I have 2 knives stuck in customs

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Barmoley

Barmoley

Rant specialist extraordinaire
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Need some help figuring out how to get status for 2 knives from Sweden that are stuck in Chicago. One has been there since 12/20/2019 the other 1/3/2020. I contacted USPS, but they claim that since the knives haven't physically been picked up by USPS, there is nothing they can do. All I have are these

Your item has been processed through our facility in ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS) at 5:13 pm on December 20, 2019.

Your item has been processed through our facility in ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS) at 2:45 pm on January 3, 2020.

Anyone had similar experience and is there anything I can do about this?
 
Similar experience, yes, but solutions, no. Sometimes U.S. Customs releases packages in a few days on other occasions it can take many weeks. I see no pattern in my own experience and more often than not it looks like they never opened the package. I suspect it may have to do with who's processing queue your knife ends up in. I've dealt with some really nice people in U.S. Customs and a number of others far less nice and considerate.
 
I had similar experience as well. There isn't much you need to do. I had knives stuck at customs many times now. At the end I always received them.
However if you received the 2nd shipment first before the first shipment passes customs, I would call somebody.
 
Yea ive had this happen a few times. Very frustrating and gives me anxiety for sure, but at the end of the day they all managed to make their way home, even after close to 2 months in some cases. I think theres a link on the usps website where you can escalate things, but it never worked for me as far as them putting any extra effort into looking for the item and they just came when they did.
 
I also just had two coming in from Sweden through Chicago customs. On December 18th they were: Processed Through Facility ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS) - and then the next update was Jan 11th when they were at my local post-office, no update in between. They were received safe and sound.

It is very frustrating, but hopefully yours are right behind mine. I found it best not to think about it much, which is difficult.
 
Happened to me too, from the senders side. Got a package with stones (Austria to Florida) stuck in New York customs for weeks. The were delivered safely but tracking didn’t update anymore, not even upon delivery.
 
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Guess a lot of contraband coming in now from Sweden, lol. I've had similar experiences but as you've figured out by now, it's just random bad luck. Upside is that package is safe and you know where it is, fingers crossed it won't be long.
 
Barmoley, I'm having the same issue. I have a Dalman stuck at ISC-Chicago since 1/3 as well. I keep checking the tracking and nothing changes. My last Dalman took 11 days to get to me from chicago, but this one is even worse now. Very frustrating.

On the other hand, stuff from JNS always gets to me (In NY/NJ) in 2 days.
 
Coincidentally mine says 2:45 pm on 1/3 as well:

January 3, 2020 at 2:45 pm

Processed Through Facility

ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)
 
Damnit, looks like I need to try sorting a deal with some other courier! This has happened on the rare occasion but this is annoying.
 
Bcos17 said:
Coincidentally mine says 2:45 pm on 1/3 as well:

January 3, 2020 at 2:45 pm

Processed Through Facility

ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)
Click to expand...

Yeah, I already receive a knife from Australia I bought on 12/30/19, came Monday 1/13

RDalman said:
Damnit, looks like I need to try sorting a deal with some other courier! This has happened on the rare occasion but this is annoying.
Click to expand...

Not really your fault, usually there are no issues, I guess Chicago decided to take a long break for both Christmas and New Years.
 
I agree, I think it has to do with where the packages enter the country and go through customs. For some reason stuff from Sweden goes through Chicago and its always delayed.
 
I just remembered almost the same exact thing happened with my isasmedjan. It entered the country within 2-3 days of departure. Then, sat in Chicago for 2 1/2 weeks...instead of the tracking updating it was at my door the next morning.
 
Easy answer here—ORD is a time swamp. Expect multiple weeks there, though there are often exceptions.
 
Whatever you do, never ever try to send stuff back to Sweden. Customs loves keeping my knives there for months for no obvious reasons. One reason to keep things domestic I guess... Isasmedjan and Dalman ftw!
 
Some update. One of the knives arrived, but the one that got to Chicago on 1/3, still no word about the one from 12/20. So I am glad only 1 of the knives is missing, but now I am even more concerned about the one stuck since 12/20.
 
Barmoley said:
Some update. One of the knives arrived, but the one that got to Chicago on 1/3, still no word about the one from 12/20. So I am glad only 1 of the knives is missing, but now I am even more concerned about the one stuck since 12/20.
Click to expand...
Seriously, customs at O'Hare truly is a time-sink, a dimension unto itself. I've had stuff clear in a day and other stuff sit for 6+ weeks. For me, the norm's been about a month there.
So, I'd say you're still in the "yup, it's O'Hare" window. If it doesn't arrive by the end of the month, though, it's fair to say you'll be in a similar but much worse window--the "Yup, it was O'Hare" window...
 
I'm at 19 days now, cleared on 1/3/20 and no sign of it yet. Not good times.
 
McMan said:
Seriously, customs at O'Hare truly is a time-sink, a dimension unto itself. I've had stuff clear in a day and other stuff sit for 6+ weeks. For me, the norm's been about a month there.
So, I'd say you're still in the "yup, it's O'Hare" window. If it doesn't arrive by the end of the month, though, it's fair to say you'll be in a similar but much worse window--the "Yup, it was O'Hare" window...
Click to expand...
Come-on Noah, you are right there, go yell at someone for me.
 
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