slightly OT - taking my swords with me.
 

Has anyone got any experience of taking swords with them when they move?

I have a katana and wakazashi - samauri blades, one has the edge ground off the blade
but the other is sharp. I was intending to put them in a box along with my stuff that
I'll be shipping, so not taking it through the airport myself or anything.

Anyone have any ideas about how they need to be declared or if they even have to?
Would it be better to ask whatever shipping company I use? I haven't started hunting
around for that sort of thing yet.

If anyone can recommend a shipping company in the Hertfordshire/Essex area of the UK
I'd be greatful.

Thanks

Morkai

Re: slightly OT - taking my swords with me.
 

This is such an unusual question, but it so happens that my husband and I also had
some Indonesian swords on us when we moved to the States from Europe. We packed them
into our cargo that went by ship, and had no issues. But to be honest with you we
never thought to declare them either, it just didn't occur to us that swords are
declarable goods.

"Morkai Kurst" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1025218249.1076.0.nnrp-13.9e98f...ws.demon.co.uk...
    > Has anyone got any experience of taking swords with them when they move?
    >
    > I have a katana and wakazashi - samauri blades, one has the edge ground
off
    > the blade but the other is sharp. I was intending to put them in a box
along
    > with my stuff that I'll be shipping, so not taking it through the airport myself or
    > anything.
    >
    > Anyone have any ideas about how they need to be declared or if they even have to?
    > Would it be better to ask whatever shipping company I use? I haven't started
    > hunting around for that sort of thing yet.
    >
    > If anyone can recommend a shipping company in the Hertfordshire/Essex area of the
    > UK I'd be greatful.
    >
    > Thanks
    >
    > Morkai

Re: slightly OT - taking my swords with me.
 

Morkai Kurst wrote:
    >
    > Has anyone got any experience of taking swords with them when they move?
    >
    > I have a katana and wakazashi - samauri blades, one has the edge ground off the
    > blade but the other is sharp. I was intending to put them in a box along with my
    > stuff that I'll be shipping, so not taking it through the airport myself or
    > anything.
    >
    > Anyone have any ideas about how they need to be declared or if they even have to?
    > Would it be better to ask whatever shipping company I use? I haven't started
    > hunting around for that sort of thing yet.

We moved from the UK to the US last month without swords of any kind :). It is best
to discuss this with the shipping company. In particular, if you use an experienced
international shipper their office should be able to advise you. You will likely have
to create an inventory of your goods that will be included with the US customs forms
when your items are cleared at the port by the shipper's representative. If the
company will take them (and properly wrapped, I don't see why they wouldn't) my guess
is you can simply list them as decorative items on the inventory. I pesonally would
not use the word "weapon" on any list or form for obvious reasons.