Baby packing steel

Gollnick

Gollnick

Musical Director
Joined
Mar 22, 1999
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Look what TSA found at Austin-Bergstom International Airport in Austin, Tx.

KNIFE_AT_NORTH_CHECKPOINT_hidden.jpg


Looks like a baby seat, doesn't it?

But there's more:

KNIFE_AT_NORTH_CHECKPOINT_Hidden2.jpg


Apparently, baby's expecting trouble!

KNIFE_AT_NORTH_CHECKPOIN_Exposed.jpg
 
That looks like a Cold Steel CAT to me. If so, it's some kind of super synthetic that not suposed to show up in X-Rays. No matter what it is, I'm still suprised someone would try to sneak anything like that on board a plane.

Did they claim that they needed it "just in case" because it's so close to 9/11?

Jim
 
I'm guessing he had some kind of fantasy going where when the terrorists attacked, he would pull that out of its hiding place and save the day.

The "going to jail" part probably didn't have much of a role in that fantasy.:D
 
Originally posted by JimConnell
That looks like a Cold Steel CAT to me. If so, it's some kind of super synthetic that not suposed to show up in X-Rays. No matter what it is, I'm still suprised someone would try to sneak anything like that on board a plane.

Did they claim that they needed it "just in case" because it's so close to 9/11?

Jim
Click to expand...

Yes, it is a CAT Tanto.
But, wait, hold on just a minute - "some kind of super synthetic thats not supposed to show up on x-ray"? Are you joking?
To the best of my knowledge there is no material around that cannot be seen by an X-ray. SOme things look just like lumps, or cannot be seen *through* by an x-ray, but I am not aware of a single material that an x-ray cannot pick-up in some fashion.
The CAT Tanto, like the Delta Dart, The CIA Letter Opener, the Executive Letter Opener and the Executive Ice Scraper is made from a plastic material generally called Zytel. Sometimes its re-inforced with fiberglass, but its still a Zytel type polymer. Very much like FRN on the handles of Spyderco knives, or Zytel (theres that word again) on CRKT handles. It is most definately viewable by x-ray.
What it isnt is detectable by metal detectors, I.E. those things that sense metallic objects under clothing/other material. Why? Because its plastic. Any other type of detector, wave resonance imaging or x-ray will definately see it.
Also, as non-metallic materials go, zytel is a piss poor choice. The best is of course Mirage X ceramic ALA Mad Dog. But, G-10 and Carbon Fiber are in and of themselves very superior to zytel in edge capabilities, and in strength/deformation resistance. Zytel is softer than plastic picnic knives.
So no, a super secret x-ray proof synthetic it is not.
But of course, people think it is... and its thinking like that which makes even the CAT tanto illegal in places like california.

But hey, I guess Glocks are made of ceramic too. :rolleyes:
 
My guess is it's some sort of horrible divorce/custody situation. The baby was being taken to spend a court-ordered summer with the hated non-custodial parent. But, the baby was secretly plotting to murder the hated non-custodial parent. Good thing TSA found the knife.
 
Lead actually shows up really well in xrays, because it completely stops the beam and shows up a a big black object. I suppose if you shaped it to look like the side of a container that was almost as dense you might not see it. Would depend on the viewer I suppose.

Synthetics will get past the metal detectors, but not xray units (again, depending on the viewer). So our wannabe superhero should have kept it on him so it wasn't xrayed. If you want something the xray won't see, you need something very low density (like styrofoam) which won't attenuate the beam. It basically looks like air to the machine. Of course, it's tough for styrofoam to hold a good edge.

Ah, the joys of flying...

Greg
(your friendly neighborhood radiation physicist)
 
Plastic snaps. Thats what the sheath really needs.

Too bad they x-ray all non wearable objects. Especially baby seats....
 
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