Checking in knives

[CQC15]

I have heard horror stories about knives going missing from checked baggage. Is it mainly theft or removed by TSA due to legal issues?

If stolen, can you file a claim with the airline for reimbursement?

If taken by TSA, do they confiscate it? contact you to return?

What steps do you take to prevent theft?

 

[Georgia Guy]

If confiscated at a checkpoint they strong arm you by saying we can take it and you can go or we can give you a receipt and you can show up for later receive a fine and get your knife back. If it is stolen you can file a report with the airline and they will replace it but don't be in a hurry. Also keep the sales receipts for proof you owned it and how much i cost. To prevent theft your guess is as good as mine I have been lucky so far so I don't know.

 

[Marion David Poff]

If confiscated at a checkpoint they strong arm you by saying we can take it and you can go or we can give you a receipt and you can show up for later receive a fine and get your knife back. If it is stolen you can file a report with the airline and they will replace it but don't be in a hurry. Also keep the sales receipts for proof you owned it and how much i cost. To prevent theft your guess is as good as mine I have been lucky so far so I don't know.

Ship your knives ahead, for long trips...

For short trips, make your first stop a knife store, and buy a new knife.

Marion

 

[Josh K]

Check your baggage and lock it. If they want to open it up and examine it say you want to be present.

 

[dinozzo]

What i do when im flying is im my bag that is checked i put my knives in the inner zip pocket of my Dopp kit that is stuffed full of crap so they would have to empty the dopp kit and then empty all the stuff thats in the zip pocket to get to them, and the dopp kit its self is all he way at the bottom under shoes and stuff... i mean they have to be extremely dedicated to find them which they are not usually...ive never had them open up the dopp kit so i dont think they ever will...

 

[cgmblade]

There is one forumite, who may drop in later, who posted that he zip tied his knives to something solid like the suitcase frame to prevent theft.

 

[puukkoman]

Check your baggage and lock it. If they want to open it up and examine it say you want to be present.

This.
Also, if your knife goes missing from your checked baggage, it's theft. You're allowed to check knives in your bag without declaring them.

 

[unit]

Check your baggage and lock it. If they want to open it up and examine it say you want to be present.

I saw a video once that showed how TSA bypasses your locked luggage through various means. I am unsure how real/factual the video was, but I can attest to the fact that my luggage has been searched by TSA (as evidenced by the note they left in the bag informing me to that effect) and the bag was locked with a padlock that was a considerable upgrade from your typical luggage locks. They got in somehow, and I was never given any option to be present.

Not trying to start an argument here, just sharing my experience. Perhaps if I had requested to be present they would have allowed it. Personally, I believe that they would do as they see fit and not give a rip if I wanted to be present of not...Sucks to feel that way, but I do.

I prefer the advice to ship the knives for long trips, and for short trips purchase a "disposable" blade at your destination. You will zip through security and have a more relaxed trip with fewer hassles.

 

[CWL]

Check your baggage and lock it. If they want to open it up and examine it say you want to be present.

You do not have that right.

By flying in a public airline, you automatically give-up the right to privacy of your checked-in luggage. The airlines and TSA suggest that you leave your baggage unlocked or use TSA-approved locks, but it you do not, they have the legal right to open the locks in any manner they see fit. This does include cutting or ripping your bags open. I've seen bags come off the carousel completely ripped-apart and held together with TSA-marked tape.

 

[Leftoverdj]

The locks on most luggage are laughable, and theft by baggage handlers is rampant. Secure luggage is advertising that there is something worth stealing inside. Were I traveling by air, I'd have a knife I would not seriously mind losing in my checked baggage, or I'd buy at my destination.

Did get a good tip from a constant traveller. He kept a couple of self addressed padded envelopes in his briefcase, and checked himself before going through security. Anything that would not get through security went into an envelope and then into a mailbox.

 

[Josh K]

You do not have that right.

By flying in a public airline, you automatically give-up the right to privacy of your checked-in luggage. The airlines and TSA suggest that you leave your baggage unlocked or use TSA-approved locks, but it you do not, they have the legal right to open the locks in any manner they see fit. This does include cutting or ripping your bags open. I've seen bags come off the carousel completely ripped-apart and held together with TSA-marked tape.

