I'm confused. I carry a small, mini sized Swiss Army knife with me almost always, in some pocket or other. By habit, when I reach the check in desk at an airport, it goes in to my hold luggage, as I'd always assumed that you couldn't take them through the security scanners.
However, twice this year I've forgotten and left it in my pocket, only noticing much later on. No alarms went off, no lights flashed. Both times at pretty major international hubs. So, what's the score? Can you take a small knife on a plane or not?
No.
No. You just got lucky. If found it would have been confiscated at best.
(In Scotland any knife being carried must have a blade less than 3" long which does not lock unless covered by exceptions like tools of trade etc.)
I have the same kind of knife, and it stays in my carry on, never had an issue with it. But then I use a small allen key set as a decoy.
I thought it was the sequel to snakes on't plane.
both of which would be confiscated if found.
Allen keys have been looked at a few times and let through
I suppose it's the "if found" bit that confuses me. My belt buckle sometimes sets the scanner off, so surely a knife should too?
Mrs carlosg once went throught customs with a safety blade that she used for opening boxes in the warehouse she worked in ,it passed through the xray machine and wasn't picked up . It was only whilst going through the bag while on the plane that we found it!
Usual scenario is....
"can I look in your bag Sir"
open bag, "ah, this must have shown up" show allen key set
micro rummage through bag
"ok, fine Sir"
minature swiss army knife remains in bag.
I know - I'm such a renegade.
I lost a very nice leatherman to airport security at Berlin. Totally forgot I had it in my laptop bag, already checked my luggage and running late.
are all metal detectors made equal? Only we have a 'wand' at work which gets belt buckles and similar size stuff but doesn't get the 10" plate and 10 or so screws in my leg. Do they only work on some metals/alloys? I am beginning to wonder if they are still in there!
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Spyderco Squeak: UK legal carry, non-locking blade, the finger notches stop the blade closing on your fingers.
You still have to carry it in your hold luggage on a plane, though.
Does carbon fibre show up in a scanner?
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Neither of those have a bottle opener! Or a screwdriver/nail file/etc....
Screws and bolts in body won't set off a scanner, that's just urban myth!
Neither of those have a bottle opener! Or a screwdriver/nail file/etc....
Produce carbon fibre knife at random foreigner - "Oi, peasant, hand over your bottle opener/screwdriver/nail file"
That Spyderco knife looks like its got something that enables me to clip it to my belt. Wow.
Want.
the carbon one clips to your belt too, you'd be right deadly then...
and a thousand international man-of-action illusions crumple and blow away in the wind 🙁CaptainFlashheart - Member
.../nail file...
Darcy, seen earlier...
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🙂 @ Scaredy!
I have been through airports several times with leatherman mini on my keyring (in carry on bag). Keep forgetting to leave it at home, one day it will be binned by an overzealous scanner person.
The carbon fibre one too? 😮
*swoons*
Question for the posh people - don't you get metal cutlery down the front of the plane anyway ?
Scaredy, yes you do. In both business and first. 🙂
On the Rapiscan machines, the operator sees a dark patch where any dense materials are found (ie steel). A blade is a very identifiable shape, but a Leatherman will show up as a dark splat. If they can't identify it as something suspicious, they'll leave it alone.
You'll loose it though, if they do decide to have a look. It's much better off in hold baggage.
And don't try it in the States, either - you'll be shot!
so then we're relying on "fear of being considered a bad egg" to stop them all from mass butchery ?yes you do. In both business and first
body scanners set off on metal, but also on a random basis too. i'd rather just not loose my possessions. mind, some of the scandinavian security staff are properly hot... 😛
Scaredy, yes you do. In both business and first.
i stole a spoon...
I suppose the thinking is that terrorists won't/can't afford to fly up the comfy end! 🙂
Duffer, one of them was a US airport!
You used to see big tubs of confiscated pointy things at airports always full of Gerbers, Leathermans etc, must be heartbreaking to lose on of those.
Can't really see the point in banning small pocket knives really. You could easily fashion something like a garrotte from shoelaces and a pen or something though, if you wanted. In fact someone bent of killing/terrorism would easily find enough stuffs on an aeroplane that they could kill/create terror with tbh.
don't you get metal cutlery down the front of the plane anyway ?
