*** How Should You Package Knives for Shipping?

In the event that you are using priority mail you can use the priority mail labels as tape to cover all the seams in the box. Cuts or tears in this are more evident than tape . . . and it is free too!
 
I try not to use boxes. My shipping container of choice is carpet tube cut to the appropriate lenght. I stick some foam in the ends, bubble wrap paper etc. to pad the inside. Tape the he(( out of it with good old 100MPH tape. Then wrap with brown paper and scotch tape. Have never had any problems.
If a box is going to take a wack it has to many flat sides and will get caught and crushed. On the other hand a tube is inherantly stronger and if it takes a wack it will usually just bounce away as it has no flat sides.
For overseas I have used some old 4 inch dia. aluminum tube that I have kicking around.
 
I usually use a UPS Air bag. These are the ones that are water proof and tear proof. If I'm sending via USPS I turn the bag inside out.

Inside of the bag I use a combination of foam rubber, bubble wrap and packing envelopes to hold the knife.

Once the bag is sealed I put on the mailing labe and wrap the whole enchilada in packing tape to water proof the label and bag even more.

I also have a tendancy to use boxes along with foam rubber.

Never had a package damaged yet, hopefully the trend will continue!
 
First thing I try to do is waterproof. I put the knife and original box in a ziplock bag then do the usual damage protection, peanuts, bubblewrap, hard USPS type carboard box ect.
 
If box has sheath - put knife in sheath.
If knife is a folder - fold it.
Put knife in box it came in.
Wrap in newspaper tightly.
Put in USPS Priority Mail box of closest fitting size. DO NOT CRAM IT IN BOX
Fill loose space in box with crumpled newspaper, bubble wrap, or as a last resort packing peanuts (they SUCK).
Confirm address of recipient and write in neat handwriting on proper area of box.
Fill out Delivery Confirmation Slip
Take package to FRIENDLY US Post Office.
Pay postage.
EMail recipient the Delivery Confirmation # and let them know when it was mailed.
Direct them to www.usps.com to track package.

I have sent and recieved approximately 250 knives. None were damaged. None were lost!!!

John
 
<center><b>I just hate those Damn... foam... peanuts!</center></b>:barf:<p><center> :D :D :D :D </center>
 
Hawks are a lot bigger than most knives, so I buy 18 inch boxes from Reliable to ship them in.
My sneaky trick (sealing the corners) is a roll of 3-mil shrink wrap kept in the "shipping and receiving area" (under one of the tables in the shop). The whole d*mn box gets wrapped in this, then taped up with package sealing tape, and the labels (also over-taped in place with clear package tape) go on top of that. If it rains, no big deal since the shipment is waterproof.
And there is an addressed invoice inside the box in case somebody manages to trash the entire container anyway.
TWO HAWKS
http://www.2hawks.net
 
The most important thing of all is not how it is packaged, it is how it is addressed. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ADDRESS THE PACKAGE TO A "KNIFE STORE" OR HAVE A RETURN ADDRESS WITH THE WORD "KNIFE" IN IT! I lost a Buck Strider this way because I was shipping it to Dennis Wright Knife and Sporting Goods and some lame A$$HOLE ripped it off. Hope the person cut themselves!
 
Peter beat me to the punch...DON'T EVER use the word "KNIFE" on the address. Some anonymous Postal worker now has my Emerson SOCFK! Hope he cuts his thumbs off with it! (EKI received an empty, insured, well-wrapped package...

Had a heck of a time settling the insurance claim with the postal service, too. Anyone else had a knife go AWOL and had an easier time settling with a shipper? Who's the most reasonable? Fedex, UPS, USPS, others??!!
 
I have found that, depending in what size of knife your shipping, Cardboard tubes work very well. I simply roll up the knife in a bit of bubble wrap, slid it in the tube, and stuff paper in ends, or more bubble wrap, and tape it up with water proof packing tape. I always make sure to tape the whole package, every inch, to ensure nothing unintentional gets in or out. Tubes come in many diameters and cloth stores are a good place to get the thick industrial strength ones, and they are free!!!
 
A good method of packing would be to use Polystyrene"styrefoam".
You can by a 2`x 8`x 2" piece of it at Homedepot for around 4 bucks.Simply take two pieces big enough for the knife,carve out of one piece a spot to tightly pack the knife.Place knife in and sandwich it with the other piece.Tape them together and place them in box.You will be able to slam it around without the knife being harmed.Simple and it takes just a few mins to do.
 
I just learned the hard way
I ran out of the video boxs and sent some stag out to a maker
 he got a USPS priority envelope with just
an invoice it,, looks like it got caught in a
postal machine or ?? or got caught on a postman's
knife.:mad: I know it's within the postal sty. because the worker
 that delivered it said it was empty when she delivered it..
Anyway I'm sending out 4 more and biting it, it's one of those lessons
 I didn't insure it, I got cocky with no problems in the past.
 it won't happen again I will bet you.
 
Refer to the following

UPS - VERY CAREFULLY
USPS - ANY WAY (you may not see it again)
FED EX - IN THE SPECIAL BOX
 
One other important thing in shipping (anything!) that hasen't been mentioned: I always print out a sheet of paper with large type showing my address and the address of the recipient and place that INSIDE my package. That way, if the address outside is somehow torn off or otherwise rendered un-readable, there is still a record of addressee and sender. Belt and suspenders.
 
When I ship a knife I take a piece of styrofoam and cut it in half. Then I carve out little compartments in both pieces. I then wrap the knife, in it's box, in some bubble pack. Then I place the knife in the carved out compartments and tape the two pieces of styrofoam together. Then I wrap the whole package in bubble pack, place it in a box and tape the heck out of the box. It makes for a larger package that costs a little more to ship, but I have never had a knife damaged in shipping.
 
...how 'timely'...lol ;)

There are certainly some good tips in here! (no pun intended)
 
After hearing all the horror stories about people receiving empty boxes (I have had this happen, but never with a knife), I double box mine.

This is in addition to the bubble wrap, newspaper or whatever else
I use to keep the knife in the center.

In addition, I ALWAYS ship insured.

MK
 
Any thing to know about shipping autos? I wonder after the events in Sept if the mail is going to be watched closer. I also double box and pack with newspaper.
Dennis AKA nifman
 
Double boxing works very well shipping a knife. Using the USPS Priority boxes, tape up the seams or use labels to re-enforce the single glue strip.

The other thing I do, is put a strip of clear packing tape over the address. I generally use an Industrial permanent marker to address the package and then, with the clear tape over it, it will stand up to a lot of abuse and the elements without becoming unreadable.
 
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