**** Customs Border

[Nicky]

Ok i've bought a Para military and a SS Jester and they've just decided that i could not have them because... hum hum... because... they just don't know why... this is such of a ****...

Those knives are so hars to flick open, I tought it would be ok... And I still think that I'm right because they just don't know why they are holding my knives...!!! :mad:

[Senate]

how come they seize every parcel with knives? they X-Ray every package or what?

[JD Spydo]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news my friend but we are in the beginnings of a total Police State. I wish it weren't so. With this "Patriot Act" and other garbage legislation. It really seems strange to me that we the American people are being punished for what a bunch of foreign nationals supposedly did. Why does it seem like that no one is asking any hard questions about these encroachments on our liberty. If the politicians were really on our side then we would be like Switzerland. To where virtually every man, woman and older kids are armed to the hilt. On 9/11 all of the Wal-Marts & K-Marts had suspended sales of guns & ammo. Hey friends and fellow Spyder-heads ask yourself this question: Whose side are they really on? :mad: :spyder: :mad:

[walderdackel]

"It really seems strange to me that we the American people are being punished for what a bunch of foreign nationals supposedly did"

can you explain that closer?



to compare america with switzerland...well its a difference like apples and eggs.
not all swiss are armed that way you think. further switzerland doesnt have a social structure wich leads to 12 years old kids shooting and stabbing eachother.

freedom is a good thing if you know how to handle it.but the freedom of the "good ones" means the same freedom for the "bad ones".

i live in germany.its not easy to get a weapon here...from year to year it gets harder, but the risk to get shot is small because of that...really i get nightmares thinking everyone could buy and bear a weapon.

i dont want to start any political discussion and dont want to offend anyone with a different opinion....thats my very own opinion about freedom and weapons...better dont mix :D

[Jimmy_Dean]

First thing to concider is that canadian UPS is on strike since monday, which tends to slow things down. On some levels, nothing is moving at all, so this could explain.

Second thing I noticed is that many people "take a chance" when they order a knife from the states, hoping it gets there. I'm not saying it's a bomb-proof technique, but here's something I developped when I actually worked for canadian customs this summer:
have the knife wrapped in newspaper, bubblewrap and taped nicely. Have it sent through USPS. Fed/Ex will systematically scan or check every package so a knife will cost you a huge duty tax at best. There's still a risk with UPS, but as I said, at the moment it's a big no-no. So USPS, insured for a rather low value (around 50$), and here's the good part, in description, write: Hunting tool, or camping gear or anything non threatening you can come up with. DO NOT write knife! Ask the sender to check the 'gift' box and you're on your way.

Call it luck if you like, but using this technique, I have had 6 high priced knives sent to me from the states without a hitch, even a fat 6" double edge. Obvisouly this method works better when you deal with a person you know rather than a dealer who won't bother....such is life.

I'm sorry about your misfortune. Trust me, it's not the first one I hear and it always does something to me because not only do I love knives as much as you do, but the custom job has been very good to me and I don't like when we all sound like a bunch of f***ers.

Hope you can have your knives delivered shortly and if not, my advices should help you for the next time. Good luck bro

-Dean

[JD Spydo]

Hello "onthefly71". You sound like a really nice guy to me. I would love to go fishing with you sometime. I do understand what you are saying. But I have 2 examples to prove my point. #1 You have Washington D.C. and New York City. Those 2 cities have the most strict gun & knife laws in the country but have the worst crime rate. # 2 I have a great friend who lives in Florida ( a conceal & carry state). The first year they enacted the conceal & carry laws the crime of rape for instance went down 78%. All other crime went down substantially. I believe in the US Constitution the way it was written originally. It's really funny that the people in power who want us to give these knives & guns up don't give theirs up. I don't know the situation in your country. But I think the facts I present speak for themselves. I want you to have your right to have a Spydie or any other knife. I believe in freedom :) :spyder: :)

[JDEE]

I don't know what the laws are in Canada but here in Australia the law regarding the import of knives is spelt out in legislation. My advice obtain a copy of your legislation and see where you stand. It could be the same as happens over here an over zealous customs official working in the postal system as a bad night and takes a set against your package an declares it prohibited and the only way to appeal is through the courts. I don't necessarily agree with mislabelling the customs dec., as if it is the case that you have X-ray facilities the same as is over here then you will caught out anyway. Everyone of my parcels is opened for inspection and I receive at least one a week. Non-knife parcels which I also receive are never opened. Whilst some of my senders mislabel the customs dec as tools etc they are still opened. This leads me to the conclusion that the use of Xray is alive and well.

