this post was submitted on 26 Jan 2026
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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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[–] squaresinger@lemmy.world 70 points 1 day 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 10 points 1 day 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 9 points 1 day 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 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 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.

[–] Jocarnail@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

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

[–] Jocarnail@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day 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.