this post was submitted on 26 Jan 2026

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170

My country's police just busted a dangerous 3d printed weapons manufacturer. (lemmy.world)

submitted 3 weeks ago by Wispy2891@lemmy.world to c/3dprinting@lemmy.world

59 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Article: https://tg.la7.it/cronaca/bolzano-coltelli-stampante-3d-a-scuola-denunciato-minore-26-01-2026-251562

Local student arrested for 'manufacturing weapons.' In reality, he printed some PLA shivs that would probably shatter if they hit a piece of parmesan cheese. The police seized the printer like it was a meth lab. 10/10 for the dramatic crime scene photo, though.

(Backstory: a few weeks ago a student in another city/school was stabbed with a (iron) knife and died so now politicians need to show that zero tolerance policies are successful.)

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[–] entwine@programming.dev 65 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

I don't get it, are knives illegal in Italy? What if I want to cut my spaghetti?

[–] NaibofTabr@infosec.pub 72 points 3 weeks ago

What if I want to cut my spaghetti?

[–] squaresinger@lemmy.world 66 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

This is the really weird thing. If these knives were made of metal and in a kitchen drawer, nobody would think of them as being weapons. But since they are 3d printed, that's novel enough to warrant some panic or something...

[–] ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Not sure how rules are in Italy, but where I live "switchblades" and other one-hand operated collapsible knives are illegal.

[–] Jocarnail@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Afaik, all single hand operation deployment knives are illegal in Italy. It's somewhat of a nonsensical rule when there are teenagers stabbing themselves with kitchen knives, but still...

[–] ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

You can make surprisingly sharp objects, I once cut myself with my printed bed-scraper by accident.

These printed knives can absolutely also be used to hurt/kill someone, if you wanted to...like all type of knives and basic cutlery really...these being an illegal type is the trigger here I believe.

[–] Test_Tickles@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Let's just hope that the politicians never realize the danger of sharpened sticks or they might ban trees and bushes too.

[–] treep@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I could probably poke out some eyes with my knitting needles, glad nobody banned those (yet)!

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[–] Jocarnail@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

Of course, I never intended to imply that a plastic knife would not be dangerous

[–] Jocarnail@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago

It's not because they are 3d printed. He was distributing them at school! That is the problem.

If he were to file down toothbrushes and do the same he would still be arrested and his files confiscated.

[–] JohnEdwa@sopuli.xyz 18 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (4 children)

Spring assisted switchblades are illegal in quite a few countries, so I imagine they are in Italy as well. Still completely ridiculous, as these are plastic toy replicas, and not actual knives.

[–] NauticalNoodle@lemmy.ml 8 points 3 weeks ago

most of those classic stiletto switchblades are manufactured in italy

[–] Fondots@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

I don't know the knife laws in Italy, especially not for the specific part of Italy this occurred in

But often laws about switchblades and such have to do with carrying them, or occasionally selling them, but often just owning a switchblade and keeping it at home isn't really an issue

As far as manufacturing, I again don't know about the specific regulations, if there's maybe any kind of licensing or something needed, but I know for a fact that it is either not totally illegal to manufacture a switchblade in Italy, or they are *very * selectively enforcing those laws because there are some very well-known manufacturers of them based there (if I had more disposable income I've had my eye on a Frank Beltrame stiletto for a while)

[–] teft@piefed.social 3 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Often even unassisted switchblades are illegal. They're called gravity knives.

[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago (7 children)

Just to be pedantic, gravity knives aren’t switchblades.

They have a blade that slides freely (and under the force of gravity.) the grip is basically a hinged nutcracker that, when closed, traps the sliding blade either deployed or retracted.

In any case, they’re no more dangerous than your standard folding knives of the same general proportions.

The illegality of certain knives (switch blades, gravity knives, balisongs, etc) are largely not based on the danger or actual use of those knives as weapons.

In the US it’s usually reactionary and racism.

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[–] hector@lemmy.today 5 points 3 weeks ago

Like butterfly knives, many places in the us too. Ny for instance, cops are taught to flick knives open to be able to charge for knives no reasonable person would think fit the gravity description I read once.

[–] INeedANewUserName@piefed.social 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm pretty sure 30 years ago they were legal in Italy but maybe not OTF, out the front. That seems to often be an important legal distinction.

