U.S. imports of Base Metal Handles for Knives with Cutting Blades (HS 821195) totaled $81K in September 2026, imported from 18 countries.
Importers of Base Metal Handles for Knives with Cutting Blades paid $10K in duties in September 2026, an average duty rate of 12.19% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: September 2026 dataHandles of base metal for cutting knives occupy a distinct supply-chain niche as components traded separately from blades and finished knives. Mexico leads US imports of this heading, with China and Taiwan also significant sources. The US schedule subdivides handles by end-use knife type: table knife handles with fixed blades (8211951000), handles for other fixed-blade knives (8211955000), and a residual NESOI line (8211959000). Notably, heading 8208 machine-knife handles are excluded, so importers must confirm the cutting knife type to avoid misclassification. Goods from Mexico may be eligible for USMCA preferential treatment subject to rules-of-origin compliance.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
14 import shipments a month
Heading 8208 covers blades and cutting parts for machines and mechanical appliances, such as industrial slicing or chopping equipment. Handles designed for those machine knives are classified with their respective heading rather than under 821195, which is limited to handles for hand-held cutting knives. Importers should confirm whether the handle's intended knife is a hand tool or a machine component before classifying.
To claim USMCA preferential treatment, the importer needs a valid certification of origin from the Mexican producer or exporter confirming the goods meet the applicable tariff-shift or regional value content rule. The certification must be retained for at least five years and made available to CBP upon request. A licensed customs broker can help verify that the specific tariff line's rule of origin is satisfied.
Subheading 6 of 6 in heading 8211
Subheading 821195 · $81K of $62.3M
ImportsExports
Imports
$81KYoY · free account
Exports
$96KYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to September 2026, the U.S. imported $1.2M of Base Metal Handles for Knives with Cutting Blades and exported $1.7M.
Fewer than 6 of the last 12 months reported trade, or the latest month was under $500K; the trend chart is not shown for thin series.
Through September 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Trade Directory
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HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Imports for consumption | Average duty rate | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8211955000 | Handle Base Metal for Oth Knives With Fixed Blades | $52K | 2.87% | 13.88% | $1K |
| 8211959000 | Handles of Base Metal, NESOI | $14K | 30.83% | 100.00% | $4K |
| 8211951000 | Handle Base Metal for Table Knives Wth Fixed Blade | — | -- | -- | -- |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 8211950000 | Handles Bs Mtl Fr Knives Wth Cuttng Blades Nt 8208 | $180K |
Import lines come from the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule and export lines from Schedule B. The two are numbered by different agencies, so the same 10-digit code can appear in both tables describing a different product.
Imports · September 2026
origin
Mexico and China together supply 67% of it. China pays 51.3% duty; Mexico 0.0%.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
62.1% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 12.19% of imports for consumption.