katana import laws?

ElSeano93

hi there. is there any laws regarding importing and ownership of katanas that are sharpened? or even nunchaku, what about them? i've alaways bought my martial arts gear through my sensei but i'm getting a custom made sword made to my spec off ebay. care to shed any light?

ColinJennings

See the firearms and offensive weapons act 1990

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA12Y1990S9.html

It is an offence to have any bladed weapon in a public place without good reason or lawful authority. You have to prove that you you had it for a good reason or lawful authority. Good luck trying to explain to a Garda why you have a Katana in your bag.

I have no idea of the lawfulness or otherwise of the posession of a bladed weapon in a private place.

Disclaimer: Not Legal Advice.

HammerHeadGym

Hello ElSeano93,
I went through this a few years ago. It's all legal, provided that you are buying a katana as an 'ornament' and not a 'weapon'. Even sharpened it is not a problem, provided of course that it is for 'recreational' use only.

The words in quotation marks are the words the cops will use to try and catch you out. If they even bother. I doubt they will. I used to train in a place where about ten of us had katana, (one of them was actually a cop) and we would carry them to and from training in sword bags, no problem.

Hope this helps

ElSeano93

thanks. will there be any problems in customs? and really i'm only gonna use it for recreation and practice.

Quillo

No customs problems if bougth within the EU.

Big parcels/high value items from the US or Asian tend to get noticed though and will probably attract Duty and VAT (on the stated price + shipping).

unreggd

ElSeano93 wrote:

really i'm only gonna use it for recreation and practice.

Admit it, you're really gonna kill us all!


I got one off eBay a while back, that was an ornament, paid no import tax, no hassle

I always kept it at home though.

But yeah, if its in a sword bag you should be grand

If you're gettin it off eBay, BE CAREFUL! 90% of the "real oriental swords" are only for display purposed, so if you use them, at all, they just fall apart.
You should try Weapon Masters

Or if it really bothers you, why not get a high-Q Bokken

Btw, what MA do you do??

c - 13

unreggd wrote:

If you're gettin it off eBay, BE CAREFUL! 90% of the "real oriental swords" are only for display purposed, so if you use them, at all, they just fall apart.
You should try Weapon Masters

Sorry to jump in on your thread OP ! But I was just wondering has anyone ordered from these guys before ?

I do a small bit of knife throwing in my spare time and theres some very good prices on that site. Any problems with importing etc from them ?

Sorry again OP

turbot

I bought a semi hand forged, non live Katana on Ebay.

It probably cost 50 euros... and I've enjoyed having it for recreational purposes, and even though it is full tang, by the way it is weighted, its more ornamental than anything else.

I had no problems buying three swords at the same time from Ebay, and a cheap machete, the swords were for gifts, and the machete I might get to use if I go camping, for firewood, etc.

ElSeano93

i do shotokan karate,kobudo and samurai swordfighting , i have to look up the style of samurai swordfighting i do, the name is really long and hard to remember!