Shipping Knives/Daggers in the USA

[EKman]

Greetings my friends, I am not a regular around this forum, so I hope that you folks won't mind seeing to what might be a foolish question. I have just finished a rather lengthy TDY that has kept me away from home for quite some time and was able to get a week of leave at the end of it to visit my parents and grandparents in Arkansas before I return to Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii. Anyway, I made quite a score I think. I was able to pick up three German Gravity Knives from the vet who brought them back. I am now at a loss as to how to get them back home with me to Hawaii.

Obviously, I can't put them in my carry on bag on the airplane, they would be confiscated. I do not want to put them in my checked luggage because I have heard horror stories of things being taken from bags by those responsible for searching them. My aunt had a swiss army knife that she was bringing to my brother stolen out of a bag recently.

That leaves the Post Office. Is it legal to ship knives or daggers through the mail? I would obviously insure this package and load it down with with tracking numbers to ensure that it made it to my home, but I wanted to make sure that it would not be intercepted and the Gravity Knives confiscated on the grounds that it is illegal to ship them. If anyone knows the rules about this sort of thing, please let me know.
Thank you in advance. I am using my parents computer and it is dial-up internet, so it would take forever to load up a photo, but when I get these knives home, I will post a pic for you all to see.
Best,
EKman

[Scott Powell]

Ship them UPS or Fed Ex, you dont have to declare them,or fill out special forms as you do when you ship over seas. its VERY legal to ship them,you will get a tracking number ,and can check them along each stage of travel, just remember to INSURE them!!!!!!!! i cant stress that enough!!!!!! UPS insures them to $100 ,and i think its 75 cents per every hundred. you WILL have to send them 2 day air, ( lol hard to drive a truck to hawaii) its a bit more expensive, but worth every penny.

[Britch]

I have shipped many knives and daggers with the USPS and have never had a problem. Gravity knives are classified as switchblades in some states and as such may be prohibited in certain areas, but I really wouldn't worry about it. The post office doesn't care.

[EKman]

Thank you my friend, I will take them to the UPS store tomorrow. What would be an acceptable amount of inurance for these? I know that is hard to tell without pics. One is in mint condition. Another is in excellent condition except the spring on the spike is non functioning. The other is in beat up condition with the blade spring and spike spring not functioning. I have been trying to search this forum for some value guidance, but dial up truly sucks. Along with the three gravity knives, I was given a first edition copy of Crusade in Europe by Eisenhower along with a few more items.

[Scott Powell]

Thank you my friend, I will take them to the UPS store tomorrow. What would be an acceptable amount of inurance for these? I know that is hard to tell without pics. One is in mint condition. Another is in excellent condition except the spring on the spike is non functioning. The other is in beat up condition with the blade spring and spike spring not functioning. I have been trying to search this forum for some value guidance, but dial up truly sucks. Along with the three gravity knives, I was given a first edition copy of Crusade in Europe by Eisenhower along with a few more items.

I would suggest asking a moderator on the edged weapons forum, I truly have no idea. When you ship at the UPS store, they will want you to itemize the contents of the packages for insurance purposes, i would suggest listing them as Antique Military Knives.If in doubt of the value, i would over insure them, not expensive to do.

[50_CAL]

i usually see nice gravity knives go for about $1000 each

[Paul27]

Hawaii is still the USA,So you can ship them through the USPS.They won't ask you anything more then they usually do,i.e.anything liquid or breakable,etc.insurance is not expensive,nor is tracking.I sent a item to Australia via the post office, regular mail, and it was there in six day's.Paul

[Colorado]

High dollar, wrap in brown paper and paper tape and send Registered Mail in the USA. No need for insurance.

[BRET VAN SANT]

I would insure them and as to cost it depends on condition type and maker. 1k is not out of line but also they can be found for less. if they work and are not really disfigured of sharpened to the bone then 3- 500 each take downs go for more and rare makers and minty types top the list. Wrap then in a bunch of packing so they dont look like what they are. good luck and 3 at once is a great score!my best, Bret

[Skipper Greenwade]

I would probably ship via Registered Mail, as I have had very good luck shipping everything from daggers to a Knight's Cross that way. If you feel you must insure them, given the condition of the two knives, I would think $1,300.00 would cover them. (That's figuring the nicer of the three at $700.00, the one with the non-fuctioning spring at $400.00 and the 'beater' at $200.00.

Hope that helps,
Skip

[EKman]

Greetings Gents, I have sent the gravity knives via FedEx from a Mailboxes Etc. It was not terribly expensive and I insured them for $1,100 based on the helpful estimates given here. The girl there seemed to do a top notch job of packing them as well. She wrapped each knife in heavy bubble wrap, placed them all in a small box filled with packing peanuts, then wrapped that box in bubble wrap and placed it in a slightly larger box. I arrive back in Hawaii on Saturday and the knives are due to arrive Monday by 7:00pm. When they get there, I look forward to sharing some more detailed photos with you fellows. Thanks for all of the helpful info my friends.
Best,
Chris

[Paul27]

Would you mind telling us what the total cost's were, including insurance.for future references.Thank's Paul

[EKman]

Would you mind telling us what the total cost's were, including insurance.for future references.Thank's Paul

No problem, it was $31 dollars and some change for two-day air, delivery confirmation, $1,100 insurance, and the packaging materials. I know I could have done priority mail through the post office for about $10 and chances are it would have been just as safe, but the way my luck has been with Hawaii's postal service, I was glad to pay the little extra for some added security.

[EKman]

Hello Gents, I have been fighting with this stone-age equipment here and think I can share a couple of photos that I took just before I shipped those gravity knives. The mouse may well fall off of the wheel before these show up, so if you see this post but no pictures, I'll just do it when I get back to Hawaii.
Thanks

[EKman]

I think it is working so I will post the pic I took of the reverse side of the knives. I will share more detailed photos when they arrive in sunny HI.
Thanks