Knives in checked baggage?
May 20, 2016, 8:50 am
#1
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Knives in checked baggage?
I am cooking a large dinner tomorrow night and I have to fly to the location. I want to bring my knives as I know the host location will not have proper kitchen knives. My set comes in a fitted case that looks like an attache case.
Advice?
Advice?
May 20, 2016, 9:21 am
#3
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The ex-husband of one of my nieces was a professional chef. He often traveled with a set of knives in a checked bag. Once an agent had a problem with it. He had her call a supervisor over. The supervisor asked the agent what damage, exactly, she thought he could do with knives in a suitcase in the hold. She couldn't think of any. Then the supervisor told her to check his bag.
So, if you run into that same agent's cousin, just ask for a supervisor.
So, if you run into that same agent's cousin, just ask for a supervisor.
May 20, 2016, 9:57 am
#4
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The only real risk is of theft. I am hesitant to check my knives for that reason (as some would be difficult to replace easily, and many cost several hundred $$ each).
May 20, 2016, 11:47 am
#5
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I've frequently packed knives in my checked bags. For my own protection, and that of my clothing, the blades are always very well wrapped.
May 21, 2016, 1:07 am
#6
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2) If they're as expensive as I'm guessing, I'd worry a bit about theft. Might be worth double-bagging the case with clothes around it in a larger suitcase, which won't help from TSA sticky fingers or a professional but might lead a casually larcenous person to overlook it.
--
More generally, I always travel with a pocket knife in my checked bag if I'm checking.
May 22, 2016, 9:29 am
#7
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May 22, 2016, 4:10 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Some hole
Posts: 2,783
Regardless of what I'm bringing in checked luggage, aside from a lock, I add a cable tie for added security. I know that they can open the bag by law, but at least I know that if the tie has been cut, they went through my stuff.
May 23, 2016, 9:36 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2005
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Several times (as we're upgrading our home kitchen eqpt) we've brought knives from Japan in checked baggage w/o any problem. Latest was earlier this year; a cleaver from the Aritsugu store in Kyoto.
May 25, 2016, 7:57 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2006
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They're really not that weird (at least the carry rules - the law prohibiting selling a bread knife to a 17 year old is a bit much). In reality, if you have a good reason to be carrying the knife/knives, you're totally fine. Nobody's going to create difficulty for someone carrying a whole set of cooking knives in their luggage. Carrying a chef's knife under your jacket, a bigger issue.