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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2009 20:16:43 GMT
So my ordered Musha is, according to UPS tracking, listed as an exception since about Thursday, I believe. I'm still waiting for some information from the seller, but since I've heard some horror stories I thought I'd get some relief here. More specifically I've heard of customs ruining swords, I think some forumite on these boards just reported getting some precious rawblade semprinied, and I've even heard of clothes disappearing forever or guitars getting smashed. I live in Norway so everything should be completely legit, according to customs here I don't even need a 'sheriff's/police permit for it.
But is this 'exception' stuff something I have to expect every single time I order a sword in the future (the Musha will be my first), or is it actually the exception? And is it likely that someone in customs is currently raping my sword? I'm not sure how much care or knowledge the people working in customs have, but it seems the general consensus is that you can smash a katana into asphalt without a worry.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2009 20:34:48 GMT
You could always call UPS and ask what the hold up is. On the plus side if you get it and it is damaged all you have to do it file a claim with UPS and you will get the insurance money.
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Marc Ridgeway
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Post by Marc Ridgeway on Apr 18, 2009 20:55:47 GMT
With UPS, an exception is any package that is not delivered for various reasons. Examples can be needs instructions, needs directions, needs paperwork, missed, or various others.
On the UPS DIAD board, or the clerks computer , the package has to be "sheeted up" as an exception daily... and on the DIAD, when a package is sheeted up as an exception , the code for the exception type must also be entered.
So what I would suggest is Calling 1 800 Pick UPS and find out the nature of the exception.
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Post by randomnobody on Apr 18, 2009 21:19:03 GMT
Marc is right. I've had a few things from UPS list as "exception" and at the end all it meant was I wasn't home when they tried to deliver. Call them up and see what happened.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2009 21:20:40 GMT
If I have to get a refund, I'll also have a nice 3 months or more before I even get a re-ordered sword, not something I hope for. Googling reveals that exceptions can occur when someone doesn't pick the package up at a door-delivery, but according to tracking, the package is currently well eight hours of fast driving in the capical, away from me, so it doesn't seem to be something local. If the issue persists I'll ofcourse call, but I think UPS hands the deliveries over to local and national post agenicies once it gets to Norway, surely UPS is in the dark too if the local/national mailmen or customs mess with it?
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Marc Ridgeway
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Post by Marc Ridgeway on Apr 18, 2009 21:33:15 GMT
I drove a truck for UPS for several years. I od not know how Norway works, but if UPS has it listed as an exception, there could be any one of about ten reasons.
Usually a driver sheets it up as an exception if it can't be delivered for some reason... but often if it is listed at a center as an exception there could be other problems , with documents or address.
I reccomend contacting them.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2009 21:54:48 GMT
A story from a guy I used to talk to all the time was he bought a bunch of rare hand drawn pictures from famous (now dead) comic book artists. Real "one of a kind" type pictures! Close to about $50,000 I think he said.
They were shipped in a special crate by Fed Ex (I think) fully insured of course. The crate was totally airtight.
Anyways he checked the tracking number one day to see "Train Derailed". Yup, the train went off the tracks! The shipping company though didn't want to sort through parcels and stated that many were ruined due to water/foam that was sprayed onto the train to stop fires. Instead of checking packages one by one to see if they were ruined or not, they just payed out the insurance to everyone's parcels.
The Parcels were then loaded into a dump truck with the use or a front end loader and taken to the dump.
My friend was NOT happy and tried to find out where the parcels were dumped because he knew that the water/foam could NOT get into the special crate but Fed Ex wouldn't tell him a bloody thing.
So everytime I have a problem with shipping or an item taking too much time with customs, I just have to think of the story above.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2009 22:07:23 GMT
Might be several issues. 1. Your package is being held for custom reasons. 2. You live in a place UPS don't deliver, so they are arranging other delivery. If I remember correctly, I got one through Posten once. 3. Damaged in transport Call them, and they'll tell you. I've never had a sword ruined by customs, it's seldom they open packages.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2009 23:00:27 GMT
I'mm 99.99% sure none else than Posten delivers to my address, especially not UPS, so if that is exception worthy then I guess there'll be lots of exceptions for me. I'll hope it's just that, thanks for all the answers.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2009 16:04:31 GMT
There must be a reason why the OP is refusing to contact UPS; several have already told him to do so and he keeps on doing otherwise.
