Hi all,
I'm really getting into knives to compliment my lights and multi tools (and soon to include tactical pens), however most of the best buys (on a budget) are from overseas or DX. I am however concerned whether these will make it past Customs. What has been the experience of other Aussies- do they get through?
Depends on the knife and the mood of the customs officer. What are you looking at?
Cheers edc. I just looking at folding knives really, nothing more than you'd get from DX. No Butterfly knives or flicks etc.
axis lock wont get through and possibly not other one handed opener's.The rules were tightened in December 2011.
Thanks for that. I might try and buy a couple and see if they get through.
Generally no open knifes will get thought I'm told, your not meant to import knifes, even none Sharpe ones like display knifes and daggers but some times they get through customs, i tried to import a sling shot for a giggle and no go. A friend of mine used to order a few every now and then but lately he says none make it through and has given up. There is so many i would like to order but its a gamble if they will make it through customs or not.
I wrote a letter to customs about a month ago and they were overly helpful with the response, trying to explane every detail and giving me links to the restrictions.
The guy said I can also send him a link to a webpage or video of the knives I was considering and he would tell me if its ok or not.
Ill try and dig up the email later if I didn't delete it.
I would not purchase any knives that you are not prepared to lose as it depends on the mood of the officer. I have been told one thing by one officer and a different thing by another.
Agreed, so I will just order 1 at a time and see how they go. That said, as I get a couple of knives I'm probably going to want 1 or 2 "good" knives so will have to bite the bullet and buy one locally at the higher price.
I think anything you can buy in a local shop should be ok to import, I have bought a few folders off ebay with no problems but that was a couple of years ago, one damascus dagger blank, which wasn’t sharpened got here ok too, but customs had obviously opened the package. Sharpened ones are illegal to import.
Customs is clamping down on any knife that can be “flicked” open with a partial thumb open and flick of the wrist I have been told. That is more the issue than any particular lock style.
Most recently, last month in fact, I got THIS ONE (birthday present to self) from ebay and it arrived no problems, just a standard hunting knife should be ok.
Welcome to the family, FreemanMcgowan!
OT, but I was wondering:
What happens with all the tools/toys that don't get through customs? Who gets to play with them? Do they get destroyed officially? Or do we have to assume that every customs officer has a rather large collection of knives and other "dangerous" items at home/at the office?
Maybe it's worthwhile to go and search customs' garbage bin for goodies from time to time? :D
They give the confiscated lights to their boyfriends. 
They are supposed to be destroyed. More than 20,000 items last year
Thought so, real shame!
Maybe you could mobilise enough enviromentalists to stop this unneccessary act of waste and pollution? :bigsmile:
Still, I don't understand why customs is allowed to confiscate and destroy (or so they claim) items that can be bought locally.
I’m testing my luck with some sling shots and some 9mm steel balls, i doubt they will make it through customs, to increase my chances and cause of free shipping i made separate orders.
I bought a pretty good one from a sports store in Qld a few years ago. As he explained things then, he could import the handles and rubbers and sell them separately, but complete ones were not permitted, and only hand held ones, the ones with the wrist brace were banned outright. The ball bearings should be no problem, standard machine parts. YMMV, good luck and let us know how you go 
Wow !! I’ve read this twice and still have a hard time with what you all are saying.
Is it that you can’t get them in the postal mail ?
Could they be brought in thru other shipping sources say FedEx UPS DHL
Can a business import them ?
Something like a market vendor instead of a dedicated knife shop
What about knives manufactured in country ?
Or is it that they are just a no-no period.
Please forgive me , but I just have a hard time imagining that outside of a switchblade
or a ballistic knife, them being restricted.
There are states here that have blade length restrictions when you carry .
And I remember butterfly knives have some restrictions too…
If the blade is more than 5 inches long they consider it a weapon. If it’s in your pocket it’s a concealed weapon and they can get nasty about it. Although, I’ve never heard of anyone facing little more than the officer confiscating the offending item.
Oh my word !! Please tell me more ! Is it shipping restrictions ?
Or is it they’re banned period ? HELP, I don’t get it !!
There are different sets of laws - importation rules by Customs and possession rules of each individual State.
Originally only some knives (automatic openers, flick knives, butterfly knives etc) were banned from importation and possession.
However, Customs recently redefined ‘flick knife’ to include any knife they can open with one hand (so, basically any folding knife). This means they can basically confiscate any folding knife, even though this definition has no real basis.
Regardless of what type it is, they are illegal to carry in public without a specific, direct lawful reason. You can be arrested for accidentally having one in your pocket on the way home from work, regardless of blade length.