Pocket knives can be safely shipped via the United States Postal Service without restrictions as long as they don’t fall under items “with a blade that opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button or other device in the handle, or by operations of inertia, gravity, or both, or with a detachable blade propelled by a spring-operated mechanism.”
However, shipping automatic knives, such as switch knives or flick blades, through the mail is not entirely prohibited as long as post office regulations are met including presenting documents that the sender is an authorized manufacturer of such items and the recipient is the federal government. The knives should also be properly packaged to protect their points and sharp edges from cutting through the shipping box.
Shipping pocket knives that are not regulated by law must also be properly wrapped to make sure that their sharp or pointed parts do not damage or puncture the shipping container and injure shipping personnel. Here are tips on how to properly pack and ship pocket knives via the post office.
Fold the pocket knife so that the blade is protected inside its handle. Place the knife in one corner of a sheet of paper towel tightly roll toward the center. When you reach the center, fold the left and right corners into the center and continue rolling to the remaining corner. Place the wrapped knife in a Ziploc bag, release any air inside and seal. Roll any excess plastic around the knife. This gives the pocket knife several layers of protection.
When shipping several pieces of pocket knives in one package, wrap each item in the same manner described above. Also place all the wrapped knives inside a larger bag and seal. Tie the bag with rubber bands to keep each of the knife in the bundle from moving. For added protection, wrap the bag with bubble wrap.
Place the bagged pocket knife/knives in a shipping box that is a bit larger than the bagged item. Fill a layer of packing peanuts or crumpled newspaper in the bottom of the box first before laying the knife on top. Fill sides and top of the box with more packaging materials to prevent the item from moving. Close the box and seal with packaging tape.
Address the package and take to your local post office.