Easy then; nip into first class, slice up someone like Flashy (got to show you mean business or they'll just think you're a mental), grab an air hostess as hostage; et voila- plane hijacked. 🙂
If they can't identify it as something suspicious, they'll leave it alone.
Shouldn't something that isn't easily identifiable as being suspicious automatically be treated with suspicion?
Duffer, one of them was a US airport!
Have a quick look outside your house - is there a suspiciously non-descript black car up the road, with two men in suits inside? Does it look like there's a sniper on a nearby tall building?
Duffer, I live near both MI5 and 6, so yes, there's often that outside! 🙂
I suppose the thinking is that terrorists won't/can't afford to fly up the comfy end!
Well if I was a suicide bomber id be in 1st, It'd be on the credit card
Yeah, ittud be a bit daft, on a 'non-return' flight, to only book cattle class, woo't it? 😕
Shouldn't something that isn't easily identifiable as being suspicious automatically be treated with suspicion?
Of course not. There's no point causing inconvenience to law abiding travellers when a terrorist's luggage is so easy to identify.
A terrorist's rucksack :
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why would a terrorist use a clear plastic rucksack?
What I could never understand is the ban on nail files. If you could take over a plane with a nail file, you deserve the bloody thing! As for flying back, I've had an M9 Bayonet in my daysack & an oppo had 4 charged magazines (30 rds each) and 2 Phosphorous grenades. All by mistake of course. Although this was a military flight, however I don't know whether thats a strike against the scanners or the RAF bod manning it.
What I could never understand is the ban on nail files.
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And you being military too.
Last time I flew from LGW (coulda been EDI actually), I'm sure I read that small knives with blades less than 6cm (coulda been 4cm long) are now allowed in carry on luggage.
Mebe regs have changed?
Where did my post go?
why would a terrorist use a clear plastic rucksack?
So's they can check at a glance see if they've packed everything they need, rather than having to dig through all the stuffs/have to tip it all out again.
Easy then; nip into first class, slice up someone like Flashy (got to show you mean business or they'll just think you're a mental), grab an air hostess as hostage; et voila- plane hijacked.
After that post, it might not just be STW that Fred's banned from 😯
terrorists [i][b]have[/b][/i] to use a clear rucksack because they carry liquids, duuuh 🙄
Transparent luggage is not a good idea if packing a special toy for night-time use though.
It can make waiting by the luggage carousel a tad stressful.
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Remember back in 2007 queuing at AirNZ security in Christchurch. Guy in front of me goes
'oh bol****s I've still got a blade on me'
to the guard. He then looks at normal sized Swiss army knife and goes,
'ah it's only a wee one, on you go'
Compare that with my friend who had her Polo Mallet taken off her on the next connecting flight from Auckland.
How are you going to swing a polo mallet in a plane?
'ah it's only a wee one, on you go'
Clearly had a different security / checkin person than the arrogant cow the wife and I had the misfortune to deal with at chch. Wife's bag 9kg, mine 26kg. Despite that never being an issue when flying with anyone else, she really did want to charge me excess, until I pointed out she could always keep the queue behind me waiting whilst I moved a couple of pairs of jeans over, or stop being such an idiot.
She took the latter option, after I pointed out that I'd never had this issue with proper airlines before.
Pity, I'd heard many good things about AirNZ.
i'dve thought it should have been picked up.
had a magic wand on the doors we used on random nights....if it could pick up woman's underwires, surely it should get a knife
Best thing about AirNZ was the wine. Don't think anybody would try and hijack any of their planes either as the air hosts were mainly male and all looked like rugby players on the few flights I've done with them.
Bit of a change from the usual trolley dollies
Deadly, the Squeak can have the wire clip on either side, depending on how you carry it. Some Spyderco knives also allow tip up or tip down carry. Once upon a time they sold a little knife, blade about 2" long, like this one:
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Called a Co-Pilot, as it was the only knife you could carry onto a plane.
Not any longer, and now discontinued. I've got one, but I don't carry it any more in case I lose it. They go for silly prices now, on eBay, not that an eBay sale from the US would be allowed to the UK.
