Letter opener
A letter opener is a knife-like device consisting of a handle and a blunt blade for smooth opening (slitting or - earlier - removing seals ) of other valuable materials. The blade and handle are usually made of different materials.
As a rule, letters can also be opened without tools . With a letter opener, however, opening is usually successful in such a way that the envelope is only minimally damaged and the contents of the letter are not damaged at all.
Electric letter opener
There are electrically operated devices that open letters automatically. The letters are opened either with a cutter or a milling cutter, whereby there are two options for cutting the letter, either slitting or cutting. When cutting, the upper edge is completely cut off; when slitting, only half the paper thickness is "slit". While the edge has the advantage that thicker envelopes can be opened, there is the disadvantage that the edge of the letter opener can damage the contents. Electric letter openers that mill the envelopes protect the contents.
Steam letter opener
Secret services often use letter openers which, with the help of steam, dissolve the adhesive folds of an envelope and thus enable the letter to be opened unnoticed by the recipient.
Letter opener as a weapon
Commercially available letter openers can also be used as stabbing weapons . This already secures their construction and design. In the German Weapons Act, this classification is explained as weapon capability. Taking letter openers with you during security checks (e.g. in airports ) is not allowed. This also results from the provisions of the Weapons Act. Even letter openers made of plastic or natural materials ( ivory , bones , etc.) can be classified as weapons, depending on their design. The blades have the properties (blade shape, blade material, cutting edge and / or point ( location )) of a stabbing weapon or a knife , depending on their design .
Suicide using a letter opener is also famous . So chose z. B. Robert Stewart committed suicide with the help of a letter opener and Patrick Henry simulated after his famous speech after the closing words “ give me Liberty, or give me Death! “A suicide using a letter opener.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ German Weapons Act (WaffG), § 1 Paragraph 2 No. 2 Letters a and b
- ↑ German Weapons Act (WaffG), Section 41 (1) No. 1
- ↑ German Weapons Act (WaffG), Appendix 1 (to Section 1, Paragraph 4) Definitions, Subsection 2, No. 1. and 1.1
- ↑ Amy Kukla, Kukla, Jon: Patrick Henry: Voice of the Revolution . PowerPlus Books, 2002, ISBN 0-8239-5725-X , pp. 45-46.