Thread: Mailing Straight Razors

Warning: Not the most exciting post...but since members mail razors back and forth quite a bit, I thought I should post it.

Having promised to mail some beat up blades to a fellow member here at SRP, I dragged myself out of bed this morning well before the crack of noon to make it to the post office. Although the blades are beat up - and dull as a spoon - I packed them very well and headed off. After the typical (and unnessarially long) wait, the clerk asked me if the package contained any "liquid, pershible or hazardous items." Now this is not the first time I have mailed a straight and I have always told the truth: "Yes, it contains some razors and they are very well packaged" and been allowed to post the package. Today, however, I was told they would not accept the package (but, he whispered, come back and don't tell the truth). So I will go back on Monday for another wait (it is amazing the number of people who don't understand the complexities of the USPS . Write a letter, put it in an envelope, seal, address and stamp it. Put it in the mail.) to mail the package.

Do you tell the truth when mailing straight? Have you ever been denied for revealing the "hazardous" contents?"

Originally Posted by ProfessorChaos!

Warning: Not the most exciting post...but since members mail razors back and forth quite a bit, I thought I should post it.

Having promised to mail some beat up blades to a fellow member here at SRP, I dragged myself out of bed this morning well before the crack of noon to make it to the post office. Although the blades are beat up - and dull as a spoon - I packed them very well and headed off. After the typical (and unnessarially long) wait, the clerk asked me if the package contained any "liquid, pershible or hazardous items." Now this is not the first time I have mailed a straight and I have always told the truth: "Yes, it contains some razors and they are very well packaged" and been allowed to post the package. Today, however, I was told they would not accept the package (but, he whispered, come back and don't tell the truth). So I will go back on Monday for another wait (it is amazing the number of people who don't understand the complexities of the USPS . Write a letter, put it in an envelope, seal, address and stamp it. Put it in the mail.) to mail the package.

Do you tell the truth when mailing straight? Have you ever been denied for revealing the "hazardous" contents?"

I received a razor in the mail from Bill Ellis of Billy's Blades and noticed that the USPS customs declaration said, "traditional shaver". I think you just need to avoid the "r" word.

When asked if a razor is "liquid, perishable or hazardous", I feel I can say, "No" with complete honesty and a clear conscience.

Originally Posted by maierar

When asked if a razor is "liquid, perishable or hazardous", I feel I can say, "No" with complete honesty and a clear conscience.

They always ask me if it's potentially hazardous, and I've always replied yes no matter what it is I'm sending. I've never been denied service after telling them what it is. But I've never mailed a razor out either - I'll find out this afternoon when I put a couple in the post

my post office no longer asks me that question

i had one person deny my service so i asked for the "boss boy" (he is in his 60's) and he said there one no reason why a collectable item like a knife could not be sent through the usps.

but i have heard of folks having trouble.


properly used it is not hazardous. and there are very few things that are not "potentially hazzardous" a simple ball pen can kill you or save your life (emergency tracheotomy) and for that matter paper can cause cuts... which could potentially lead to infections.

I just tell them it's shaving paraphernalia! And I say yes to being hazardous!
No troubles so far!

I have developed quite a rapport with the local postmistress. I take my razors in, package them, and package them there. Or did until I took home a stack of priority mail boxes lol. She knows I "deal" (I use that word very loosely) in old shaving supplies. I've sent straights for honing, re-scaling, double edges I've sold, etc without their batting an eye. Of course, this is small town Oklahoma (Population of less than 2,000) so things tend to be a little more laid back.

The last time I was in the postmistress gave me a lead on some straights and a strop in a local antique shop.

I'm not in the US, so this is probably not pertinent to the discussion at hand, but I've never had an issue here with posting razors. I always declare what they are, but no one seems to care too much (I don't say they are straight razors, just razors, so maybe they think I'm sending someone a packet of Bics...)

I have received a few straights from US ebay sellers. The customs declarations have ranged from "antique collectables" to "used cutlery".

James.

I've never been asked about the contents of my packages, expept they do ask if they are fragile. No matter what I'm shipping, I say it is fragile.

One time, when I was shipping to Australia, the guy saw "razor" on the customs form and went to his computer to check that the recipient wouldn't get a hard time. Apparently some countries are rather strict about what they allow in via mail. (He told me that Italy is the worst.)

I never answer with a yes or no. I just say "it's just some shaving supplies." and let them decide from there