I want to buy a katana off a website,but would the sword laws effect the shipping???

_Ninja_

I want to get a katana (samurai sword) off a websit but i am afraid the new sword laws will get in the way of the shipping and it might not be able to get shipped over to Ireland..... Any help or pointers??????? Oh and also it is for display purposes only, i will be haging it up in my room or somewhere like that. I wont be going around waving it in the streets or anything stupid like that. Also i dont live in an urban area so.....yeah.

Doug Cartel

Speaking as a mod - it's OK to discuss what is and isn't legal to import, but if anyone starts talking about ways of getting around the law, I'll probably close this.

(No reflection on you, _Ninja_, but these kinds of threads can sometimes get a bit messy.)

RoboRat

would it not be best to talk to customs and ask them?

Sulla Felix

Students of some of the 'Dos can import them legally. But for an actual katana you'd probably need to have a dojo vouch you need a real blade rather than an iaito and that's extremely unlikely. An iaito or a bokken might be better/easier op.

Darren Mahony

I was talking to a UK based web company before about getting a Katana from them and they said they would need some kind of written proof that I am a martial artist to enable shipping to Ireland.

peter11

ive never had a problem,check out these guys http://www.barringtons-swords.co.uk/ email them and they will give you all the info you need

_Ninja_

Have You bought from this website before??? What do you reccomend?

peter11

Depends on what your going to use it for,if your just going to hang it on a wall or use it for training get an iaito,If your planning on cutting you should try find someone to learn from just to be safe,if your in a club ask your instructor.Ill be talking to the owner of barringtons this weekend and ill ask him about shipping to ireland

_Ninja_

Thanks a lot. I look forward to hearing from you again. By the way ask him if he can ship the ninja commando sword without customs confiscating it or whatever

_Ninja_

Does anybody know how i contact customs?????

oxo_

http://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/prohibitions-restrictions/index.html

Read page 20/21 of last PDF document

Basically, you'd want to be getting something antique made before 1954 or a sword that's been handmade using traditional techniques, even if made in 2012 it should be ok, again so long as it's handmade - if I read that doc correctly.

Actually the law as written seems quiet silly if you think about it. Most cheap display swords are blunt and crap but are illegal as they're (usually) not handmade.
Whereas as for not an awful lot more money you could legally import a handmade very sharp and lethal sword.

I presume the law was rushed in order to stave off an influx of cheap crap being sold everywhere or brought back in luggage.

I'm just pissed after reading that document that Sapper gloves are illegal to import

Niall Keane

Oxo is spot on.
Personally I've never had trouble importing swords, you can get "traditionally made" swords delivered unsharpened too from most suppliers which are perfect for practicing technique etc.
In this respect I feel the law is a good one, back in the day I've gone through 3 cheap training sabres personally, as have most people I know, Smacl who posts here probably remembers a day we were training sabre-spear applications, he blocked the spear swing correctly holding the sabre with both hands, one further up along the spine of the weapon, my spear shattered his sabre in two, I pulled the strike immediately and stopped the swing about an inch from his neck!
Quality weapons should not, and have not in my experience fail like this!

It also serves to prevent dumbasses running down to George's st arcade and buying katannas for €20, which means they're not everywhere, so of you do get stopped with one, and have it double bagged and carry a MA Liscence it isn't a problem.

Be smart too, not all officers are probably familiar with the detail of every law. Don't be foolhardy demanding your rights if you value your time. The last time I was approached by gardai was in a park where I was practicing with some students, they asked what we were at, I stated that we were practicing a "tai chi dance". One of the gardai asked for my spear, took it in his hands and said:
"this is what they should give us! Except maybe electrify the top!" and laughed and handed it back to me.
Weapons do make people uneasy, not being an asshole when you train goes a long way!

_Ninja_

Is the bamboo from musashi okay to import????

Niall Keane

Link it?

If its a katanna blade in a zatoichi type (concealed sword cane) then no it is not possible to import.

