I once got back from a series of several successive plane trips and reached into my bag ... and found my 3" KISS folding knife (the 5510 model) inside.

I had cleared security 2x at IAD, 1x at BKW (with a "random" secondary for being first in line as well as subsequently "alarming" the ETD on my laptop--that's a long story told elsewhere in and of itself), 1x at DCA, and 2x at some West Coast airports (can't recall which off the top of my head).

Only at BKW did I get any extra attention, and even then it was because I was first in line at security (got the "random" grope-down for being prompt :rolleyes:), and because the twit running the ETD didn't know what she was doing (she later accused me of breaking her ETD with my laptop). And even they didn't find the knife, which was right inside a pocket in my laptop bag!

A friend of mine cleared security several times with a folding 5" knife as well ... he'd forgotten it was there, and underwent secondaries & gate screenings several times (at EWR, AHN, and MEM, IIRC) and cleared security at least four times total. They never found that knife.

We went through security and my fiance had forgotten to check his swiss army knife. They stopped him and said "you have a corkscrew in your bag" - notice not knife - corkscrew. Much to his dismay(it was a gift) they pulled the offending corkscrew out of his bag and we were allowed to continue on. I guess they worry about the security of unopened wine bottles on the plane...?

FWIW, corkscrews are allowed, at least in TSA jurisdictions:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...ted-items.shtm

I have done this several times (accidentally as well).

TSA screening is all for show.

You aren't the only one....

Its surprising how much they probably would not catch.

Add yourself to the watch list.... :rolleyes: