On my way home from 6 months in europe, flying all over the place domestically and internationally, I found out I still had scalpals in my carry on - the whole time :eek: They made me throw a metal pen out - but I still had scalpal blades.

(btw I'm a scientist, and my carry on bag is also my work bag - I'm not a psycho I swear!)

I went through 1/2 a dozen times before noticing a straight blade razor, on a handle, that I'd left in my shaving bag. Just for fun I popped a couple more into the same bag for my next few trips.

They never batted an eyebrow.

It's all arbitrary but I've heard the Utili-key passes without a hitch usually. I've got one, too, and will try it. I will take a padded SASE with me to mail it in case they object to it. The blade on that thing is less than an inch long (rather sharp though). One is allowed to take pointed metal scissors up to four inch but not even the smallest blade. That is so brainless. Separate the scissors and you got two 4" blades. Besides that an ordinary ball point pen can kill somebody if you are brutal enough. Actually you'd have to stab the same place as with the knife, it would just make things a bit harder.

Straight blade razor blades (the flat ones that go in the old razors, not the classic Sweeney Todd style) are allowed afaik.

I often need a small knife blade for my work when traveling. A lot of my snotty attitude regarding TSA is the utter stupidity of the "no knife of any kind but scissors are OK" rule and their inability to discover the knife I've taken in my carry-on every trip for the past 4 years.

I know there are many fine TSA employees, but as an agency it can be summed up with the phrase "arrogant stupidity coupled with consistent ineptitude".

I tried doing the exact same thing the OP suggested, only to have it confiscated. Sad to say the inconsistency here doesn’t surprise me.

I second T-the-B. Who knows? Maybe that will get better in the new administration. Hope is almost as powerful as fear.

Doubt it. They'd probably just tell you to get rid of it, leave the bag behind or go buy a bus ticket :rolleyes:

He's talking about chaining it inside his CHECKED bag.

A relative has been doing this for several years, still has the same Swiss Army knife with length of chain welded to the built-in loop. Luggage must have an internal frame for the chain to be locked around.

However, TSA once cut off a small luggage padlock INSIDE MY CHECKED BAG that wasn't preventing access to anything (it was to lock my bag in the only hotel I'd been able to get at destination, nasty and insecure), so YMMV.

I have also thought about this situation. We're seeking ways to secure small objects in our checked baggage. Securing the items to the inside of the suitcase is not an option; the TSA people will pry it loose and/or the airline luggage handlers will merely rip it out (it's amazing how many airports do not have video coverage of the baggage areas). TSA people are also notorious for digging through luggage like invading Huns, then putting the wrong stuff back into other people's bags. I'd suggest using a heavy clear wrap that bundles items together. The honest inspectors will be able to see the items and the dishonest ones will have to spend extra time pulling apart the wrap, since the bundled items can not be fit into a lunch box. If you want to present a more challenging entry for the TSA and airline employee looters, visit a Home Depot or other hardware store and get some (I kid you not) flexible plastic fencing designed to keep animals away from gardens and shrubs. I'm sure the plastic is x-ray transparent (although it might make an interesting design on the Xray) but it is too tough to tear with bare hands. One more thing. Another FlyTalk member had a great idea: print out an inventory list of everything in the suitcase and paste it on the inside lid of the suitcase and/or the top of the suitcase contents. It lets the TSA and the airline thieves know that you know what you packed and that you will be doing inventory at the conclusion of your trip.

Now that spawns an interesting idea..... At my home airport, BNA, the Southwest check in process often involves the passenger lugging his own bag to the TSA area. I wonder what kind of reaction I'd get if, when I handed my bag over, I asked the loader to sign my itemized receipt? :D

Because management are a$$holes. Trust us, most of us are smart folks at our checkpoint, and we disagree with most policies... but due to the lovely CCTV that sits in the managers officers we can't get away with breaking policy.

What the suits want, the suits get. :rolleyes:

As with any organization, government or corporate, it's the management who are incompetent morons who love powertripping and don't have any regular floor experience, if they actually worked on the floor, then they'd see how stupid some of their policies and directives are.

I've had a 2.5" folding knife on my keychain. The first few flights, I didn't realize it was on there and after I did I decided to see how long it'd go before they took it (it's a $10 cheapo). I've now flown for two years and about 140,000 miles with it. TSA has never so much as looked at it. But they do check out my jar of hair gel ALL THE TIME and scrutinize it's fluid volume capacity closely. Funny thing -- whenever I see the photos of the terrorists from 9/11, they don't seem to have particularly well-groomed hair. Something doesn't add up here.

peace,
~Ben~

I would like to see a picture of this.

TSA - Terrorist Screening America

TSA - Terrorist Service Association