For the OP: don't bother looking anything else up online, you need to actually SPEAK to a live person.
I'm sure UPS has some sort of collaboration or link with Posten as UPS doesn't appear to deliver to Norway on its own.
In short, you're not going to know the truth of the matter until you contact UPS.
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Post by hotspur on Apr 21, 2009 14:53:16 GMT
This is just anecdotal but I had fun watching this one yesterday. It is just a small electronic part but can easily understand how a small package might travel more than it needs to. It had arrived at my local hub yesterday morning, went on up the state to another and then came back to my local overnight to be delivered today. Someone scanning was probably handling an awful lot of stuff.
SHREWSBURY, MA, US 04/21/2009 6:54 A.M. OUT FOR DELIVERY 04/21/2009 2:53 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
CHELMSFORD, MA, US 04/21/2009 2:04 A.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
SHREWSBURY, MA, US 04/20/2009 10:31 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
HODGKINS, IL, US 04/18/2009 2:52 A.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
HODGKINS, IL, US 04/16/2009 8:24 P.M. ORIGIN SCAN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I generally have great luck with my local drivers and if nothing else, can get creative with where to leave something at the house. My local mail route driver is just now (ten years later) realizes to give me a chance to get to the door. There had been instances of no notice slip left and sometimes even left at other addresses. I have often delivered mail to other neighbors left at the wrong address.
I have read horror stories from just about any any location and carrier. I had a great experience England to America via Parcel Force and Global Priority. What had been packed thin and angular like a bow saw was actually an 18th century sabre. All the paperwork arrived simply taped loose to the four sheets. That was the amazing part, just the four page form taped on one end of it. I have read of it being more trouble outbound via Global Priority from America but things may have changed.
Good luck with recovery
Hotspur; waiting for a part smaller than a watch or many coins (that one would have been better mailed USPS priority
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2009 15:42:56 GMT
Turns out the UPS exception was just for the transfer to Posten, and actually a blessing. Got the sword now, two days earlier than the first estimate, and everything seems to be in order. Now I have some questions I didn't find in a quick reread of the relevant SBG topics, bad thread perhaps but.. The sword is covered in some bad looking oil, should I remove that before cutting with it? Is any dry, clean washcloth okay for it or should I use microfiber or some super Japanese silk? Should I clean the sword after every single waterbottle cut like in the videos? I also have alot of trumpet oil, not something used on high carbon steel exactly, but I read somewhere it's as good as other sword oils, could I use it?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2009 15:46:55 GMT
Soft cloth and rubbing alcohol should work.
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Post by randomnobody on Apr 21, 2009 16:48:30 GMT
I tend to wipe excess off with a paper towel, napkin, tissue...whatever disposable I have handy, then buff the rest in with an old t-shirt/pair of boxers/whatever. Pretty much any (mineral-based) oil should do the trick for storage, just a thin layer over the everything steel and off you go. It oughtn't be necessary to clean the blade after every bottle, no, just dry it well before putting it back in its sheath and if you live in a damp climate, oil it again, and frequently. So, pics?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2009 16:56:03 GMT
Yeah, hopefully soon, maybe even a review if I'm feeling daring. I got the one with bo-hi, so it should be somewhat different from the one already reviewed. Even with a 'dirty' blade it looks pretty good, it has always puzzled me why so many sword producers/dealers don't use pictures more aggressively, I bet DF would benefit alot from it with their awesome swords.
Would White Spirit/Stoddard solvent be satisfactory for an alcohol?
