need some help on shipping within US urgently

[spyken]

Hi,

I am looking for information on how to ship knives WITHIN the US. I'm looking to send a knife in to Emerson Knives for a refurb job.

A friend of mine may be going to DC sometime next week, and I was hoping that she could help drop off the knife in the mail for me when she is in DC. I'm thinking of using USPS - could someone let me know how to ship the knife to Emerson, for eg:

- which usps service should I be using?
- how should I package the knife? bubble wrap? any kind of envelope? how secure? do I need to double tape the edges etc?
- how do I buy insurance? any forms to fill? what do I write?
- how much is the shipping cost?
- any other relevant information?

My friend doesn't know anything about shipping knives, so I would like her job to be as easy as possible ie. pay the relevant postage, insurance and drop it off.

I hope you can help with step-by-step/specific instructions, as this will be my first time shipping like this (read: explain to me like I'm a six-year old).

Help please. Thanks,

Spyken

 

[ArchAngel]

I ship knives back and forth all over the US. I always use USPS "Priority Mail". If you wrap tha knife up tightly in small bubble wrap and box it up so there is no movement of the knife within the box, then seal the box up well with tape and even fiber tape for extra protection, mark the box clearly with the TO: address and RETURN: address. Cover those labels with clear tape so they can't run, or blur if they get wet. Have your friend go to the PO with the box and say she want's to ship it Priority Mail with Insurance and Delivery Conformation. It should all cost under 10.00 US and you will know when the package arrives as there is a tracking number on the Delivery Conformation receipt she will have been given. That is the best method I have found, at least.

 

[DEA]

ken
it takes 8 SGD to send a normal knife (~100g) via registered post with delivery confirmation from singapore to anywhere in the states, with the bubble envelop included
just send it from here
don't bother with the complicated stuff

my trident reached MoD in 1 wk
good luck with your emerson

 

[Cougar Allen]

I'll move this thread to TGB&U. Also see Important: How Should You Package Knives for Shipping?

One point made in that thread that doesn't seem to be coming across to everyone is styrofoam peanuts don't work, because the inner package settles to the bottom of the peanuts and then when the post office gives the package the ritual 10-foot drop test....

Bubble wrap is much better, and tape it so it can't shift -- tape the heck out of everything. I like to tape bubble wrap around it and then tape the bubble-wrapped inner package to the outer box so even if the outer box bursts open there's no way the knife can get separated from the outer box short of unquestionable theft that leaves evidence that proves it was theft. Don't worry about how the recipient is going to open the package; he has a knife.

 

[spyken]

Originally posted by DEA
ken
it takes 8 SGD to send a normal knife (~100g) via registered post with delivery confirmation from singapore to anywhere in the states, with the bubble envelop included
just send it from here
don't bother with the complicated stuff

my trident reached MoD in 1 wk
good luck with your emerson

DEA, I will follow your lead then. The $8 registered airmail method - just that the Singpost lady told me that there's no insurance. Where can I get the bubble envelope? Any ordinary one?

Thanks.

 

[DEA]

apparently the treatment of your package is the same for insured and registered articles
i wouldn't worry too much about it
the bubble wrap envelop : ask for it at the counter
post offices sell everything you need to send packages
hth