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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
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Shipping Balisongs
- Thread starter krwelcher
- Start date
I believe you are OK to ship to VA. The only thing I strongly suggest is to use UPS ( united parcel service) as the Post Office has many rules against shipping almost ANY knife, and they actually do inforce these rules when they become aware of a violation !!
Tom,USPS is actually pretty good about shipping kives, unless you choose to violate federal law and ship a switchblade.
http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub52.htm44 Knives and Sharp Instruments
441 Definitions
441.1 General
Sharp instruments include all sharp-pointed or sharp-edged implements such as knives, tools, ice picks, razor blades, stilettos, or similar devices. When uncertain about the mailability of a sharp instrument or a switchblade knife, a ruling may be requested from the local postmaster (see 215.3).
441.2 Switchblade Knife
A switchblade knife has a blade that opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button or other device in the handle, or by operation of inertia, gravity, or both.
442 Mailability
A switchblade knife, as defined in 441.2, is mailable only to the following categories of addressees:
a. Certain designated supply or procurement officers and employees ordering, procuring, or purchasing them for use in connection with their respective governments or organizations, such as:
(1) Civilian or armed forces supply or procurement officers, and employees of the federal government.
(2) Supply or procurement officers of the National Guard, the Air National Guard, or the militia of a state, territory, or the District of Columbia.
(3) Supply or procurement officers or employees of the municipal government of the District of Columbia, or of the government of any state or territory, or of any county, city, or other political subdivision of a state or territory.
b. Manufacturers or bona fide dealers of such knives in connection with a shipment made to an address in one of the above categories.
443 Packaging and Marking
443.1 General
All sharp-pointed or sharp-edged instruments such as knives, tools, ice picks, razor blades, etc., must be securely packaged in a strong container as required in DMM C010. Sufficient cushioning material must be used to protect the sharp points and edges from cutting through the outer packaging during normal postal handling.
mp510, I had read this law before and I know of two cases where persons who shipped or had shipped to them switchblades using USPS had two postal inspectors make a visit to their houses. In both cases they were not arrested, but they where made to believe they would be if it ever occurred again.
As for Butterlfy knives, they are a grey area. Taylor cutlery had a very large shipment of imported butterfly knives confiscated by customs about 15 years ago. Taylor argued that they were not gravity knives( switch blades as they are defined) and won the first case. The government decided it was worth our tax dollars to appeal, and the verdit was reversed, and Customs won. The wording used in the decision is interesting in that it the judge stated that the spirit of the law was violated by the design of butterfly knives, and therefore they were gravity knives ( switch blades) since they are designed for one hand opening. Very scary as this could be said of many other knives.
This all being explained, the USPS considers them to be gravity knives ( switchblades) as per the Federal Court ruling. There is a Postal inspector who is a member of my local knife club, and he concurrs this. In fact he is the one who advised me of the two incidents that I mentioned above, and if he would not a knife collector, there would have been an arrest.
Send them as you see fit. I say use UPS and pay two dollars more.....cheaper than a lawyer and jail.........your choice.
As for Butterlfy knives, they are a grey area. Taylor cutlery had a very large shipment of imported butterfly knives confiscated by customs about 15 years ago. Taylor argued that they were not gravity knives( switch blades as they are defined) and won the first case. The government decided it was worth our tax dollars to appeal, and the verdit was reversed, and Customs won. The wording used in the decision is interesting in that it the judge stated that the spirit of the law was violated by the design of butterfly knives, and therefore they were gravity knives ( switch blades) since they are designed for one hand opening. Very scary as this could be said of many other knives.
This all being explained, the USPS considers them to be gravity knives ( switchblades) as per the Federal Court ruling. There is a Postal inspector who is a member of my local knife club, and he concurrs this. In fact he is the one who advised me of the two incidents that I mentioned above, and if he would not a knife collector, there would have been an arrest.
Send them as you see fit. I say use UPS and pay two dollars more.....cheaper than a lawyer and jail.........your choice.
- Joined
- May 20, 2005
- Messages
- 32
I recall Chuck Gollnick filling us in on the differences between US Federal law and US Customs law, pertaining to buttlerfly knives. I keep a copy of what he said in my files in case the topic comes up in conversation, or wherever. This is a direct quote:
It is illegal to import automatic knives (switchblades). There are no exceptions. US Customs regulations consider balisong (butterfly) knives to be switchblades.
Interestingly, Federal law does NOT consider balisongs switchblades. So, it is legal to transport balisong knives interstate. It is illegal federally to transport automatic knives, switchblades, interstate with exceptions for military and law-enforcement.
I know that it makes no sense, but Customs regulations and federal law are two different things with different courts and everything.
It is illegal to import automatic knives (switchblades). There are no exceptions. US Customs regulations consider balisong (butterfly) knives to be switchblades.
Interestingly, Federal law does NOT consider balisongs switchblades. So, it is legal to transport balisong knives interstate. It is illegal federally to transport automatic knives, switchblades, interstate with exceptions for military and law-enforcement.
I know that it makes no sense, but Customs regulations and federal law are two different things with different courts and everything.
tom19176 said:mp510, I had read this law before and I know of two cases where persons who shipped or had shipped to them switchblades using USPS had two postal inspectors make a visit to their houses. In both cases they were not arrested, but they where made to believe they would be if it ever occurred again.
As for Butterlfy knives, they are a grey area. Taylor cutlery had a very large shipment of imported butterfly knives confiscated by customs about 15 years ago. Taylor argued that they were not gravity knives( switch blades as they are defined) and won the first case. The government decided it was worth our tax dollars to appeal, and the verdit was reversed, and Customs won. The wording used in the decision is interesting in that it the judge stated that the spirit of the law was violated by the design of butterfly knives, and therefore they were gravity knives ( switch blades) since they are designed for one hand opening. Very scary as this could be said of many other knives.
This all being explained, the USPS considers them to be gravity knives ( switchblades) as per the Federal Court ruling. There is a Postal inspector who is a member of my local knife club, and he concurrs this. In fact he is the one who advised me of the two incidents that I mentioned above, and if he would not a knife collector, there would have been an arrest.
Send them as you see fit. I say use UPS and pay two dollars more.....cheaper than a lawyer and jail.........your choice.
Guess I should be glad that I have never been involved in butterfly's or any other questionable knife.
My new question, How do all these el-cheapo Chinese and Pakistani ballisongs and butterflies get here if they are non-importable?