Is it legal?
- Thread starter Eviltuner
- Start date
You have a great question..try contacting U.S.Customs Service www.customs.ustreas.gov/ they will answer your question...also if you do not have a cue maker yet..may i highly recommend Chris Hightower at www.hightowercues.com he is known for his exotic work..he is also a posting member here on AZ...good luck to you and Happy New Year
In my own personal experience, asking any US agency about your cue will get a "no" for an answer every time. However, that doesn't mean that it's not possible. Truth is, ivory, along with other materials used in cues like wraps from the skin of protected wildlife is not allowed into the states without what they call CITES documentation. However, most cues with a taste full amount of ivory inlays, ringwork, and ferrules....................along with leather/skin wraps will generally get through. However, it is always a gamble. If they decide to inspect your cue, they have every legal right to, and they also have every right to hold the cue for as long as the inspection requires, and most importantly, are not liable for any damage done to your cue during the inspection. And, if they find something that's not allowed, if you're lucky, they'll send it back to you, but in many cases, you lose the cue outright.
Sending FedEx has been a nightmare EVERY time for me. I've had cues held up every time, and each and every time, none of the cues had any questionable materials. I've had LBM ferrules with obvious stitch patterns stopped for being suspected ivory, had pressed pigskin wraps stopped for being suspected exotic monitor skin. I even had a box of Moori leather tips stopped (and returned to me) simply because I couldn't prove that the leather used was indeed not a product of an endagered/protected animal!!!
On the other hand, I've never had any problems sending via EMS. From what I understand, the goods enter the states in different ports depending upon what carrier you use. I've heard, and based on my experience that FedEx stuff all enters through Alaska, and that EMS enters elswhere. Don't know why the difference, but I can verify that the folks in Alaska are a very incompetent, arrogant, and power wielding bunch that in my opinion often take advantage of their authority.
You take a risk when sending a cue to the states, but some tips to minimize your risk would be to avoid labeling the package as a billiard cue. Billiard goods, or Game Room Supplies will do. Also, and I understand that this involves some risk, but do not insure your package for a large amount, and most of all, list the value of the contents at a fairly low figure. And most of all, DO NOT SEND FED EX!! Those jokes in Alaska will stop a house cue with plastic ferrules and no wrap. And when you call them about the delay, they will ask you to present CITES documents for the "ivory ferrules and exotic skin wrap." Then you'll tell them that the ferrules are not ivory, and "the damn cue has no wrap" and their response will be "we can't verify that the ferrules are not ivory, so we might have to remove them for further investigation, and we'll get back to you on the wrap."
Have fun!
dave
Sending FedEx has been a nightmare EVERY time for me. I've had cues held up every time, and each and every time, none of the cues had any questionable materials. I've had LBM ferrules with obvious stitch patterns stopped for being suspected ivory, had pressed pigskin wraps stopped for being suspected exotic monitor skin. I even had a box of Moori leather tips stopped (and returned to me) simply because I couldn't prove that the leather used was indeed not a product of an endagered/protected animal!!!
On the other hand, I've never had any problems sending via EMS. From what I understand, the goods enter the states in different ports depending upon what carrier you use. I've heard, and based on my experience that FedEx stuff all enters through Alaska, and that EMS enters elswhere. Don't know why the difference, but I can verify that the folks in Alaska are a very incompetent, arrogant, and power wielding bunch that in my opinion often take advantage of their authority.
You take a risk when sending a cue to the states, but some tips to minimize your risk would be to avoid labeling the package as a billiard cue. Billiard goods, or Game Room Supplies will do. Also, and I understand that this involves some risk, but do not insure your package for a large amount, and most of all, list the value of the contents at a fairly low figure. And most of all, DO NOT SEND FED EX!! Those jokes in Alaska will stop a house cue with plastic ferrules and no wrap. And when you call them about the delay, they will ask you to present CITES documents for the "ivory ferrules and exotic skin wrap." Then you'll tell them that the ferrules are not ivory, and "the damn cue has no wrap" and their response will be "we can't verify that the ferrules are not ivory, so we might have to remove them for further investigation, and we'll get back to you on the wrap."
Have fun!
dave
Moral of this and all the other the other stories is that once it's out of the country leave it out of the country....somebody somewhere else in a less bureaucratic country...
