I was reading about Pakistan banning kite flying because of deaths attributed to the use of glass coated string.  Just curious, is there any historical link between Brasilian and Pakistan kite flying?  Until reading about the ban in Pakistan, I thought only Brasil had the tradition of using glass coated string to cut opponents' lines.

Unfortunately, I was witness (a little after the fact) to the result of a glass coated kite line in São Jose dos Campos. A "motoboy" was decapitated by one. If anyone sees a person flying a kite with gloves on, please call the policia militar immediately! (Same with incendiary baloons). Obrigado, Bill

Is use of the glass coated string illegal in SP?  I took a few photos of youths flying/battling kites with glass coated strings just outside the PM compound in Grajaú with many uniformed PM coming and going.  I was amazed to see one youngster coating string with ground glass using his bare hands.  Apparently, if there is a prohibition on using glass coated string, it's not enforced.

I could see how those coated lines could cause some nasty injuries in some unusual circumstances, but actual decapitation?!

I guess enough glass pieces in a strong nylon line could be pretty friggin lethal...

Not sure if "kite Combat" is the right term.

Growing up in Brazil, I had many friends who would coat their kite strings with glass, climb up their house roofs and fly their kites.

Back then, the fun was to simply fly the kite. The kicker was to spot another kite and try to cut it and retrieve it. Some kids would keep count and even show their "winnings" for some good laughs. I was never a kite person, but my nighborhood was filled with kite flyers. Amazingly enough, I was never aware of any incidents, besides the usual disapointment when somebody lost a good kite that took hours to built...

The only injury concern I remember was to avoid the countless wires from the light posts. Again, that was easily remediated by climbing up on the roofs...