I say this as I know of a type that lOoks like a bamboo stick, and is without a Tsuba / guard, such fall into concealed weapons.

Paul Chen / Hanwei do "ninja" katannas (going by your user name) his practical range is considered good for price. Though cheaper versions cannot be disassembled (their glued in place) althoUgh they have a full tang and are functional.
All his stuff is made "traditionally" enough for the law.
Cold steel seem to produce the best cutting swords in an entry price range.
The stuff is constantly improving, eg the Paul Chen practical kung fu Dao used to have poor balance (very top heavy) though this can be good for practice (Nei Jia styles used to practice with huge sabres and swords but use normal ones to develop power and fluidity) Chens latest practical kung fu Dao is excellent in balance and a better cutter than most katannas in the 10k range!!! According to various sword forums.

What are you looking for? As in practice wise? Something for forms? For technique practice or cutting?

Sulla Felix

Says in the op it'll just be a wallhanger.

_Ninja_

Niall Keane wrote: »

Link it?

If its a katanna blade in a zatoichi type (concealed sword cane) then no it is not possible to import.

I say this as I know of a type that lOoks like a bamboo stick, and is without a Tsuba / guard, such fall into concealed weapons.

Paul Chen / Hanwei do "ninja" katannas (going by your user name) his practical range is considered good for price. Though cheaper versions cannot be disassembled (their glued in place) althoUgh they have a full tang and are functional.
All his stuff is made "traditionally" enough for the law.
Cold steel seem to produce the best cutting swords in an entry price range.
The stuff is constantly improving, eg the Paul Chen practical kung fu Dao used to have poor balance (very top heavy) though this can be good for practice (Nei Jia styles used to practice with huge sabres and swords but use normal ones to develop power and fluidity) Chens latest practical kung fu Dao is excellent in balance and a better cutter than most katannas in the 10k range!!! According to various sword forums.

What are you looking for? As in practice wise? Something for forms? For technique practice or cutting?

Yeah i want it to be pretty functional but i am using it as a wallhanger. Do you know any good "ninja" swords under 100 euro that can be imported???

Niall Keane

"Kult of Athena" are probably the cheapest online. Ships from US though. Could take 6 weeks.


http://www.kultofathena.com/swords-ninja-to.asp

make sure it's "battle ready", otherwise it will fly off or shatter in use. Although you say it will be a wall hanger I'd imagine you might be tempted to learn how to use it once acquired ;-)

Their Musashi is only $59.99! it's tang seems to be double pegged, they say it's suitable for "light cutting" but it is "sharpened" so given you're new to this and how cheap it is, perhaps consider a Bokken too?

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=BK759&name=Bokken+Wooden+Pratice+Katana+%2D+Natural

A little advice from someone carrying a few permanent scars!!!

peter11

Was talking to the owner of barringtons at the weekend,he said theres no problem shipping to ireland,hes shipping here every week if your worried about it email him hes a martial artist himself and will help you out anyway he can.The one thing to remember is if you import from outside the EU you will have to pay import duty ive being caught on that a few times the last time it was 80 euro

_Ninja_

Niall Keane wrote: »

"Kult of Athena" are probably the cheapest online. Ships from US though. Could take 6 weeks.


http://www.kultofathena.com/swords-ninja-to.asp

make sure it's "battle ready", otherwise it will fly off or shatter in use. Although you say it will be a wall hanger I'd imagine you might be tempted to learn how to use it once acquired ;-)

Their Musashi is only $59.99! it's tang seems to be double pegged, they say it's suitable for "light cutting" but it is "sharpened" so given you're new to this and how cheap it is, perhaps consider a Bokken too?

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=BK759&name=Bokken+Wooden+Pratice+Katana+%2D+Natural

A little advice from someone carrying a few permanent scars!!!

Yo I have no idea if youre gonna reply to this because the thread is so old and I forgot about it... Anyway have you bought a sword from the webside you have linked?

Dyr

I bought off them a few years back, no complaints. You might find customs a bit more insistent on sticking taxes or whatever on anything from the states now