Can anyone assist with Shipping swords Internationally

apolaki · 14th July 2012, 10:58 AM

From what I understand, you can sometimes carry in checked in luggage. (but I think my particular airlines restricts it)

Some countries allow it to be mailed but you have to check with customs both point of origin and destination (for me it is Taiwan to USA) and also provide declaration & pay tax?

Lastly, I heard you can ship it Fed Ex, but I dont know anything else about it.

Has anyone had experience shipping swords internationally, I would greatly appreciate your advice as I am just a novice in this field.

kahnjar1 · 14th July 2012, 12:21 PM

The answer to your question lies in the laws of the two countries involved and what they say about carriage of restricted or other weapons. As far as packing in your CHECKED luggage, it would depend on the airline knowing what was in your suitcase. In these days of luggage X Ray my reaction would be NOT to try and do something which is seen to be illegal or disallowed. I have found normal postage as the easiest way, though Fedex also seems trouble free, but that may depend on the country/s involved.Also the Permit requirements for export and import vary considerably between countries, so make sure you have the right bit of paper.
Bottom line....do your homework first or it may cost you........

thinreadline · 14th July 2012, 03:51 PM

Kahnjar is quite correct , you must check on the regulations of both countries involved . If carrying the items in your checked in luggage then you must study the regulations of the airline concerned ( this is always available on the website of the airline under restricted / prohibited items ) . I do a lot of international shipping of edged weapons and have never had any problems if posted , except with Australia where the buyer had omitted to fill in an impotation licence for the item, so it was sent back to me by the Australian customs . Regarding the carriage of weaponry in your checked on luggage , this is something I have only done between the USA & the UK . I have done this about 20 times with no problem at all even though in every instance my suitcases held over 40 edged weapons each ! The US authorities had opened the cases every time and were even kind enough to leave a note to that effect but nothing was illegal , therefore no problem ! In fact on most US / European airlines , there is no problem shipping even modern firearms and ammunition in your checked in cases , though American Airlines are mean enough to restrict you to 6 handguns and 7 kg of ammo !
Good luck but study the rules .. its easy with the net .

apolaki · 14th July 2012, 04:54 PM

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. Indeed, I think my airline prohibits carrying swords even in checked in luggage:

"Eva Air Prohibted baggage

There are items that cannot be transported onboard the aircraft in either your carry-on or checked baggage:

Dangerous goods that endanger the aircraft, persons or property onboard the aircraft:

Other dangerous articles such as magnetized material, offensive or irritating materials (such as knives, swords,offensive sticks,clubs,arrows,tear-gas,stun-gun etc.)"

So I think I have to ship it either Taiwan Post office or Fed Ex. Have any of you had experience with Shipping swords? I have heard of the word EMS but I dont quite understand the meaning and its relation to shipping.

Thanks again!

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinreadline

Kahnjar is quite correct , you must check on the regulations of both countries involved . If carrying the items in your checked in luggage then you must study the regulations of the airline concerned ( this is always available on the website of the airline under restricted / prohibited items ) . I do a lot of international shipping of edged weapons and have never had any problems if posted , except with Australia where the buyer had omitted to fill in an impotation licence for the item, so it was sent back to me by the Australian customs . Regarding the carriage of weaponry in your checked on luggage , this is something I have only done between the USA & the UK . I have done this about 20 times with no problem at all even though in every instance my suitcases held over 40 edged weapons each ! The US authorities had opened the cases every time and were even kind enough to leave a note to that effect but nothing was illegal , therefore no problem ! In fact on most US / European airlines , there is no problem shipping even modern firearms and ammunition in your checked in cases , though American Airlines are mean enough to restrict you to 6 handguns and 7 kg of ammo !
Good luck but study the rules .. its easy with the net .

Sajen · 14th July 2012, 09:44 PM

EMS is a shipping organization like DHL or Fedex.

Amuk Murugul · 15th July 2012, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apolaki

..... I have heard of the word EMS but I dont quite understand the meaning and its relation to shipping.

Thanks again!

Hullo apolaki,

EMS is an international postal Express Mail Service, for documents and merchandise, offered by postal operators in countries who are members of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), an inter-governmental organization. E.g. USPS has EMS, IndonesiaPost has EMS. Check out this site: http://www.post.gov.tw/post/internet...postal_f_6.jsp
Best,

