Boxes and Shipping

J

jawilder

Joined
Jun 27, 2006
Messages
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I went on a search today to find appropriate sized boxes to ship my knives in but had no luck. I was looking for something at least 14" x 3 x 3 as I often ship kitchen knives but couldn't find any. For small hunters and folders I'll use the small flat rate priority mail boxes but this recent hunter was too long and I didn't want to pay for a larger flat rate box.

SO... where do you get your shipping boxes? I would also like to find a necklace type box with a lid to store my kitchen knives in while in the drawer (similar to what Murray Carter suggests in his sharpening video).

I know that Texasknife and Midwestknifemaker has access to the type of box I'm thinking of but I just can't seem to find them, so I had to ship this recent knife in a padded envelope.

What do you ship your knives out in?
 
If you actually have your packages weighed out, you don't usually have to pay the full flat rate - in fact I don't think I ever have, and I add in the extra couple dollars for insurance, delivery confirmation etc. If you ship often, take a look at stamps.com for a free scale and the software to print out your own postage.

You could try U-line for specific sizes, they sell all kinds of stuff for shipping.
 
I used to save the card board tubes that I got my steel in and if a knife would fit in it, just cut a chunk the length I needed and wrap the knife up and pack it real tight with news paper. I used duck tape on the ends and never had a problem!!
 
watercrawl said:
I use the triangular USPS boxes. You can get them for free from www.usps.com:

https://store.usps.com/store/browse...d=P_O_1098S&categoryId=subcatMSS_PriorityMail

They work great for 1, maybe 2 kitchen knives. If you need to send more, the USPS Flat Rate Game Box works great:

https://store.usps.com/store/browse...Id=P_GB_FRB&categoryId=subcatMSS_PriorityMail

Again, you can get them for free. I usually have several of both types as I do mostly kitchen knives.
Click to expand...
I also use the 'triangular' Priority/Express boxes from USPS, two sizes and they are Free.
 
I make my own shipping boxes. I use the "flats" that a case of beer or cokes come in. I cut them to the size I need and score them with my stitch wheel when I want to make a bend. I usually make them approx. 2" x 4" x whatever lenghth I need. It takes about 3 minutes to make one and the best part is the're FREE. I do use the small flat rate boxes but anything that wont fit in them goes in a homemade box.
 
Staples carries corrugated boxes in a variety of sizes. I use their 12x3.5x3's. They are about $1.00 per box.
 
If you are looking for something different than the USPS boxes then U-LINE is a good place as others have said. When buying boxes a big part of the cost is shipping. I know most are not looking for 300.00 worth of boxes at a time but.... U_LINE sent me an email one time offering free shipping if I made a 300.00 order in the next week, I emailed the salesman and my account is now setup to have free shipping whenever I order over 300.00. If by chance you would consider buying that many boxes email them and ask if you can get that (or a better) deal.
 
L6steel said:
I used to save the card board tubes that I got my steel in and if a knife would fit in it, just cut a chunk the length I needed and wrap the knife up and pack it real tight with news paper. I used duck tape on the ends and never had a problem!!
Click to expand...

A friend of mine working for the postal system warned me to NEVER ship anything in a round (tubular) parcel.
They can fall and roll under a machine or somewere where they won´t be noticed.
That´s a way parcels get lost.
 
I've been making wooden boxes for shipping for a full decade.
Check the thread here and see that the Priority shipping cost is only $9.95. What do you pay for shipping in your box?
When I ship this way, I always feel at ease that the knife is protected.
Consider that a sheet of luan only costs about 12 bucks. Think how many boxes can be made out of a 4 X 8 sheet!
I rip 1x10s into strips.
At first thought, people think they're heavy and expensive.
Wrong on both accounts.
I rip my sheet into strips right when I get it home and stack it up and out of the way.
All the boxes are the same width.
They only vary in length.
Inside, my knives are in zippered pouches.
I won't ship a knife any other way, and my method has long since become 'legend' with my customers. :)

(check this thread)

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/989619-Ironwood-Damascus-Hunter-from-Karl-Andersen

Box1.jpg
 
Karl that's what I had in mind as well, only I was thinking staples instead of screws, but it seems worthwhile, especially when you get into more expensive knife territory.

I'm lucky in that where I work there is a ton of cardboard to pick from, and usually something to fit my needs (for sending out to HT, I don't sell any yet) right there. Otherwise I'd use something to protect the tip and then cardboard the heck out of it so it can't move or shift.. then it doesn't really matter what I put it in, but I'd rather something stiff around it so it can't flex at all, maybe some wood or just lots of cardboard wrapped around it.
 
My very first shipment of steel into Hawaii came from Karl about five years ago. He sent me 67 pound in one of those wooden boxes slipped into a flat rate priority mail box. Pretty good for $9.95 in postage...and not a morsel of steel escaped!
 
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