Canada question

F

foomonk

Joined
Apr 7, 2004
Messages
43
Hey guys. I've been wanting to buy myself a good knife for a couple years now. Looked around a lot at different companies, steels, etc. Last Wednesday, I finally decided to order myself a Pacific Salt SE from New Graham, and a Sharpmaker.

I was just wondering if you guys have heard any tales or have any experience about Spyderco knives going to Canada, specifically New Graham shipping to Canada. Does customs ever hold stuff up? And if it's a knife going through customs, do they open your package up, mess around with your stuff and then repackage it or what?

Thanks.
 
foomonk said:
And if it's a knife going through customs, do they open your package up, mess around with your stuff and then repackage it or what?

Thanks.
Click to expand...



Canadian customs are generally rather 'thorough' there's a pretty good chance it will be opened and inspected to see if it complies with regulations.
 
Actually at the moment I've got a knife stuck at the border as a prohibited weapon but it's the first time it happens and I've being buying a lot of knives from the USA..usually there's no problem!!!
 
If it can be flicked open (like my PE Pacific Salt), it will be considered a gravity knife and confiscated. New Graham has experience with shipping knives to Canada. They will tighten the pivot (on knives with adjustable pivots) to avoid this problem, if requested.

The Pacific Salt doesn't have an adjustable pivot, but they might be willing to select one for you that can't be flicked open.

Alternatively, you may want to try and locate one for sale in Canada. It may cost more, but you won't risk losing it to customs.
 
I just called NGK and asked them. They said if it's going to Canada and it has a pivot screw, they'll tighten it. If it doesn't, she said they wrap a plastic tie around it to keep it closed and supposedly customs won't mess with it.

Have you guys heard of this? It sort of makes sense, but at the same time, I'm thinking customs WOULD untie it to make sure it doesn't flick open, as they'd be concerned about when it arrives HERE, not in transit.

Also, I wasn't aware that the Pacific Salts could 'flick open', as catamount said. Is this just how they ship, or is it just over time and use?
 
foomonk It's really hit & miss!
I had one taken last fall coming from the U.S. .
It had a ty-rap on it but it was removed by customs!
To send it back to the sender will cost between $250-$300 by Customs approved bonded courier.
Which makes it very expensive & impractical .
You can appeal it but as far as i know no regular person has been successful yet.
You can buy it in Canada,usually for more money, but it is guarenteed.
If you can't get it here ,like the old saying goes: ya spends yer money ,ya takes yer chances!
Btw NGK is top notch,& i wouldn't hesitate to do business with them.
I have purchased from them in the past,they are great to deal with!
But Canada customs are very thorough ,so good luck!
regards,Rick.
 
Ok guys, I just checked the tracking info @ USPS. It says this:

Label/Receipt Number: XXXX XXXX XXXX X

Status: Out of Foreign Customs

Your item cleared customs at 1:42 PM on January 3, 2007. Information, if available, is updated every evening. Please check again later.

Does that mean it passed through Canada customs? It's through? If so, I'm *so* stoked. Wish me luck, guys. This is my first Spyderco!
 
foomonk, if it says it's through Customs then you'll probably have it in a couple days, likely Monday. Might have some taxes to fork over, that's hit and miss too.

Since we live in the same city, if you want to check out my Paramilitary, Native or SPOT, give me a holler at wyrmwerx @ rogers . com (remove spaces dude).
 
If they had confiscated it and, say, left a note inside the box saying 'blah blah, been confiscated, here are your options, blah blah', would it still say it cleared customs?
 
Foomonk,

If your knife had been seized, running your tracking number would have showed it still at customs (not cleared), after a few weeks (or month) of wondering where the @#!$ your knife was, you would have received a formal letter from customs stating your knife was being "held" as it failed to comply with the border services act because it was illegal/prohibited/the-agent-didnt-like-it/etc :grumpy:

Then you would have 90 days to either file an appeal (have another senior agent test your knife) or spend 2-3 weeks trying to get a hold of the agent who seized your knife to find out whether they were willing to let you find a bonded courier agency to transport your knife back to the sender (this is usually cost prohibitive depending on where in the U.S. the knife was sent from & only 1-2 courier companies will do this...)

*TIP: If one of above said courier company customer service agents refuses to ship your knife. Call back in a few hours and try to get another one, sometimes they dont always know their policy so you can sometimes get around that.;)

After all that drama, if you get lucky & fill out all the forms, you can return the knife to the sender who can tighten the pivot screw and resend it back to you. :thumbup:

*Remember: in Canada, no balisongs/butterfly knives, neck knives (technically- although I got a lagriffe neck knife sent), kubatons, koppo sticks, asp batons, autos... all are prohibited and will be immediately seized. No appeal. And you'll be flagged by customs as having a prohib weapon sent to you- not so big a deal unless you're stopped coming back across the border, you'd prob be asked questions/searched/etc.

Hopefully- if your knife was seized- you'll deal with an agent who, after you've explained the situation patiently & have spent countless hours arranging to have the courier meet you outside the CBSA office with the agent to sign the papers & pickup the knife, WON'T say something smartass like; "Dont buy any more flick knives." as you're walking out, thereby p!ssing you off as it was completely unnecessary as you had previously explained the situation to her several times.

My last 2 cents:
1. NGK is A+ when it comes to shipping to Canada. Plus they are fast.
2. Most Spydies wont flick open anyhow as they are designed to be opened via the spydie hole or via wave
* Didnt mean to hijack your thread, but thought you may want to be prepared for the possible worst-case scenarios... since your knife is a spydie, you will be getting more no doubt.
:D
 
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