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

Gentlemen.

I have recently bought a sword privately from an American friend. I live in Australia. I wish to transport the sword to safe ownership (namely mine). All efforts to locate a company capable and willing to ship the sword have failed at the Australian end.

Two questions.

1. Does anyone know of a company willing and capable of shipping a sword from the west coast of America to the West coast of Australia? (We dont have restrictions on sword ownership...... Thank God). Shipping by air is a no-no, since all airlines and the civil aviation security regulations are scared stiff of a terrorist hijacking a plane at sword point. (Why this is so, is totally beyond me, but that's beaurocratic logic for you).

2. Whats the best method of packing a sword for such a trip?

All sensible suggestions are welcome.

Hello Keith, I've been selling swords outside of the USA for a while, using USPS, with no issues at all. You might ask the seller to check this service. Guaranteed delivery date, insured, with tracking #. Regards, Mario P.

Yep, I get all of mine via USPS and no problems at all. Don't ask them if they ship swords...just send it.

Priority Express (EMS) is great, gets here in 4 days and can be tracked and insured.

Brian

I ship swords to outer limits that others from the states who do not want to tread into heather waters, for a outlandish fee of course. Include repacking if they don't have a clue about shipping Nihonto.

I ship both UPS, and Fed ex and call the item Japanese decorative wall hanging or Japanese antique and send away. I wrap the blade in saran wrap, after oiling it really well, and then wrap with newspaper. The last thing you want is for it to slide out so I put a peg through the mekugiana into a piece of board, baseboard moulding works well and then drill small holes on either side of the blade and attach it to the board with those cable ties or you can just wrap it to the board with duct tape. Put the saya inside bubble wrap and put the whole thing in a box- Fed ex has a triangular one that they will give that fits most.

NEVER had any problems all over the world !

Knock on wood

On horseback dressed in full armor?

Waving my banner

My thanks for the suggestions guys. I now have a few more options. One of which is to hand the problem to the guy who sold me the sword. He has more access to American facilities than I do. Since he is a member of this board, I'm sure he's aware of this conversation.

My thanks also to Doc Brian and Ray for the insanity. I was taking this all too seriously and a smile took the load off. :lol:

Being that I am limited in both Nihonto and knowledge thereof, I can only offer mostly comic relief and a occasional dose of reality..

So glad to be of assistance!

Actually I was serious about the shipping, and how I send blades - Ray went into loonyland.

WENT?!!!

HAH!

Try being me..

Contact these people:

Nightflight International

Building 80, Room 104

JFK Airport, Jamaica

New York

NY 11430

Tel: +1(718) 995 3750

Fax: +1(718) 995 3752

Have a chat to them, get them to send the person despatching it a waybill to fill out. Do 3 copies of a commercial invoice, if appropriate, including the correct harmonized tariffs - they can help with that. If it's an antique, include proof of it being an antique, such as NBTHK papers - you pay less duty that way. Get them to check on any further requirements Australian Customs have. They'll no doubt phone up their agent in Australia.

When all the paperwork is done, Fedex or UPS the parcel to them. Fedex and UPS in the States don't appear to have a phobia about swords. Alternatively Nightflight may be able to arrange collection. 2-3 days after they get it, it should be with you.

I use their London office. They are very efficient. You can also get 100% insurance.

I pack swords in heavy duty cardboard tubes, with plenty of packing round them. About the only way you'd damage the contents is by rolling a forklift truck over it.

Kevin

Keith, as mentioned earlier, USPS EMS is the easiest and cheapest. It has tracking and Insurance. I have had a few sords sent between the US and Oz and highly recommend that service.

USPS EMS is the easiest and cheapest. It has tracking and Insurance.

Well, there are apparently a few problems with using EMS.

1) On the latest info I've had, EMS are now refusing to carry swords, leastways to and from Japan. Whether this is a global decision is unknown. However, mention of it has come up before on this forum. See viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5726&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

2) If they are, and you slide it through by describing it as "Japanese antique" and the sword is lost or damaged, you're unlikely to get compensation because you'd be in breach of their terms of carriage. So you're out of pocket and without a sword. The same would be true of any carrier.

3) I haven't yet run across a postal service that gives 100% insurance. Royal Mail either limits you to something derisory or else the costs are higher than it would be to use a courier. EMS may be different. I wouldn't know - we don't have it in the UK so it is not an option.

Since the UK branches of DHL, UPS and Fedex all refuse pointblank to carry swords, whether they are nihonto or not, out of the country, options are limited. I've found a method that works reliably, doesn't involve misdescribing the item, is trackable, offers 100% insurance, gets there in 2-3 days, and isn't much more expensive than, for example, Fedex. You can also get hold of a human being who will keep you updated and who will advise you on what you need to get around local restrictions legally.

