U.S. imports of Paper Knives, Letter Openers, Pencil Sharpeners, and Blades (SITC 69651) totaled $1.5M in August 2026, imported from 21 countries.
Importers of Paper Knives, Letter Openers, Pencil Sharpeners, and Blades 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 dataDesk and office cutting instruments — paper knives, letter openers, erasing knives, and pencil sharpeners — along with their replacement blades, form a niche but commercially consistent import category serving the stationery and office-supply trade. Pencil sharpeners with replaceable blades are a notable sub-item: the sharpener body and its blade may be imported together or separately, and the classification of the blade as part of this heading (rather than as a general cutting blade) depends on its evident design for pencil-sharpening use. Country of manufacture for these articles is often concentrated in Asian production centers, and Section 301 tariff applicability should be confirmed by HTS line.
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165 import shipments a month
When imported together as a complete article, the pencil sharpener and its blade are classified as a unit under this heading. If the blade is imported separately as a replacement part, it is still classified here provided it is clearly designed for pencil sharpeners of this type. Importers should ensure commercial invoices describe the article accurately to avoid misclassification as a general cutting blade.
An erasing knife is a specialized desk instrument with a narrow, pointed blade designed for scraping ink or correcting paper — its form and commercial presentation distinguish it from general-purpose utility or craft knives. If an article is marketed and designed as an erasing knife, it belongs here; a general-purpose blade that could serve multiple cutting functions would likely be classified under a broader cutlery or knife heading.
Basic heading 69651 · $1.5M of $27.0B
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, Pencil Sharpeners, and Blades 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
Census does not publish district detail for this classification system.
destination
Census does not publish state detail for this classification system.
entry
Census does not publish port detail for this classification system.
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