This is my first post, i’ve read the forums for a while so thought this would be the right place to ask, i ordered a Ganzo Firebird F759M folding pocket knife, $12.99 that converted to £10.60 when i placed the order from a well known Chinese company, the knife arrived in the UK a week ago, the tracking number when entered into royalmail tracking says We’ve got it, Langley HWDC, it’s been sitting there for a week with no movement.
Does anyone have experience with things been delayed in UK, i’m assuming customs have it, will customs now keep or confiscate it, i’ve found a couple of UK retailers since placing the order who sell this model so should be legal to own, what happens now will i get a visit from customs/police for trying to import a knife.
Should i try to contact Royalmail/Langley to see what the problem is or just sit and wait, i’m a little bit worried, any help greatly appreciciated.
Take a look at post #204 of this thread .
It seems that sometimes small knives are treated as if they were weapons.
The knife laws in the UK are what they are…
Anyway, welcome at BLF !!!
This knife is a flipper or gravity knife. It may be seized by Customs as they are illegal to import into the UK although once in they are legal to sell and own ( makes no sense I know but you are dealing with government legislation ).
Having said that I had a legal knife sat in Langley for a couple of weeks. When it was delivered it was wrapped in Customs tape stating that it had been examined and re-packed.
Good luck.
Hi, the Ganzo F759M is a back lock knife with a 75mm blade length with cutting edge of 68mm with finger choil, it’s similar to the Spyderco Delica and the Byrd Meadowlark sold by knife retailers in the UK, i found out after ordering from China a couple of UK knife retailers sell the Ganzo F759M.
I was going to make it into a UK legal carry by filing a small slant on the blade so it no longer locks but acts a slip joint knife so UK legal carry with blade under 3” (76.2mm).
I’ve tried to add a photo but not sure how to, this is a link to the same knife for sale in the UK.
Check the description on the Gearbest website. Although it is discontinued there the details are still available and it is described as having a semi automatic quick opening feature.This would be enough for Customs to seize it if you are unlucky. The fact that it and similar knives are available to buy in the UK cuts no ice with Customs I am afraid.
I wouldn’t worry just yet, Langley HWDC (Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre) is a very busy place well known for slow processing and a week there is not unusual at all.
I’ve had many items held up there that eventually made their way to me without issue.
I think they must be behind, I’ve had a parcel there for 5 weeks now! (and it’s only a plushie lol)
As for it being illegal, I believe that is only the case if you personally take it out on the street - you can buy Samurai swords for display at home, so a smallish knife shouldn’t cause any hiccups.
Let’s hope they are just slow or lazy, but I came across a message from the UK governement.
=
Lock knives
Lock knives are not classed as folding knives and are illegal to carry in public without good reason. Lock knives:
- have blades that can be locked and refolded only by pressing a button
- can include multi-tool knives - tools that also contain other devices such as a screwdriver or can opener
On the other hand: no offence was committed by using this knife. And you could say it is for indoor use only.
If possession of a knife is an offence depends heavy on the circumstances. First rule is: don’t show it (off).
In France a man was arrested because he used an Opinel (THE “French knife”) to peel an apple in public.
So for the time being it is: que sera sera, what will be will be.
I’ve read the Gearbest description, then read the reviews left by customers that say the knife can’t be flicked open but can be just about opened one handed with your thumb on the blade, i’ve included a link, steve’s description with photos.
Probably just a delay because they will send you a letter if it’s seized. I’ve had a few letters in the past but none about knives and our laws are similar to yours.
Actually last letter was for a machete one side is a saw so customs is a bit picky about that. I called up and asked and because of its overall size they let it through. For some reason we can’t have double edge knives here. Is two edges more dangerous than one? Lol
I had a package with torches from Jaxman stuck at Langley for at least two weeks in August. Obviously nothing illegal about the torches, so it’s clear that Langley is just slow sometimes. Fingers crossed - your knife may yet find its way through Customs.
In Canada, started on January 1, 2019, new knife law prohibits any folders into Canada and all folders turned over to CBSA from Canada Post and are confiscated.
I have heaps of Chinese knives 15+ (not as many as some on here lol) and i have bought a bunch of branded knives from Knife-center in the USA like my Gerbers and Kersaws and Cold Steels and i have never had an issue as such. Except the machete and the usual inspections.
We can’t have assisted openers and you shouldn’t have a knife you can open with one hand but i found its an obscure law, They are really looking for automatics and not easy flip knives. I have a few Chinese knives like Ganzo branded and Fura Gear that are easy open knives and they where fine.
Those knives I can flick open easy as personally, My girlfriend can’t so its probably hard to stop the import? You could also tighten the the blade and even if it has bearings it will be harder to open.
Apparently we did have a law about thumb studs (helps single handed opening) for a while but that was taken away a few years ago i was reading an article on it. Also no butterfly knives most of which are double sided i think.
Actual law here
A flick knife (or other similar device) that has a blade which opens automatically by gravity or centrifugal force or by any pressure applied to a button, spring or device in or attached to the handle of the knife.
I still haven’t received it, the tracking as not moved, i’ve had a thought the seller may not have written the true contents or value on the items description even though it’s under the £15 limit so would be ok, i ordered a flashlight that was described as sporting goods value $3 by the seller, so i’m thinking if the seller did this it may have got it looked at, if the description/value doesn’t match the contents can they seize it or will they ask me to pay a fee even though it’s value is below the VAT/Duty limit.
Thanks every body, it came today, it hadn’t been opened to inspect contents so must have been sat somewhere in the warehouse just waiting to be processed.
The tracking as now been updated once it was delivered with it’s journey since it left Langley HWDC over the last few days, but it wasn’t available late last night, as it still said we’ve got it, so Royalmail tracking is not reliable and days out of sync.
To anyone in the UK who wants a good inexpensive knife, the Ganzo F759M with a slight modifaction becomes a UK legal every day carry, the mod is easy to do it only takes a small slant to be filed on the back of the blade so the back lock doesn’t lock any more, it now becomes a slipjoint, the back lock now acts as the back spring, nice and strong snap as well, the finger choil makes sure it can’t close on your fingers, the blade is 75mm long, so now 100% UK legal edc for a tenner (£10).
Mine came shaving sharp, they even included a plaster (band aid for US readers) they must be confident their blades are sharp, they even included a small black storage bag, all for a tenner, fantastic value.
Honestly, this can happen anywhere. I live in one of the freer states of the United States and I’ve had things either tied up or lost in customs. (I’m still mourning the loss of some BLF special edition Sofirm C01 flashlights!)
Some of this is just a customs issue. From my friends in the UK and Canada, it seems to be an issue of whether or not certain items are prohibited, how a particular agency interprets a law, etc. Either way, it’s always annoying.
I’m glad to hear that the item came through. I’ve had fairly good luck with Ganzo knives. I actually carried one today.
I’m sorry to hear that you have to put up with UK knife laws. What a horrid thing. I live in a place where guns can be freely carried without a license and it’s one of the safest places in the entire world. That doesn’t stop people from trying to ban all sorts of things, and it never really makes anyone safer when they succeed.
