Danger! Before you Scrape off your old Antifouling.

No, not the toxins or the dust (wear a mask and goggles or scrape upwind) but the danger you might pose to other people if you are of a malicious temperament.

After buying a scraper tool from a well know retailer  on line, I had an email from the sales team asking for my passport. 

I will say that again, ... asking to see my passport. 

It appears that anyone buying a paint scraper must prove they are over 16,  and thus not prone to go on a raging, hormone-fuelled teenage rampage, armed with a... scraper. 

I could not believe it. Ah, but it was true. No passport; no scraper. No amount of pleading. Did I sound like a 16-year old hoodlum? Clearly yes (which was a bit of a boost to my 60+-year-old ego). 

In the end I sent them a photo of my passport, and received my scraper. 

OK, it's the law, not the company. However, to date I have not heard of anyone being threatened, or injured maliciously by a paint scraper (which could, I admit, validate the passport requirement). 

The blades, by the way, would not have cut a hard cheese and, if anyone is planning to use them to scrape a boat, save your money. I believe, in fact, the blades themselves were made of cheese, Chinese cheddar. 

I imagine it would have been the same if I had ordered a screw driver, no doubt to stab myself in the eye, self harm or even, god forbid, extract a screw.