USPS told me shipping a knife is prohibited???

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Dirtbiker

Dirtbiker

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First I've heard this.

A fellow member sent me a Himalayan Imports kukri, when the box arrived it had two holes in it and no knife. I went to the PO today and asked that a supervisor look into tracing the lost knife. The counterman said that knives (all knives) are prohibited and neither I or the shipper will get it back even if found. Anyone been through this before?
 
Sounds like a bunch of bs to me. Id raise hell. You can fly with a sword as long as its in your checked luggage I don't believe shipping a knife is prohibited.
 
I never heard such Bull in my life. The only restrictions I know of are for full auto knives. !!
 
Hell I'm a FFL03 and I can ship rifles through the PO, that's why I was shocked.

His quote "only a manufacturer can ship a knife to you" I was like what???
 
Dirtbiker said:
Hell I'm a FFL03 and I can ship rifles through the PO, that's why I was shocked.

His quote "only a manufacturer can ship a knife to you" I was like what???
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Ask him to show you where this is documented.
 
I have been told the same thing. It seems to vary from PO to PO. The one on base here, before he quit, relocated, or got fired, told me that only authorized knife dealers can ship knives via USPS. When I asked what an "autorized knife dealer" was, he could'nt explain and just told me that he would'nt allow me to ship the knife. I came back that afternoon and the lady working there said she didnt mind, so long as the knife was secured and safe.
 
Unless it's a VERY recent Reg.change, it's most likely a misinterpretation by a novice. ALWAYS use
insurance and Delivery Confermation.
 
Usually here in Canada when customs seizes a knife they will send a letter saying it's prohibited and the statute etc..
I have never received an empty box..
 
I got this info from the USPS web site.
There are rules and restrictions for what can and can’t be mailed.
This list is not exhaustive, but in most cases, you can't send…
Alcohol — Alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, or liquor) are restricted and can’t go in the mail. If you’re reusing a box displaying alcohol brands, all logos and labels need to be completely removed.
Perfume − Perfume containing alcohol is prohibited on air transportation, and can only be shipped domestically via surface transportation. Perfume containing alcohol is prohibited in international shipments.
Prescription Drugs – Prescription medications can only be mailed by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registered entities. Similar regulations may apply to over-the-counter medications.
Cigarettes & Smokeless Tobacco – With few exceptions, cigarettes and smokeless tobacco shipments cannot be mailed.
See tobacco restrictions and guidelines ›
Firearms – Only licensed manufacturers and dealers can mail or receive handguns. And even though unloaded rifles and shotguns are mailable, mailers must comply with all applicable regulations.
 
http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/welcome.htm

Knives are not strictly prohibited however they are under the "restricted matter" clause. You should understand USPS has to change it's policies city to city as there are plenty of ordinances which prohibit shipping certain materials. For example: It is illegal in the USA to ship a counterfeit, or item with the serial removed using USPS. When a serial is removed, or identification marks are removed, it can be classified as a counterfeit product by manufacturer, and thus be illegal to ship.

USPS over all gives the last decision to the Local postmaster so to whether or not it gets ship.
 
Whenever a postal cleark or postmaster tells you shipping knives is prohibited, ask to see their regulation book. Turn to the section on prohibited mateial, show that person the regulations prohibit shipping switchblades and weapons, but common pocket knives and kitchen knives are perfectly legal to ship. I had to do this once.
 
The USPS should tell this to Amazon, as I have had more than one knife shipped from them to me via USPS. As much mdse as they ship out, you would think they would be abreast of the regs. Sounds like a lot of CYA to me for their screw up. Time to go over someone's head for an answer. Of course it may be a moot point if it was not insured. Good luck!

Blessings,

Omar
 
It's apparent that the shipper failed to properly pack the item to begin with. That is the first rule of shipping knives, pack them securely and correctly. It's a shame that such a simple things is continually disregarded over and over. If a postal worker would have been severely injured, imagine the sparks that would have flown.
 
It is likely to be a misunderstanding of the the Publication 52 that came out in Dec 2012 that Luis G. referred to. What USPS identifies as a switchblade (A switchblade knife has a blade that opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button or other device in the handle, or by operation of inertia, gravity, or both) under these restricted rules must basically be mailed from a manufacturer or bona fide dealers of such knives to the armed forces or government entities. That rule does not apply to other knives, but the postal clerk may have understood that it did. The only restriction on other knives in Pub 52 have to do with proper packaging to prevent sharp objects from poking through the package which is essentially explaining common sense to folks that have none.
 
The local postmaster has NO authority to change or reinterpret Postal Regulations. Hey, I used to hold that position. :)

First of all, as others have said, the regulation these misinformed postal people are looking at only actually forbids shipping switchblades.

Next, They aren't even supposed to ask what's being shipped domestically. They are only to ask if it's anything hazardous, etc. (Foreign shipments do need to be identified on Customs documents.)

Finally, we are dealing with a society where many people are convinced that K N I V E S are the instruments of the devil, and therefore they cannot imagine them being allowed in the US mail.
 
If it is illegal, then every knife company must encourage people to break the law. Think, how do you send a knife to be repaired? You MAIL it to them.
 
While not every week, I've sold knives often on Ebay over the last 12 years.
Whenever I ship a knife within the U.S.A. or alternatively outside the U.S.A, (though not that often lately), the post office asks the standard question:
"anything liquid, fragile, hazardous, dangerous" and now lately: "any lithium batteries?".
My answer...."NO". Period.
If I ship outside the U.S., to Europe, I write on the customs declaration "Camping tool". Period.
I never tell any P.O. teller/window person I'm sending a knife.
Never had a problem in 12 years.
 
Dirtbiker said:
First I've heard this.

A fellow member sent me a Himalayan Imports kukri, when the box arrived it had two holes in it and no knife. I went to the PO today and asked that a supervisor look into tracing the lost knife. The counterman said that knives (all knives) are prohibited and neither I or the shipper will get it back even if found. Anyone been through this before?
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That is either ignorance or a cover story to conceal theft.

Switchblades are prohibited in the USA mail, but kuki's are not.

File a report with the postal inspectors and see what happens.

It costs more, but shipping registered mail prevents problems.
 
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