EDIT: It seems that White Spirit is not an alcohol despite similar uses and a name almost like several alcohols (atleast in norwegian, metanol is called 'Wood Spirit/sprite' or similar.) Anyhow according to other guides alcohol is not required, so I'll do my first cuts today, might get pics tomorrow and a review sometime in the future, though perhaps without video. Turns out the trumpet oil is valve oil, which, according to wikipedia, is atleast partly based on minerals so it should be ok. Thanks for all the replies.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 17:48:38 GMT
I'm getting pretty worried. I've heard the 200-300$ class swords described as 'scarily sharp', heard of people getting cuts from merely touching the edge of their katana and the Musha review says it's sharper than all the Hanwei Practical Plus swords. Yet even while pushing my thumb/finger down at the edge moderately hard, I don't get as much as a cut. The polish is pretty decent, and in good conditions you can see some very distorted reflections, but it's hardly a 'crazy mirror polish' that doesn't come off. I've already got several scratches on it, a pretty bad chip and some spots with discoloring. The only things I've cut yet is alittle paper, two large cardboxes, I've cut 1/5 of 3 1.5litre water bottles and a very few, very small twigs.
Although I managed to completely sever the paper with ease, the cuts were rather uneven and certainly not straight (as it would've been if I'd used shears.) The cardboxes were easy at the start, but when I got to the mid-section I had to use considerably force to get through. I imagine small metal fragments in the cardbox is the cause of the damn jag and scratches, but I've heard of lower, less resillient swords cutting their own boxes, so I though the amazing Musha would handle it. After managing to the top of all the bottles (not in a row), the bottles (filled with 1.5l water) fell. The cuts, most of them just under the cork, were extremely uneven (very far from clean cuts), and the bottles flew merely from the force. My sword did not go through the bottles when I started lower cuts, though granted they had lost some water then, and the cuts were even more uneven. The small twigs were very easily, but I suspect their sap left the small discolorations on the blade. I can't clean it off merely with water.
I also just discovered that the kashira is very loose. I'm not sure if Japanese pommels are supposed to be that loose.
Note that I probably have the lousiest technique in the world, that I am generally a pretty clumsy person and that I probably applied the force in an inefficient manner, that I have never even held a 'real' sword before Tuesday and that most of my cuts were horizontal (I had a pretty unstable, bad stand so.) Still, I though, with such a sword, this stuff would be a complete breeze, even for the worst beginner. I'll probably get some pictures up tomorrow, and show the damage.
On the other hand, the sword looks pretty amazing, and holding it is something undescribable to someone who have never held a sword :/.
EDIT: It also seems I have another tsuba than the one in the SBG guide's Musha review, mine is almost a complete circle while the one reviewed has a joined double ring, the more usual Musashi style.
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Post by randomnobody on Apr 23, 2009 19:55:50 GMT
Sounds like you need more practice and less tree-cutting. Cutting a tree, even cardboard, is a very bad idea for any sword. The wood scratches pretty badly depending on type and sap is really hard to get off. Paper is a challenging target, too, especially free-hanging. Bottles...yeah, just practice. I wonder how many posts got in before mine...I was interrupted for a good bit while writing this. edit - Wow, none. Shocking. Oh and your tsuba, depending which exact theme you get, the Musha class has some different koshirae...so I'm not surprised if your tsuba may be different than in the review.
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Post by sparky on Apr 23, 2009 19:56:18 GMT
Note that I probably have the lousest technique in the world, that I am generally a pretty clumsy person and that I probably applied the force in an inefficient manner, Just wanted to say you are not alone . Hang in there and we'll learn together, 'cause there is a wealth of of experience and knowledge at SBG .
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2009 18:28:03 GMT
I had alittle more success on my second try today, a slightly better stand made some difference I think. Atleast got all the way through with ease, but still mostly rather jagged cuts. I have a slight suspicion the jag in my sword is from a stone now that I reflect; the bottom of the cardbox I cut had some gravel in the bottom since it was pretty windy, and I might've hit some of it stuck higher up in it. I suppose practice and better conditions (stand) will make better, but still, I expected more ease with a so highly regarded sword as a Musha. Still disappointed with the loose kashira/pommel and the non-Musashi tsuba when I ordered the Musashi style though. I'll get some pictures up soon, but can't find the damn camera recharger.
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Post by randomnobody on Apr 24, 2009 22:53:56 GMT
I'm pretty sure it's just your terrible form versus the cardboard. The kashira can be snugged up if you tug on the ito (was it omote side that it ties off on? ) to tighten the knot. The tsuba, well, that's odd...I'd take that up with your seller.
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