Machetes, axes, pocket knives etc at borders
 

Under 4 months now until we leave, and I am starting to think about some of the more sensible aspects of the trip. We are going from Oz - UK through Europe/Russia/Central Asia/India/SE Asia and I am curious as to how open and honest I should be to border guards about the level of weaponry I seem to be carrying. Or should I just not bring it? I certainly would like to.

Both the axe and machete are put well away (not hidden, but out of sight). But we have enough pocket knives to arm Cornwall (as soon as we said we were going everyone bought us one).

So the questions are:

1. Will we get any bother for any of these at borders?
2. Should we voluntarily mention them? I have a kit list, which I assumed would be handy to hand to border guards, should I include these on them. Would seem to be asking for trouble not to...

Thanks

Your plan sounds fine to me, out of sight, on the kit list but otherwise no need to mention them. They are after all just tools, you wouldn't walk up to the border guard and point out you have set of metric spanners.

The only place you will IMHO get any hassle is the UK. We seem to have officials you leave their brains in their lockers when they put their hats on. My dad is an electrician and wearing a hard hat and bright yellow boots, getting out of a van with the company name down the side was questioned by a pair of plastic ***s for having a screwdriver! Going out they won't care unless particularly bored. Might be worth printing off a copy of your route to show any morons you are going to be camping in the wilds, not holding up the supermarket in Calais.

Andy

The UK ....
 

Yes it was the UK that set me off worrying....last time we caught a ferry over to France the guys stopped us getting on the ferry and told us we shouldn't be carrying any knives we told him we had about 20 including cuttlery, and he took one look in the back and sent us on our way, but told us not to bring them back with us!

Anyway thanks for that reaasurance Andy :)

How are you planning on crossing the channel? I've never had a problem going out on the boat, as all your weaponry is secured on the vehicle deck, but I did get real trouble with the Tunnel and had a pen-knife and a picnic knife confiscated. The pen-knife I vaguely understood, but thought it was a bit heavy handed to take a plastic picnic knife from me, I mean I could have done as much damage with the fork, and I was allowed that.

AS yet undecided
 

Haven't decided how we will cross the channel yet, although I did fancy the chunnel.

Hmmm......

Kit
 

Ollie

we carried various items that were or could be construed as waepons, hide them away, behind boxes making them hard to find but do not deny having them, it will only make it worse if caught.

Remember that Camel Trophy type still drive aound with axe's, picks etc, so just keep them out of sight an dyou should be fine

If considering the Chunnel beware of your height as may not get a Landie with loaded rack etc into some of the carriages - measure the height and check with them in advance.

ChrisC

Switzerland is very fussy about this. Hiding them away is usually the answer. Or leaving them in the front of the vehicle - amazing how customs usually just open the back door open one box and your away.

Many countries don't like openly displayed 'weapons' etc

Don't be helpful on your list - write "1 * HV 30" instead of "Canon HV 30" as this will raise eyebrows at some borders (Sony, Canon are all eye brow lifters etc). And don't just give it to anybody - make them ask for a list etc else you could be inviting trouble that wasn't coming etc.

Get through with the minimum of fuss by planning via the hubb, overlanders sites and guide books etc

Hard nosed tips ;-)

This is a very good thread, I've been thinking about this for a while and have found some really good advice here, thanks.

Thanks all
 

Yes - thanks to those who have answered, certainly a help and a reassurance to me.

We have decided not to pack the 5 foot samurai sword now :)

Suggest a couple of RPGs stowed away but a Kalashnikov AK47 clamped to the dashboard for easy access. The Tazer gun on the other hand can be fitted in the door pocket. You can also get an electric fence unit and connect this to the bodywork, so that anyone who touches the car gets a shock. You could even go to Witham Specialist Vehicles and get an ex-army Snatch Landy with a machine-gun turret mounted on the roof. Have a word with some Russian gangsters, and see if you can get hold of a few ex-Soviet nuclear warheads.

Finally, put acid instead of water in the windscreen washers and turn the jets outwards, so that you can give a good faceful to anyone who comes to the driver's window bent on physical harm.

:)
 

Very good Mark!

When we seeing you on the 27th? I'll drop you an email

I always find the headlamp washers (it's one of those modern things you get on Land Cruisers - all part of their character :thumbup1:) useful for crowd control - works better than a horn.

Now if there was acid in there or maybe some skunk juice .........

Hve you considered one of these anti-carjack flamethrowers from South Africa?

Hi

As previously said the channel tunnel is pretty strict on what you are carrying ( I should know - my dads one of the guys who confiscates items!) whereas the ferrys are fine.

We carried 2x folding knives, 1x leatherman, 1x penknife, 1x axe, 1x machete, 1x hunting knife and 3x pepper spray .......... NO PROBLEM in Europe, Africa or Asia.

If asked then you explain they are for camping.

Becky

Thanks all
 

Well thanks to the advice received here we have decided to go on the Portsmouth - Le Havre overnight ferry. Works nicely for us, and we hav used it before.

