Some of us carry pocket knives in our pockets as a matter of routine. In spite of post-9/11 TSA hype, the primary use of a pocket knife is not as a weapon or hijacking tool. Given the frequency at which many FTers fly, it is not unreasonable to expect that once a year or so, they're going to forget to divest the knife at home or in the car, get to the checkpoint, pull their keys out of their pocket, and go "oops, I still have my knife."

I did exactly that once, back in 2003-ish, even though I have NO KNIFE written in big bold all-caps letters on the bottom of the packing list I go through before every trip. I was pre-WTMD, so TSA had not "found" or "confiscated" the knife. I stupidly gave the TSAer the knife, intact. I should have broken the blade before doing so.

TSA is supposed to give you the choice to take your confiscated item back to get rid of it (and then be rescreened). Rather than give TSA valuable articles, I would rather take the item back, destroy it, and go back through the line.