No, I don't get any brownie points or dosh for mentioning them. :-)

Kevin

Kevin

You dont get any brownie points or dosh for not mentioning them either! Did you intend to tell me what this revolutionary service is? Did you perhaps neglect to mention its name? Do I await a fanfare of heavenly trumpets to precede the announcement? :?

Keith,

Sheesh...calm down to a panic :?

Try Kevin's post a bit further up the thread. I believe that is the service he is (still) refering to.

Brian

Try Kevin's post a bit further up the thread. I believe that is the service he is (still) refering to.

It is. :-)

Not that revolutionary either. They are a straight fine arts shipping agency. They classify nihonto as fine arts, so that's OK by them. That's from CEO level. When I was researching alternatives to the post and couriers, I wanted to make absolutely sure that there was no misunderstanding anywhere as to what they were carrying.

They get around the 'not on passenger aircraft' by using the night flights of freight aircraft, hence the name.

Kevin

I said id do it whats all the fuss?

The info might be useful for other people, Stephen, not just the OP. I do get folks phoning me up and asking who I use to ship swords. Had one phone me last week. I gave him the phone number and the name of a contact in the London office so he could sort things out.

Kevin

Kevin

wasnt taking anything away from your post just a rub to Keith, Im sure its a great service, any board member want to step up and tell what i have done for them?

Im sure its a great service, any board member want to step up and tell what i have done for them?

Oh, I know you've done a lot for people. :-) I may not often say a lot here, but I do watch and learn. :-)

Kevin

I think we have covered a lot here, and don't want to go down this road too much more, but I can say I have used Stephen a number of times, and always been perfect packing, shipping and general service.

So everyone has a number of options. I would like to clarify if the EMS ban is only from Japan or spreading...

Brian

I would like to clarify if the EMS ban is only from Japan or spreading...

That would seem to be a very good idea, because the latter would impact a heck of a lot of people. Might be an idea to see what the terms and conditions of carriage are in the various countries where EMS is available. If need be, ring someone up to clarify terms such as 'weapons'.

There is of course also the issue of insurance with any carrier. If you breach their terms and conditions of carriage, then you also breach the terms of any insurance. OK, not a problem if the sword gets there in one piece, but a very big problem if it doesn't. So EMS's terms and conditions need going over with a fine toothcomb indeed.

Kevin

The EMS ban, is supposedly from Japan only. I say supposedly, because I bought a sword at the DTI in Japan last Nov. and was told it would have to be sent Fedex because of the EMS Japan airlines ban. When the sword finnaly arrived(just before Christmas), It was by way of EMS!

Kevin

I now see the light and have made the connection to your earlier post. Thank you.

Brian

I had not actually reached panic status..... the post was a good natured one... When I reach panic status (referred to as Defcon 3 by my offspring) I tend to go up in flames like a phoenix. Its something I try to avoid, since it makes a mess on the carpet. :D

Stephen.

Your kind offer is still in the pot. I will get the seller of this sword to contact you. (You know him anyway). It is I have found easier to export a sword than it is to import one.

Thanks a whole heap guys for all the input.

I bought a sword at the DTI in Japan last Nov. and was told it would have to be sent Fedex because of the EMS Japan airlines ban. When the sword finnaly arrived(just before Christmas), It was by way of EMS!

Oh dear. Looks like things are very confused.

Can you remember how they described it on the declaration?

I do know one Japanese dealer is now using surface mail or Fedex to ship swords because of the EMS ban. If you choose the former, your sword will take a couple of months to get to you. If you choose the latter, you pay over $200.

Kevin

Just said Japanese sword. The dealer was Sokendo.

Kevin

 

I now see the light and have made the connection to your earlier post. Thank you.

:D Glad to be of help. :-) Hopefully the info will be of use to someone. :-) I know that there are folks out there - not all of them on this forum - having difficulties shipping swords due to pretty nonsensical attitudes and paranoia, and not all of them are going to be able to take advantage of Stephen's help.

I had not actually reached panic status..... the post was a good natured one... When I reach panic status (referred to as Defcon 3 by my offspring) I tend to go up in flames like a phoenix. Its something I try to avoid, since it makes a mess on the carpet. :D

ROFL :lol:

Kevin

Just said Japanese sword. The dealer was Sokendo.

Different dealer.

Kevin

Just said Japanese sword. The dealer was Sokendo.

Different dealer.

Well I would have thought that that description should have resulted in being blocked by EMS. Looks like things are a bit erratic and unpredictable in implementation, which is no help whatsoever if you're trying to get hold of your sword.

Question is, is this ban being implemented by the wider EMS network? As I said, we don't have EMS here, but lots of people rely on it.

Sorry about lots of edits and the duplicate post that I've just found. Just got rudely awoken by a toddler bouncing on me and yelling "UP!", haven't yet had the first coffee hit the system, and made a cockup with who was quoting whom.

Can someone delete the first of these posts please?

Kevin