I wasn't aware of this. That's bullshit.

 

[pinhead]

They went through my suitcase about three years ago that I had put a lock on. They must have just used bolt cutters because when it came out no lock and a note inside saying they had searched it. That was on the way back from a trip where I picked up so much junk like CD's and books and junk a family member dumped on me. I couldn't really blame them as I had just literally dumped it all in the suitcase and then locked it up. Was making a racket whenever you moved it and weighed just under 50 pounds if I remember right. Why would you want to deprive yourself of an excuse to buy a new knife anyway? Just get a new one when you get to where you are going and then send it to yourself in the mail before you return. Or you can pull a Jerry Springer special and buy it and then return it to the store before you leave when you are done with it.

 

[Ankerson]

Just do like I do and drive instead.

Man I didn't go through all that trouble even when I went through Customs a few times back in the 80's. And I took a bunch of knives and a .357 Magnum through once. They just asked me if I had any weapons or anything to declare and I told them about the weapons and they never opened my bags. But they knew I was transporting them BEFORE I got there because I let the Airport know about it before I left and they passed the word along. I was also active Military at the time.

But then that was over 25 years ago and things have changed since then.

 

[Josh K]

Get one of these:

And put one of these on it:

Let them try to cut that off or break the case open.

 

[Cisco Kid]

TSA regularly goes through my checked luggage, and I mean more than 50% of the times I check a bag. I simply lock the luggage with a zip tie. I count on having it open and don't put there anything that I can't afford to loose. Never had anything missing.

On one occasion, the TSA officer looked me in the eye and picked the bag as I checked it. I simply handed him a zip tie (always carry extras in my pocket) and asked the bag be closed with it after the search, which was done. I must look suspicious...

BTW, you all EDC a few extra zip ties, don't you?

 

[Ankerson]

TSA regularly goes through my checked luggage, and I mean more than 50% of the times I check a bag. I simply lock the luggage with a zip tie. I count on having it open and don't put there anything that I can't afford to loose. Never had anything missing.

On one occasion, the TSA officer looked me in the eye and picked the bag as I checked it. I simply handed him a zip tie (always carry extras in my pocket) and asked the bag be closed with it after the search, which was done. I must look suspicious...

BTW, you all EDC a few extra zip ties, don't you?

Nah I drive so I can transport all my automatic weapons, handguns, switchblades and other stuff. ROFL

j/k

I do refuse to fly these days though.

 

[cgmblade]

I do refuse to fly these days though.

Before 9/11 I had a rule that if I could drive it in less than 5 or 6 hours then I wouldn't fly. Now the rule is 10 to 12 hours. I'm not particularly concerned with bad guys doing nasty things I just don't like the hassle.

Fortunately my job doesn't require me to travel out of state so unless I'm crossing oceans or continents or there's some dire emergency I'd prefer to drive.

 

[Charlie Mike]

I do refuse to fly these days though.

Amen.

I protest this TSA BS by not giving the airlines my money. The last time I flied on a commercial plane was 2-04, after coming home from Iraq. Never again.

 

[Ankerson]

Amen.

I protest this TSA BS by not giving the airlines my money. The last time I flied on a commercial plane was 2-04, after coming home from Iraq. Never again.

I haven't flown since 1986.

Before 9/11 I had a rule that if I could drive it in less than 5 or 6 hours then I wouldn't fly. Now the rule is 10 to 12 hours. I'm not particularly concerned with bad guys doing nasty things I just don't like the hassle.

Fortunately my job doesn't require me to travel out of state so unless I'm crossing oceans or continents or there's some dire emergency I'd prefer to drive.

If it was overseas I would take a boat.

 

[cbxer55]

I haven't flown since 1986.

Have not been on a plane since 1992. Airliner that is. I do have a Private Pilot License and have flown small aircraft here and there without hassle. But I am VFR only, not IFR. That kind of limits when and where you can fly.