[Nicky]

For Senate: exactly...!

Jimmy: First of all the strike with the federals employee (went ground only) is just over (they got almost every single things they ask ... but guess what; they are just working slower then ever).

I think they are keeping my package because of the "Para military" name on the Para’s box... This is really the only thing that may have brought interest on my package... Any ways I will call today ( or at least I will try since they now have 2h of break and 3 for lunch on a 7h day... the worst here is that it's almost true) and we'll know what is the problem with my package...

Finally I will post on later but I would like to ask you if that paternalist government thing is right for you.

[talonturbo]

I feel for you. I'm currently waiting for my appeal to be read regarding an Emerson Super-CQC7 that got seized. Reason: the seller ignored my request to send it as a cheap "camping tool" instead of a $100 knife. The camping tool thing has always worked in the past. Customs do suck though, as buying a Spyderco at a Canadian retail store will cost nearly as much as ordering 2 from the states and having only one arrive safely.

[OutofGum]

Hello "onthefly71". You sound like a really nice guy to me. I would love to go fishing with you sometime. I do understand what you are saying. But I have 2 examples to prove my point. #1 You have Washington D.C. and New York City. Those 2 cities have the most strict gun & knife laws in the country but have the worst crime rate.

Correction: New York does not have the "worst crime rate" in the US. Not even close. In a comparison of cities in the US with over 500,000 people, NYC was the 5th SAFEST, between Austin, TX and Louisville, KY.

http://www.morganquitno.com/cit05pop.htm

NYC might have had a lot of crime 15 years ago, but its very different now. Another study which compared crime / population found NY ranked 74th in terms of amount per person.

[Nicky]

**** them...ANGAIN.... I just call about 10 times todays and the guy incharge wasn't here.... :mad: :mad: :mad:

leaves me speachless....

[sal]

I think most countries have their laws, most based on fear or politics.

Hi On the fly, welcome.

Even in Germany, as of April '03 butterfly's are illegal even to own (in your home). We had to get special permission and pay a fee ($200) to be able to show a butterfly (limit 2) at the international IWA show. They even came out to our booth to inspect the 2 pieces that we brought.

yet, autos are legal in Germany :rolleyes:

I think that fear is a big factor with knives, however irrational it may be. Bad guys do bad things, everyone pays.

Spyderco tries to accomodate these laws to the best of our ability, but frankly, I see knife companies making big bucks selling autos, semi-autos, butterfly's gravity knives, etc.

Just find the legal loopholes? Sad, but often true.

sal

[Simona]

Perhaps im living in some wonder state :p , because here are not knife laws and what i know, will not, with future view..
Thats really interesting, when i have read about crazy laws in US or, like a extrem, in England or Belgium and etc.,Sweden ..
No laws, all is allowed, balisongs,all type of autos (many gas station sale cheap italian autos from 2"-8" blades, big China balisongs, etc..) daggers,hidden knives, fix blades, no blade limit, etc.

Funny story: I visited time ago with my sister one music club, where was lettering :"No weapons", so i asked boy, what stand in the door, that i have knife (Military), so, if is problem,i can go back to car and leave it there..and he told me, noo, its ok, its only small folding knife, thats no weapon ..
:eek:
Okey, right lettering probably us : "No .357 Magnum and AK-47" :D

Museums, state department offices, i dont know next...simply only one places, who have metal detectors are law courts, its all,,and airports, of course ...

This crazy worldwide anti-knife hysteria doesnt work here ... :D

[Nicky]

I don't really cares about knife laws here in Canada because they seems find to me; I don't need an auto, Bali or gravity knife but I wish that at least when I'm trying to import a legal knife those customs border pigs won't mess up with my package...

