Metal objects in carry on bag
 

What's the rules on having metal objects in your carry on - does it set off a metal detector or is it more the type of object it is when going through x-ray? Should anything made of metal, chrome, etc. be put in checked baggage or does it just depend?

There are no rules pertaining to just metal objects, or non metallic objects, it shouldn't matter if it sets off the metal detector or not, because all bags go through the x-ray. It all depends on what the item is. A computer would be no problem, but a baseball bat would.

Check with the TSA website or whatever appropriate security agency in the country you live in for the list of restricted or banned items.

Some objects that contain metal are valuable and the airline has no liability if you put them in a checked bag. Put them in carry-on, but have them where you can easily grab them and get them out to show if the officer has a question about your bag. I have some large pieces of silver jewelry that invariably show up on the X-ray and have to be taken out by hand. One of them is a long silver eagle feather. I imagine it looks like a small knife or blade on the X-ray. They just have to see it to know what it is.

Some of them want to search the bag themselves, when they see something on the X-ray. Then I just kind of point and explain, It's probably in that pocket to the side there. Anything to help smooth the process along. Sometimes I put the jewelry bag out separately, but I don't know if that's better. Occasionally those small jewelry bins flip over and I worry that the chain could get caught in something. So usually I do leave it in the carry-on but in an accessible, easy to find place.

I got stopped in Sydney on a hand check for the little sewing kit from the hotel there was a great debate if two sewing needles were dangerous but I got to keep it when I said "can I have the thread I've run out of those colors at home". I told the fellow sitting next to me he was in danger of waking up with pierced ears.