Heads up - Post office not sending sharps after 22nd April

[Stew]

I did some searching on the RM site to see if they had further detail.

This is a better way to write it as they’ve changed the order and added bullet points.

Prohibited goods - items you can't send through the post

There are certain restrictions and banned items which you can't send through the post. See the full list of what items are considered 'dangerous goods'.

personal.help.royalmail.com

 

[C_Claycomb]

@Stew,
That page you posted looks a lot like the old info, before they started talking about blanket bans. If so, while more clearly laid out, it might not be current on what can be sent and how within the UK. Past experiences suggest it takes at least 6 month for RM to get all its info pages aligned when they make policy changes.

In any event, I don’t think it is really up to any of us to tell anyone they cannot send a knife internationally with RM if they want to try. The whole topic is getting a bit . No one here is responsible for enforcing RM rules, nor responsible for anyone else if they disagree with advice offered.

@Every_Cloud
Best of luck. Just remember that even if your test case pocket knives arrive in Texas, all it proves is that it was possible, when you send, that they can go through. Statistically a sample of one proves little, dice have no memory, and past success could be down to a policy that allows, or someone not yet following policy that does not allow.

A lot like the game of roulette that it used to be with Mount Doom (Pleasant) Customs inspectors who confiscated liner locks as “gravity knives” if some combination of wild gyrations and arm flailing could get the blade to open. One day it started, one day it stopped, all down to some supervisor’s interpretation of law.

 

[Pattree]

Good luck @Every_Cloud .
Keep going till you’re stopped. You are conducting a useful practical experiment. Let’s see where the boundaries really are.

(It’s much easier to apologise than ask permission.)

 

[Stew]

@Stew,
That page you posted looks a lot like the old info, before they started talking about blanket bans. If so, while more clearly laid out, it might not be current on what can be sent and how within the UK. Past experiences suggest it takes at least 6 month for RM to get all its info pages aligned when they make policy changes.

In any event, I don’t think it is really up to any of us to tell anyone they cannot send a knife internationally with RM if they want to try. The whole topic is getting a bit . No one here is responsible for enforcing RM rules, nor responsible for anyone else if they disagree with advice offered.

@Every_Cloud
Best of luck. Just remember that even if your test case pocket knives arrive in Texas, all it proves is that it was possible, when you send, that they can go through. Statistically a sample of one proves little, dice have no memory, and past success could be down to a policy that allows, or someone not yet following policy that does not allow.

A lot like the game of roulette that it used to be with Mount Doom (Pleasant) Customs inspectors who confiscated liner locks as “gravity knives” if some combination of wild gyrations and arm flailing could get the blade to open. One day it started, one day it stopped, all down to some supervisor’s interpretation of law.

Yeah no worries. I’ll stop the questions.

 

[SurgeUK]

I too sent a package, to Germany, containing a knife which is both UK and DE EDC legal (two handed opening, sub 3" etc)

I declared it as such on the Customs form and there were no issues. It is currently "in transit" having left the UK (Langley HWDC)

If it all goes wrong I'll let you know but, I suspect that so far, all is good.

 

[SurgeUK]

I too sent a package, to Germany, containing a knife which is both UK and DE EDC legal (two handed opening, sub 3" etc)

I declared it as such on the Customs form and there were no issues. It is currently "in transit" having left the UK (Langley HWDC)

If it all goes wrong I'll let you know but, I suspect that so far, all is good.

Ok. So I checked today and the package has arrived in Germany

Just need to see if it gets delivered to the winner ok.

 

[Pattree]

Thanks folks. This is just what we need: evidenced discussion.

 

[gg012]

A sample of two. It's hardly a double blind peer reviewed trial is it. The guidance says "Niet" to international sending of sharps, I will not be posting anything I don't want to lose overseas via royal mail from now on

Sent from underground

 

[spader]

Ordered a long handled billhook from ebay 3 days ago. The seller posted via Royal Mail Tracked 48, and it arrived OK yesterday. The billhook has the sharpest edge I have seen, and works great. RM seems keep delivering blade stuff no problem as of well into mid May 2024.

 

[Moondog55]

And just to confuse things even more I just received another bayonet from England via the normal post sent as "Antique/Obsolete military stores" and was inspected here by Customs and passed though with no problem. Was sent with the blade fully enclosed in a very thick cardboard tube and then the whole enclosed in a mailing tube

 

[Chris]

Perhaps the Royal Mail policy website could just be replaced with a magic 8 ball?

 

[SurgeUK]

Ok. So I checked today and the package has arrived in Germany

Just need to see if it gets delivered to the winner ok.

Well, it is confirmed as having arrived safe and sound with no issues at any point.

 

[Pattree]

RM might not be focused on sharps just now:

Royal Mail owner poised to accept £3.5bn new takeover offer

Royal Mail's owner IDS said it had received a revised proposal of 370p a share from a Czech billionaire.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Tantalus]

This thread cracks me up, RM have said what they will and will not permit.

