Mailing Knives

M

mccoun

Joined
Dec 15, 2009
Messages
12
I've been selling more knives this year on ebay and gunbroker and using the local postmaster to mail. No problem until I mailed one in one of those priority bags w/ the knife wrapped up in Foodlion bag. My wife mailed it and after the postmaster felt it and asked what it was. Once she found out it was a knife she desided the postoffice could not mail any of my knives because of 911. She did some checking and couldn't find where it was allowed even with a special licence.

This does not make since to me. I have our local one room postoffice 1 mile away and a larger one 5 miles away and no UPS anywhere around us.

I'm not sure what to do. Any suggestions?????????
 
This issue comes up here on a fairly regular basis. It is absolutely legal to mail a knife using USPS, and I do it all the time. The only requirement is that it must be packaged securely so that there is no chance of it puncturing the packaging.

(Esav, I'm sure you'll make it to this thread sooner or later; maybe you could post the actual regulation. I know you have it at your fingertips.)
 
I'd just package them in a box and mail them. I could be way wrong (and shocked) but I don't think it's illegal to mail knives. I think she doesn't know what she's talking about.

In either case, I'd box them up wrap with brown paper, say nope to 'Anything harmful, hazardous, liquid, perishable, or fragile' and not volunteer any further info.

If they ask what it is, tell them none of their business.

That's what I've done for years.
 
Put it one of those Priority Mail boxes (the small ones) and fill with newspaper so it will not bounce around it the box. I have never had the USPS refuse to ship a knife. They just ask its liquid, perishable etc.
 
Your packaging was a big mistake. I use the Express Mail bags a lot but I put the knife (folder) in a box first, then in the bag. My big knives go in a box and packaged very securely. My Post Master knows I'm shipping knives and has no problem at all. It is legal
The Post Office has served me very well in almost 20 years of full time knife making. UPS and FedEx not so good.
 
That's what I thought. SHE IS SET THAT SHE IS RIGHT. So I guess my best bet is to put them all in boxes and take to the postoffice 5 miles away. But it would be great to use the one a mile away. THANKS MM
 
Don't feel too bad, my small, one room, one person PO is 5 miles away, the next closest larger PO is 23 miles away.
 
Do what I did. Insist that she produce documentation that clearly lists knives as forbidden.

Or, do the research yourself, and present her with documentation that establishes knives as legit cargo (either explicitly or implicitly).

You said "she couldn't find where it was allowed". Did she find where it wasn't allowed? I would make her do her job - thats why we are all paying postage.

I had to do this when I started shipping the Parks quenching oil.

All the USPS rules and regs are available online as pdfs.
 
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If you're within half a mile of your mail box the USPS will pick up your mail at your front door for free as are the standard and flat rate Priority mailing boxes - you can do it all on line via USPS Click n Ship or IMO even better via www.endicia.com which offers less expensive insurance via Lords of London.
 
Heck my PO people KNOW I ship knives and have even bought one from me! Course I live wayyy down in the country :D
 
I had a similar refusal by the usps when I had my mom ship me a 10/22 barrel. I went and found the regulation stating gun parts were ok to ship and the un-informed personel ate their hat when presented with thier own regs, appologized to Mom and shipped no problem.

-Josh
 
The guys at my Post Office always want to see the knives before I package them up! And my delivery carrier often hangs out in my shop when he has a few spare moments.
 
Mccoun,

Nothing will get me miffed faster than an un-informed and/or inept govt. employee giving good folks problems due only to there lack of knowledge so I took it upon myself to find the USPS regs on knives and sharp objects.

http://pe.usps.gov/text/pub52/pub52c4_013.htm

This link will take you directly to "restricted matter" subsection 44 on knives and sharp objects. From this link clicking the next button 4 times will take you through all the info reguarding this subject.

I would suggest you contact customer service with the phone # for your local PO in hand and tell them your problem and have them call YOUR PO post master and explain their own policy to them. As I said I had to take this approach to ship a gun barrel once and it worked out just fine.

We're here to help.
Call 1-800-ASK-USPS
(1-800-275-8777)
M-F - 8:00am-8:30pm ET
Sat - 8:00am-6:00pm ET
Sun/Holidays - Closed

Hope this helps you resolve your issue with the PO

-Josh
 
The way you present your packaging may help as well.
All of my knives go in zippered pouches - which the PO won't know - but you can buy them for 3 bucks.
Anyway, I buy sheets of Luan at the lumber yard and rip them in strips. 1 sheet lasts a looooooooooooooooooong time!
Rip a 1X10 in 1/3s.
The folks at my PO say they wish everyone would do such a good job!!
And your customers will love you as well.
It really costs almost not a penny more then Flat Rate, and it just presents a professional image to the folks at the PO.
pouchlogoandwrench.jpg


box-1.jpg


box1-1.jpg
 
I ship a lot of knives, both kitchen and otherwise, mostly fixed blades.
For fixed blades, I construct a ridged "sheath" of heavy folded over cardboard wrapped in masking tape (edge to the folded side). This is all wrapped in bubble wrap or the like and taped up.
Then I stuff the package, with newspaper to fill any gaps, into a cut off section of the center tube that carpet comes in. These are very thick very hard to crush, and free.
The ends are capped with a circle cutting of pine or plywood and stapled in. Sometimes I just use a heavey cardboard cap taped securely with packing or fiberglass tape.
The whole thing is then shipped by Postal Carrier, insured.
I insure all knives that are shipped, and make sure there is no reference to knife, cutlery, etc in the address or anywhere on the outside.
I did check with the postal carriers, and showed them my package approach and they said it was fine.
Sturdy and safe are the main objectives.
This has worked fine for me for over 10 yrs.

I really like your approach, Karl.
 
I want to thank everyone. I'll take the link and have it out
with the Postmaster and customer service and everything goes in a box.

THANKS MM
 
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