Shipping knives to people??

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Dkbrowndesign

Joined
Jan 5, 2013
Messages
45
Hey guys,I am starting to look at sending knives to people in the USA,I am in canada.
Have any other makers out there had any issues?it would suck to loose a knife at the border!
I want to be as professional as I can for my customers:) any info would be great
Thanks Danimage.jpg
 
Don't know that I'm being any help, but I've purchased a few knives (all fixed blades) from BladeForums member (and knife maker) Gillson without any issues. I believe he is/was in Kamloops (spelling?) and I'm in California. More recently, purchased a fixed blade from North Arm in B.C.. All went very smoothly. Mike
 
Thanks! Mabe I will contact a Canadian maker,I'm curious because I have heard of weird happening at the crossing:)
 
There are different laws in each us state as to what's legal, different lengths, double edged, whatever.

It has to be the buyer's responsibility to know what's legal.

If it is, there are lots and lots of discussions on proper shipping and packaging

Search on those topics and you will find tremendous info


Mostly those topics are in The Exchange
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/993398-Registered-Insured-Mail

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...**-How-Should-You-Package-Knives-for-Shipping

In terms of packaging, I really like the packaging Karl B Andersen uses.
Even the post office has a hard time destroying it.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/989619-Ironwood-Damascus-Hunter-from-Karl-Andersen


Other things I think important
More than one address label on the package, it's more difficult to do a fraudulent relabel in the system
No "knife" in the labels no clues what's in side
Registered, insured, tracked, signature required.
Don't under-declare the value, if you insure for $500 and you claim customs value of $50, that contradiction will work against you
Tax will be applied at the high rate, but insurance paid out at the low one.



Registered mail adds about $5 to a package, it's worth it.

Put another set of address labels inside the package
Don't be shy with the tape, use it to waterproof the labels


A box within a box is not a bad way to go.

Everyone hates the styrofoam peanuts, but bubble wrap is fun for the whole family.



Search, there is much more info on this, highly discussed topic
 
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Gone the other way lots of times. Occasionally sits in customs for a week or so. Never lost any.
 
I have never had a problem sending my folders and have a friend who sent many straight knives, some very big into the USA. I think if you fill out the "form" from the post office that must go with the shipment, all will go well. Sometimes the post office people have big noses and want to get involved with stuff that has nothing to do with them or the Canadian post office. I just find another post office to sends from or if necessary try to get their questions cleared away. If they start to tell you you can't do this and you must do that, they are interfering and going to something there job does not involve. Frank
 
I have shipped to the US, UK and Italy and havent had an issue. Wrap the knife in carboard even if you have a sheath for it, don't ship it in the sheath. I use cereal box for it and tape it with masking tape. Then wrapped in bubble wrap and put in a tight box. Then i put it in a shipping box that's just the right size so it doesnt move around. Put in some paper to keep it from shifting. Use the label they give you at the post office and like the count and Frank say, if they start commenting about what you can send, ask them to stop. Unless they can pull it out in the rules in writing, they are probably wrong. DON'T write fighting knife or weapon or things like that, that will get it flagged just as fast as being vague about whats inside. Camping knife, utility knife, kitchen knife, etc., will work fine and save a lot of hassle. If you put gift on the label, you stil have to put value or it will get opened but don't undervalue or again, they will open to check. In other words, if you put camping knife, gift and value at 10$, it will probably get checked. They may let it through anyway but it might get stalled while they look it over. Tape is good but if you over tape, they may decide you are trying to hide something and open it anyway. I have recieved packages from my step mother who loves tape and it has been opened for no reason I can see. If your package has been opened, there should be a note inside that customs has opened it and sent it on. If it is obvious that it has been opened and repacked but no note inside, check it over thouroughly to ensure everything is correct incase there is a problem. All in all, don' t lie about whats inside because if they check and it doesnt match the label, you will be held accountable. Value is one thing, though, customs can't assess value of an item just by look, in some cases they have tried and made the receiver pay extra in duty costs but you can often fight it if it is a large amount.
 
This topic comes up from time to time, but I think it is one that needs to be revisited with some frequency.

I'll soon be sending a knife to Australia, so I'll need to work through those customs details. I've sent a few packages to Aus before, and they almost invariably take MONTHS to get there. One I sent as a Christmas gift six weeks ahead of the holiday arrive two months after the holiday. One I sent as a birthday gift in October arrived in January. In both cases I was clear on my customs form and there was nothing untoward in the package. In one case I paid extra to ship via Global Priority Mail (instead of just parcel post).

Very frustrating. Sometimes i think customs just holds things up because they can, regardless of whether there is a reason to do so.
 
Frank Niro said:
I have never had a problem sending my folders and have a friend who sent many straight knives, some very big into the USA. I think if you fill out the "form" from the post office that must go with the shipment, all will go well. Sometimes the post office people have big noses and want to get involved with stuff that has nothing to do with them or the Canadian post office. I just find another post office to sends from or if necessary try to get their questions cleared away. If they start to tell you you can't do this and you must do that, they are interfering and going to something there job does not involve. Frank
Click to expand...


Oh ya, that's a big issue.

I find the more likely they are to tell you you can't do that, the less they know whether you can or not.


You can find al the shipping rules online for both Canadian and USA websites.
Read them and know before you go what you can and can't do.


Look up the "Harmonized sales code"

I have a post about it here somewhere.
www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1103632-What-is-with-the-passionate-aversion-for-shipping-to-Canada

www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/928930-Best-description-to-ship-a-knife-from-Canada-to-the-US
Having that number code on means they can punch that in and be satisfied that it's coded and taxed correctly, but it avoids the word knife on the outside.


I stress the ability to ship by registered mail, they ship gold that way, it has to be signed by by each person, it's tracked and insured well.
 
