We've thrown traditional morality out the window. If it's not guns, it will be knives, if not knives, hands.

100% correct.

This is about -- as mentioned above -- removing any opportunity rebels might have at fighting back against the machine.

U.K., has already banned a bunch of knives, so now people are even more defenseless than they already were: https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/border-security/u-k-launches-nationwide-crackdown-on-knife-crime/

https://thefederalist.com/2018/04/13/britains-knife-control-bad-parody-gun-control/

Hilariously enough, the criminals will continue to carry whatever weapons they please, because criminals don't obey laws designed for the defenestration of law-abiding citizens.