Carry Knife on Airplane?

B

bass

Joined
Dec 13, 2000
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32
If there is anyone out there who can help I would really appreciate it. All I want to do is carry a 4" closed Case stockman with a 3" main blade onto my airplane that is leaving from the Los Angeles Airport. I called the airport police and they said that I could absolutely not. Are they just trying to scare me or is it not legal to carry an otherwise legal knife in California on the plane. Any ideas about how to get it on the plane?
 
Don't worry about the rentacops, just make sure that when you put your wallet into the tray, cover up your knife with your wallet/change anything. Or you could just pack it with your luggage/carryon.
 
bass, don't hide it. Either put it in your check-in luggage or leave it out for them to see. If they find it "hidden" they'll just get suspicious and obnoxious.

There are a lot of threads on this. Basically, if the blade is only a few inches, with no serrations, and you aren't making a big deal over it, they won't hassle you. If they do, ask for a supervisor.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. I have carried knives on airplanes for years now but I got worried when I read a thread here a few months ago that LA Airport was cracking down. The last time I was at LAX I wanted to carry on my CRKT Small Kasper and I chickened out when I saw a sign at the security gate with a picture of a knife and several other items that were supposed to be "threatening" with a red circle around them crossed out. That is the only reason why I am concerned. Heard anything on LAX specifically. Thanks again for the replies. If there are any police on the site I would appreciate your input as well. Thank you.
 
its an unoffensive,sheeple friendly stockman,i wouldnt worry.just throw it in the basket with your change,wallet,keys,.45,asp baton,stun gun,pepper spray,etc
biggrin.gif


seriously,pack it in your carry on, or just throw it in the bucket.
if you do get worried again,check it.chances are it will be in your luggage when you get to where your going.
 
Take a few minutes and explore the search feature here at bladeforums.com. You can dig up several threads related to this offering explainations and practical advice.


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Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.balisongcollector.com
 
Best to be prepared by having a 5 x 7 bubble wrap envelope with a couple of bucks worth of stamps. You can always have the "offending" knife mailed back home. Get the supervisor to do it for you.
 
What happens if you have a fixed blade in you in hold luggage and are going in and out of the UK? Will they take those as well?

W.A.

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"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!
Founding president and member number 1! Wana join?
 
It should be a folding, sigle edge, non-serrated blade 3 inches or less. Most airports allow 4 inches but some airlines only allow 3.
 
There seems to be no hard and fast rules as to what is allowed and what is not. I have read all sorts of responses that mention that a 3" blade on a folder is OK. There are no knives that are "OK". Each and every airport seems to make their own decisions and rules. Especially during times of higher security (as is going on now, since the air raids on Iraq). Also, if you get into a lengthy discussion and ask to speak to a superior, all that you might accomplish is missing your flight.

Check your blade with your luggage or leave it at home, is my personal opinion.
 
After going through this several times (and mailing my share of blades back home) I've found that carrying a sub-3" plain-edge blade with a pocket clip (small Seb, Spydie Rookie, etc) raises no eyebrows when used as a money clip. Simply throw it in the basket with your keys, and walk right through. It helps if the money covers the whole side of the knife, and place it money-side up in the basket.
 
The FAA regs say up to 4", but it also has that 'threatening/menacing' appearance clause, so it can be arbitrary. It maight be helpful to find the actual reg and print a copy & take it with you. Serations are generally percieved a 'threatening', though obviously very desirable if you had to free yourself from a ammed seatbelt. A trick I've used with my KISS and AFCK is to use the clip to hold a few $$ bills and then putit in the bucket with your keys & change - the minimimum wage morons in security will not touch money.
Good luck, M2
 
I usually put my knives in checked luggage. But I usually have a SAK and a Gerber LST in my carry on stuff. They never seem to cause problems. I would be amazed if someone gave you trouble over a medium stockman. The best rule of thumb is blades less than 3 inches, No serrations at all, and always open a liner-lock the Two handed way if asked to display the blade. Don't flick it open.

Basically, the FAA says All Weapons are prohibited. Technically, there is a 4 inch length allowance, but that is enforced differently in different cities. If the airport is in a city or state where blade lengths must be under 3 inches, that is the biggest you will be allowed to carry on board.

So what you are up against is someone trying to decide if your knife could be used as a Weapon. The Scary factor is the biggest issue. If you have any question about it, put the knife in checked luggage and it will be there for you when you arrive.

Paracelsus
 
I have a business trip to Italy coming up and I am debating whether I can get away with bringing my plain edged SS Dragonfly. A couple of months ago on the same trip I was stopped in Genoa when someone saw my Leatherman Micra through the x-ray machine, of course when he saw how big it actually was he just laughed and told me to go on. Once you get used to having a knife in your waistband you really feel naked without one.

Rick
 
Take along a handgun, and a couple of dummy hand grenades.

By the time security's finished with that, they won't even bat an eye at the knife.

Oh, don't forget to drool in a middle Eastern accent!

Off to help others,
I remain,
VG
King of Kong

(Damn, Morris, you're starting to think like me!)
 
i carry my Emmerson Commander (w/ serrations) every time I fly. I put it inside of my wallet with the flog (small 550 cord knot tied to it) hanging out of my wallet. The security people usually question what it is and I say "my knife" and put it in my pocket...
nothing has ever come of it. Do not hide it, but don't go dropping it in open sight either...
horse

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"Fear is for the enemy.
Fear and Bullets."
 
You guys think a Spydie Wenger Mouse knife is O.K. everywhere?
rolleyes.gif


[This message has been edited by Tactical (edited 02-18-2001).]
 
my current plane carry knife is a buck nxt its blade is about 2.5 inches i leave it and all other metal object in one of my coat pockets and send that thru the x ray no problems so far but hey i live in wv where a male person over the age of 5 without a blade is so rare that they get put in museums.
 
Just got back from JFK to pick up a ticket at the Delta terminal. The guys ahead of me were shedding their belts & one guy had his boots off. I was thinking that this was a little unusual- but I guess they kept "beeping". They were a little annoyed & voiced their displeasure, which probably didn't make the security folks very happy. I dumped 2 sets of keys, change & a Spyderco Rookie in the tray & strolled through- the "security" people didn't even glance into the tray. We'll see what happens when I fly out next week.

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"Never give a sword to a man who can't dance" (Celtic Proverb)
AKTI# A000107
 
I just recently flew from SF in to O'Hare, then Albany NY, and then out of NYC back to SF. I tossed a spyderco dragon fly in the basket and no one was bothered by it. Flying internationally is quite different. Last year, the same knife (the dragon fly) was taken from me flying out of Switzerland. They put it in a small envelope (like a Fedx letter), and gave it to me at the end of the flight, but the bottom line is that it isn't the law, and it isn't even the airport, it is the individual security guard who calls the shots. Sure you can argue, but it probably won't do you any good.
 
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