U.K. Sword Ban

[Gyakuto]

Control & automation engineer, farmer, school owner, consultant.

Oh that’s disappointing….lion tamer would be cooler

 

[Gyakuto]

You must all be getting sick of this, so please don’t feel obliged to read any further, but I want to log the goings on in case others are effected and they find this useful.

My sword has been sitting in a UPS warehouse since 18/10/24. I’ve had no contact from UPS regarding this but discovered it after using the original tracking number on a whim . I called them after tracking my parcel and asked when it’d be delivered. They said there were ‘customs issues’, the details of which they were not authorised to tell me. I eventually spoke to a manager who said the same thing -twice- but added I should ask the sender (Yasumasa san at Tozando) to contact his local UPS office in Japan to provide more information in order to get the sword released. I’m wondering what information they require from Yusumasa san and if this sort of issue is not unheard of. Does anyone have any experience of UPS doing this sort of thing?

 

[Gyakuto]

Today?!!!

 

[Gyakuto]

I never thought I’d see the day….but my sword was delivered today! UPS left my very expensive sword in the porch of a house in a parallel road and the very kind man who lives there, brought it around to my house. It was plastered in tape reading ‘Border Force’ and he said, “My wife thinks it might be a rifle!” I felt I had to tell him what it was and give a bit of an explanation. I need to find a way of complaining to UPS.

The whole fiasco, and few other hassles today, have ruined my enjoyment of receiving and opening it up

 

[Gyakuto]

 

[Gyakuto]

 

[Gyakuto]

As you might be able to see, the blade was dry as a bone…not a trace of oil…but there is no rust on it

 

[Gyakuto]

It’s huge, heavy and perfect for the coming Zombie apocalypse.

 

[Gyakuto]

 

[BrendanF]

It’s huge, heavy and perfect for the coming Zombie apocalypse.

Looks beautiful Gyakuto - can I ask how huge and heavy?

 

[Gyakuto]

Looks beautiful Gyakuto - can I ask how huge and heavy?

Yes of course!

The blade is 76.1cm (2 shaku 5 sun if that means anything to you) and the weight without the scabbard is a shoulder-wrenching 1,480g! It’s made for tameshigiri (test cutting) I assume and dispatching zombies naturally.

 

[Gyakuto]

I ordered a small knife from Amazon, to cut up my recycling to fit in my various bins. There was some unknown issue with this order and it seemly ‘disappeared’ in the hands of Royal Mail. After 2 weeks, I contacted Amazon who, without explanation or hesitation gave me a refund.

I looked for a non-Amazon, U.K-based online retailer, for the small tool I required, but before ordering, I contacted them to find out whom they use to deliver their small knives and if they have any issues with delivery. They replied saying they use EVRI/Yodel rather than Royal Mail and do regularly, but relatively infrequently have issues with delivery for which they’d give a full refund. When checking out my order, I saw the postage for this knife with a 3 inch/7.62cm (which can be legally carried in the U.K.) blade was £15! I didn’t proceed with the order and will use my teeth to rip up cardboard boxes to size.

Something is clearly unofficially going on with knife retail in the U.K.

 

[Gyakuto]

It’s grey, it’s cold, it’s damp and the duration of the photoperiod is increasing at glacial pace. So what does one do to lift ones mood? One buys a a mid Edō era (about 1730) tantō!

It hasn’t even been dispatched yet as the Japanese dealer obtains export documentation from their government, but it will definitely be seized by Border Force when it arrives on British shores even though I’m allowed to imported the tantō since it is over 100 years old (under their rules).

So I’ve alerted my sword dealer experts for a potential supporting document from them, I’ve written my appeal letter explaining why I can have it and will later today, prepare my court room speech should I decide to take them to court.

Why do I do this to myself?

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

It’s grey, it’s cold, it’s damp and the duration of the photoperiod is increasing at glacial pace. So what does one do to lift ones mood? One buys a a mid Edō era (about 1730) tantō!

It hasn’t even been dispatched yet as the Japanese dealer obtains export documentation from their government, but it will definitely be seized by Border Force when it arrives on British shores even though I’m allowed to imported the tantō since it is over 100 years old (under their rules).

So I’ve alerted my sword dealer experts for a potential supporting document from them, I’ve written my appeal letter explaining why I can have it and will later today, prepare my court room speech should I decide to take them to court.

Why do I do this to myself?

Again? They are going to interrogate you again you know.

 

[Gyakuto]

Again? They are going to interrogate you again you know.

Not the rubber

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Not the rubber

Just do your mars bar trick on the constabulary.

 

[Gyakuto]

Just do your mars bar trick on the constabulary.

They won’t want me to shove down my throat whole 🕳

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

They won’t want me to shove down my throat whole 🕳

Well certainly don’t bite the constable, that won’t help.

 

[Gyakuto]

Well certainly don’t bite the constable, that won’t help.

I don’t have teeth back there……do Americans?

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

I don’t have teeth back there……do Americans?

Several rows.