Greetings from Oz

[larrycentaur]

Hi all. I'm a bit of a foreigner here, and am probably up while everyone else is asleep as I am from Australia - Down Under - the Land of Oz. Greetings! By way of introduction I am a 34 year old bloke living in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The name LarryCentaur comes from a bit of a local joke amongst we Australians, I'll fill you in on that later on. I have, for quite a while, been looking in on this forum and felt that it was about time that I bit the bullet so to speak and actually became a member and introduced myself. I've always had a pocket knife ever since my dad bought me my first Victorinox "Camping" Swiss Army knife when I was a Boy Scout (which I still have of course). At this stage of my life I have come to find myself becoming more interested in various kinds of knives, including old army knives, fixed blades, good quality folders and also automatic knives.

I have also written some of the following on another forum, so if there is anyone who has seen it before, I apologise in advance.

In Australia it's pretty hard to own prohibited weapons, including automatic knives, legally. I've decided to go through the process of obtaining my "Prohibited Weapons" licence which means that I can, as a member of a legitimate club, collect knives and other weapons that are deemed illegal for people to own under normal circumstances. I plan on explaining the process that I have to go through as it happens to me, so you can see it in the actual time it all takes. As I don't have the wealth of knowledge that some members here have, but would still like to contribute, I'll give what I can - which at this stage is purely personal experience. I've had a bit of a look through the forum, and can't seem to find any other place that might be more apropriate to post in, my apologies if this is in the incorrect area. Please advise me of the correct area and I'll happily move there.

So, here goes...


I recently applied to the Licensing Services Division of the Victoria Police for an "Application for Chief Commissioner's Approval to Possess Prohibited Weapon(s)". Apart from all the standard things you need to fill out on this form like name, birthdate etc. there was also a section that asked why I wanted to apply for this. Being the lawabiding citizen that I am I obviously want to do the right thing legally. So I have decided to join the Australasian Knife Collectors (AKC). At his stage, I have emailed them (yesterday) a completed form and today heard back from them and gave them my payment details. As soon as I receive the membership package from the AKC (should be within ten working days) my next step is to finish the Application for Chief Commissioner's Approval to Possess Prohibited Weapon(s) form, and then send it in to Victoria Police (Licensing Services Division). It would normally cost AU$157.80, but as I have a current Firearms Licence, it will only cost me AU$134.50. If this licence is anything like either my longarms licence or handgun licence then it will be valid for five years.

I'm pretty excited about it all - the prospect of being legally able to own prohibited weapons, not the paperwork! - and I must admit that I feel a lot like a big kid right now.


More info to follow, please feel free to ask any questions about anything.

Larry

[thatoneguy]

I wish I had a Prohibited Weapon(s) license! Not too many cops out here in rural Minnesota though. Either way, Welcome! I hop you have some fun here!

[lars]

Welcome aboard, Mr. larrycentaur!
Greetings from Sweden

[JerrBear]

Greetings and WELCOMENESS, Mr. larrycentaur!

Good luck on your journey through the Australian bureaucracy...

[Vagrant]

Welcome and good luck in dealing with "officialdom"

[tr4252]

Welcome!

Tom

[TRYKER]

WELCOME!!!


tryker

[larrycentaur]

Thanks all for your welcomes. I have an update for you, albeit brief.

In Friday's mail I received a package from AKC (Australiasian Knife Collectors). This contained the following:

1 x laminated membership card
1 x A5 double sided flier containg information about Swords and Dagger ownership in the state of Victoria (which unfortunately you need a permit for where I live) and on the reverse side quoted parts of the Firearms Act which prohibited weapons fall under.
1 x tax invoice for my 12 month membership
1 x A4 Certificate of Membership to the AKC
1 x A4 welcome letter explaining who they are, what they do and the aims and objectives of the AKC
1 x A4 mail order form - I'm lead to believe tha they sell a lot of knives via mailorder.
1 x A4 Glossy publication entitled, "AKC Knives Australia" (Issue 2/2009) which amongst other things contains some articles on Australia-centric locally produced older and new blades as well as smithing practices, carving, polishing etc.
1 x A4 knifemaking supplies catalogue

I was very impressed that this made it to me in such short time. I was expecting it to take another week to get to me. The upshot is that now I can complete the Approval to Posses Prohibited Weapons form and start the long journey through bureaucracy. At least I assume it will be a long one - you never know, I might be suprised. (Shyeah, right!)