I'm not asking for much but it seems to me that now days, a little task for me is like moving a mountain for others...

At least this time I'm sure for 100% both knives are legal and if they have anything’s to say about that they will have to say it in front of the judge!

[loki88]

maybe u could try this one next time http://www.flames-n-knives.com/. Never had a problem; because customs don't seem to open the parcel. He labels the package "ebay collectible", and always sets a value under 80 $. I would buy local but paying 100% more is a little too much asked. I have a manix on the way right now from him

[walderdackel]

Hi JD Spydo
i see your points and i belive in freedom too .the statistics prove you right :D


Sal
thank you very much for the welcome.

i am sorry to hear about your problems concerning the IWA.
i have heard about the new laws for butterflys quite late. there was a dealer wich offered a Spiderfly (very nice knife btw) on his website "for Export only". pretty sad since my first thought was that i have to have on of these.
now there is me and my butterfly i own since 4-5 years .to expensive to give it to the police ,im now a criminal holding it .dont want to know what this for a collector means wich invested many 100's or more into a collection.

funny is that butterflys playing no role in any statistics ,are not more used for crime then any other knife.
yet ,fear and political "..we do something against it" symbolism turns normal poeple into criminals.
about the loopholes....finding out these may rise the sellings today.
but tomorrow the lawyers ,cofused with all this half-automatic ,springassisted and whatever new mechanics ,will propably go the same way like the British lawyers did.
for germany i cant see a knifeparanoia at the moment ,except for switchblades and butterflys. better dont wake up the sleeping lion.
ill better stop here because i pulled this thread a little bit offtopic.

Now knocking on wood that Nicky will get finally his knifes.

[cheez]

Sal,

switchblades are somehwhat restricted in Germany as well. They have a blade length limitd of 3.3 inches. It is indeed a sad thing that the spiderfly is not legal here, I'd really like to have one. Same thing goes for some other nice butterflys. Fortunately I didn't have a balisong collection when the law hit us, otherwise I'd now be a criminal.

best regards, Keno

[Nicky]

Ok, in theory, this guy should be working today, especially if didn't work last Friday... So I should know what is the problem with my package...

I'd like to know if the Para military could be easily flick open when new. THX!

[Vess]

Nicky,

I feel your pain. Believe me, getting the guy on the phone will not nbe easy. I took maybe half a dozen tries this summer, and couldn't get him on the phone. Then I took two days off work when I got a summer cold and called the guy maybe twenty times on the first day until he finally picked up.

But getting him on the phone did very little. All he was allowed to tell me was this: either send an appeal (in writing) to the decision, or make arrangements to export the knife back to the USA. Now, shipping the knife back has to be done by a bonded courier, but that cost more than the knife itself, so I wrote an appeal. But then a few months later I got a letter saying "appeal denied", without any reasons at all given. In my written appeal (about 7 pages long, with references) I made a lot of logical points, so if they tried to actually respond to my arguments they would have very quickly painted themselves into a corner, so instead they just said "nope, we're taking your knife, bye!" and that was it. There won't be any judge or jury, unless you are willing to spend a lot of money on it. Sad but true. You might get lucky and get the knives back, but you probably will not.

Oh, and for shipping from USA, shipping the knives by USPS Global Express Mail (EMS) seems to work best. Yes, it is expensive (US$16 or so), but it is fast (3-5 days) and has tracking and almost never gets inspected by customs. And making the knives "tools" usually does it too. Although now I also ask everyone to tighten the pivot on the knife before shipping it here. With a pivot pin so tight that the bloody thing can't be opened two-handed and no wrench readily available to loosen it they have no choice but to wave it through.

Best of luck with the Paramilitary though, let us know how it turns out.

[UK KEN]

[quote="loki88"]maybe u could try this one next time http://www.flames-n-knives.com/. Never had a problem]

With respect, I don't know how much longer Steve at F'n'K will be doing that if the powers that be read this post! :eek:

Regards Ken