Over Cautious Sales Assistant

I ordered 2 pairs of small sewing scissors from Amazon and I had to come to the door to see 2 young rather nervous delivery people who had to check my age out. (admittedly, I think one was a trainee).

I think the shop assistant had been told specifically to exercise due caution and ask actual questions and maybe was nervous and clumsily tried to make a joke if it, is all.

Knife murder/attack is one of the methods women use as it doesn't involve the same strength as say a strangling or punching would. It is of course also used against women as its domestically easily available.

I found the knife angel quite terrifying.

I knew someone, in her thirties, who went into Tesco, bought a large knife, came out and killed herself with it. I’ve often felt sorry for the person who sold it to her, no self service tills then.

Quite frankly the question seems superfluous, if I was planning on going on a murdererous rampage with the knife I am hardly likely to tell the shop assistant the truth am I.

We have an assistant in our local Supermarket who asked to see our bus passes when we bought some wine lately, DH said without laughing he would bring his birth certificate the next time. She did not see the joke.
We then heard her say the same to an elderly gent with a walking stick and his answer was "No but I might drop it if you bu....around much more", the whole queue was in an uproar.
I suppose they have to ask.
Our DD asked for a good set of kitchen knives for Christmas she found that John Lewis and quite a few others would not sell online.

I use à steel Lexisgranny for my trusty Sabatier knife.

Callistemon21

Here is the Knife Angel, a sculpture made from knives collected by police across Britain in a knife amnesty and no longer out on the streets.

Thank you! I had heard of the Knife Angel till now.
It puts me in mind of the biblical quotation 'and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares.'
Having Googled the Angel I see that it tours the country and is currently outside Gloucester Cathedral.

Correction... Had not heard of...

Jaxjacky. Did you buy it recently or was it handed down? I have just spent an hour or so in a fabulous kitchen kitchen shop that appeared to have every kitchen gadget under the sun………….but no steel!

Aldom

Callistemon21

Here is the Knife Angel, a sculpture made from knives collected by police across Britain in a knife amnesty and no longer out on the streets.

Thank you! I had heard of the Knife Angel till now.
It puts me in mind of the biblical quotation 'and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares.'
Having Googled the Angel I see that it tours the country and is currently outside Gloucester Cathedral.

Yes, that picture is outside Gloucester Cathedral. However, it has moved on from there and is now in Bradford, I think.

Exactly the same buying glue - I bought three glue pens to do paper crafts and was quite surprised to be questioned about my age and what I wanted them for. I do know that there are restrictions on selling glue but because those were just like pens with tiny nibs it just hadn't occurred to me.

Lexisgranny about 20 years ago, you can buy online if you search for butchers steel.

JJ - Many thanks, I didn’t think of putting Butchers in front of steel

In the last 5 years, I have bought kitchen knives, scissors of every kind from nail scissors to fabric shears and I have never been asked for proof of age.

Incidentally I keep my knives on a magnetic bar beside my chopping boards. I would not dream of putting them in a drawer, where the edge could get damaged and where someone could accidentally cut themselves by brushing up against the edge of a knife.

The probability of someone walking into my kitchen grabbing a knife and either attacking anyone in the house or outside is so infinentismally small, I am happy to discount it.

Anyway, if the knife grabber was a member of the household, wall bar, block or drawer, they would know where the knives were and could get one quickly.

Perhaps those of you who are worried, could consider getting a knife safe so that you can lock up all the knives, with only you being able to access them. Something like this perhaps.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374525973139?hash=item57337cd293:g:u6wAAOSwZaVj9IXm&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwPRdir5%2BcHWAeQb%2FLHlT9EQI9VtkyZ3estaIgIw%2BV2%2B9OdXWNbIw%2F%2BLRUz51Fpf8iMfKAjTgYua6OmpvKyaTMb3ekdnwzlEn7pPPlNhRISqkxOhz%2BZVMFTe2eKaobyQC9o6CSkjZ4Zd%2BxXdIfPPDMsHg06wIHbbgn4bJKWTwOtxYdisyVzQR5NecZUt360Sdijo8cbOwvchFh%2Fyt6JhdcsKpvR5YD2k1x6rjelQP6bZwqXmA6FouDa2xHnw1eYhJMQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABlBMULD465rwYQ

“The probability of someone walking into my kitchen grabbing a knife and either attacking anyone in the house or outside is so infinentismally small, I am happy to discount it.”

The police have to wear stab vests because of the knife threat domestic disputes can be very dangerous, it’s not outsiders it’s family members that are the threat.

