Problems Shipping Bolt Action to UK

[WarrenMorrison]

I assume that this is the right category to post this in. Sorry if it's not.

I had a customer from the UK order a couple of bolt action pens made with walnut. I received an email from them saying that when the package was delivered it had been sliced open and the pens were missing. I'm not exactly sure what happened here. There's always the possibility of simple theft or deceit by the customer, but I have a feeling that it was actually customs that did this.

Perhaps it was my description of the pen, the wood used, or even just simply the pen itself?

Have any of you shipped a bolt action pen to the UK? Any advice would be nice - I'm quite puzzled here.

 

[ugrad]

If it was customs that had a problem with the pen or description you would hear from them or at least some form of notice would have been sent to the customer. There is no way that they would confiscate the goods and send an empty package onward, unless you think they have stolen them. If they have been stolen it is more likely to be the postal service, either your end or ours.

I would ask customs if they examined the package.

Regards
Peter

 

[WarrenMorrison]

Interesting. I'll check that out. Thanks for the quick reply!

 

[robutacion]

From my experience shipping all over the Planet, when Customs selects a parcel to give it the "full works", 2 things normally happen, the parcel is fully scanned and inspected, if everything is OK, the parcel is marked (sticker, brochure, paper notice, something "Official" not hand written in the box and the box is cleared from them.

If something isn't right, 2 things will happen, the box and ALL its contents are confiscated and either you are Officially notified or the Police will be knocking at your door...! If there is one or more items in the box that are causing the problem (whatever the reason), Customs will not remove any items and send the rest, Customs will remove the box from circulation, and contact the sender for some explanation or clarification.

The parcel will be identified/marked/tagged and put a side until, Customs have a resolution of the situation. This can mean that, they give the sender 3 options, one is to pay to have the box returned and the other is to pay for any "treatments" such as fumigations and other practices they have at their disposal and the 3th is to inform you the box will be destroyed...!

From what you describe and from what you have been told, as you have no evidence that the truth have been told, it seems to me that, was your description of the contents that made the pens being stolen from the box, by someone in the freight system that is opportunist and looking for "specific" identified items to "remove from circulation and into their pockets/bags. I have had a few of my sent boxes opened and specific blanks taken out...!

It is very important to think very carefully on what one's descriptions are written on those forms. Firstly, some "terms/words" will automatically guarantee Customs attention, things such as, bombs, knifes, bullets, ammunition, powder, projectiles, animal parts, bones, ivory, skins, triggers, initiators, primers, cases, guns, gun parts, etc, etc etc,.

One of the most typical mistakes pen turners make when sending items away is referring the items as "bullet pens", bolt-action pens and the like.

For those not so informed about the world of firearms/weapons, a bullet pen, is in fact a weapon. They have been the weapon of choice for "close encounters" and difficult detection from conventional means. Normally a .22 calibre, these bullet pens are fairly easy to make and disguise as a normal pen so, sending a parcel with bullet pen on bolt-action pen, is no different than saying the work, "bomb" in any airplain...!:redface:

So, what do you do for items description when send pens or pen parts to others, particularly overseas...??? you write wooden/acrylic/metal pens or a combination of materials or, pen TURNING/MAKING accessories, HANDMADE pens, timber/acrylic/metal or a combination of materials, pen turning blanks.

There are 2 other things that come to mind that will get you into troubles, one is, send wood with bark attached or full of worm holes and being in its natural/raw stage/condition. The other is, sending antler pieces that are easily identified as unprocessed antlers and of size that makes it easy to identify, trying to send these into Australia, CAN get you in hot water...!

I hope this little bit of information, is of some use to you...!

Cheers
George

 

[duke851]

I am reaching back into the distant past for this but when I was a policeman in Scotland I remember the law defining a firearm as including any component part of a prohibited weapon unlike the US where the firearm is basically the receiver. Anything firearm related could get them very excited.

Colin

 

[edstreet]

Sad to say but fear of objects is quite prevalent in today's society. I have had some pens that I shipped to 'friendly' countries get opened, given the full finger treatment and abused horribly. One snakeskin pen I took extra care in wrapping it so it would not move, put it in a good tube and packed extremely well. The box was cut open, not all of the packing materials made it to the destination, the pen was removed from the tube, wrapping and thrown back into the box and they did a very crappy job of taping it up.

I am not terribly shocked that a bolt action pen got the finger treatment in a heavy gun grabbing country/state.

 

[johncrane]

Stolen i'd say,Customs include documents if they seized item's

 

[KBs Pensnmore]

I've had 2 lots of blanks "stolen" coming from the states, both lots left the USA, but from there shipping/tracking details are lost. No notification from Customs or Australia Post!!!!!!
Still reckon there is a pen turner in Customs looking out for them.
Kryn