So I'm flying out to LA in May for the Star Wars Episode III charity premier, and I want to bring my handy-dandy light saber. Non-functional, of course, and I'll even leave the Indiglo "blade" at home... it's basically a lightweight aluminum tube and looks like this:

Saber Image

I don't want to check it, and my only other option seems to be mailing it to a friend in LA. Will the TSA let me bring this through security? I'm guessing "no," but I figured I'd ask our resident TSA staffers their opinions (realizing, of course, that screeners at DCA and LAX may have other opinions on my days of travel)