US Military Knives Confiscated?

[bluebb]

Would someone give me an example of a knife being seized by Customs, not hearsay but an actually concrete example. Maybe I missed something.

Blue

[The Reaper]

I took a D2, a Leatherman, and a Yarborough Knife over and had no problems going either way.

OTOH, the board at the Customs tent at Bagram with the list of prohibited items was so pathetic it was hilarious.

No nail clippers on your person, but carry that M4 and the M9 right on board.

TR

[Cake_14N]

Originally Posted by bluebb

Would someone give me an example of a knife being seized by Customs, not hearsay but an actually concrete example. Maybe I missed something.

Blue

Iraq 2004. We were all issued a Benchmade auto-opening knife upon arrival at our airbase. When we were to return, the first 5 or 6 guys to go through the customs tent had theirs confiscated. Word got around about the problems with the knives, so amazingly enough room was found in the Intelligence safe ( not subject to a customs inspection at that time ) for a number of extra items to make a very secure trip home.

During my trip to The Deid in 2007-8 things were different. Had a different brand of self-opener, breezed right through Quatari customs as well as US customs just by showing my military ID. Customs specifically targeted the knives and made sure everybody that had one was active military. Seemed pretty stupid as we were all in uniform at a US base..but customs will be customs.

[bluebb]

This is a problem of the military customs not knowing the law. Please PM me if a knife is seized. If CBP seizes your knife at the airport make sure you ask for the number for Fines, Penalties and Forfitures at that port, there is a way to get your things back if seized contrary to law. Also ask to talk to a CBP supervisor. The pertians only to your working knifes not war trophys and the such.

Blue

[TOMAHAWK9521]

If the APO won't allow you to ship your knives, try going with FedEx. They weren't as anal as the APO on shipping stuff. That's how I got my Spartan Model 1 from Iraq over here to A-stan. I put in my FedEx shipment.

[DeltaGolf]

Originally Posted by bluebb

15 USC 1242 - Sec. 1242. Introduction, manufacture for introduction, transportation or distribution in interstate commerce; penalty
Whoever knowingly introduces, or manufactures for introduction, into interstate commerce, or transports or distributes in interstate commerce, any switchblade knife, shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.


15 USC 1244 - Sec. 1244. Exceptions
15 USC Sections 1242 and 1243 of this title shall not apply to - (1) any common carrier or contract carrier, with respect to any switchblade knife shipped, transported, or delivered for shipment in interstate commerce in the ordinary course of business; (2) the manufacture, sale, transportation, distribution, possession, or introduction into interstate commerce, of switchblade knives pursuant to contract with the Armed Forces; (3) the Armed Forces or any member or employee thereof acting in the performance of his duty; or (4) the possession, and transportation upon his person, of any switchblade knife with a blade three inches or less in length by any individual who has only one arm.

The overseas Navy customs may be uninformed as to the law.

from the CBP website
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...personal-knife

Blue

I know I'm a bit late to the party (again), but from a legal standpoint, the problem could be with interpretation, specifically the portion of the statute that Blue highlighted . I can easily see some pinhead up the bureaucratic chain reasoning that once a soldier heads back to the states, he is no longer "acting in the performance of his duty" and therefore no longer authorized to carry an automatic knife.

[rdret1]

Originally Posted by DeltaGolf

I know I'm a bit late to the party (again), but from a legal standpoint, the problem could be with interpretation, specifically the portion of the statute that Blue highlighted . I can easily see some pinhead up the bureaucratic chain reasoning that once a soldier heads back to the states, he is no longer "acting in the performance of his duty" and therefore no longer authorized to carry an automatic knife.

I think that is just the way they are. When I went to Germany back in '92, I took a Norinco SKS with me that I had bought in the States. When I took it, all of the appropriate paperwork was completed. When I got ready to return in '97, I sent the required ATF paperwork with a list of my firearms, when and where they were purchased, etc. When the ATF paperwork returned, they had denied my bringing it back. I said screw 'em and brought it back anyway.

[aaronw]

We do up 2062's for our knives and havnt had a problem with em with that paperwork.

Are you guys actually being comprehensively searched? Most I've seen is havin to open a random pelican case out of an isu and that's it. Actually my last two they didn't even open the isu they just banded it.

[1stindoor]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

No nail clippers on your person, but carry that M4 and the M9 right on board.
TR

True story. I was leaving on a contract comair flight from Fayetteville going halfway around the world to Manas prior to an Afghanistan rotation...I was carrying my M4 and M9 in a soft case...complete with loaded magazines...and I got stopped by TSA because of my benchmade and gerber. I took them out of my pocket and off of my belt...put them into the soft case in my hand and walked on the plane without another single comment.