VANDOO · 15th July 2012, 04:14 AM

I HAVE ONLY VISITED TAIWAN ONCE AND THE CUSTOMS PEOPLE DO GET UPSET EASILY. I CAME IN FROM THE PHILIPPINES WITH A LARGE SUITCASE FULL OF SWORDS AND KNIVES. THEY SWARMED ALL OVER MY STUFF , FINALLY AN ENGLISH SPEAKER SHOWED UP AND EXPLAINED I COULD NOT BRING THEM INTO THE COUNTRY. THEY ALLOWED ME TO LEAVE THE ITEMS AT THE AIRPORT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF CUSTOMS WHERE I COULD PICK THEM UP WHEN I LEFT.
ALL WAS WELL AND I HAD A GOOD VISIT BUT DID NOT PICK UP ANY KNIVES THERE. WHEN I LEFT I WANTED MY SWORDS TO PUT IN MY LUGGAGE TO CHECK. NOT ALLOWED SO I ENDED UP STANDING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF CUSTOMS BUT BEFORE THE SECURITY CHECK WITH A PACKAGE FULL OF EDGED WEAPONS. I SAW SOME PILOTS AND CREW AND FOUND THEY WERE FLYING MY FLIGHT AND THEY VOLENTERED TO TAKE MY STUFF ON WITH THEM AND THEN GIVE IT BACK TO ME WHEN I DEBARKED. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL BUT ONE HAS TO THINK FAST BECAUSE OFTEN LOGIC AND REGULATIONS HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON. PERHAPS IF YOU ASK THE AIRLINE IF YOU CAN CARRY A SOUVINEER OF ETHINOGRAPHIC TRIBAL ART IN YOUR CHECKED LUGGAGE EVEN THOUGH IT IS A SWORD PERHAPS THEY WOULD BE REASONABLE. GOOD LUCK

14th July 2012, 10:58 AM	#1
apolaki Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 160	Can anyone assist with Shipping swords Internationally From what I understand, you can sometimes carry in checked in luggage. (but I think my particular airlines restricts it) Some countries allow it to be mailed but you have to check with customs both point of origin and destination (for me it is Taiwan to USA) and also provide declaration & pay tax? Lastly, I heard you can ship it Fed Ex, but I dont know anything else about it. Has anyone had experience shipping swords internationally, I would greatly appreciate your advice as I am just a novice in this field.

14th July 2012, 12:21 PM	#2
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,739	The answer to your question lies in the laws of the two countries involved and what they say about carriage of restricted or other weapons. As far as packing in your CHECKED luggage, it would depend on the airline knowing what was in your suitcase. In these days of luggage X Ray my reaction would be NOT to try and do something which is seen to be illegal or disallowed. I have found normal postage as the easiest way, though Fedex also seems trouble free, but that may depend on the country/s involved.Also the Permit requirements for export and import vary considerably between countries, so make sure you have the right bit of paper. Bottom line....do your homework first or it may cost you........

14th July 2012, 03:51 PM	#3
thinreadline Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Wirral Posts: 1,204	Kahnjar is quite correct , you must check on the regulations of both countries involved . If carrying the items in your checked in luggage then you must study the regulations of the airline concerned ( this is always available on the website of the airline under restricted / prohibited items ) . I do a lot of international shipping of edged weapons and have never had any problems if posted , except with Australia where the buyer had omitted to fill in an impotation licence for the item, so it was sent back to me by the Australian customs . Regarding the carriage of weaponry in your checked on luggage , this is something I have only done between the USA & the UK . I have done this about 20 times with no problem at all even though in every instance my suitcases held over 40 edged weapons each ! The US authorities had opened the cases every time and were even kind enough to leave a note to that effect but nothing was illegal , therefore no problem ! In fact on most US / European airlines , there is no problem shipping even modern firearms and ammunition in your checked in cases , though American Airlines are mean enough to restrict you to 6 handguns and 7 kg of ammo ! Good luck but study the rules .. its easy with the net .

14th July 2012, 09:44 PM	#5
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,781	EMS is a shipping organization like DHL or Fedex.

15th July 2012, 04:14 AM	#7
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I HAVE ONLY VISITED TAIWAN ONCE AND THE CUSTOMS PEOPLE DO GET UPSET EASILY. I CAME IN FROM THE PHILIPPINES WITH A LARGE SUITCASE FULL OF SWORDS AND KNIVES. THEY SWARMED ALL OVER MY STUFF , FINALLY AN ENGLISH SPEAKER SHOWED UP AND EXPLAINED I COULD NOT BRING THEM INTO THE COUNTRY. THEY ALLOWED ME TO LEAVE THE ITEMS AT THE AIRPORT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF CUSTOMS WHERE I COULD PICK THEM UP WHEN I LEFT. ALL WAS WELL AND I HAD A GOOD VISIT BUT DID NOT PICK UP ANY KNIVES THERE. WHEN I LEFT I WANTED MY SWORDS TO PUT IN MY LUGGAGE TO CHECK. NOT ALLOWED SO I ENDED UP STANDING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF CUSTOMS BUT BEFORE THE SECURITY CHECK WITH A PACKAGE FULL OF EDGED WEAPONS. I SAW SOME PILOTS AND CREW AND FOUND THEY WERE FLYING MY FLIGHT AND THEY VOLENTERED TO TAKE MY STUFF ON WITH THEM AND THEN GIVE IT BACK TO ME WHEN I DEBARKED. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL BUT ONE HAS TO THINK FAST BECAUSE OFTEN LOGIC AND REGULATIONS HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON. PERHAPS IF YOU ASK THE AIRLINE IF YOU CAN CARRY A SOUVINEER OF ETHINOGRAPHIC TRIBAL ART IN YOUR CHECKED LUGGAGE EVEN THOUGH IT IS A SWORD PERHAPS THEY WOULD BE REASONABLE. GOOD LUCK