It’s not improbable though Monica anyone breaking in (and you’re no more safe from that than anyone else is) if disturbed could easily in panic, grab the nearest weapon type item
Again anyone with a mental health problem can be unpredictable and if frightened grab what they feel they need
It’s absolutely up to you to have your knives any where you want to keep them but don’t knock the danger they could cause
and the caution needed
My aunt was broken into when she was fast asleep upstairs knew nothing till the next day what if she’d gone down to check a noise ?

In the last 5 years, I have bought kitchen knives, scissors of every kind from nail scissors to fabric shears and I have never been asked for proof of age
You live in a different area to a lot of us then even the charity shop cannot keep any scissors even tiny nail scissors or penknives are under lock and key and we don’t sell any knives other than ordinary dinner knives

All supermarkets have to approve the purchase of alcohol Yammy that’s been happening for years

I'm with M0nica on this. I don't like sharp knives in drawers as I'm nervous of cutting myself accidentally. If someone breaks into a house, gets disturbed and wants a weapon, there are many other household objects that can be used. I know someone who was killed by burglar with a screwdriver. Broken glass is a dangerous weapon - often used in fights outside pubs!

We could live our lives in fear, locking everything potentially dangerous up, or relax and take the miniscule chance of being murdered by an intruder with something they found in our house. (House is generally so untidy they would be lucky to find anything!)

Bluebelle we have a fully functioning security alarm system and have had in several houses, over 40 years. We have had an attempted break in, but the alarm went off and they scarpered.

As Farmor says, the probability of having a break-in is small and the chances of a break in where the intruder is not, either already armed with a weapon, or doesn't make a run when they realise someone is present is smaller still.

They also then need to turn the lights on in the kitchen and look to see where you keep your knives, even if they are in a block or on a magnetic bar on the wall. Quicker and easier to grab a table lamp or ornament and hit you on the head with that.

As I said the probabability of this is minute. In nearly 60 years of living independently, I have never had such an incident and nobody I know has either.

I would rather keep my mnd on probably events. like not getting to an appointment tomorrow at the right time, after a 200 mile drive, whether the car will break down, how DGD will do in GCSEs. Things that really matter and are much more likely to occur.

I've no idea what the shop assistant wanted.

I suppose the alarming/escalating number of knife crimes has caused some rules/regulations at some shops, regardless of age or dress.

We keep knives in sheaths, in kitchen drawers and other shop work areas. Graters, mandolins, scissors, peelers are all sharp as well.

Safety? Lock your doors.

You can’t buy scissors easily now, you find an assistant and they take some to the till and when you’re ready you ask at the till for them.

A teenage boy about 17 or 18 bought a large chefs knife in Sainsbury's. No one asked him anything but I wondered was he a chef.

I agree with you M0nica (your post 23:33:31).
My knives are both on a magnetic strip and in a block - keeping sharp knives in a drawer is (a) dangerous (risk if being cut when reaching for them), and (b) risks blunting them as they sit together.
The likelihood of someone breaking into your home, grabbing your knives and assaulting you with them is really rather slim, in my opinion. (Not impossible, but very unlikely).

Germs in the slots of knife blocks? Well, quite possibly, yes. But I’ve had a knife block for over 35 years now, use the knives regularly and am here to type the tale, along with the person I share my home with and feed preparing food using said knives out of said knife block …

Over 40 years ago someone broke into a neighbour's house. The neighbour found him in the kitchen and was stabbed to death with his own bread knife. It made me aware of the danger of possible weapons left around.

In the Supermarket I work at age ID will be prompted at the checkout or self serve for many things.

Obviously Alcohol (even none alcoholic)

knives, party poppers, birthday fountains, birthday sparklers, party cannons, little travel sewing kit ( contains scissors).

Lighters/matches flammable liquids/tobacco/lottery tickets /some of the spray on hair products/medicines paracetamol/glues.

Stationary sets with a compass in.

Chocolate (Baileys etc)

Energy drinks.

At Chr*stmas Baileys fresh cream.

Any X box, Playstation / switch games, even the controller's.

DVD's.

It can be a nightmare trying to guess a young person age, if we get it wrong and it happens to be a "tester" as in the police have sent a young person in. The Store gets a talking to, the person who sold whatever, gets a stern talking to via the police and can incur a fine and a caution.

We have a Challenge 25 policy, if you happen to look under 25 (yes even though for most things it is 18, then we are taught to ask for ID)
Hence I love it when I come to serve my "more mature customers" .






Items with glue in (nail glue etc)

Even the little kit that comes out at Halloween for carving pumpkins(it has a little plastic serrated knife in).