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

[Moondog55]

I've only paid the deposit, an agreement was made to allow me to pay over time as I've purchased from this seller previously and money to pay it in a lump sum isn't there right now. It was a 3 month agreement which takes me into May. I don't have a credit account/credit card. Maybe I should get a ZIP account and get a credit advance but the interest and charges are very high.
My previous purchases came at an attractive postal cost, a courier would make it totally unaffordable at triple the cost or more.
The Aussie dollar isn't worth much at the moment but the UK price of a bayonet plus post was half the price of buying the thing locally
Even SLR bayonets of Aussie make are cheaper in the UK than here for some reason.

 

[C_Claycomb]

@Moondog55. Interesting that you say that you have done business with a UK business for a blade and they didn't use a courier. According to the rules that have been in place for over a year now, one cannot use Royal Mail / Parcel Force to ship blades internationally. I would be writing very pointed questions to this seller asking how they intend to fulfil their part of the agreement. It is not much good if they lie about contents and then it is confiscated when the package is x-rayed here in the UK.

 

[Moondog55]

TBH I don't know how it exited the UK, but it arrived via Australia post usually without being opened for customs inspection.
Are there exemptions for bayonets? All I buy from this seller are bayonets and dirks

 

[C_Claycomb]

The reason there is furore now is that the rules make no exceptions for anything.

If you think there might be exceptions for weapons of war on the grounds that they are vintage, when everyone else is prohibited from shipping kitchen knives, table knives, saws, chisels, planes, secateurs, or scissors....well, I wish you good luck.

I recommend that rather than just asking on forums, you take a detailed delve into the rules/terms/conditions published by the shipping companies, then talk to your dealer.

 

[Pattree]

I asked about this change at my local post office when I posted a mora chisel a couple days ago.
They don’t know about this yet.

 

[C_Claycomb]

I asked about this change at my local post office when I posted a mora chisel a couple days ago.
They don’t know about this yet.

They do now...

Maybe we shouldn't ask any more

 

[Moondog55]

I'm just have a quiet laugh to myself remembering back to my time in the UK when I was told to carry my ice axes into the plane as carry-on as they were too dangerous to put into the cargo hold.
Looking in from outside the UK seems to be dissolving into absurdity but I doubt we are far behind because we too seem to be electing the deranged and incompetent

 

[slowworm]

Looking in from outside the UK seems to be dissolving into absurdity but I doubt we are far behind because we too seem to be electing the deranged and incompetent

Whilst I wouldn't disagree with that statement I've had similar problems ordering from Aus. I used to order muzzle loading bits but the company I used stopped shipping internationally for some reason.

 

[Moondog55]

I've that same problem. Australia signed some sort of International arms treaty and our stupid government are retrospectively applying it to all firearms and parts, no matter how old or obsolete. I have people in the USA who desperately want the Envoy parts I have but I can't legally export them, sitting on thousands of dollars I can't sell without spending thousands to buy an export permit. Bayonets are however exempt

 

[Stew]

Link to restricted items that I got that quote above from.

To simplify things, the wording says you cannot go to a post office to send bladed items. You can however book an age verification service online for click and collect to send bladed items.

On delivery the postal worker will only deliver if the recipient can prove they are over 18 years of age. I have had that check done on me when receiving scissors once. That was an amazon retailer who actually had a very responsible policy to use age verification service.

Not many did in the past but they should have done. Now at least anyone posting bladed items will now have to act responsibly by using verification services.

There you go Paul - RM have updated the wording in your link to make it clear that blades, etc will be banned.

 

[William_Montgomery]

Looking in from outside the UK seems to be dissolving into absurdity

In the UK we appear to be distancing ourselves from the technology and tools of our past at an ever increasing rate. Viewing them with mistrust, suspicion and the idea that there is no place for them in the modern world.
That, along with spineless institutions and a government that is becoming more corrupt by the day, makes for a pretty bleak looking forecast.
These new restrictions are completely absurd, but I don't think they come as much of a surprise to anyone who lives here... unfortunately.

 

[Pattree]

I watched an episode of Silent Witness last night. We had recorded it ages ago and just got around to it.

A character, a university professor of forensics said:
“We live in an age where grievance has taken president over justice and fairness .”

I know it’s only a script spoken by an actor but it hit home with me.

 

[Robbi]

At a quick glance, UPS seem to deliver blades, restricted but not prohibited. I think it is an age verification service, much like the current RM restrictions.

Got a link for that.?

 

[Robbi]

I send maybe 10 parcels a week with royal fail and most of those have something that will be on their prohibited list come April.

So far the only alternatives that I have found are DPD and UPS, but I still need to check about whether they actually require a business account or not (I've seen conflicting advice on their websites)

It might be that the comparison sites like parcel2go, etc will have something set up to filter couriers that will carry sharps and that might get around a business only account requirement.

Dave, do you have a link for any of this.?

 

[demented dale]

In the UK we appear to be distancing ourselves from the technology and tools of our past at an ever increasing rate. Viewing them with mistrust, suspicion and the idea that there is no place for them in the modern world.
That, along with spineless institutions and a government that is becoming more corrupt by the day, makes for a pretty bleak looking forecast.
These new restrictions are completely absurd, but I don't think they come as much of a surprise to anyone who lives here... unfortunately.

From a sane point of view it is absurd. The only way I can make any sense of it is if there's an agenda being played out to further restrict our rights and dis empower people under the guise of public safety? Are they seeking to criminalize tools by claiming they are weapons? If so then call for the immediate banning of rolling pins and frying pans.

 

[alphaburner]

Well looks like I’m going to have a clear out before this kicks in. This is a complete pain. Firstly because these forums and the UK in general has been a great place to buy and try and then move on, at not to significant a loss, if needed. Secondly because the Irish government and state bodies are a bunch of sheep and will look to copy this, at some point.

 

[alphaburner]

I know it’s a bit of scaremongering, in a way. But I’m not sure conscription is such a bad idea getting these little gobshites off the streets and giving them some discipline.

 

[William_Montgomery]

Got a link for that.?

Here you go: https://www.ups.com/gb/en/support/s...al-care-regulated-items/prohibited-items.page

As far as I can tell, they come under restricted items requiring an age verification service.

 

[alphaburner]

From a sane point of view it is absurd. The only way I can make any sense of it is if there's an agenda being played out to further restrict our rights and dis empower people under the guise of public safety? Are they seeking to criminalize tools by claiming they are weapons? If so then call for the immediate banning of rolling pins and frying pans.

I think it’s the same approach, similar to how they treat gun owners. We can’t fix the problem of knife crime or gun crime so instead let’s tighten the rules that affect law-abiding citizens so we can appear to be doing something. And Joe muppet who opens wide to swallow every bit of BS the government shovels them, will cheer them on.

 

[William_Montgomery]

From a sane point of view it is absurd. The only way I can make any sense of it is if there's an agenda being played out to further restrict our rights and dis empower people under the guise of public safety? Are they seeking to criminalize tools by claiming they are weapons? If so then call for the immediate banning of rolling pins and frying pans.

Indeed. There is only so long it can be put down to incompetence and short-sightedness.