InkUnderNails

It was not that long ago that I saw a gentleman get on the plane with a cane made from copper pipe. It was nicely done with soldered joints and a satin finish. But it was 1" copper pipe. Like from the plumbing supply copper pipe. You could kill a bear with that thing especially if turned so that the T handle end provided the point of impact. I do not know if it was weighted, but if it was......

KCK

A metal walking stick is probably less of a threat than a wooden one because they have less mass.

tangoll

KCK, interesting comment. The metal walking stick I bought is basically a hollow tube, and it felt too light and flimsy in my hands, so I filled the hollow inside of the tube with some solid stainless steel bars which I found in Ikea, the bars being designed as the pulls for opening wooden drawers or doors. These stainless steel bars fit almost perfectly inside the hollow tube, and now the walking stick has a heavier, solid feel to it. Worked like a charm. I wonder how that stick would show up in the luggage scanner.

This is a different stick from the retractable stick mentioned in my first post.

Darkumbra

I'm having some problems with my right knee, to the point where a walking stick/cane might make some sense.

What types of canes are allowed through security?

Stupid question coming up... Is security consistent with how they apply whatever rules govern the use of a walking cane?

I'd hate to have a good cane confiscated.

What complicates this is obviously the fact that cane IS a weapon - a deadly one in the right hands.

InkUnderNails

I once saw a man get on my plane with a cane made of 3/4" heavy copper pipe. Yes, the type used for water pipes in ones house. It was actually beautifully put together but the material was obvious. So, there is some leeway but as always YMMV.

TSOguy

Canes should be fine as long as its not a cane/gun, cane/sword or something like a bo staff.

jkhuggins

Note, as well, that a non-trivial number of passengers are surprised to discover that the cane they picked up at a garage sale or from a friend turns out to have a weapon hidden inside it. (At least, the story comes up on the TSA Blog often enough for me to remember it.) So, just because you don't think your cane artfully conceals a weapon doesn't mean it's not there ...

Chaos.Defined

If it's actually a walking cane... don't worry about it... it's more problematic when people try to get innovative... like using a putter or hockey stick and claiming it's a cane.

Rondall

It's probably a good idea to make sure your cane isn't able to contain more than 3.4 ounces of liquid, or your beverage of choice.

Darkumbra

I have three walking sticks in my collection... NOT counting a sword cane

A blackthorn walking stick, commonly known as a Shillelagh.

An ironwood cane, also named a Knobkerrie.

An oak walking stick - it has a HEAVY brass handle

These all serve two functions. Both obvious. One medical and the other martial. And that's my concern.

I cannot imagine that I will not run into problems with these.

Methinks I had best buy meself a mundane, lightweight aluminum cane.

landrew

I want to purchase a Hammacher Schlemmer collapsible walking stick for an upcoming Antarctic cruise. That little extra leg might prevent a broken leg while walking on ice. Trouble is, it has a metal tip which must be a little bit pointy so as to gain a purchase on ice or in hard ground.

Any way to determine whether it would make it through TSA in a carryon? Their regs state canes are OK as long as they are inspected to insure no "prohibited items".

Folded up, this thing would fit in the bottom of a suitcase OR between the extension rods of the rollaboard.

It would also be easy to get a medical justification for this.

But why bother to buy it if TSA security actors would add it to their coffers?

Thanks for any response.

joeyrukkus

Sounds like a lot of trouble, just check it. You might be able to get a doctors note and quote regs to TSA blah blah blah. If you want to make it through without any hastle and your item could reasonably considered "up for debate" then why not skip the whole ordeal?

slidergirl

I have a cane that has a retractable ice pick at the end. comes in handy in winter weather. Took it to/from Canada several times without hassle, but I always had the pick folded up so it looked like a "normal" end.
That being said, you can get rubber tips for the folding walking sticks. Look at places like REI, MEC, and Backcountry dot com for them. They are meant for hiking poles, but will transfer to that HS stick. Just measure the diameter of the stick and buy the appropriate one. I have a couple pair of hiking poles that I can switch between two different types of rubber ends and the snow pick - I can use them as my snowshoeing poles in the winter and hiking poles in the summer!

MojaveFlyer

I've had walking stick with the little "ice pick" part, all covered by the rubber tip (which is attached to a screw-on plastic piece) rejected at X-ray as they can see the pointy part. Obviously depends on the whim of the screener, but I was forced to check mine. Of course, being such a small thing, it got lost.

MarianR

My husband took a hiking stick with him when we travelled this summer (no depth perception and stick helps avoid falls). We flew SW to Columbus, Delta to Milwaukee thru Memphis, Frontier to and from Milwaukee to Rhinelander, and SW from Milwaukee to Phoenix. No problems with security - they would ask him if he could walk thru scanner without it. In Memphis we didn't have a jetway and they asked if we needed an elevator instead of the stairs.