Thank you Yangdu and HI

P

Padre Thomaso

Joined
Sep 27, 2008
Messages
56
Hi everyone,

This is my first post in this forum. I usually don't post anything and just stays to the back but I like for you all to know how helpful and kind Yangdu and HI have been to me. Its a long post and for those of you that don't have the energy to read it all I just want you to know that Yangdu and HI really cares for their customers and I for one will never buy a khukri from someone else.

I am from Sweden so I hope you have patience with my some times dodgy grammar :)

I recently bought an AK Bowie from HI and Yangdu mailed it as fast as one possible could. Since I live in Sweden I expected it to take a bit of time to arrive here but as always when I'm ordering something from another country, I felt like a kid waiting for Christmas.

Close to 3 weeks past and one afternoon when I returned home from work I saw an envelope from the Swedish post office. Finely my AK Bowie had arrived I thought! But no. Inside the envelope was not the slip for my knife, but a note explaining that the Swedish post office had labeled my knife as a weapon and returned it to the sender. It was labeled to dangerous to handle by them.

I would like to let you know that it is perfectly legal to own, import, buy and sell knives in Sweden. The only knife related law in Sweden just state that we are not allowed to carry a knife around in public. (If you cannot explain why you are carrying it, for example “I'm going camping”)

I immediately called the post office and asked them to explain why they sent my knife back, but received no proper answer as to why. The person I spoke to just said “we don't ship weapons” and when I explained to her that a knife is just as much a weapon as a screwdriver if a person wielding it is intent on hurting someone, she understood my point but the postman in charge was not available to clarify the situation. She told me to get back to them another day.

I of course e-mailed Yangdu and explained what had happened and she was as perplexed by the Swedish post office and how they had handled this as I was. But she told me that she would, when the AK Bowie returned, keep it for me until we could figure out how to send it to me.

This was the beginning of a week of being on the phone with the Swedish post office at least twice a day. Each phone call resulted in different answers.

Finely I managed to get hold of a person in charge at the Swedish post office and after a couple of e-mails, phone calls and a week later I received information that they had misinterpreted the Swedish law and it was again ok to ship knives with them.

During this whole time I was in contact with Yangdu and updated her, as she had asked me to, about the situation. We even figured out an alternative shipping rout for the knives via my parents in Finland, but fortunately that never became necessary.

When Yangdu got the AK-Bowie back she promptly sent it to me a second time. This time it actually got through to me. The knife is truly great and after all this problems and waiting the knife feels extra special.

Thank you Yangdu and HI for all your time and effort in this matter! Best regards to you and your father. Keep well!

Well, that's my story. Back to the shadows again :) Take care everyone
/Thomas
 
Welcome to the HI forum Thomas and thanks for relating your story. It certainly seems that our governmental agencies can, at times, seem so inept as to defy belief. Quite the opposite from the level of service that we receive from Yangdu. While we all know about how good Yangdu is regarding her customers, it is really good to hear of your successful delivery. The AK Bowie is quite a knife and no doubt will give you years of service. Congratulations on your first HI and I know you'll enjoy it. And don't feel like you've got to go back to the shadows again - here at the forum the more the merrier.

Rick
 
Glad the Knife made it OK, thank you for the kind words
 
Congrats as well, and your English was fine! I see people give disclaimers about their English on these forums, but their grammar always seems flawless(not that I'm trying to find any :D).
 
That is a great story and a perfect first HI purchase. The AK Bowie is a beautiful knife!
 
I sometimes feel embarrassed for not being as helpful and generous as Yangdu and the HI staff. I only hope I can be that good to someone, someday.
 
Welcome Padre Thomaso!
Glad you got things worked out and recieved your khukuri.
No need to lurk when you are among friends, feel free to join in !


Nicholas said:
I sometimes feel embarrassed for not being as helpful and generous as Yangdu and the HI staff. I only hope I can be that good to someone, someday.
Click to expand...

No need to feel that way, Nicholas. Your "missing pages" thread is a great contribution. You fit in well here.
 
Thomas,

Well, on top of getting a fantastic knife, you've now got the contact information of the person in charge if you ever need to contact the post office again!

Fantastic knife, fantastic attitude towards the hassles and delays! :D
 
Welcome Thomas, I wish you much enjoyment from your first and every succeeding HI product. Yangdu's kindness and help is unequaled. :thumbup: :)

bruce
 
Thank you all for your kind words and warm welcome!

I have just been out camping for four days and the AK-Bowie was with me all the time. Used it pretty hard during those four days and the AK-Bowie took care of every task I could give it with ease. Heavy chopping, batoning fire wood and general camping use and not even a mark in the edge. Some miss coloration on the knife as expected from cutting vegetables really makes the AK-Bowie look alive. Its truly a great knife!

Best regards
/Thomas
 
I have to admit, once they get that used look I find them far more appealing than when they are brand new. Also, once they get those first scratches, you can stop worrying about scratching it too. I think that is the #1 reason I tend towards villager finishes for the majority of my blades from HI. I prefer the matte or black finish to the super shiny one unless the blade has a lot of fullers you need to show off. ;)

Denatured alcohol will take a lot of the veggie and sap stains off if you want them gone though...
 
The first scratch always hurts the worst. My new Bonecutter no longer looks new. I field tested it yesterday, chopping plenty of wood, just because it can.
I also used the karda to slice an apple to eat. The apple juice immediately started bluing the blade. I washed it off and dried it after, but die not try to remove the bluing. I may rub it all over with apple slices to give it a nice, even bluing. I buy my knives to be used, not just ogled.
The reason I have bought 3 HI knives is because of their reputation for quality and durability.
They are worth it. They will get scratches and rub marks from use and sharpening. I am ok with that. I used my C-Bit to cut pork chops the day I got it. I like the character it adds to them.
 
If it's not going to be used you might as well not have it. That being said, I must be honest and admit that I do have one "Safe Queen" that I just haven't been able to bring myself to scratch up- a Foxy with a M43 horn handle.

If we have a midwest get together I'll break it in then. Everybody can get some swings in with it. :)
 
I think you played a huge part in making the Swedish post office withdraw their no-go policy about knives. Good work little brother.

See you soon.
 
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