(I posted this topic in the general discussions area but thought I would also post it here to see if Les, or any others, may be able to offer any input)

Hi guys,

Been a long time since I've logged in so I'm sure I have missed out on a lot.

I recently moved overseas and I've been busy with that....which brings me to my question.


I moved from the US to the Philippines and set up a small workshop here making knives like I did back home. Now over the years I have probably shipped a few hundred knives from the US to other countries with no problems but when I go to ship knives from the Philippines back to the US I have been warned my knives have to be marked with the country of origin...in this case the Philippines, or customs can seize them.

Now I really do not want to do that because I think it would ugly up many of my designs having that long a word etched on them.....heck I don;t even like marking my own logo on the blades because I feel it detracts from the flow of the knife. (I readily admit to my customer where I am living/knives are being made)

But looking around at the knife community I see many, many knives that were made in other countries and are now in the US with no country of origin marking. Is everyone just ignoring this regulation (or unaware of it?) or is there some clause related to our industry allowing us to get around marking the blades? (even though in the US Customs documentation it specifically lists knives as needing to be marked with the country of origin.

Do any of you have experience with this? I'm going to try contacting a few knife dealers and foreign makers to see what they say but any input would be greatly appreciated.....I have 60 knives waiting to go out, more in the works, and a dwindling bank account....so I want to ship asap.

Thank you in advance,
-Jason

PS The Csutoms documentation regarding this can be viewed at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/newsroom/publications/trade/co_origin.ctt/markingo.pdf

Hi Jason,

I don't think custom knives have to be marked. You will list to have the country of origin in the customs paperwork.

I have received knives from Australia, England, Germany, Japan, South Africa and none of them were marked with the country of origin.

Might want to check with someone locally who would be in the "know"

Thank you for the quick reply Les.

Today I will be emailing a Filipino knifemaker that exports worldwide. Hopefully he has some insight to offer. He's on the other side of the country but thus far I haven't found any locals that sell outside of the area (its all low end, but functional, knives made from leaf springs here)

It is nice to get some input from you. I was hoping to hear from someone that has experience with foreign knives....and hoping not to hear "they have seized my orders a few times..."

Out of curiosity, do your incoming knives typically come 1 per shipment or do you sometimes get multiples? I am primarily geared towards inexpensive EDC style knives and with shipping costing $40-120 for a few pounds I want to ship at least 15 at a time to make it economical. Makes me worry that customs will take a deeper interest in multiple knives than single ones.

Thanks again,
-Jason

Hi Jason,

I haven't had 15 shipped at a time to me from outside the US. 5 or at the most at one time.

I know that recipients around the world that I have ordered more than 5 knives, have asked them to be broken up into two shipments.

Ok, thanks Les.

Thinking maybe I should get back to doing some pricier models and do lower quantity shipments with 1-2 pricier models and have the balance my less expensive stuff. Some of my simple Kiridashi go for under $40 so I blanch at the thought of shipping just a few of them at a time with the cost of shipping.

Thanks again. I feel a bit more comfortable hearing from a few people with direct experience in the matter.

Hi Jason,

Sounds like a good plan.

I know nothing about your issue but I do see a lot of knives and other imports with nothing more than a small sticker or label on them. This may be a simple way to mark the knives without making a permanent mark. Maybe a marking that will wipe off with a little WD-40?

Hi Cameron,


Sorry for the slow reply...got busy.

Unfortunately they specify that the mark has to be permanent...and that it is a federal crime to alter or remove the mark.


As an update to the situation for anyone who may find themselves in the same predicament...
The first batch of 11 knives went through fine. I labelled the package as "custom utility knives". I included the word utility in there so they would hopefully not associate "knife" with "deadly weapon" Customs even opened the package but allowed everything through. Hopefully the rules are more geared for larger commercial manufacturers and let us little guys slide. I guess I will find out. The next package of 10-15 goes out tomorrow, with another one the week after.