OK I give up........ whats the best way to transport a sword

[Brian]

One thing I can tell you: It is a lot easier saying "no" than "yes"

In other words, if you ask someone from UPS, Fedex, EMS etc etc if they ship swords, I am betting you are going to get a no every time. It is easier for them to assume and say this, than actually look up a policy. No hassle for them if they say no, but a lot at stake if they say yes. "Sir, swords are weapons, and we don't carry weapons" will be going through their minds.

You would have to ask about something else besides "swords" such as "traditional Japanese artwork katana" or something else.

Not sure....I only import and have never exported a sword. EMS delivers them here from the USA every time, and mostly labelled as wakizashi or katana.

 

Brian

[Kevin]

In other words, if you ask someone from UPS, Fedex, EMS etc etc if they ship swords, I am betting you are going to get a no every time.

 

True, Brian. However, in the case of UPS I'd given them a sword for export, as I had done on previous occasions. A few days later it came back, having been scanned and rejected by UPS. I also got a stern email telling me that they would not, under any cirumstances, carry swords. I had an exchange of emails with them, the gist of which was that I pointed out that on previous occasions they had knowingly carried swords. As I recall, they didn't specifically mention swords as banned in their terms and conditions. That didn't matter to them because in their view swords were weapons, and they weren't going to be told differently. A useful catchall, 'weapons'. UPS and I did not part on the best of terms and now I only use UPS to deliver birthday and Christmas presents to the rest of the family. Anyway, there's a very early thread of mine on the conversation.

 

Not surprisingly, I was going to be quite specific about my requirements after that so that any firm carrying my stuff couldn't wiggle out of it later. It would be down in black and white, as explicitly agreed.

 

Kevin