we used to walk around with large knives and air guns in the streets just because we could. Back then, police were not worried about 10 inch sheaf knives or the air guns as long as we tucked them in.

That made me smile - can recall going to the local Plod Shop, probably in my school uniform, to report the theft of my William Rodgers(?) Bowie.
Every now & then the local paper has a 'Weapons seized in Raid' shock horror - with a photo of some ratty old BSA or Webley, & a fairly normal size lockknife. God knows what they'd make of the contents of my spare room/kitchen drawer/sheds