Sending knife to USA

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Perrari

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 21, 2012
3,090
1
Eryri (Snowdonia)
www.erknives.com
Hi
I have sold my first knife outside the UK today going to the USA. As far as I can see from the internet there are no restrictions in sending it as long as it has the relevant paperwork. I think I will probably send it using Royal Mail Airsure.

Are there any makers out there who have had experience, good or bad in sending a knife to the USA ?
Any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks
Eifion
 
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Lister

Settler
Apr 3, 2012
992
2
37
Runcorn, Cheshire
Can't see anything on the Royal Mail website, just the requirement for the CN22 (Customs Declaration) to be filled in and that the knife is properly and safely packaged/contained.
 

Nektarios

Settler
Jul 5, 2010
524
0
62
Denmark
www.np-knifes.dk
Well i have send some knifes to the us, and I have ask the Danish customs about that and the answer was if the blade it’s not longer than 12cm it’s no problem with that, the only thing is that the knife must be secure so it cannot make any damage or cut his way out of the packet. Hope that helps.
Regards
NP
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,117
67
Florida
Well i have send some knifes to the us, and I have ask the Danish customs about that and the answer was if the blade it’s not longer than 12cm it’s no problem with that...

Obviously I've never "sent" a knife to the US from outside but I have "received" a few; many of them longer than 12 cm. The longest I've received was over 10 inches (or about 23 cm) and it had no special paperwork. Also an 18 inch machete (about 42 cm)

I suspect that the length limit you referenced is probably due to your Post Office regs more than US Customs limits on incoming items.
 
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Perrari

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 21, 2012
3,090
1
Eryri (Snowdonia)
www.erknives.com
Thanks for your advice guys, I think I should be ok. My main problem I think will be the individual at the Post Office counter, although I have sent many knives within the UK I have never had to declare what was in the package, but for customs purposes I will. As I have found out when you tell people you make knives they 'freak out' and dont really understand that knives are a tool, and not a weapon.

Eifion
www.erknives.com
 

hughtrimble

Full Member
Jan 23, 2012
477
85
UK/France
Just say 'Cutlery' Eifion - that's what I did with a Benchmade Mini Rukus which I sent off for repair.
I can't see why they'd probe further, as it's a proper term for such tools.
 

Hugo

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 29, 2009
2,588
1
Lost in the woods
I have sent a couple of my knives to the US and had no problem.
I made sure they were well packaged, they were received unopened and intact.
 

Bazooka Joe

Tenderfoot
Oct 27, 2011
77
6
Danmark
Well i have send some knifes to the us, and I have ask the Danish customs about that and the answer was if the blade it’s not longer than 12cm it’s no problem with that, the only thing is that the knife must be secure so it cannot make any damage or cut his way out of the packet. Hope that helps.
Regards
NP


Good to know! I've been thinking about importing a knife from the UK, but wasn't sure about the law.
 

Perrari

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 21, 2012
3,090
1
Eryri (Snowdonia)
www.erknives.com
Posted the knife yesterday, the guy at the counter asked what was in the parcel ? When I sain a knife he gave me a strange look, but I pointed out that it was safely packaged and he was ok about it. The knife is on it's way, so fingers crossed !
 

sasquatch

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jun 15, 2008
2,812
0
47
Northampton
When I've posted them the guy behind the counter started asking loads of questions about making knives each time, he was far from mortified there was a knife in there. I'll bet he wants to have a go himself as the questions got better and better each time.
 

palace

Forager
Mar 4, 2011
228
1
NW London England
Don't know about sending to the USA however I have had knives sent from USA to the UK they usually mark as "cutlery". Axes are no problem and I have had knives, parangs & kukri's sent from Malaysia, Nepal etc. usually marked as tools.
 

jojo

Need to contact Admin...
Aug 16, 2006
2,630
4
England's most easterly point
I sendknives to the USA and never had problems. You just have to fill the custom declaration form, declare exactly what's in the package, value (and weight I believe). I have written "bushcraft knife", or "carving knife" , never been opened as far as I know. As said, just make sure its very safely packaged, so that no injuries can happen to staff handling the package.. I started filling the custom declaration (just get a few at a time) myself, prior to sending the parcels as one post office staff gave me a bit of hassle once over the word knife, telling me it was not "legal" which is non-sense!
 

hughtrimble

Full Member
Jan 23, 2012
477
85
UK/France
The only time I've had a package questioned was a Parang from El Salvador.
The very clear-thinking people had written in big black marker pen: 'MACHETE' with my name in equally large letters, all across the top of the box.

That was not a clever move by them.

Garden tool would've been equally valid, or bushcraft tool etc.

For future reference DHL aren't supposed to ship bladed tools, or sharp objects apparently.
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,562
2,981
W.Sussex
Garden tool, camping equipment or cutlery usually saves any problems at the post office. I tend to put camping equipment, it doesn't rattle people at all.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,117
67
Florida
Wellll...the first time I sent a knife to theSates, I made the mistake to let the post woman do it for me. She had a rant a me about knives being illegal... So after that I did fill them myself!

The reason I thought it funny was because the Postal Clerks here don't fill out forms; they just point you to the counter where they are and holler, "NEXT."
 
Apr 6, 2012
6
0
Northumberland
I recently sent a Bushcraft knife to the USA, with no problems. It was marked Cutlery. I also ticked the "gift" box on the sticker, to stop them any problems.
 

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