So, we are now one resignation letter away from booking our ferry outta here after three long years of planning! Woohoo! And hopefully that letter will happen in the 1st week of January ..... tick tock

Thanks again

Cheers

Did mine end of November Ollie - hasn't sunk in yet as work is so crazy and 'normal' but as the real stuff like shipping quotes and paperwork starts to loom it gets a bit more real... Best of luck!
Gil

So
 

The wife is not allowed to take any clothes. that should save enough weight for us to take both!

either way we have to throw it away, as we are off for good! Well maybe ......

Ha
 

The wife gets one warning. The clothes go at Le havre and the axe, well I, think a man's relationship with his axe is lifelong!

poole ferry
 

i was think of going from poole, since calais is a bit boring, and plymouth to france is night time only. poole i think sails at about 830am at the moment, so i get to see a new bit of the french coast during the day.
i also roughly worked out that since we're heading for brittany first anyway, at 12mpg, the longer driving versus the longer sailings almost come out equal.

i'm taking an axe not a machete cos actual wood cutting with a machete is too painful- something to do with the cutting blade being in line with your hand? (you dont hold a hammer head to hit a nail, the vibration hurts!) obviously soft green bush cutting its fab. just not for campsite stuff. check out gransfors bruks, lovely range of axes if a wee bit pricey. small forest axe can chop down a good sized tree, and is handy for carving, fire wood etc, a bit of everything, fits in a rucksack. full size axe a bit ott imho!

Resignation done
 

Resignation now done! Lots of realisation at my wifes works:

" Ahh that's why you bought a land rover"

" Ahh that's why you have been on an off road course!

"Ahh that's why you have been on a Russian course"

" Ahh that's why you did a mechanics course"

Booking the ferry on Saturday, raising a toast to the future!

Ollie

I have never wanted to be somebody else as much as I do now, I'm soooo freakin jealous! Enjoy it my friend

Pete

Best of luck Ollie and Family,

When meeting officials remember to;

Be patient, tollerant and relax - take it easy,

and above all else, SMILE.

But then I guess it'll be a few weeks before you stop smiling anyhow.

Best regards,
Kevin

Still 3 months!
 

Ha - well thanks so the nice words, and for the jealousy. But you cna hold fire with that, we still have 3 months to go!

This weekend we have started ebaying our worldly goods. Have a whole houseful to get rid off.

Anyone want an oldstyle widescreen (CRT) TV?

Or anything else......

Might see you on the road!!
 

Myself and a mate are planning the same trip, and hoping for an early April departure. We'll be on bikes, and maybe we'll hook up somewhere en route.

Good luck!!

This might help with hiding the Axe... I just stumbled across this while looking for head torches ...
GerberGear > Product Details > KICK Axe™

I dont really need one or even see myself using it.. but it is soooo cool looking i want one...

but if you are caring and Axe anyway...

I'm on my third warranty replacement of my Gerber Multiplier tool. Never again will I buy a Gerber anything!!! Hi Ho Hi Ho it's back to leatherman I will go.

But on the topic, I found that a home made sharpened cross between a matock and a hoe can replace an axe, machete and even spade... I use it to dig holes, rake fires and lift out coals for the dutch oven. With a sharpened edge it can even chop wood. And not even a Chunnel guy could really accuse it of being an offensive weapon - well, they could but they would have to be a right nit picking pedant.
Gil

dont worry
 

Just take what you need and dont worry. the chances of being stopped with an axe are slim.....what will they do? take it if they want. then you buy a new one at the next market. they are looking for drugs and guns not machetes/axes. If you have it, take it,if not buy it en route if you need one. As mentioned before stay light, over loading is the worst thing to do.

Graeme

A list of what you are carrying is "handy" to have. When I first arrived in Switzerland (to live) I had my old Volvo 740 loaded to the hilt with personal belongings - including a full length roof rack. After a couple of bemused looks I was asked what I was carrying - I pulled out a list - including each bottle of alcohol listed with it's approximate content - EG 100ml Glenmorangine 12 year old Port Wood.

Showing the list was enough to be waved through.

When I went back to the UK I had an empty trailer - and was asked by the French and then UK customs what I was upto (by this time I was on Swiss number plates). But when I came back through I didn't have a list - but the trailer (Box type) was pretty full - and very tightly packed - they asked what was inside (personal belongings) and I opened the door. They weren't keen to go routing around!!

And finally, I had a small problem at Spa last year in my race car - that small problem was based around a suspension arm coming away from the chassis and the resultant parking damage from the barrier - always worse when you impact over 80mph - worried about what the nice chaps at customs and the border would say we simply wrapped the car under a large plastic sheet - in such a complicated way that no one in their right mind would want to remove the sheet and see that the car was in "a right old mess". Sure enough - they just asked "what's on the trailer?" - and were happy with the "race car" answer.

If you are asked - answer honestly.

Careful with the pepper spray. I took it too in case of an animal attack (I ride and camp where bears are a problem). Got arrested in Central Asia when they found it. They finally let me go, but it was quite an ordeal. Nobody ever cared about my knife or Leatherman- I kept them in my toolkit for border crossings.