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It becomes difficult when your knives range from $400 to $2000.

I just got a CP rate for a $1350 dollar blade. First off, CP wouldn't allow me to insure for more than $1000 and second, the duties were high. A 3"x3"x15" package a 3.2lbs would have cost me $145 to ship to California. Purolator was $90 but didn't offer any way to calculate duty fees on the site. UPS is ridiculous and out of the question.

What's a maker supposed to do?


Some rules to make things easier... especially if you own a business...
1. ALWAYS provide a full description. (example: Fixed Blade Camp Knife)
2. ALWAYS declare full SALE value. (It could come back and bite you someday if your don't. I can expand on that if needed)
3. If you use Paypal, get a SIGNATURE confirmation. (or you will void your user agreement and get no sympathy if something goes awry.)
 
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Rick Marchand said:
It becomes difficult when your knives range from $400 to $2000.

I just got a CP rate for a $1350 dollar blade. First off, CP wouldn't allow me to insure for more than $1000 and second, the duties were high. A 3"x3"x15" package a 3.2lbs would have cost me $145 to ship to California. Purolator was $90 but didn't offer any way to calculate duty fees on the site. UPS is ridiculous and out of the question.

What's a maker supposed to do?
Click to expand...

I ship United States Postal Service when I go international cause it is cheaper. UPS told me flat out the government gets better rates shipping than a private company(some kind of country to country discount?). Is it the same in Canada? Might want to check and see.
 
CP is Canada Post, Kierran. They are cheap if you avoid declaration responsibilities... undervalue the goods or mark it as a "gift". Something a business should be wary of doing.
 
Rick, you should make friends with someone that lives on the border. Have them take it across and post it on the US side.

:)

Give them just have what CP wants and you'll both come out ahead!
 
Rick Marchand said:
It becomes difficult when your knives range from $400 to $2000.

I just got a CP rate for a $1350 dollar blade. First off, CP wouldn't allow me to insure for more than $1000 and second, the duties were high. A 3"x3"x15" package a 3.2lbs would have cost me $145 to ship to California. Purolator was $90 but didn't offer any way to calculate duty fees on the site. UPS is ridiculous and out of the question.

What's a maker supposed to do?


Some rules to make things easier... especially if you own a business...
1. ALWAYS provide a full description. (example: Fixed Blade Camp Knife)
2. ALWAYS declare full SALE value. (It could come back and bite you someday if your don't. I can expand on that if needed)
3. If you use Paypal, get a SIGNATURE confirmation. (or you will void your user agreement and get no sympathy if something goes awry.)
Click to expand...


Rick and OP, Not in the knife business, this is just a hobby for me for now. (I'm in firearms and accessories) but shipped much both directions across the border. Postal service is great until the value gets high, then insurance is painful.

Avoid UPS because although they often give the business a "deal" and set them up to ship etc, they charge the customer brokerage and duties etc plus a fee for the service when crossing the border based on a percentage of the value. After they once charged me more than 70% of the value of an item to clear customs, I refused to do business with them or anyone using them. I still stand by this policy to date.

FedEx is often slightly more $$$ for the shipping but they don't charge a % value fee when clearing customs. Their "air" rates are high, but ground rates and cheaper and slower, but faster than postal service. They provide good support and tracking for businesses. Most consistent service.

Next tier down are Purolator and DHL,

Might also consider CanPar for higher value items.

For low $ Canada post and USPS are the way to go. Flat rate shipping for smallish items regardless of weight with tracking and insurance. The priority mail international and xpresspost have tracking across the border. You just have to switch to the other country website once the item hits the border. Always make an honest declaration on the form "cutlery" is good, accurate and less likely to attract unwanted attention than "knives". Folders should be snugged up at the pivot if not locking or slip joint style so they don't "flick" open as that can make customs officers nervous. With the tracking it is possible to get in touch with customs if there seems to be an issue. Only had to do that once.

Never had anything "disappear" at customs. Have had something "stolen" from the post... claimed the insurance, and the thief was fired and arrested.
 
Just an update... I wanted to ship my knives out for BladeShow and...

Purolator refused to ship knives. The girl wouldn't even touch the box(she actually held her hands in the air, like I was robbing the place). It was horrible. Every bit of their being was oozing disgust. I will be filing a formal complaint and hope the frightened little girls get their iPhones taken away for a week.

UPS (who I use often) reacted very similarly... but I was able to talk them down and have them make a phone call. Which turned into an fantastic hour long conversation on how cool of a job I have. Education is the key. I converted 4 people into knife appreciators... sorta, I guess.... they were cute, at least.
 
I find myself in a similar spot, about to try shipping a small trial/test knife to someone so I can get some feedback regarding the quality. For any of you who use USPS regularly, do you pick up the appropriate sized boxes at a local post office, or do you order them online from USPS? I've stopped by my local one and asked what the smallest size was, and maybe it was all they had, but I wouldn't think it's reasonable to ship an 8" OAL drop point in a box large enough for several board games - that's textbook overcompensation. Also, can you re-use boxes as long as they are in good condition?
 
Ninja Blacksmith, you have more box sizes available to you online than are available at the post office. And the boxes are reusable so long as you're still using them for priority mail.

OP, the main thing I'd point out is to pack sturdy and remember your packages are sorted by machine (at least by usps)
 
I just sent a small knife to Ohio, I put it in a box just big enough to hold it, put some brown paper to fill the space and sent it via CP normal. It cost $12 and took 5 days to get there. The box wasnt a post box or anything like that, just a box I had laying around.
 
Rick, others - I have shipped two $1000.00+ knives to the states. Rick, there is a way for Canada Post to do the insurance. The did on both of mine. I'll get some info.

-Peter
 
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