[–] Jocarnail@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Afaik, all one hand operation deployment knives are illegal to carry in Italy. Ballisongs/butterfly knives included.

I'm not sure if there are special licenses that would allow you to carry them.

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[–] turmacar@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago

Auto-translate is saying 'snap knife', but I'd imagine it's to do with it being deployable / spring loaded in some way.

[–] Wispy2891@lemmy.world 34 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Poor guy even got his ams with four rolls of pla confiscated ☠️

I can't imagine getting a search warrant for toys in a teenager room.

[–] ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 3 weeks ago

3D printers are not really toys though, regardless of how ridiculous this arrest is. It's a tool, like a hammer or drill...nothing more, nothing less.

[–] pineapplelover@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

But they didn't confiscate his kitchen knives?

[–] RagingRobot@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Those probably have serial numbers and a whole tracking system lol

[–] pineapplelover@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 weeks ago

Did they take away his rocks too?

[–] empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com 21 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm sure they'll be introducing legislation that makes owning your own means of production onerous if not illegal within a week or two. Can't be having citizens realize they can make their own replacement parts or consumer items!

[–] Stampela@startrek.website 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

There’s a little nuance here, the kid was dumb enough to bring one of those to school, so some worry is warranted… some. Now as you can imagine this is going to have consequences, but as we do have functional gun control laws, it’ll be something inane. Probably won’t impact 3D printing at all is the upside.

[–] empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Italy is fairly rightwing and has been drifting more right over time. Don't underestimate their ability to not let a crisis go to waste!

[–] Stampela@startrek.website 2 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah, but we seem to like hampering the right to manifest, so I’m sure it’ll get thrown in the mix.

[–] DaddleDew@lemmy.world 17 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

That's performative. Sucks to be the student who will have his life ruined to be made "an example" out of.

[–] ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 weeks ago

The just d took a shortcut to filing a toothbrush. Those don't do shit a kitchen knife wouldn't do.

[–] Bazell@lemmy.zip 15 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

People who 3D print anime weapons replicas:

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The swing speed on Guts' greatsword is so slow, the cops have plenty of time to unload 2 maybe even 3 magazines into them, so they're not as dangerous as the faster DPS weapons like daggers and shivs.

[–] SpikesOtherDog@ani.social 2 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah, but in this case it's less a sword and more a lump of plastic.

[–] Spesknight@lemmy.world 15 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Background: there was a student stabbed to death in Liguria (whole other place) and so media is going crazy about anything knife related.

[–] 100_kg_90_de_belin@feddit.it 11 points 3 weeks ago

The students were of Egyptian and Moroccan descent, so right-wing politicians are having a field day with the whole "culture war" shit

[–] artyom@piefed.social 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

he printed some PLA shivs that would probably shatter if they hit a piece of parmesan cheese.

How big of a piece of parmesan are we talking? Ever tried to cut into a wheel of cold parmesan? It's pretty tough. Meatbags are a lot less tough.

That being said, we learned how to make knives by smashing 2 rocks together like a thousand years ago, this ain't stopping nobody.

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I can confirm it's much harder to stab a wheel of parmesan cheese than a person, but at least the cheese doesn't scream

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@thelemmy.club 2 points 3 weeks ago

Ok, I'm stabbing the cheese wrong then I guess.

[–] sj_zero@lotide.fbxl.net 11 points 3 weeks ago

Hopefully someday these places make murder illegal so people can't kill others without violating the law.

[–] sic_semper_tyrannis@lemmy.today 9 points 3 weeks ago

Next we'll all see more legislation to make 3D printer software monitor everything you make and auto-report anything deemed dangerous to the elite

[–] foodandart@lemmy.zip 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Wow. Going after letter openers now, are they?

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[–] fonix232@fedia.io 8 points 3 weeks ago

To be perfectly fair, a proper wheel of Parmigianino Reggiano IS quite hard...

[–] escapeVelocity@lemmy.ca 6 points 3 weeks ago

This guy will go to jail and start making knives for other inmates lol

[–] BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz 3 points 3 weeks ago

Those knives sure are dangerous

Hope they will soon ban these too and put their manufacturer in jail:

[–] dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

Well, I guess if I ever move to Italy I'll be screwed...

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