Pffft. I once had a set of vernier callipers confiscated at Birmingham airport. Apparently the risk that I might measure someone to death was too high to take.

So does this seem to indicate that the UK has a tendency to make bad law as a knee-jerk reaction to some particularly notorious crimes – and then such laws are enforced by tin-pot dictators without an ounce of common sense or, frankly, much intelligence?

It does, yes.

Far too easy for the 'tin-pots' to quote the 'law' than apply a little common sense.

Indeed. In fact the 'pointy objects' ban at airports is laughable given what you can buy in the shops once you've passed through security.

So, is it that the UK has a particular ability for producing such 'jobsworths' or do other countries have the same issue but simply legislate better?

I was a frequent user of Frankfurt airport a while back and there's one bit of one of the far-flung terminals that was used primarily for flights to the USA. After 11/9, security on this bit was ramped up beyond that of the rest of the airport - extra checks, more restrictions etc. However, beyond the last additional metal detector/x-ray malarkey... was a steak restaurant. With big, eff-off steak knives.

I do think that we have an ability to produce 'jobsworths' ... as for other countries, as someone who rarely travels abroad, in truth I don't feel fully qualified to offer an opinion.

If you fly Business Class or higher they give you metal cutlery for free on the aircraft.

Only a moron would even think about taking their own knife or similar for whatever dastardly deed they had in mind once on board. There's simply no need. It's a quite literally pointless prohibition.

Ah well, mere plebs like me wouldn't know about that. A tiny Lufthansa sarnie was all we got.

But are you sure it was Lufthansa? Chances are, it was Pferd.

That just made me

Mrs 28 had the nail file part of a pair of nail clippers snapped off and disposed of at Birmingham Airport a few years back. Pretty sure it was Magda Goebbels that did it too. Well a humourless jobsworth at any rate.

A penknife?

On any fishing trip I can usually be found to be in possession of - the best on the market if you're interested

A bait cutting knife - shorter, more sturdy blade

A gutting knife - shorter blade than the bait knife and incorporates a kidney tool for bleeding the fish

These are usually in my bag until I'm on the boat or beach but I suppose I'm still open to carrying a concealed weapon

I always have a penknife or multitool with me when I fish which could be classed as carrying a bladed instrument in a public place. The three foot long pointed banksticks I take with me could also be classed as offensive weapons. The law as it is depends on you having a good reason to carry the blade e.g. just bought a set of cooking knives. If the law was enforced to a stupid extent any carpenter walking to work carrying his tools in a bag could be done for carrying an offensive weapon or going equipped.

I recently came across one of those real life Police documentaries filmed in the UK while flicking through the channels. They had stopped a young motorist and while searching him/car found a multitool and said they were confiscating the said bladed instrument that he was "carrying in public". The motorist became irate and pointed out that the extendable wheel brace he had in the car could also be used as a weapon and that both were items one might expect to be carried by a motorist. None-the-less the multitool was confiscated. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that the young motorist was black!

Honest, our Police aren't institutionally racist!