Unless they have intent to use them, or have knowledge that that’s what they’re made for, no? That’s what it says in the law, isn’t it?

“ Every person having upon him or her in his or her possession a picklock, crow, keybit, crowbar, screwdriver, vise grip pliers, water-pump pliers, slidehammer, slim jim, tension bar, lock pick gun, tubular lock pick, bump key, floor-safe door puller, master key, ceramic or porcelain spark plug chips or pieces, or other instrument or tool with intent feloniously to break or enter into any building, railroad car, aircraft, or vessel, trailer coach, or vehicle as defined in the Vehicle Code, or who shall knowingly make or alter, or shall attempt to make or alter, any key or other instrument named above so that the same will fit or open the lock of a building, railroad car, aircraft, vessel, trailer coach, or vehicle as defined in the Vehicle Code, without being requested to do so by some person having the right to open the same, or who shall make, alter, or repair any instrument or thing, knowing or having reason to believe that it is intended to be used in committing a misdemeanor or felony, is guilty of a misdemeanor. ”

I have this opinion, (that police (and some prosecutors) will ascribe intent to anyone in possession of any tools, even those with other uses, so they wouldn’t hesitate to do the same for tools that are clearly purpose built breaking and entering tools having been advertised as such and with no other use,) because I watched a friend be arrested in the 80’s for having a screwdriver and pliers in their backpack that the police called “burglary tools”. He did not have a history of burglary. The case was dropped when they instead charged him with <.5 grams of marijuana for some crumbs found loose in the bottom in his backpack and sent him juvie for 6 months. (I think he was on probation, I know the police wanted to charge him with anything….and did.). I was accused of having lockpicks once because I had picked up a few metal brush bits from a street sweeper in a parking lot and police saw me pick them up, arrested, then released me on site when the supervisor showed up and heard their story.

I think the last sentence of that paragraph puts him in danger, since he clearly has reason to believe at least some of the burglary tools he sells to the public are going to be used criminally.

I don’t want to see you give someone advice that could get them in serious trouble, I know you would feel terrible. You might be correct, technically without intent to commit a crime they’re legal to own, but in reality police and prosecutors decide your intent and I don’t trust them one whit.

Right? A bit too close to accomplice for my taste.

I think the same way about slim Jims. Only tow truck drivers and cops have a legitimate use for that tool, and I’m pretty certain people have been charged for having them (possibly in conjunction with getting caught in the act of breaking into cars though).

I’m pretty sure a tool specifically designed for breaking locks open and useless for anything else would satisfy the “intent” portion. A good prosecutor could successfully argue that point. A screwdriver might be carried for any number of uses, this is only for opening locked stores (the only places with those kinds of locks that I can think of). It’s certainly enough for arrest if not conviction.

He's not selling "burglary tools" anymore than Home Depot is, but i know what you're saying. It sure doesn't feel right for him to sell what he does.

By California law it's no more a burglary tool then a screwdriver is. Intent to break in must be proven for the tool to be deemed illegal to be in possession of. At least that's how i read it. California Penal Code 466

Look up a "wafer lock" and see what they are. Those look exactly like the kind of cheap ass locking mechanisms I have on my shed out back.

If anyone wants to steal my old lawnmower, some old chairs, and a wasp nest, you should know, you can get in my shed with a flat screwdriver.

Apparently, that's about all the protection you have from any squadcar with an AR 15 in it that's "locked" up.

When it comes to tools, you can't drive a nail with a screwdriver. Right tool for the right job. And if you're marketing a better world I don't see a problem.

Wait, there's a tool for that? We usually just send the apprentice down with a screwdriver and pliers.

Eh, I stuck a screwdriver in an outlet when I was a kid and it didn't plant tissue box coffee cup phone.

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Sorry to hear that. As I have mentioned before (in a couple of different posts), I also grew up in a household that was deeply troubled and violent. My grandfather was a wonderful man when sober, unfortunately he was more often than not inebriated.

I experienced multiple styles of punishment, depending on the situation. If my grandfather was drunk, he was like as not to hit me. I still have a physical reminder of that method, in that he broke my nose once. I too learned to be elsewhere when he was drunk and to fear that version of my grandfather.

