Trying to get for Gabz

Tim-Gabz · Dec 31, 2007

I have landed some spending money.

Now to get a few Khuks, for myself and colleagues to use in overgrown parts of Africa. Looking for the WWII 16&1/2", Ang Kholu 15" and the 18"Sirapata.

Fortunately I live in Botswana where they have very low customs. Unfortunately they are fairly laidback when it comes to mail. Kinda give it to the next bushman going in that direction and hope that it gets there in the same year. It always gets there although, customs has a habit of blood letting when searching my packs.

My alternative is to send it to my South African Office and swallow the very high duty (although same customs union as Botswana). Where my colleagues are situated.

This is going to be an epic. (especially if I have to use my wife's credit card for the transaction)

Living in Africa has some interesting challenges.

markksr · Dec 31, 2007

Good luck. HI's worth the trouble...

DrThunder88 · Dec 31, 2007

Best of luck to you in your endeavor. Whatever happens, you picked the right company to work with! Yangdu does an excellent job getting orders where they need to be.

Make sure you show them off here when they get to you!

Tim-Gabz · Dec 31, 2007

Ever since my Dad's curio/momento looked so cool I wanted one. One swipe to a branch and the edge curled over. I didn't stop to resheath it before binning it. We do an imense amount of work poor overgrown areas. Usually have to wait for a local employee to come in (from what other thing he is doing) with a blunt Panga and beat the bush until it gives in.

In Centra Africa Pangas are essential for day to day work but viewed as a WMD after Rwanda and Burundi. The 800'000 bodies in 100 days still gives me the willies when ever I hear of ethnic divisions and see Panga waving. Note on the news the Kenyan opposition waving them around today?

We have bought many Pangas and they need constant resharpening or brute strength, they are cheap for the poor.

spiraltwista · Dec 31, 2007

Interesting! your obviously doing well! my local post post office says over 40% of parcels they send to South Africa are reported as lost or not recieved.

Ill keep my fingers crossed.

Spiral

Tim-Gabz · Dec 31, 2007

spiraltwista said:
Interesting! your obviously doing well! my local post post office says over 40% of parcels they send to South Africa are reported as lost or not recieved.

Ill keep my fingers crossed.

Spiral

When they can loose a shipment of bullion, from an airport, I can believe that %. I am still waiting for a normal parcel of blades to reach Sandton, ETA 1stDec. It only had 200km to go from a town in the same country. Next time I drive. I will keep that in mind, better late than never. I would hate to think of what South African Thieves would do with it. They don't get personal, they just shoot you, or go for general gratuitous voilence.

I really want one and so do some of my colleagues. South Africa has duties on blades upto 110% depending on which retard clears and which code they use.

seaice · Dec 31, 2007

Sorry if this is a bit off-topic, but just curious - do Cold Steel's machetes (not comparable to a good kukri) get used much what with them being manufactured presumably quite cheaply in SA, or do they get priced there and in Botswana at a high markup?

Tim-Gabz · Jan 2, 2008

seaice said:
Sorry if this is a bit off-topic, but just curious - do Cold Steel's machetes (not comparable to a good kukri) get used much what with them being manufactured presumably quite cheaply in SA, or do they get priced there and in Botswana at a high markup?

I did have a look at the CS range, decent ergonomics. They would not attract the duty even if exported and reimported. However South Africa has its own punitive taxes that makes made in South Africa more expensive to buy in South Africa than elsewhere. I have used the South African Macheties frequently and they are marginal.

I could not justify paying the CS prices in South Africa of R400-R600 or $30 - $45 for what is viewed as a garden tool that can be bought for $5-$10 and given to a local labourer to use, loose or steal. Also the generalised South African view is that imported is better.