________
________
Last edited:
Eviltuner said:
Just a warning:
USA is the most regulated country on the planet earth and they call it `nation of laws`.Your exotic wrap may cause some concern and customs officials may use their `authority` given to them by the Law and may `play` with it ( rip it apart.Yes they have `authority` to do that).If they want to they may even bring criminal charges on you.
True story...pre 911. I flew into US on business. Suitcase, Laptop and cue case on board plane (ah the good old days). In case two cues, 4 shafts, chalk, shapers, tappers, trimmer, small retractable blade box cutter and cue ball.
On my way back from Chicago somebody at O'Hare stopped me at the baggage check. Now I'm thinking oh they noticed the knife. Wrong, not interested (it was below the 3" threshold) they start to ask me about the cue ball.
What's it's composition? What's it for? Do I have any documentation? The supervisor is really nice and as it was not on the banded list she tells me that if I want I can fill out this paperwork and after analysis they will send me back my ball. I fill out the paperwork. Kiss my ball goodbye and assumed that was the last time I would be seeing my old friend.
Four weeks passes and FedEx is at my door! There is my cueball with a form letter from some agency in Langley Virginia stating that my cueball was deemed benign and was being returned to me.
I wonder how much Uncle Sam spent on that one? Remember everything I was traveling with (including the box cutter) was with me and inspected at four airports before this one on my way back.
Moral of the story. One hyper vigilant animal lover can spot your cue and you'll be crying for weeks. My $20 cueball they could have kept.
Nick
On my way back from Chicago somebody at O'Hare stopped me at the baggage check. Now I'm thinking oh they noticed the knife. Wrong, not interested (it was below the 3" threshold) they start to ask me about the cue ball.
What's it's composition? What's it for? Do I have any documentation? The supervisor is really nice and as it was not on the banded list she tells me that if I want I can fill out this paperwork and after analysis they will send me back my ball. I fill out the paperwork. Kiss my ball goodbye and assumed that was the last time I would be seeing my old friend.
Four weeks passes and FedEx is at my door! There is my cueball with a form letter from some agency in Langley Virginia stating that my cueball was deemed benign and was being returned to me.
I wonder how much Uncle Sam spent on that one? Remember everything I was traveling with (including the box cutter) was with me and inspected at four airports before this one on my way back.
Moral of the story. One hyper vigilant animal lover can spot your cue and you'll be crying for weeks. My $20 cueball they could have kept.
Nick
Last edited:
You need to have the proper documentation from your country and the USA.Eviltuner said:
I have a several hundred pages documentation sitting here on my desk from Wildlife, and I have not had the time to go through them yet.
I received them becasue one cue I ordered was being held in Alaska as of now, and I am not sure if I will ever see it again.
I called them, and they told me criminal charges may be an option.
I purchased this cue with some ivory inlays and an exotic wrap believing the seller was located in the US. I asked the shipper to refund my money and forget about the deal once I found out about him being located in Asia, but he told me it would be fine, shipped the cue to me anyway. The butt was confiscated while the shafts were released to me.
I have been very busy so this is a real hassel for me.
I know a friend of mine in Japan ordered some cues with ivory from the US, the cues were confisticated, then some government agents went to his store, took all his cues, computers, and so forth.
In my opinion, take it for whatever it is worth, it is not a good idea to break the law. I would never have paid for a cue with ivory that I knew will be shipped from outside of the US, and you bet I will ask and make sure before I pay from now on.
This is my opinion: If you ship such a cue to a cue maker in the US, you may get the cue maker in lots of trouble. If your cue has ivory, it should never have been exported from the US in the first place. If you want just a leather wrap, get a pig skin wrap.
Richard
PS, About ivory, there is no 100% way for anyone to tell if the inlays are ivory without taking them out. From what I understand, they use some sort of spectrum testing method, to test the reflection/refraction of certain wave, to determine what the material might be. Then they can contact the maker, and usually the cue maker will tell the truth of what the material is, he very rarely will choose to lie for a customer.
If you think they have made a mistake, there is an appeal process.
Last edited:
Testing ivory
This may not be the best way but...An old standby way to check for ivory. Heat up a needle in a pliers..and push the needle into the <plastic/ ivory> ... the plastic will melt and the ivory will not. Obviously, the plastic may need a sanding later.
This may not be the best way but...An old standby way to check for ivory. Heat up a needle in a pliers..and push the needle into the <plastic/ ivory> ... the plastic will melt and the ivory will not. Obviously, the plastic may need a sanding later.