Shipping sword US (CA) to Aust

[mecox]

Help please.  I am trying to get a sword sent from California to Australia, but any attempt via USPS is blocked as prohibited.    There is only a dropbox of descriptions and most are banned.

Most non PO couriers are very expensive.  Any suggestions of best approach.  There must be some way.  Thank you.

 

[Bryce]

G'day Mal,

I have had most success with DHL lately. The only downside is, it is very expensive. Items that have been sent via USPS sit around for a month or so, before being returned to sender.

Cheers,

Bryce

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hi Mal, USPS has halted all service to OZ since August. Currently our only options are UPS and the dreaded fedex. Both expensive and Fedex is also a nightmare to deal with here regarding swords. Unless it has papers be prepared to argue with them for a week or two and then pay unnecessary customs fees.

 

Bryce, I didn't know DHL accepted swords, they are expensive but back up the cost with fast and reliable service.

[mecox]

Thanks Bryce & John, thats what I feared.   It seems to have become near impossible over the last 12 months.

Mal

[PNSSHOGUN]

Yes, beyond special items best to wait for EMS/USPS to resume service or see what's available here. It is always frustrating to miss out/unable to receive good swords due to shipping issues.

[Grey Doffin]

It is my understanding that usps has halted priority and 1st class shipping to Australia (and Australia only, due to a lack of space on the few flights from here to there); priority express is still available. Just last week I sent a book to Oz by express post and I have had no indication that there will be any trouble other than the normal for pandemic times delay in getting the package out of the US. If I had tried to ship the book by regular priority it wouldn't have been accepted at the post office.

Cheers,  Grey

[PNSSHOGUN]

Thanks for clarification on that one, good to know it is still an option.

[jeremy]

I recently had my blade shipped from Wisconsin USA to Sydney Australia with EMS USPS EXPRESS . Costs extra though 

[mecox]

Jeremy, how long ago, as this method may not currently be available.  And as a matter of interest (a) what did you describe the item as, and (b) how long was the package. 

thanks Mal

[jeremy]

17 minutes ago, mecox said:

Jeremy, how long ago, as this method may not currently be available.  And as a matter of interest (a) what did you describe the item as, and (b) how long was the package. 

thanks Mal

It's a bare blade shinsakuto I had a bohi carved into it. Package would be about 35 inches long I'm guessing. Labelled "nihonto" and shipped 2 days ago

[Char]

EMS and USPS are active to date just received two separate shipments two weeks apart from Japan defiantly the scariest part of the process.

[Bruce Pennington]

Wow, I just tried to mail a DVD and they said EVERYTHING is shut down to Australia.  They said for a while they would still mail a letter, but even that is off for now.  Harumph!

[mecox]

The problem is with the number of flights to Aus.  This is the main problem with parcels, and USPS maybe not accept them, but seems they can be sent via a combo of USPS + EMS (via Japan?).  Can send parcels via couriers eg.  DHL, FedEx, but can be expensive.   Swords via USPS looks to be a problem, as may be too long or prohibited item.  If accepted at a PO, may get stuck somewhere for a few weeks then returned to sender.   I recently received a sword from CA-USA to Aus via USPS+EMS but needed to be <36".  Was moderate price.

[PNSSHOGUN]

Well my latest experience with USPS as such:

 

Sword sent in August: stuck in Chicago after a few days in transit, then out of nowhere is delivered late October.

Small parcel sent early September: still stuck in US

Sword sent Priority Express: moved quickly, 10 days in transit....but sword was lost/stolen from box when delivered. 

 

Best to avoid USPS for the moment if shipping anything to Australia.

[Alex A]

Just a thought. 

 

I do get confused over USPS and UPS, but have you tried UPS? (as i understand it, nothing do with USPS)

 

I say this because of what a gun dealer told me in the US a while ago, he told me UPS have their own planes so thats the service he has to use to shop antique guns overseas as USPS wont.

 

Different scenario, but maybe worth asking them.

 

 

 

 

[jeremy]

20 hours ago, Alex A said:

Just a thought. 

 

I do get confused over USPS and UPS, but have you tried UPS? (as i understand it, nothing do with USPS)

 

I say this because of what a gun dealer told me in the US a while ago, he told me UPS have their own planes so thats the service he has to use to shop antique guns overseas as USPS wont.

 

Different scenario, but maybe worth asking them.

 

 

 

 

I've seen some Japanese websites that sell iaido equipment etc, are only able to use  UPS to ship to Australia and a handful of other countries also. From what I've seen it is a very expensive shipping method 

[Alex A]

Yes, i think they were more expensive but think most will take it on the chin (so to speak) to get the goods over safely.

 

There is the guy in the US i mention and another dealer in Holland that mentioned he uses them.

 

Good to read they ship swords. 

 

Ive found them to be very good, even have their own sorting office in the UK so avoid the dreaded parcelforce hub. I was contacted twice and paperwork sorted without issues. As said though, these were antique guns and not swords.

 

With shipping swords, you never quite know how its going to go and things same to change with whoever you speak to on the day but hoping maybe UPS has a more sensible approach and will offer their services without hassles