Please, help a knife addict!

[Falcenberg]

Please, I NEED the following informations!

As sometimes I posted in these Forums, to buy knives on the Internet (and in this Forum Shop too) from Italy (where I live) it is quite impossible.

The main problems are the very poor Italian Mail Service and the very slow Customs we have. When last year I decided to buy a BM 800HSS on the Net, because it wasn't imported in Italy and someone asked me at least $ 380 USD (!) to have one, I had to wait three weeks to have my knife inspected at Italian Customs at International Airport of Rome. The packet was opened and then "sealed" with 3 inches of common adhesive tape. Everyone could take my knife, I hadn't any chance to verify the packet before receiving it and didn't accept it if the knife had been stolen.

These are my questions. I asked them some times to some people here in the Forum (Spark, Steve Harvey, etc), but I hadn't any answer:

- do you think I have to use someone like UPS or DHL to receive my knives, instead of US Express Mail (US Express Mail works fine, the problems are when they give my packets to Italian Express Mail and Customs)? Is it safest, quickest and can they pass the Customs in a shorter time?

- do you have some other ideas about receiving knives from USA? I am not sure receiving them as "gifts" is a safe thing.

Every advice will be welcome.

Many thanks in advance.

Falcenberg

 

[Chiro75]

Falcenberg, probably the best way would be to get to know someone in a corporation or who works for the American embassy there. Probably easier said than done, I know, but I think mail is not stopped by customs in both cases. I forget what you do in Italy, so you might not get an opportunity to meet such people...

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[Bagheera]

Mr. Falcenberg, I don't know about postal regulations in Italy but in The Netherlands we have what is called the Mail secrecy act. This means that nobody has the right to open LETTERS without a very very good reason (drugs, guns, explosives etc) so this means that if somebody mails me a LETTER weighing 200 grams and pays the postage and puts an Benchmade AFCK in it, our customs have absolutely no RIGHT to open it. I've received several of those LETTERS during the past few years and never had any knife one missing.
Packages on the other hand can be opened and checked by customs and if the value exceeds more then $50 (including postage) we have to pay tax over the whole amount (about 25-30% in total).
What you could ask some Internet dealer is to send you the package WITHOUT your creditcard slip of payment (have him send this separately in a letter) and put a small note in the box "congratulating you with your Bithday and telling you to enjoy this nice present......from Your friend Daffy Duck

" .
Ask them to send it without company Logo's on it from e.g. ABC or discount Kn.... etc. so just plain paper wrapping.

It works for me and this way I have several Birthdays a year and I must confess I enjoy each and everyone of them and it seems I don't age that fast

.
Keep sharp,

Bagheera

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[This message has been edited by Bagheera (edited 08 November 1999).]

 

[keninshiro]

Hello! I understand your frustration very well because i've been through it many times. You see, I live in Malaysia. One of the more exotic add. the US postal service had ever seen, not to mention delivering goods!
In my pass transactions, i've been very successful in importing knives via Fed.ex. They will allow the customs to check the goods but they never leave the package at the check point. If the customs demand for tax, they'll call and notify you if you'll agree on paying the tax. It is their responsibility to deliver the goods to you come heaven or hell! This method is good for larger knives and BM AFCK is consider big, i would suggest you to use them.
As for USPS, their policy only applies within the states, so i can't Guarantee if anything will happen if it's out of US.(no pun intended but this IS what they told me)
The advise given by fellow members above is good, exactly the same method i used. No official add. from the seller, no fancy packaging, just plain will do. Declare it as a gift or an art tool and a note within the package saying it's your birthday and "Uncle Larry" has a gift for you. Your receiving add. should be an official one or office add. will be best. Why? Cause they are more Reluctant to open it for the fear of getting into a court fight.
I hope this help! Don't let reality win, one must have hope to fight for what they want and dream. In this case, our passion for knives......
Good luck to you!