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Kyle_4

Joined
Mar 21, 2013
Messages
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I just got a notice of detention for the knife I am waiting on (benchmade 940).

It says in the description of goods:

1 folding knife

declared as tool

It also says it being detained for the following reasons "to determine admissibility"

What does everyone think? Best course of action?
 
Yes..very frustrated right now. How can they seize a knife that you can buy at retail stores in Canada???
 
Kyle_4 said:
Yes..very frustrated right now. How can they seize a knife that you can buy at retail stores in Canada???
Click to expand...

If you can flick it open using inertia, it is a prohibited weapon, many knives in stores could be considered prohibited if an officer happened to test them out:


"Awad handed the knife to Clarke at the wagon. He opened the knife blade using only centrifugal force on three occasions, leading him to conclude that it was therefor a prohibited weapon. He then advised the defendant of his arrest for breaching the peace, possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of a weapon at a public meeting, and read him his rights to counsel, including the provision of a duty counsel 1-800 number. Clarke, while testifying, demonstrated the manner in which he centrifugally opened the knife-blade using a strong flick of his wrist while holding the knife’s handle."


If a customs officer can flick open the knife, unfortunately you're not getting it back :thumbdn:
 
Goosey said:
If you can flick it open using inertia, it is a prohibited weapon, many knives in stores could be considered prohibited if an officer happened to test them out:


"Awad handed the knife to Clarke at the wagon. He opened the knife blade using only centrifugal force on three occasions, leading him to conclude that it was therefor a prohibited weapon. He then advised the defendant of his arrest for breaching the peace, possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of a weapon at a public meeting, and read him his rights to counsel, including the provision of a duty counsel 1-800 number. Clarke, while testifying, demonstrated the manner in which he centrifugally opened the knife-blade using a strong flick of his wrist while holding the knife’s handle."


If a customs officer can flick open the knife, unfortunately you're not getting it back :thumbdn:
Click to expand...

Ok...but the 940 has an axis lock. None of my axis locks open unless you disengage the lock. That blade is not going anywhere until you pull back on the axis lock to disengage.
 
Kyle_4 said:
Ok...but the 940 has an axis lock. None of my axis locks open unless you disengage the lock. That blade is not going anywhere until you pull back on the axis lock to disengage.
Click to expand...

If you flick it hard enough with your wrist you can get it open without disengaging the lock.

It's an unfair interpretation of a law meant to apply to butterfly knives.
 
Had this happen to me...spoke to customs agent who told me they attempt ten arm swings. Don't know how many openings it takes to fail as my knife opened every time:foot: I had to arrange a UPS (only method allowed) return via the customs office back to the seller for the pivot to be tightened. I was heated due to the absurdity of the situation, but apparently I was lucky the agent was willing to assist in returning the knife. I have never had a problem over-the-border other than this occasion.

Bill
 
That is unfortunate I fee for you and I hope it works out. I am really cautious what I order from the US something that isn't possible to flick, like a sebenza (well it is possible but not easy) and doesn't look tactical is fine but other than that you are really rolling the dice. Generally it is better to pay a little more (sometimes they aren't more these days) and buy at home.
 
From my experience, and that of my few fellow knife friends, it is very rare to have a problem. Even the taxing is very erratic, expensive things get through with no charge sometimes and other times not. Seems to depend on the individual checking, and I suspect how busy they are at the time. Overall I've had a very positive experience with international ordering.

Bill
 
brightb said:
From my experience, and that of my few fellow knife friends, it is very rare to have a problem. Even the taxing is very erratic, expensive things get through with no charge sometimes and other times not. Seems to depend on the individual checking, and I suspect how busy they are at the time. Overall I've had a very positive experience with international ordering.

Bill
Click to expand...

This sums up my experience as well.

Also avoid couriers and their crazy 'brokerage fees', Usps seems to be the better choice!
 
Lost 2 knives to Canada Customs, they classified them as gravity fed. From that time on, I only shop Canada. Wrote letters,called Oshawa etc etc. Not worth the hassle and worry. The only ones that are safe to bring across are fixed blades and slip joints. Its a crap shoot, you might be lucky many times then bam! some rookie agent, opens your package....:grumpy:
 
I've got Canadian relatives and send knives to them often so they can bring them when they or some friend visits Argentina. I've had something like this happen with a BM Dejavoo with a very weak detent.

Learned my lesson. Now, whenever I have folders shipped to Canada I ask the seller to tighten the pivots.
 
dc50 said:
Lost 2 knives to Canada Customs
Click to expand...

Same here! Luckily they weren't high-end but after that I started taking the whole centrifugal thing more seriously... often I ask a seller to tighten the pivot, but on a couple occasions the seller apparently forgot, or actually loosened it instead, luckily no one checked. :eek:
 
dc50 said:
Lost 2 knives to Canada Customs, they classified them as gravity fed. From that time on, I only shop Canada. Wrote letters,called Oshawa etc etc. Not worth the hassle and worry. The only ones that are safe to bring across are fixed blades and slip joints. Its a crap shoot, you might be lucky many times then bam! some rookie agent, opens your package....:grumpy:
Click to expand...

Did you ever get the knives back? I tried calling them today but they were closed...will try tomorrow. I'm hoping if worst comes to worst I can send back to seller and have him tighten pivot.
 
I have never had any issues however most of the knives I have brought in are fixed blades. I have had a few packages opened but nothing seized. The only issue I have had is the one package where one knife was fine, one was rammed in the sheath backwards damaging the welt and stitching, and one was not in the sheath at all. Being that the distance needed to remove it from the sheath was larger than the package, I know 100% that customs put it back in the package that way.
 
Kyle_4 said:
Did you ever get the knives back? I tried calling them today but they were closed...will try tomorrow. I'm hoping if worst comes to worst I can send back to seller and have him tighten pivot.
Click to expand...
No after all the calling and writing, theny then said I would have to drive to Calgary 150 km away. Find an office downtown and then do a video conference.
It just wasn't worth the fuel and time off from work,so I wrote them off.
 
Don't just give up and accept a loss like this. Try writing to your local MP and at least put some pressure on them, it costs nothing more than an email and a phone call. Customs gets away with this too often, and expect the victim will wear down and give up.
 
Kyle_4 said:
Yes..very frustrated right now. How can they seize a knife that you can buy at retail stores in Canada???
Click to expand...

If this statement is correct then it should be fairly straightforward for you to show proof to Customs. Then if they decide your knife is still prohibited that'll open a whole new can of worms for retailers and the manufacturer.
Then of course there's the old adage: It doesn't have to make sense; it's government policy.
 
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