kinves

[xiaofeizhu]

OK,

 

So a few months ago my husband bought some VERY beautiful Mongolian knives for our friend in Hawaii. The price of the knives was a deal, 100RMB.

 

THEN the problem came up. We tried taking it to the local post office, and they said "bu xing" We are not allowed to mail knives out of the country. So we said how about if we mail them to GUZ? "Bu xing" we are not allowed to mail knives within the country.

 

Okayyyyy. What should we do. There is no way we can get on the train with them. Well, we tried and the security man flagged us and we had to open the suitcase and take them out. The police officer looked at them and decided that he wanted them for himself. So we fought with the man and I told him that I was American and that I had bought them for a friend back in the states. Well, he at least gave them back, saying that mama could take it back home.

 

We called UPS today and they told us customs won't allow it.

 

In Japan, we bought same said friend a pair of $100 Japanese swords and he was able to take them back with no problems.

 

So now the question is, is it really that hard to get these knives out of the country or even out of Inner Mongolia?!

 

I believe that if I get them to the airport and have them in my checked bags that there will be no problems.

 

Has anyone tried to take these kinds of things back home? Honestly, the knives aren't even sharpened...just dull metal unless someone decides to sharpen them. Really, they were a birthday present and I desperately want to take them back. If not all we got is a Mongolian alcohol bag. Haha.

 

Any advice?? Thanks!

[GZBILL]

OK,

 

So a few months ago my husband bought some VERY beautiful Mongolian knives for our friend in Hawaii. The price of the knives was a deal, 100RMB.

 

THEN the problem came up. We tried taking it to the local post office, and they said "bu xing" We are not allowed to mail knives out of the country. So we said how about if we mail them to GUZ? "Bu xing" we are not allowed to mail knives within the country.

 

Okayyyyy. What should we do. There is no way we can get on the train with them. Well, we tried and the security man flagged us and we had to open the suitcase and take them out. The police officer looked at them and decided that he wanted them for himself. So we fought with the man and I told him that I was American and that I had bought them for a friend back in the states. Well, he at least gave them back, saying that mama could take it back home.

 

We called UPS today and they told us customs won't allow it.

 

In Japan, we bought same said friend a pair of $100 Japanese swords and he was able to take them back with no problems.

 

So now the question is, is it really that hard to get these knives out of the country or even out of Inner Mongolia?!

 

I believe that if I get them to the airport and have them in my checked bags that there will be no problems.

 

Has anyone tried to take these kinds of things back home? Honestly, the knives aren't even sharpened...just dull metal unless someone decides to sharpen them. Really, they were a birthday present and I desperately want to take them back. If not all we got is a Mongolian alcohol bag. Haha.

 

Any advice?? Thanks!

 

They should be ok in checked baggage. Should be.

 

The trick with FedEx and DHl is to have to box prepared, packaged and sealed before the driver comes to your house for pick-up. Generally, they do not inspect packages.

 

However, being the Olympic period, they are probably extra cautious and less lazy so they just might decide to inspect everything.

[steveandrong]

in the checked baggage will be no problem.....i have brought home swords, meat cleavers, butcher knives etc. with no one ever saying anything to me about it....

[Zhen's Tiger]

You should be OK with them in Checked Baggage. When we went to Jiu Zhai Gou on a tour, I bought some beautiful knives, with horse carvings on the handles, etc., really nice work. Zhen was fine with me getting them, but as I was buying them the Tour Guide (maybe half my age ) decides in his infinite wisdom that I should not buy them as I wouldn't be able to get them home... after he couldn't convince me that I shouldn't get them, he started working Zhen, which really pissed me off. Don't start a fight between me & my wife when it's none of your business to begin with! Anyway, I still bought them & they were fine in my Checked luggage on the flight back to Guangzhou as well as the flight out to the US. I rubbed it in his face in the Guangzhou airport... I don't think he liked me much after that!

They look great on display at the house now!

[Corbin]

Just remember to claim them at customs in the US. I would just call them display knives as that should not cause a problem.

[pbatt]

I have brought Chinese knives back home many times in checked luggage, no problem.

The only time I ever had trouble was when i moved to Singapore to teach.I took one of my fillet knives with me in my checked luggage but it was inspected by TSA.

The knife was gone when i got to Singapore. it was worth more in sentimental value than real value, altho I hope he cut himself as it was razor sharp.

Good luck with it

[mao mao so]

OK,

 

So a few months ago my husband bought some VERY beautiful Mongolian knives for our friend in Hawaii. The price of the knives was a deal, 100RMB.

 

THEN the problem came up. We tried taking it to the local post office, and they said "bu xing" We are not allowed to mail knives out of the country. So we said how about if we mail them to GUZ? "Bu xing" we are not allowed to mail knives within the country.

 

Okayyyyy. What should we do. There is no way we can get on the train with them. Well, we tried and the security man flagged us and we had to open the suitcase and take them out. The police officer looked at them and decided that he wanted them for himself. So we fought with the man and I told him that I was American and that I had bought them for a friend back in the states. Well, he at least gave them back, saying that mama could take it back home.

