Keris and us customs?

NotoriousCal · 30th December 2016, 05:41 PM

Hello group, I am a united States citizen and I want to but a keris. Are there any dealers inside the states? I was just informed my US customs and border control in Pennsylvania that knives have to be a certain length ect.
Tell me this isn't true.

David · 30th December 2016, 08:25 PM

Cal, I assume you posted this in the Ethno forum because it is not specific to keris even though that is what you mention here and i do agree, if that was your intention, that you will get a broader response here.
From my personal experience i have never had any problem receiving any blades of any length from outside the country due to U.S. customs laws. I live in Ohio, so i am not aware of any specific laws about receiving blades of any particular length based upon Pennsylvania State law, but AFAIK no such law exists in Ohio. Were you informed about this by a member of the U.S. Customs dept. or simply by a friend?

VANDOO · 30th December 2016, 10:36 PM

THE ONLY LAW I KNOW OF REGARDING LENGTH IS THAT YOU CAN'T CARRY A KNIFE WITH A BLADE MORE THAN 4 INCHES LONG IN PUBLIC. EXCEPTIONS ARE HUNTING KNIVES THAT CAN BE CARRIED WHEN HUNTING OR IN THE COUNTRY. SWORDS ARE OFTEN CARRIED AT RENAISSANCE FAIRS AND SUCH THESE ARE TIED INTO THEIR SCABBARDS WITH A CORD AT FAIRS.
SOME STATES AND TOWNS HAVE LAWS AGAINST SWITCH BLADE AND BUTTERFLY KNIVES. AS FAR AS I KNOW CUSTOMS DOESN'T PROHIBIT SWORDS AND SUCH BEING SHIPPED IN AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T HAVE RESTRICTED ANIMAL MATTER SUCH AS IVORY , HORN ECT.
COLLECTING OR HAVING KERIS DAGGERS SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM UNDER CURRENT LAWS.

Ian · 30th December 2016, 11:05 PM

Cal:

There is no problem shipping knives and swords into the U.S. as long as they conform to the CITES requirements. State and local laws may restrict ownership of certain types of knives, such as switchblades, but this should not be an issue with U.S. customs. You may have more problems trying to bring something with you into the country rather than having it shipped by another party.

Ian.

Laowang · 31st December 2016, 12:52 AM

I've purchased a number of keris from international sources over the last few years; some have been sent to me through international mail (either from international dealers, or eBay sellers), others I have brought back from trips to SE Asia in my luggage. I've never had a problem with US customs in either case. I've typically declared my keris on the customs declaration form when going through US customs, and no customs agent ever bothered to even inspect it (I've done this at least four times, with everything from a 13" long Palembang keris to a 19" long Balinese keris).

Per Ian's comment below, pay attention to CITES restrictions. Elephant ivory and turtle shell (which sometimes occurs on Javanese pendoks) are forbidden, and subject to seizure and destruction. Customs agents are unlikely to be able to distinguish between elephant ivory and other forms of material (hippo teeth, marine ivory) that appear similar.

ariel · 2nd January 2017, 03:58 PM

May I be allowed to make a heretical suggestion?
On many occasions I saw pics of thousands upon thousands of elephant tusks seized by the authorities and publicly burned.
Instead, wouldn' it be better to sell them on an open market driving the prices down and use the proceeds to finance anti-poacher efforts?

Oliver Pinchot · 2nd January 2017, 04:18 PM

There you go making sense again, Ariel

30th December 2016, 05:41 PM	#1
NotoriousCal Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 24	Keris and us customs? Hello group, I am a united States citizen and I want to but a keris. Are there any dealers inside the states? I was just informed my US customs and border control in Pennsylvania that knives have to be a certain length ect. Tell me this isn't true.

30th December 2016, 08:25 PM	#2
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,023	Cal, I assume you posted this in the Ethno forum because it is not specific to keris even though that is what you mention here and i do agree, if that was your intention, that you will get a broader response here. From my personal experience i have never had any problem receiving any blades of any length from outside the country due to U.S. customs laws. I live in Ohio, so i am not aware of any specific laws about receiving blades of any particular length based upon Pennsylvania State law, but AFAIK no such law exists in Ohio. Were you informed about this by a member of the U.S. Customs dept. or simply by a friend?

30th December 2016, 10:36 PM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THE ONLY LAW I KNOW OF REGARDING LENGTH IS THAT YOU CAN'T CARRY A KNIFE WITH A BLADE MORE THAN 4 INCHES LONG IN PUBLIC. EXCEPTIONS ARE HUNTING KNIVES THAT CAN BE CARRIED WHEN HUNTING OR IN THE COUNTRY. SWORDS ARE OFTEN CARRIED AT RENAISSANCE FAIRS AND SUCH THESE ARE TIED INTO THEIR SCABBARDS WITH A CORD AT FAIRS. SOME STATES AND TOWNS HAVE LAWS AGAINST SWITCH BLADE AND BUTTERFLY KNIVES. AS FAR AS I KNOW CUSTOMS DOESN'T PROHIBIT SWORDS AND SUCH BEING SHIPPED IN AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T HAVE RESTRICTED ANIMAL MATTER SUCH AS IVORY , HORN ECT. COLLECTING OR HAVING KERIS DAGGERS SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM UNDER CURRENT LAWS.

30th December 2016, 11:05 PM	#4
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,023	Cal: There is no problem shipping knives and swords into the U.S. as long as they conform to the CITES requirements. State and local laws may restrict ownership of certain types of knives, such as switchblades, but this should not be an issue with U.S. customs. You may have more problems trying to bring something with you into the country rather than having it shipped by another party. Ian.

31st December 2016, 12:52 AM	#5
Laowang Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: 40˚00' N, 83˚00' W Posts: 52	I've purchased a number of keris from international sources over the last few years; some have been sent to me through international mail (either from international dealers, or eBay sellers), others I have brought back from trips to SE Asia in my luggage. I've never had a problem with US customs in either case. I've typically declared my keris on the customs declaration form when going through US customs, and no customs agent ever bothered to even inspect it (I've done this at least four times, with everything from a 13" long Palembang keris to a 19" long Balinese keris). Per Ian's comment below, pay attention to CITES restrictions. Elephant ivory and turtle shell (which sometimes occurs on Javanese pendoks) are forbidden, and subject to seizure and destruction. Customs agents are unlikely to be able to distinguish between elephant ivory and other forms of material (hippo teeth, marine ivory) that appear similar.

2nd January 2017, 03:58 PM	#6
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	May I be allowed to make a heretical suggestion? On many occasions I saw pics of thousands upon thousands of elephant tusks seized by the authorities and publicly burned. Instead, wouldn' it be better to sell them on an open market driving the prices down and use the proceeds to finance anti-poacher efforts?

2nd January 2017, 04:18 PM	#7
Oliver Pinchot Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 456	There you go making sense again, Ariel