blades from manufacturer to customer and onwards is not illegal, provided you have taken reasonable care with your handling of them.

This law gives a broad framework to punish people who are thoughtless or reckless with dangerous items i think.
 
Don't forget that not only can you pick an alternative courier, but you can send via a couple of them directly through Post Office Counter Services even in-branch. If RM are difficult and someone else will do it, then pick them.

www.bbc.co.uk

Post Office to send and receive Evri and DPD parcels

For the first time in 360 years, Post Office customers can use firms other than Royal Mail.
www.bbc.co.uk

Evri | UK & International Parcel Services | Post Office

Explore Evri's efficient parcel services for both UK and international shipments at your nearest Post Office branch. Secure, reliable, and convenient options for sending packages worldwide.
www.postoffice.co.uk www.postoffice.co.uk

DPD Parcel Delivery Service In-Branch | Post Office

Enjoy efficient DPD parcel delivery at your local Post Office branch.
www.postoffice.co.uk www.postoffice.co.uk
 
I bought some blades from Big Deal Smart (yeah I know it's actually Big Deals Mart, but I prefer the former) and they sent the first order via RM. They missed sending a few things, so I bought some more blades with the missing items and they sent them via Evri.

Maybe this a sign of the future? It might not be worthwhile for sellers like Paul of Connaught to send out a few packs via RM but a few more via Evri could make sense.
 
OrangeSport said:
You don't have to tell them what's in the package when you send it.
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This is very true, I guess just a higher chance your parcel will be intercepted and possibly destroyed. I doubt they'll up they're game at detecting blades in the parcels but it might make me think twice putting them in with a razor sale for instance.

Royal mail are mostly introducing this as the legislation makes them liable to prosecution if any blade is supplied to under 18s or an illegal blade type (eg zombie knives) are sent at all.

I doubt most post office employees will take a nuanced approach if you say there are razor blades in the parcel you're sending. I suspect they're not going to differentiate between blade types they'll simply say no sharp objects. Whether or not you declare them is up to the sender...
 
I asked Gillette about their blade recycling scheme and how the new Royal Mail rules might affect it, got this back today (I also asked Terracycle but have not received a reply yet!) -

******
Hi Ken,

Thank you for getting in touch with us at Gillette regarding the new Royal Mail rules being introduced in April, I’d be happy to assist you further.

Consumers will still be able to recycle their blades with us via our Terracycle process but we will make some updates to the website nearer the time to clarify what is and isn't allowed.

I hope this helps, please do not hesitate to get back in touch should you need help with anything else.

Kind regards,

Daniel
Consumer Relations

******
 
Borygmi said:
Came across this when making up a parcel today. I know that there was an age restriction on blades sent in the post for a while and eBay recently stopped selling razor blades completely.

Now it seems royal mail won't ship them at all from April....
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I thought the Royal mail was supposed to make profit. The way they keep refusing to deliver items like this the other courriers will be lapping up the profit & leaving Royal mail to deliver the junkmail.
 
We're now into April (and I just snuck a blade package out prior to the fateful date) but see on the RM website that the policy has indeed been amended and actually comes into effect 7th May:


Screen Shot 2024-04-03 at 08.58.09 AM.png

It reads like the intention of the object has now been taken into account - functional sharps (as in garden tools, utility knives and razor blades) are permitted but restricted and the onus is on you to prove age verification (and use the RM's more costly service). Sharp items that have been designed with the glorification of maiming and killing are prohibited.

While I doubt that there is any (cultural) reason for anyone here to warrant the purchase and ownership of say, a tomahawk which is most likely to be one of the prohibited items, many of us do chop wood and so a Silverline splitting axe in the hands of a (verified) adult is not. Yet, anyone could still do some horrific damage to another person with either.

I think some sense is starting to prevail. I'd like to see a revision of the actual Offensive Weapons Act because that reads like an unholy mess and sloppy laws end up punishing the wrong folks for the wrong reasons and see those flouting it slip by. Case in point, I bought a new brush hook from B&Q on Monday, carried it in public (unwrapped) to my car and from my car across a public pavement to my private property - I think that falls foul of the letter of the law. Now, if the Daily Mail wrote that sentence it could read like: "Crazed Gen X'er threatens public with medieval weapon!".
 
NatJag said:
It reads that open and folding razors cannot be sent under the prohibited list. Presumably, this means cut throat razors.
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It does read that way, doesn't it?

Given the effect of the Offensive Weapons Act upon the sale of razor blades on eBay, the sale of cut-throat razors has contined. I wonder (now) how such sales might be posted. I guess we'd need to scour the fine print on alternative couriers.
 
I placed a vintage Gillette Safety Razor box on ebay, I mentioned the blade holders were in good condition.

They removed the add because it breached their policy on bladed items.

There are kids knifing each other and hacking people apart with machetes which obviously needs to be tackled but I don't see my razor blade box being used in the relieving somebody of their Rolex.
 
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