 

We called UPS today and they told us customs won't allow it.

 

In Japan, we bought same said friend a pair of $100 Japanese swords and he was able to take them back with no problems.

 

So now the question is, is it really that hard to get these knives out of the country or even out of Inner Mongolia?!

 

I believe that if I get them to the airport and have them in my checked bags that there will be no problems.

 

Has anyone tried to take these kinds of things back home? Honestly, the knives aren't even sharpened...just dull metal unless someone decides to sharpen them. Really, they were a birthday present and I desperately want to take them back. If not all we got is a Mongolian alcohol bag. Haha.

 

Any advice?? Thanks!

 

OK, since you asked this question, I'll horn in on your thread and ask a similar one. (hope you don't mind if you do, really sorry )

When I went to see Jie last time (New Years) she showed me a most beautiful rose wood box. It was about 10(ish) inches high, about 3(ish) feet side to side and 2(ish) feet front to back, sort of a display case (lite on the ish). When she opened it, it had three hand blown glass sailing type ships (each fairly good size, you can imagine from the size of the box) that were actually decanters. The jib boom was the poor spout on each. They looked fairly delicate, like they wouldn't take much bouncing around, even though the inside of the box was silk lined, cushioned, and each "ship" had it's own inset for it to lay in. Even the masts and sails had some glass rigging to add to the effect. They are really beautiful. There was a clear liquid in each "ship" decanter. She said it was "wine". I didn't sample any (in case anybody's wondering). She indicated that this is a prized possession, and she would really like to bring it to the US (I can understand). Now, I've read the threads about shipping square boxes that got here round, etc, etc, and it obviously won't go through security in a carry on (size aside), and checked bags treatment probably isn't much better than shipped boxes. I suggested we have a celebration with the family, and drink the contents, then try the carry on route, thinking the value was purely in the "ships" and box. I was met with "Ni bu dui!" Apparently the "wine" is special, and it's going to come too! Anybody know how to go about getting it here? Intact? (operative word) She didn't tell me how much it was worth, just expensive!

 

Jeff

[jim_julian]

Jeff, I really think you have a case of "can't get there from here".

 

Things like that will almost surely break.

[pbatt]

I agree with Jim, things like that usually break. Plus duty on that much wine!

But if you were to try to ship it, I am sure for enough money anything can be shipped and shipped safely.

I guess you have to ask yourself if you can live with yourself if it breaks.

 

What city are you shipping it from?

 

Good Luck

[mao mao so]

Jeff, I really think you have a case of "can't get there from here".

 

Things like that will almost surely break.

 

Yeah, I think you're right. I was trying to break it to her gently (no pun intended) by way of the family celebration before she comes here, but that was a no go. She just said to me, "you are clever, you will think of a way". I got news for her, I really ain't all that clever. And I really don't want to take a chance on it breaking enroute. It is really pretty, looks all hand blown. Some parts are really intricate. She lives in Liuzhou Guangxi, not to far from Guilin.

 

Jeff

[warpedbored]

Perhaps with enough packing shells, foam rubber etc it could be shipped. Perhaps if you found a local glass blower they could give you some tips. Just make sure she knows it could get broken regardless of how well you pack it.

Edited July 8, 2008 by warpedbored (see edit history)

[Sebastian]

Stuff this intricate has been shipped in straw for a coupla hundred years now. I've had antiques shipped to me from denmark and scotland that were as breakable as your decanters. The last 3 shipments :

each item was individually crated up in wood crate, like this:

 

inner box, contained one thing, stuffed with straw.

2nd box, the inner box fit into it, lined with straw

outer box, lined with straw, 2nd box fit into it.

 

was shipped dhl. heaviest piece weighed 65 pounds.

 

Check with a glassblower, check with antique dealer, all know how to pack and ship this stuff internationally.

[mao mao so]

Stuff this intricate has been shipped in straw for a coupla hundred years now. I've had antiques shipped to me from denmark and scotland that were as breakable as your decanters. The last 3 shipments :

each item was individually crated up in wood crate, like this:

 

inner box, contained one thing, stuffed with straw.

2nd box, the inner box fit into it, lined with straw

outer box, lined with straw, 2nd box fit into it.

 

was shipped dhl. heaviest piece weighed 65 pounds.

 

Check with a glassblower, check with antique dealer, all know how to pack and ship this stuff internationally.

 

 

Wow Darnell, that sounds like it should work! If your antiques made it ok, I hope Jie's things will too. It certainly sounds secure. I'll talk with her tomorrow about the antique dealer/glass blower suggestion. Now, anybody know the chinese word for "antique dealer"? That's a good idea Carl about letting her know the very real possibility of something getting broken, as it's not just about the box and ships, it's the wine too. I'll have her talk to some of the folks Darnell suggested, locally there, as they'll wind up being the ones to pack it I'm guessing. Those are good suggestions, thanks for the help.

 

Jeff