Harmonized System
U.S. imports of Paper Knives, Letter Openers, Erasing Knives & Non-Mechanical Pencil Sharpeners (Base Metal) (HS 821410) totaled $1.5M in August 2026, imported from 21 countries.
Importers of Paper Knives, Letter Openers, Erasing Knives & Non-Mechanical Pencil Sharpeners (Base Metal) paid $245K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 15.57% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: August 2026 dataGrouped by their shared function as desk and stationery cutting tools, this heading covers paper knives, letter openers, erasing knives, and non-mechanical pencil sharpeners of base metal, along with their blades and parts. China is the leading supplier, with Germany and India also significant — Germany's presence reflects its established precision-cutlery and stationery-tool manufacturing tradition. The heading is limited to non-mechanical pencil sharpeners; mechanical or electric sharpeners fall under different headings. Because these are purely industrial and consumer stationery articles, no mandatory admissibility agency review applies.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
165 import shipments a month
A non-mechanical pencil sharpener relies solely on manual rotation of the pencil against a fixed blade — no gears, cranks, or motorized components are involved. Sharpeners with a mechanical gear mechanism or an electric motor are classified under different headings (typically 8214 or 8508 respectively). Importers should confirm the operating principle of their product before declaring a classification.
Yes. The heading explicitly covers blades and parts of base metal for the articles it describes, so replacement blades for paper knives or letter openers can be classified here when imported separately. Importers should document the intended end-use article to support the classification, particularly if the blade could also fit knives classified under other headings.
Trade Directory
List your company under HS 821410 — Paper Knives, Letter Openers, Erasing Knives & Non-Mechanical Pencil Sharpeners (Base Metal), so the companies trading it can find you. Be the first supplier listed.
Subheading 3 of 3 in heading 8214
Subheading 821410 · $1.5M of $11.8M
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8214100000 | Ppr Knvs Ltr Opnrs Ersng Knvs Pncl Shpnrs, Bm Pts | $1.6M | 15.57% | 99.83% | $245K |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 8214100000 | Ppr Knvs Ltr Opnrs Ersng Knvs Pncl Shpnrs, Bm Pts | $144K |
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.
ImportsExports
Imports
$1.5MYoY · free account
Exports
$144KYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $16.2M of Paper Knives, Letter Openers, Erasing Knives & Non-Mechanical Pencil Sharpeners (Base Metal) and exported $1.9M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Imports · August 2026
origin
China and Japan together supply 76% of it.
customs district
entry
rate provision · imports
0.2% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 15.57% of imports for consumption.