The fact that people are now saying "I mailed something and it didn't get pulled" and this is treated as some kind of "evidence" is just hillarious.

It does however (IMHO) reflect pretty badly on BCUK, anyone coming in here new and reading these sort of "how to get around the regulations" posts will surely come away with the wrong impression.

So let's have a think about what could possibly go wrong for anyone trying to test the limits of RMs decision.

They can theoretically just confiscate and destroy your stuff. No real requirement to give it back as their rules are stated.

They could report you to the police if they wanted. Leading to an embarassing visit to your home and potentially even charges being brought.

Really thought it shouldn't need explained to grown adults that this is how the world works.

So their website is a bit rubbish and the details may not be terribly clear.

Has anyone contacted Royal Mail and directly asked them for clarification ? Their answer would be "evidence". Everything else is just guesswork and supposition.

 

[Broch]

This thread cracks me up, RM have said what they will and will not permit.

The fact that people are now saying "I mailed something and it didn't get pulled" and this is treated as some kind of "evidence" is just hillarious.

It does however (IMHO) reflect pretty badly on BCUK, anyone coming in here new and reading these sort of "how to get around the regulations" posts will surely come away with the wrong impression.

So let's have a think about what could possibly go wrong for anyone trying to test the limits of RMs decision.

They can theoretically just confiscate and destroy your stuff. No real requirement to give it back as their rules are stated.

They could report you to the police if they wanted. Leading to an embarassing visit to your home and potentially even charges being brought.

Really thought it shouldn't need explained to grown adults that this is how the world works.

So their website is a bit rubbish and the details may not be terribly clear.

Has anyone contacted Royal Mail and directly asked them for clarification ? Their answer would be "evidence". Everything else is just guesswork and supposition.

Whereas I understand your point, is it actually 'law' or just RM's 'rules'? OK, the law comes into it if the item is prohibited, but none of the discussion has been about prohibited items. I'm not even sure in 'law' RM have a right to confiscate; they are after all a private company not Government.

 

[Tantalus]

Whereas I understand your point, is it actually 'law' or just RM's 'rules'? OK, the law comes into it if the item is prohibited, but none of the discussion has been about prohibited items. I'm not even sure in 'law' RM have a right to confiscate; they are after all a private company not Government.

Well apart from this bit, which you implicitly agree to when using their services.

"Please always check individual country prohibitions and restrictions before posting internationally. If you send prohibited goods or restricted goods (and you do not comply with the relevant terms and conditions), we may deal with the goods as we see fit, including, but not limited to, disposing of the parcels concerned(in whole or in part)."

To be found at the bottom of page 2 Here

 

[Pattree]

Whether law or rules, there are two elements which shake down into interpretation:
1. There is the wording.
2. There is the practice.

We have seen the first, now we are observing the second and we will not know how to interpret the rules until we have some evidential ( as opposed to screeds of conjecture) experience as to practice.

Neither BcUK nor it’s members are being in the the least irresponsible in that in the case seen so far the contents have been declared. We won’t really know how to interpret these rules until something IS stopped. It will be interesting to see whether the tool is returned or confiscated. Only then shall we know the boundaries. Knives are being traded and posted in UK all the time.

@Tantalus
Have you never been wild camping and been discovered by a warden only to part amicably?
Have you ever known anyone stopped for speeding at 72mph? 74mph? 76mph on a motorway? The British motorist knows the law and has learned how to interpret it. Whether you or I think it right or wrong we live by our interpretation: you according to yours and I according to mine.

Edited to add:
As this is only a Royal Mail rule, once goods pass out of their hands the rule is irrelevant.
Action by Border Force would have nothing to do with RM rules.

Let’s see what happens after the takeover.

 

[Broch]

Well apart from this bit, which you implicitly agree to when using their services.

"Please always check individual country prohibitions and restrictions before posting internationally. If you send prohibited goods or restricted goods (and you do not comply with the relevant terms and conditions), we may deal with the goods as we see fit, including, but not limited to, disposing of the parcels concerned(in whole or in part)."

To be found at the bottom of page 2 Here

Saying they have the right does not mean they have it. Of course, one could argue that by using their service you have agreed to contract and these terms apply but contract law is rarely that clear cut.

But, I don't have an axe to grind - I don't ship knives abroad.

 

[Tantalus]

@Tantalus
Have you never been wild camping and been discovered by a warden only to part amicably?
Have you ever known anyone stopped for speeding at 72mph? 74mph? 76mph on a motorway? The British motorist knows the law and has learned how to interpret it. Whether you or I think it right or wrong we live by our interpretation: you according to yours and I according to mine.

No. Because there are rules about these things and responsible adults try and stick to the rules, not push them to the very limit and then complain how unfair it all is.

As for "evidence" I once again suggest you contact RM directly and ask them how best to interpret their rules instead of just winging it and hoping they don't confiscate stuff or call the police when they find what they suspect may be offensive weapons.

 

[Pattree]

Who's complaining? Life is fun!