Lovely, ergonomic little knives, very useful. You can buy a Squeak for around £44 in the UK.
http://www.handyniknaks.co.uk/spyderco-knives-squeak-knife-black-frn-c154pbk-5192-p.asp
I think the over-riding question here is that whilst I can see you may occasionally carry something on a plane by mistake in a bag you use day-to-day, why do you all have knives in the first place?
To cut things, innit?
Aside from air hostesses in a hijack attempt, what else do you need to cut?
A friend of mine travels with a key knife attached to there keys
and is about 3 inches long. Looks something like this.
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😯
Y'know, up until now, my general view of airport security was that it existed to keep us all afraid... Now i'm not so sure!
Rule is up to 6cm IS allowed but it is not enforced consistently. i.e. shorty may be taken off you.
Since the rule was relaxed I have flown weekly from Heathrow with a 'swiss card' which includes a short knife. Now and then security have taken a look at it but been happy to let it through.
I flew from Birmingham last week and they confiscated the blade saying up to 6cm did not apply to blades in knives but only scissors.
I kicked up a fuss but was never going to win so. Have written a letter to Birmingham airport asking why the guidelines are not being enforced consistently.
I guess it's 'flyer' beware.
db
ps - the key knife I think is totally illegal as are pen kives etc in the uk.
Pen Knives aren't illegal, people just don't understand the restrictions.
Knives in the UK - you need to have a reasonable excuse for carrying one unless its a small non locking one.
My mother has had several knives taken off her at airports - she used to carry a 5" opinal locknife. Biologist by trade, a knife is a tool of her trade for collecting samples but she is lucky not to be prosecuted IMO
I think the over-riding question here is that whilst I can see you may occasionally carry something on a plane by mistake in a bag you use day-to-day, why do you all have knives in the first place?
To fuel their Rambo-esque wet dreams
As an aside, I can't make a return journey on a plane without being stopped and searched at least one way. It's never, ever happened where I didn't at least get pulled to one side and patted down. I've even been taken away to a room where they questioned me at length. Nothing has ever been found on me, they've never given a reason for doing it, just a random check. God knows how many plane journeys I've made but there you go.
I went on a journey to Hong Kong once, very urgent repair and install job. Hand luggae was all I needed because it was a 24 hour job but I did have tools in there. Screwdrivers, snips, 81's, some DVD's and data tapes. I explained what they were for but that was enough to arose their suspicions. They confiscated my entire bag!
It's not that random if if happens to me every time is it?
My wife and son think it's hilarious but it's a right ball ache.
Anyway, as a result I'll never take anything that could be considered even remotely dodgy in my hand luggage because they will find it, guaranteed.
As an aside, I can't make a return journey on a plane without being stopped and searched at least one way. It's never, ever happened where I didn't at least get pulled to one side and patted down.
Strikes me that you are on a 'list'. I would be trying all sorts of freedom of information requests etc if I were you, although I have no idea how much luck you would have, what with 'national security' an' all...
Aside from air hostesses in a hijack attempt, what else do you need to cut?
Small pieces of fruit, possibly.
Small pieces of fruit, possibly.
Anyone who needs a knife to eat fruit in public, is either, an attention seeking Ray Mears wannabe,
Or possibly a time traveller from a previous century
😉
I would always have a knife when going on holiday - usually just a Swiss army one. Very useful for preparing picnics
Small pieces of fruit, possibly.
Perhaps you've been in more fights than me, Fred, but I've still got all my teeth, which seem to do this job just fine...
I've still got all me teeth, and they're sound; not a single filling! Never had a toothache. 
Why are people so hung up on the tools others carry about with them? I don't carry a knife generally, cos I don't need one. Sometimes I carry a small Leatherman multi-tool, which has things like pliers and screwdrivers on it as well as a small knife. No big deal. Quite a handy thing to have, if yer going on holiday somewhere. Number of times I've used the thing when camping and that makes it pretty indispensable.
I'd bung it in me hold luggage though, cos as I've said, I don't actually need a knife if I want to hijack a plane... 🙄
....... Leatherman........Quite a handy thing to have, if yer going on holiday somewhere.......
Agree with that, and always take mine on holiday, and have one in the car, and one in my seat pack on the bike.
