Forget about flying with your “key” knife

If flying with just carry-on luggage…one could overnight ship a folding pocketknife to destination hotel.
Upon conclusion of the trip one could then stop on the way to airport to ship the same knife back home.
With all the entertaining flight delays it might be a fun competition to see who or what arrives home first!

I had a key chain knife, about a 1.5" blade miniature Buck knife, a gift with a back story.
I also kept a P-38 can opener on my key chain.
Both are useful little tools for emergency repairs.
2017 and 2018 when I flew to Florida to visit my son and daughter-in-law, I took a separate key chain with house and car key only.
If the airliner needed emergency repair, they were were on their own.

hso said:

Got a link? I've not flown in a couple of years and I wasn't aware of this service!

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Orlando was Mail Safe Express. I've seen Airport Mailers as well which were standalone kiosks. My recommendation is to search the website of the airport you are using to see which services may be available.

We do some business in Canada. There I met a few people who were Canadian Vets. They told about returning from Afghanistan and having someone at airport security wanting to take their pocket knives when they were carrying live grenades, machines guns, and ammo on board. I travel all over. Always bring a knife with me. Not too big. Its always in checked bags. I have had friends who forgot prohibited items in their back packs. To prevent that, I always fully empty and repack before every flight. Its surprising the things your forget.

hso said:

Not sure what you're saying, but Cleavers, Sabers, and Swords are all identified as prohibited at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2003/02/14/03-3736/prohibited-items

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He's just saying that he thinks it's redundant to specifically prohibit sabers when you have already broadly prohibited swords.

I had a spork confiscated once.

Blue Jays said:

If flying with just carry-on luggage…one could overnight ship a folding pocketknife to destination hotel.
Upon conclusion of the trip one could then stop on the way to airport to ship the same knife back home.
With all the entertaining flight delays it might be a fun competition to see who or what arrives home first!

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spending $25 to check a bag is much easier, more efficient and likely cheaper in the end.

jstert said:

"…spending $25 to check a bag is much easier, more efficient and likely cheaper in the end…"

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I can count on a single hand the number of times I have ever checked luggage to go in the belly of an aircraft. Checking a bag just to accommodate a knife? No thanks.

I have one of these one my key chain & it has been through the x ray medal detectors many times.

https://www.harborfreight.com/key-s...olding-knife-57396.html?_br_psugg_q=key+knife

I've told this before. After 9/11 I had to fly. I had an automatic lead pencil on me for some work on the flight. The security person took the pencil and looked at it. She took it apart. In it was a two inch wire that you unscrewed out, put the lead in and then put the wire in it. She started to hyperventilate - Whaz Dat? Whaz Dat? - waving this wire. Finally, a National Guard captain came by - with full gear - big gun, mags, etc. and said: It holds the lead. Wha? It holds the lead - she relented and the pencil of death went on the flight.

Now, my child lost her Spyderco to TSA because she forget and Dad had to buy a new one for her.

TSA is now paying attention to flashlights with the 'killer' edges. They add nothing and are just a way to lose your light. I through my light to my PC carry case with other junk, pencils, pens and it gets through.

I have the utmost disdain for the TSA. I had a similar experience about ten years ago except it wasn't a knife that was confiscated it was my wife's re-fried beans that she was planning to eat once we got to the terminal. The TSA agent said we couldn't take it past the check point because it had liquid in it. So we complied and expected it to be thrown away. But it wasn't the fat ass TSA agent was stuffing his pie hole with what my wife was planning to have for her lunch. Needless to say I wasn't very happy or quiet about it. The whole terminal heard me.

Then there was another time I was in my dress greens and the agent made me take off my entire uniform because I had too much metal on it. I was on my way to a military funeral and was required to wear it. That didn't matter to the piece of crap she still made me take it off.

I carry a Leatherman Style PS when I fly, no blade but a small pair of pliers and a smaller pair of scissors.