I'll finish the form this weekend and mail it off, the police will receive it in Tuesday as we have a public holiday this Monday.


Anyway, as I said earlier, thanks again for the welcomes and I'll fill you all in as I progress.


Larry

[Jeff]

Welcome! Theres nothing quite like legal posession

[whippersnapper]

Howdy!

[Furcs]

I'll finish the form this weekend and mail it off, the police will receive it in Tuesday as we have a public holiday this Monday.

Welcome, and be extra good between now and Tuesday!

[larrycentaur]

Hi all.

I haven't forgotten to post or anything, I just have no news to tell. Which is news in it's own right, I guess. Ha! Who would have thunk it that the wheels of government turn slowly...


I'll post more news when I have some.


Cheers,

Larry

[larrycentaur]

Hi all. I've been away for a bit and there's been a lot on recently, my apologies for not keeping you updated as things happened. But here's what's happened recently;

So after waiting for the cogs to turn for what seemed like an eternity, I got a bit annoyed. So I called the guys at Licensing Services. It seems that they never received my application, and I needed to start again. Just quietly, I'm not happy about my personal info being out there somewhere, but I digress. So I filled it all out, got my barrister friend to sign the section that was the personal reference so they know I'm not stealing someone's identity, and mailed it in. Again. But this time I sent it by Registered Post, so that there has to be someone sign for it instead of just through the normal post.

I got a call within two days - I almost fell off my chair. I can't believe that I actually waited the first time around without calling because I was worried they might think I was being pushy!. I should have picked up on there being something wrong. The reason that they called me was to let me know that I couldn't use body armour, mace (capsicum spray) and something else which I forget with this licence as they are SO restricted that you can't even get/use them in Australia even with a the permit I was applying for.

Anyway, I get the permit sent out to me within a week. Unfortunately they sent it out to me without some of the things that I requested to be on it, so I called them back and asked them to change it, and they said, "No problem." I'm expecting my updated permit within a few days.

So now I can legally do the following: (and this is quoted directly from the Chief Commisioners Approval for Prohibited Weapons)

Advertise Prohibited Weapons for Sale
Carry Prohibited Weapon
Display Prohibited Weapon
Import or cause Prohibited Weapon to be Imported
Maufacture Prohibited Weapon
Possess Prohibited Weapon
Sell Prohibited Weapon
Use Prohibited Weapon
Purchase Prohibited


And the weapons that I can do that with/to are the following: (again, quoted directly from the Chief Commisioners Approval for Prohibited Weapons)

Ballistic Knives
Blowguns
Blowgun Darts
Butterfly knives
Cat o'nine tails
Catapults/Shanghais or hunting slings
Concealed knife or Sword blade
Knuckle Duster
Mace - {this is the spiked stick mace, not the OC spray-can}
Non metal/Ceramic knives
Push knives
Shark Dart
Retractable Sheath knives
Slingshot
Studded Glove
Throwing Blades
Trench Knives
Weighted Glove
Whips with Metal Lashes
Crossbows


Now, that list has a whole lot of stuff that I am NOT planning on collecting, using, manufaturing or anything of the sort - however, if you can get a licence for it, why not? It doesn't cost me any more to get the full list of allowable Prohibited Weapons instead of just one or two items, so I decided to go the whole hog.

You might notice that the list of weapons I am allowed to use and collect doesn't include automatic knives - this is an oversight that is being rectified by them shortly.


Anyhoo, there it all is - I'm licensed to use weapons now. Sorry it took sooooo long to get this all done - it was completely my fault. But now I'm almost totally there, and as soon as I am I'll be sure to report in and let you all know. And then the fun begins - time to take advantage of my legal ability to get some toys. I'll be in touch to some of y'all through the buy/sell part of this site - there are some specific things I'd like to add to my current meagre group of knives (note that I hesitate to even call it a collection!).


Thanks for your patience guys, have fun.


Larry

[larrycentaur]

Hi guys.

I received in today's mail the updated permit from the Chief Commissioner of the Victorian Police for prohibited weapons. It now includes (amongst other things) flick knives so pretty soon I'll be sure to upload some images of toys as now I will be able to colloect or manufacture them legally.



Thanks,

Larry

[Vagrant]

Congatulations
The law in my state allows me to own, buy, sell, and carry, ANY type of knife but Federal law prohibits importation of several types
[In a neighboring state, having a switch in your house is a felony] and this law is enforced whenever they can
So your ability to [legally] import actually gives you a right denied to us