But to risk losing it by sneaking it onto a plane (despite knowing if it's found, it's gone) seems a bit daft.
How many people have had their enjoyment of a flight ruined by the lack of a pocket knife ?
.
(I've got all my teeth too. 39 years old, never had a filling and can open beer bottles with my teeth ) 😉
No course you don't need them on the plane itself, but people have them in pockets and forget about them, and can end up losing them.
How many hijackings have actually bin foiled since the knife/pointy things ban?
Y'know, up until now, my general view of airport security was that it existed to keep us all afraid...
I woon't be changing that point of view any time soon.
The ban on things is just to help 'reassure' people that flying is still relatively safe. 'We're doing this for your own safety'. No, you're doing this to help people have more confidence in air travel so's you can maintain ticket sales and profits. It's little more than a PA exercise. It's actual effectiveness in preventing hijacks is probably negligible and certainly not worth the fuss.
Granted, security measures are improved, but not cos of the knife/pointy things ban. They've improved cos technology has improved, as well as knowledge of how terrorism is carried out on 'planes an ting.
Oh, and the longer you spend in an airport (cos of the increased security checks), the longer you have to browse the duty free shops....
Surely the only way to eat fruit is with a proper fruit knife, no?
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Love to see anyone try and take a plane down with one of these...
Drac - when I said pen knife I meant a knife looking like a pen.
Illegal afaik same as key knives.
Have a look at...
http://www.bkcg.co.uk/guide/prohibited/
db
So looking at the above fine collection of blades
we simply have no chance whilst flying
Nope. We're probbly all doomed.
Oh whell.
I fly with what I suspect is an identical Swiss Army knife and have never had problems at security.
I read an article written by a Mossad guy once about the holes in airport security, he said that all that security x-ray, shoes off etc stuff is just to make people feel better. A bit like the safety drills. I mean, really, do you think that the mask popping down and giving you oxygen is really going to help. I'm not betting my life on the "floatation cushion in case of an emergency water landing", either.
I got all the way to my seat once on an international flight, and some Italian bird was sat there with a boarding pass in her hand with my name on it, due to some check-in error. At least 3 people must have looked at that and her passport, and not one noticed the different name. (British Airways, if we are judging)
Used to have a small swiss army knife, one blade, corkscrew, bottle opener. Forgot it was in my rucksac and had it confiscated at Girona airport.
Seemed reasonable to me, didnt those chaps hijack the 9/11 planes with box/stanley knives?
If I had to take over a plane I would rather have a pen knife than a bottle of water.!
didnt those chaps hijack the 9/11 planes with box/stanley knives?
Pft. As I've said, you could just as easily improvise a whole array of deadly weapons with stuffs commonly found aboard most commercial passenger aircraft. The alleged hijackers in that case were apparently highly trained in the use of all sorts of nastiness, so I doubt very much that a knife ban would deter them all that much. Prisoners in jails seem to be able to fashion weapons out of all sorts too.
Personally, I'd use a dinner tray and The Power of The Sith....
Aside from air hostesses in a hijack attempt, what else do you need to cut?
Christ, how long a list do you want? Ever tried cutting a zip tie with a pair of scissors, or your teeth? How about the stupidly thick moulded packaging that memory cards come in? Or overhanging brambles and briars when out riding? Pallet strapping, thick cardboard, trimming back torn fingernails...
I use a Rolson utility knife at work that has Stanley blades in, and it's handy for all sorts of stuff, even taking the blade out for scraping tape and labels off stuff, the blunt edge has been used as a screwdriver.
What I can't understand is how anyone can manage [i]without[/i] a pocket knife of some sort. A good knife and a Sharpie are two things I just can't manage without, I very rarely ever need a multitool, and I have a couple in my courier bag just in case.
Aside from air hostesses in a hijack attempt, what else do you need to cut?
Christ, how long a list do you want? Ever tried cutting a zip tie with a pair of scissors, or your teeth? How about the stupidly thick moulded packaging that memory cards come in? Or overhanging brambles and briars when out riding? Pallet strapping, thick cardboard, trimming back torn fingernails...
Well you certainly keep yourself occupied whilst on a plane flight, that's for sure.
And that's not even the whole list.