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what can i bring to nova scotia, canada
- Thread starter Wildcat
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Where are you coming from and how are you getting there?
The region makes it's main living from fishing so knives are common.
You should be fine with those. The Maritimes will be quite a change from Texas.
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Checked baggage should be completely fine. Especially with those three knives. 
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Grohman Knives (https://www.grohmannknives.com/index.php/products/outdoor/1-original-design-182-detail) is in Pictou, Nova Scotia, maker of the classic Russell Canadian Belt Knife. Worth a visit if you're in the area.
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I recall seeing a copy of that knife in a Cold Steel advertisement. Any real difference between the original and Lynn Thompson's version in terms of performance and durability?
The Zieg
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Yes. Thompson's CS version of the Canadian Belt Knife is inferior in performance and durability. (The same can be said of all of his copies of other makers' knives and swords, for that matter.)
I would highly suggest you do not bring any folding knives. Our customs officials have decided that all folding knives can be considered prohibited gravity or centrifugal knives. There are plenty of reports of even the most basic swiss army knives being seized. They will open the blade slightly and flick the knife as hard as they can. If it open the knife is gone. This also includes knives being sold all over the country that are 100% legal. It really seems to boil down to the discretion of the customs officer and the supervisor working that shift.
I dont know about the local laws of the area but across Canada a fixed blade is legal to carry as long as it is not concealed. A small fixed blade under 3" should not attract too much attention. Even a cheaper Mora would be a good choice. Tactical looking knives might still draw attention. Daggers are generally seen as weapons so avoid those. Your knife must be used as a "tool". You may need to justify it will serve a useful and lawful purpose. Do NOT ever admit you might use it for self defence or as a weapon. That might earn you a trip to jail. Dont try to take it into a bar or nightclub as it most likely will be confiscated. It may even get you arrested depending on local laws. Do not take it into government buildings like a court house as it will be confiscated and you may be charged. The best advice I can give you is look respectable and dont dress like a street thug and you should not draw the attention of law enforcemnt.
From the customs website:
Push daggers ( a blade that is 90 degrees to the handle) and Scottish Dirks are also prohibited.
This page is worth the read. But it does not cover everything. https://swordgear.com/knife-laws-in-canada/
I dont know about the local laws of the area but across Canada a fixed blade is legal to carry as long as it is not concealed. A small fixed blade under 3" should not attract too much attention. Even a cheaper Mora would be a good choice. Tactical looking knives might still draw attention. Daggers are generally seen as weapons so avoid those. Your knife must be used as a "tool". You may need to justify it will serve a useful and lawful purpose. Do NOT ever admit you might use it for self defence or as a weapon. That might earn you a trip to jail. Dont try to take it into a bar or nightclub as it most likely will be confiscated. It may even get you arrested depending on local laws. Do not take it into government buildings like a court house as it will be confiscated and you may be charged. The best advice I can give you is look respectable and dont dress like a street thug and you should not draw the attention of law enforcemnt.
From the customs website:
Push daggers ( a blade that is 90 degrees to the handle) and Scottish Dirks are also prohibited.
This page is worth the read. But it does not cover everything. https://swordgear.com/knife-laws-in-canada/
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Sounds like the Canadian customs folks are copying what used to be the NYPD playbook, until the infamous NY "gravity knife" law finally got overturned.
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Have you ever had this happen to you?
In 25+ years of collecting knives, getting knives shipped to Canada, crossing the usa-canada border with knives, I’ve never had one confiscated.
What will get your knife confiscated is lying about the value. It is a Federal Offence.
Customs has google.
Personally It has not happened to me, I do not travel much. After the big debacle came to light I stopped ordering knives from the US. I do know several people who have ordered knives online and had them denied at the border. The appeals were also immediately dismissed. I do know one police officer who had his knife removed from checked luggage by Customs on the Canadian side of the border. It was a single bladed slipjack style knife. I would say it is safe to say this guy is an expert on what is legal in Canada. I also am friends with a woman who used to work one of the boarder crossings. She flat out told me they were instructed to do everything possible to get the blade to open with a flick of the wrist. Including slightly opening the blade, holding the blade and using the handles weight to assist when flicking it open.
As far as I can tell it really seems to depend on the officer you get.
I have been reading of many instances of knives being confiscated at the border for being able to be opened with one hand. Even holding the blade and flicking open (buck 110’s). I have been looking into it as we hope to be driving across the border from Alaska. I obtained the Boker Worldwide and Kershaw Federalist that should be fine. Or an Opinel. Of course I will have a fixed blade. Crazy that Spyderco’s can be bought in the stores, but not taken through the border.
What is even more surprising is you can buy caselots of these "illegal" knives from government surplus auctions. Mostly they are junk because the good quality ones "go missing" before they make it to the sales house. If you know how the system works you can even find out what airport the lot was confiscated from. If your really internet savvy you can find out who gets the better quality knives to sell on the auction sites. There is one seller I have narrowed down to the airport and shift schedule based on when he replies to my emails. His first name just happens to match a shift supervisors from that airport..... The truly illegal knives are destroyed (after the court hearing).
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TSA does the same thing here. You would be surprised at what people try to bring through airport security in carry-on luggage! When my wife and I have to travel by air, we wrap a couple of compact folding knives in gym socks and put them in a spare pair of running shoes in checked luggage. Never had a problem. Don't travel with anything you can't afford to lose, because the risk of theft is always present.
I used to be a security consultant. The company I worked for was contracted to test security at a few different airports. I cant give out any details but let's just say some failed big time. Enough that I have not flown on a commercial airline since.
Oddly enough I am noticing the flashlight community is starting to complain about flashlights being removed from checked luggage. Even a few stories of lights going missing that contained no batteries.
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