Okay, so this may seem like a strange section to include, but Glasgow has a remarkable history and a great reputation for violence so it would be wrong to ignore it.

For many years Glaswegians have been wielding weapons, and it really is surprising how big a variety of weapons there are. Glaswegians are truly genius in what they will use to hit or generally damage other people with.

Since there are so many different types of object used to hit people, various words have emerged to describe each sub division of weapon. The word 'chib' is used to describe cutting and slicing weapons, generally used on the face and head. The word 'cosh' or 'tool' is used to describe blunt objects such as a plank or a hammer. Long stabbing blades are refered to as 'stakeys' and screw drivers and other thin stabbing implements are called 'spikes'. Weapons which encompass more than one category, such as small hatchets, are usually refered to as 'choppers'. Although each team will have their own nomenclature to describe each weapon, the terms described above are general for just about all teams throughout Glasgow. It is essential to get the nomenclature correct as a mugger with a stakey may well be slightly offended if he was accused of chibbing you.

Of course there are hybrid weapons which encompass the hitting power of a cosh and the stabbing action of a stakey. Only a Glaswegian could come up with the hammer with a stanley knife taped to the top. Genius!

The common ned in the street will generally be carrying only a common everyday knife. These are sometimes used for stabbing but they are mostly used to scare the people they are mugging, though it must be said that a ned will always be carrying a buckfast bottle and this can become a default tool if one is needed.

If you come across a pack of rioting neds or football fans they will usually be carrying chibs, tools and probably even some spikes. Anything can become a weapon in this situation. Tables and chairs can and will be used as tools!

If you are out late at night in Glasgow, just in time for the clubs to empty, you may come across some dressed neds wielding glass bottles. These are initially used as tools but as soon as they break they become stakey weapons.

If you listen carefully you can often hear neds bragging that they have a machete or a sword in the 'hoose' and until now this was simply laughed off as a ned trying to look quite tough to the other neds, BUT the following pictures may prove otherwise. Click

For a gallery of typical Glasgow weapons procede to the next page.

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