Sword Shipping

celtan · 3rd November 2009, 05:39 PM

I can just imagine the guys face when you told him he was wrong over and over again, then actually read to him the pertinent section.

This type of minor officials swell up like puffer fish, and rule within their little niches by cowing the "supplicants" with their uniforms...

Poetic!

So, professors aren't dangerous..? I have always believed that knowledge is the most powerful weapon of all.

Best

M

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluelake

South Korea (mentioned in the list) is a hard one to bring edged weapons into. It's not impossible, but you need special permits to do so legally. As shown in this newspaper article, the authorities in Korea are starting to get a little picky: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news...117_48769.html

I had an experience with Korean customs several years ago that I now laugh about. I was bringing some antique arrows back to Korea for an archery museum here. When I picked up my luggage, I was stopped by customs and asked to open up the tube I had them in, which I did. Inside were many arrows, including a half-dozen antique (about 200 years old) bamboo arrows with razor sharp broadheads from India. The customs official touched the point with his finger and said, "This is a dangerous weapon; you can't have it." I assured him I could, and he argued the point with me. I even assured him I had Korean fletcher friends who could make even sharper ones for me; he said I was wrong. I further informed him that I've even had similar antique arrows mailed to me and they passed Korean customs. Nothing would convince this guy.

After a time, I asked him to please bring his manual with all the rules about what is and is not allowed. He said, "It's all in Korean," to which I replied, "That's o.k., I can read Korean." He was quite surprised, but brought the manual. Quickly, I found the pertinent section, which stated that traditional and Olympic archery equipment was exempt from the weapons restrictions.

He slammed the book shut, took it over to where a group of customs officials were and, a few minutes later, a different, young official came over and asked me what my job was. I informed him I taught in a Korean university. He then announced to me, "You are a professor. You are not dangerous. You may go."

bluelake · 3rd November 2009, 11:28 PM

Korean customs (and immigration) people are notoriously uninformed. Rules change from office to office and people within the office. I was polite to the officer (these are guys who can order "special" searches), but firm. His eyes went wide when I requested to see the manual (and informed him I could read Korean).

As for dangerous, the young customs guy never saw me with my bow and arrow or matchlock (I'm dangerous to all but my intended target)

Quote:

Originally Posted by celtan

I can just imagine the guys face when you told him he was wrong over and over again, then actually read to him the pertinent section.

This type of minor officials swell up like puffer fish, and rule within their little niches by cowing the "supplicants" with their uniforms...

Poetic!

So, professors aren't dangerous..? I have always believed that knowledge is the most powerful weapon of all.

Best

M

celtan · 4th November 2009, 02:01 AM

Yep, the velvet glove over the gauntlet. Everything is better if you can avoid an issue becoming a pissing contest...

From your description, our local government officials may be Korean spies from Customs and Inmigration. : )

Incidentally, I have had to explain federal mail regulations to USPS employees many times. Often, their computer programs lag behind the current regulations. Their faces are always a sight to behold when I point them to the specific items in their secret lore...

BTW, speaking of danger and muzzleloaders. Early this year at a reenactment, I lent my loaded musket to one of our fusiliers, since his was acting up. I loudly warned him that it was loaded, and went back to lead our men.

Apparently he was half deaf from the sound of the firing and did not understood me. He loaded a second charge, but left the frizzen half open and the igniter load spilled. Since he though there was only one charge in the barrel, he intentionally loaded a second charge so as not to waste the BP after priming the pan again. (We use two loads for demonstrations when we have few reenactors). So, in fact he had loaded three charges (375 mgs of FF BP..!) .

When he fired he was right beside me.

Suffice it to say we all stopped firing for a few seconds, just looking at each other.

Best

M

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluelake

Korean customs (and immigration) people are notoriously uninformed. Rules change from office to office and people within the office. I was polite to the officer (these are guys who can order "special" searches), but firm. His eyes went wide when I requested to see the manual (and informed him I could read Korean).

As for dangerous, the young customs guy never saw me with my bow and arrow or matchlock (I'm dangerous to all but my intended target)

bluelake · 4th November 2009, 03:17 AM

Youch!

The only thing I can say is, be glad he didn't mix up his can of FFg and FFFFg (Ahem, notice the voice of "experience" in that statement?

). It really gets your attention

Quote:

Originally Posted by celtan

BTW, speaking of danger and muzzleloaders. Early this year at a reenactment, I lent my loaded musket to one of our fusiliers, since his was acting up. I loudly warned him that it was loaded, and went back to lead our men.

Apparently he was half deaf from the sound of the firing and did not understood me. He loaded a second charge, but left the frizzen half open and the igniter load spilled. Since he though there was only one charge in the barrel, he intentionally loaded a second charge so as not to waste the BP after priming the pan again. (We use two loads for demonstrations when we have few reenactors). So, in fact he had loaded three charges (375 mgs of FF BP..!) .

When he fired he was right beside me.

Suffice it to say we all stopped firing for a few seconds, just looking at each other.

Best

M

celtan · 4th November 2009, 12:09 PM

Yep, youch...!

The sideways flash, even with the side-shield, almost seared my cheek, and I was three feet away....

Hmmm....Imagine a three pounder firing a Napoleonic 8 oz load of 4F.

Now, you are giving me dangerous ideas.

See? Knowledge is power...even if to blow ourselves up!

Best

M

Beware of things that go booom! in the night

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluelake

Youch!

The only thing I can say is, be glad he didn't mix up his can of FFg and FFFFg (Ahem, notice the voice of "experience" in that statement?

). It really gets your attention