Sourcing steak knives from China

Steak knife duty and classification

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, fixed-blade table knives under 8211 91 00 00 carried 8% duty from China. Heading 8211 covers knives with cutting blades, serrated or not, and their blades. Assorted knife sets also carry 8%; separate blades carry 6% and base metal handles 2%. The supplied tariff records show no anti-dumping or countervailing duties and no suspensions.

The tariff attaches an ivory import control to fixed-blade table knives and assorted knife sets, and lists CITES import controls. Ivory from species covered by the Ivory Act requires an exemption for dealing. Specify handles without ivory. If animal-derived materials are proposed, confirm the ivory documentation and any CITES requirement with your customs broker before ordering from China.

Classify the actual goods, distinguishing finished steak knives, assorted knife sets and separate components. Confirm the commodity code; a pack of identical steak knives should not be assumed to be an assorted set. See the wider knife guide for other knife families.

Specify the steak knife edge and handle

Agree a straight or serrated edge, tooth profile, blade length and thickness, steel grade, hardness, tip shape and handle material. Record tang construction, rivet fixing, handle balance and the approved surface finish. Keep a signed sample so the factory cannot substitute a different serration or lighter blade.

Steak knives touch food, so ask for a food contact declaration covering the supplied materials and finish. Agree cutting and edge retention tests, corrosion checks and cleaning trials that match restaurant or household use. Test any dishwasher-safe claim on the finished knife, including its handle and joints.

Confirm knife-sale age restrictions with Trading Standards, including whether Scotland permits these knives to be sold to 16 and 17 year olds. Online sellers should also confirm applicable age verification and delivery requirements before offering the knives for sale.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 3,000 stainless steel steak knives under 8211 91 00 00, invoiced at £4,500 free on board, with £450 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,950. Duty at 8% is £396. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,346, so it is £1,069.20. Import taxes total £1,465.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £396 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Steel and edge: compare material certificates and sample hardness with the specification; check serration consistency, burrs, chipped teeth and cutting performance.

Handle fixing: pull and twist sampled handles; inspect rivets, tang fit and gaps that could trap food, and reject movement or cracking.

Finish and cleaning: inspect blade faces and handle joints for rust, staining and rough polishing; repeat the agreed washing trial and check for swelling or loose fittings.

Packing: check counts and finish against the approved sample; confirm edge protection prevents knives cutting through retail packs or cartons during handling.

What goes wrong

A serrated blade can look sharp while tearing meat because its teeth are uneven or poorly ground. Steel substitution and inconsistent heat treatment can leave edges that blunt or chip. Polishing may hide rough joints, while loose rivets and short tangs allow handles to move.

Wooden handles can crack or swell during cleaning, and rust can appear around joints or along the edge. Check production samples using the agreed cleaning and cutting trials before shipment, then repeat key checks on arrival through your inspection process.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.