The sales and shipping of swords to the USA??

Royston · 31st July 2017, 07:26 AM

It is not banned but Royal Mail employees can be awkward. They have to ask the contents and some of them think that knives and swords are banned, the local post offices appear to make up the rules as they go along.
Using the correct name often works I.e "old Dayak Mandau " instead of sword as they rarely ask what it means. Native agricultural impliment or tool can also work.
Regards
Roy

This is from their website. Note " banned knives under UK law" NOT antiques per se.
Items NOT allowed.

Weapons
Including Section 5 firearms, CS gas and pepper sprays, flick knives and other knives that are banned knives under UK laws, tasers and stun guns. Items that appear to be prohibited weapons may be subject to additional checks and delays.

kronckew · 1st August 2017, 12:19 PM

what royston said. it varies from post office to post office. many dealers will not ship 'weapons' of any age. some have no problems. i've had swords posted thru the mail recently, no problems at all. had another dealer refuse to ship a sword they just sold me. i had to drive 2 hrs there to pick it up. most of them that refuse to mail them refer you to a company called 'mailboxes' that will pick it up, pack it and courier it on to you. they are expensive. just had a langseax sword delivered from the netherlands by royal mail's parcel force. took 3 days. no customs/border force, or duty. all depends on the whims and interpretation of the people running the local post office and his interpretation of the regs (which do prohibit firearms, but not legal edged weapons). never had any problems with items bought and shipped via ebay & their couriers or parcelforce tho.

Jens Nordlunde · 1st August 2017, 12:30 PM

Sorry the wrong link.

Tim Simmons · 1st August 2017, 07:06 PM

Some people when asked "may I ask what you are sending for security purposes" tell the literal truth. They do not see the difference between a sword weapon or old farm cutting tool, or just farm tool. It has just gone all crazy here in the UK these days. Perhaps I am just getting too long in the tooth.

kronckew · 1st August 2017, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

Some people when asked "may I ask what you are sending for security purposes" tell the literal truth. They do not see the difference between a sword weapon or old farm cutting tool, or just farm tool. It has just gone all crazy here in the UK these days. Perhaps I am just getting too long in the tooth.

just got this 'vintage cabbage axe knife' (9 3/8" blade) in the regular mail from elsewhere in the UK: no problem.

sharp little tyke. if he'd called it a dagger i probably wouldn't have been able to buy it. scary isn't it? ...if you are a sheeple.

had about 3 in. of bubble wrap all around it.

p.s. i have no idea what i'll use it for, it just looked cool and was dirt cheap.

sauerkraut (kiszona kapusta) anyone?

Philip · 1st August 2017, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew

p.s. i have no idea what i'll use it for, it just looked cool and was dirt cheap.

sauerkraut (kiszona kapusta) anyone?

Start growing cabbages in your garden! Have you read Sandor Katz's book on fermentation? Sauerkraut is good for the gut (tastes great in any number of dishes, as well -- Russian sauerkraut soup (shchi), and Alsatian salt cod in sauerkraut bechamel sauce come to mind).

Will M · 1st August 2017, 11:44 PM

I found UPS impossible in the UK, the tracking said the package arrived in Belleville Ont. but later I got the run around, they claimed they refused to ship,and that it never left the UK, against their policy. I called them and more lies. Was reshipped from the UK using DHL without issue.
A second time a sword from the UK was shipped, made it to sort facility in Mississauga then returned to the UK. Incompetence? The sword was resent with DHL and again no issue. I also know that Royal Mail is ok to ship swords.
Descriptions I've had on my packages from auctioneers in the UK range from "fencing equip" to "old iron". Unfortunately these descriptions allow duty to be added when antiques are exempt.
Frustrating having to wait over a month for a sword because some yoyo shipped it back to sender.

31st July 2017, 07:26 AM	#1
Royston Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Poole England Posts: 445	It is not banned but Royal Mail employees can be awkward. They have to ask the contents and some of them think that knives and swords are banned, the local post offices appear to make up the rules as they go along. Using the correct name often works I.e "old Dayak Mandau " instead of sword as they rarely ask what it means. Native agricultural impliment or tool can also work. Regards Roy This is from their website. Note " banned knives under UK law" NOT antiques per se. Items NOT allowed. Weapons Including Section 5 firearms, CS gas and pepper sprays, flick knives and other knives that are banned knives under UK laws, tasers and stun guns. Items that appear to be prohibited weapons may be subject to additional checks and delays. Last edited by Royston; 31st July 2017 at 07:37 AM.

1st August 2017, 12:30 PM	#3
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Sorry the wrong link. Last edited by Jens Nordlunde; 1st August 2017 at 05:19 PM.

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1st August 2017, 12:19 PM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,286	what royston said. it varies from post office to post office. many dealers will not ship 'weapons' of any age. some have no problems. i've had swords posted thru the mail recently, no problems at all. had another dealer refuse to ship a sword they just sold me. i had to drive 2 hrs there to pick it up. most of them that refuse to mail them refer you to a company called 'mailboxes' that will pick it up, pack it and courier it on to you. they are expensive. just had a langseax sword delivered from the netherlands by royal mail's parcel force. took 3 days. no customs/border force, or duty. all depends on the whims and interpretation of the people running the local post office and his interpretation of the regs (which do prohibit firearms, but not legal edged weapons). never had any problems with items bought and shipped via ebay & their couriers or parcelforce tho.

1st August 2017, 07:06 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 6,019	Some people when asked "may I ask what you are sending for security purposes" tell the literal truth. They do not see the difference between a sword weapon or old farm cutting tool, or just farm tool. It has just gone all crazy here in the UK these days. Perhaps I am just getting too long in the tooth.

1st August 2017, 11:44 PM	#7
Will M Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: In the wee woods north of Napanee Ontario Posts: 434	I found UPS impossible in the UK, the tracking said the package arrived in Belleville Ont. but later I got the run around, they claimed they refused to ship,and that it never left the UK, against their policy. I called them and more lies. Was reshipped from the UK using DHL without issue. A second time a sword from the UK was shipped, made it to sort facility in Mississauga then returned to the UK. Incompetence? The sword was resent with DHL and again no issue. I also know that Royal Mail is ok to ship swords. Descriptions I've had on my packages from auctioneers in the UK range from "fencing equip" to "old iron". Unfortunately these descriptions allow duty to be added when antiques are exempt. Frustrating having to wait over a month for a sword because some yoyo shipped it back to sender.