In times when he was sober, or when my grandmother was able (she suffered from MS), I received spankings. I learned that if I did not do certain things, I would not get spankings. So I stopped doing those things.

Same in school, I used to be a little shithead, very sarcastic and mean. I quickly learned that if I did things against other kids, I would get a paddling. The paddling didn't actually hurt that much, but the knowledge that other kids knew I was getting swats was very effective in making me stop acting out.

Later, as I became close to 18, both the school and my grandparents moved to a more hands off style. The school because, even in Texas, people were trying to get schools to stop using corporal punishment. My grandparents because they were older, sicker, and I was larger. My grandfather basically told me that I was close enough to being a man that I was going to make my own mistakes and he wasn't going to bail me out from them. I still got punished after the fact, but it wasn't physical.

Maybe I am an outlier, but that period was probably when I was the most wild. I got in trouble with the law, made terrible decisions, and probably would have done some serious time but for the guiding principles of my eventual wife when we started dating. I feel that if my grandparents and the school had been more strict during that time, I might have not had as many close calls as I did.

In any case, I would say that both of our experiences with earlier punishment would be taking it to the abuse level. I feel that corporal punishment, justly applied, is still better than not doing it. Fortunately we all can have our own opinion on the topic, so I can understand your viewpoint as well.

As far as the screwdriver, I wouldn't use it because it is completely ineffective. However, if I did not have a lug wrench and had a tool that could apply the proper force (say a crescent wrench or lockjaw pliers) I would use that tool.

If ruling by fear is your answer, good luck with that.

I've been slapped in the face, spanked with a belt, paddle, hairbrush. All that did for me was to fear my father. He was a cop. A good cop.

What he didn't know is, all that pain just made me find different ways to not get caught. He did not know how to make me not fear him.

You decide if you want your children to fear you too.

BTW, if a screwdriver isn't the answer to remove a lug nut, why use it?

You can magnetize a much bigger screwdriver with way less wraps of wire and way quicker. Use a little thicker wire and just one layer covering about 3 inches near the tip of the screwdriver. Then just quickly spark the wire ends on a 12 volt car battery and you'll have a very strong magnetized tip.

Dear Police,
You are not the punishment part of our Justice System. Please refrain from beating or killing people when your life isn't in any actual danger. Please quit escalating situations. Instead, try to defuse the situation by speaking calmly, and not pulling your guns immediately while screaming orders because a guy is holding a screwdriver. If a suspect runs, take the time to try to catch them. If they are getting away from you, use the radio to request backup and give a detailed description instead of shooting them in the back.

@bremnet, technically your kubaton is prohibited.

I remember having a small screwdriver in my laptop bag confiscated and then on the same flight I was given metal cutlery. It's ridiculous.

Besides, what is the point of this? So that you can't attack flight crew

Sawzall,cordless screwdriver,mallet and a few other gadgets and you're ready to replace knees. Sign me up.

I have mixed feelings about the UK plug. 1) they are HUGE. therefore power strips are also quite large, and the wall outlets only have place for one device. 2) I've seen plenty of UK plugs where the conductor goes all the way to the housing, not halfway like he shows as a feature. I've seen Euro-plugs with both types as well. 3) putting fuses on the plug instead of part of the house means that too many <13A devices could be plugged in, and (if used simultaneously) cause a fire in your walls and burn your house down (I assume UK requires circuit breakers and branch circuits nowadays). 4) the same safety device that requires ground to be plugged in first makes it really-hard to plug into cheaply made outlets or power strips (the plastic cover doesn't slide easily).
That said, another safety feature that he didn't mention in the video was that most wall outlets have their own switch on the outlet itself. Turn-off ; plug-in ; turn-on. This prevents arcing, which is easier with the higher 240V.

Euro outlets' holes are too small to fit most screwdrivers, knives, fingers into, and they have both grounded and ungrounded (smaller) variety.

My favorite are the IEC-60309 plugs/outlets, but are only for bigger amperages - 20,30,50,60, etc.