My full size Leatherman and maybe a folding knife goes in my check baggage. I almost always check a bag but if I am flying I am going for a long time or its a work trip and I have a bunch of equipment I have to check.

My favorite knife/TSA story is back two or three years after 9/11 I was fly back from the west coast work trip and got to the air port too late to check my bag, due to traffic issues. I had a Gerber multi-tool in my bag I had intended to check but had to carry it on due to my late arrival. Hit security and they find the multi-tool in my bag (I had sort of forgot about it in my rush to not miss my plane). The TSA agent starts to give me flack and told me he was going to confiscate my tool and I could get in alot of trouble for trying to take a knife through security etc, I told him to keep it I just don't want to miss my flight. He looks at it a second, and said, "OK, get going." I threw my bag shut and sprinted away from security for my gate. I looked back to make sure I had grabbed everything and did so just in time to see the TSA agent drop my Gerber in his front pocket. .

I work on the flight line and even employees can't have knives. It's pretty sad when there is a HAZMAT spill and we can't even open the spill kits which are wrapped in thick celophane and we have to chase down a mechanic to open the darn things.

I've lost a couple of Leatherman Micros to the heroes of the TSA. Relax America, the government will keep you safe!

With enough airline status, checking a bag no longer costs. I check the bag because I might have multiple items I can’t bring on board. Even if I had to pay extra, it’s still worth it, although in my case it’s reimbursable. I travel one to weeks a month.

Going through security in Vancouver I had to fully empty all bags. Last trip to Germany I got pulled from the first class line, one person ahead before I was past the ticket agent. I had all my electronics tested. Phone, iPad, and two laptops. Frisked head to toe, and swabbed. Arms, legs, and belly. Airports are fun.

hso said:

You can take a picture of what you want to bring with you in the cabin, go to their Twitter or FB Messenger app, post the pic and a question if it is allowed. I recommend you print out the response and take it with you with the item you sent the picture of so you can show the response to the TSA agent if there's any question.

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Not worth a lick of good. Because this carve out follows every decision about TSA.

The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.

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I carry a key fob that stacks the keys instead of dangling. Similar to a Keybar, but cheaper. It as 5 keys on it and a small key-shaped flash drive. No knife. No sharpened edge whatsoever. A TSA officer said it looks "enough like a knife" I had to leave it behind. If I said a monkey could do the job of the TSA, I would be insulting the monkey.

Blue Jays said:

If flying with just carry-on luggage…one could overnight ship a folding pocketknife to destination hotel.

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Even cheaper is to just buy the cheapest knife you can find. Most Dollar Trees sell a small lockback or multi tool knife. I would rather get one of those and toss it in the trash bin before the TSA check point. I do that nearly every time I fly to and from NY on family trips.

dh1633pm said:

They told about returning from Afghanistan and having someone at airport security wanting to take their pocket knives when they were carrying live grenades, machines guns, and ammo on board.

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Not just Canada. Flying with the Army I boarded a civilian plane more than a few times with my rifle and sidearm. Both were checked 3 times and had a chamber flag stuck in. Scanned and searched multiple times for ammo. But we had to check all knives bigger than a Dog Tag knife (which many of us had). Even without ammo, an M4 or M9 makes a pretty nice club...

@herrwalther …good point about buying a cheapie at destination then tossing it or giving it away prior to return.

My mother used to pass the time on flights by needlepointing (doing needlepoint? Making needlepoint? Idk the correct term), after the rule changes post 9/11 they confiscated her “good pair of needlepointing scissors at airport security.

Man you have never seen a woman so miffed about a pair of scissors. It’s a good thing she had a plane to catch otherwise I would have feared for that TSA agents future.

JCooperfan1911 said:

I’ve had them confiscate a P38 can opener from inside my wallet.

If someone can successfully hijack and airliner using a P38 can opener, every single person aboard that aircraft deserves their fate.

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And here I thought those P38s were flathead and phillips screw drivers.