At New York's Custom knife show last weekend there was one individual who makes a line of "belt buckle" knives and belts to go with them. This year - for the first time, as far as I recall - he added some sort of a nonmetallic blade to his line.
As I picked one up to look at, he informed me that it was "invisible to x-rays and metal detectors" and "could be carried on an airplane." When I suggested that new FAA regs clearly state that "no knife of any material" could be carried on a plane, I was rewarded with a long harangue that ranged from his opinion of the FAA ("......those are regulations, not laws!"......!!) to the "fact" that he was selling "letter openers" not knives, and on to something about Hitler killing Jews and how we can't let that happen here.
Clearly, this gentleman is entitled to his opinions. There were however, two things that bothered me about him being at the show. First was his "sales pitch" about how his blades weren't really knives and therefore not covered by FAA regulations - which, remember weren't really laws, so you could really carry a knife on a plane anyway! When I again reminded him of signs to the contrary now posted at every US airport that forbade carrying knives made of "any material" on to planes, his answer was: "Well, that's your opinion."
Did people believe him and walk away from his table thinking his blades were "legal" to carry on planes? I hope not, but think so.
It is not pleasant to consider the fate of anyone caught with one of these at a security checkpoint: You might explain that you had forgotten about the SAK on your key chain, but what would be your excuse for having a blade made of a material designed to defeat x-ray and metal detectors? And to compound the matter, how do you explain that you are carrying it in way intentionally designed to disguise it?
Secondly and even more disturbing is the whole idea of selling blades specifically designed to defeat security procedures.
Certainly there is a place for nonmetallic blades, but the only legitimate one I can think of is a work situation where the danger of sparks creating a fire or explosion might call for this specialized sort of knife. But lets deal with the real world: is it at all plausible to think that someone who's work requires having this sort of blade would also need to disguise it as a belt buckle?
There used to be a few dealers carrying plastic knives sold under names like "CIA Letter Openers" or some such nonsense. Responsible dealers have discontinued selling them post 9-11. And they now are illegal in many localities. And before the hackles rise, lets not confuse the situation by raising some Second Amendment issue: there is no right or legitimate reason for most of us to own a knife specifically designed to be smuggled past security checkpoints any more then there is to own a silencer for a handgun.
Anyway, I am curious if anyone else shares my concern: As responsible collectors and users of blades, don't we have a responsibility to at least keep this sort of stuff out of our shows?
As I picked one up to look at, he informed me that it was "invisible to x-rays and metal detectors" and "could be carried on an airplane." When I suggested that new FAA regs clearly state that "no knife of any material" could be carried on a plane, I was rewarded with a long harangue that ranged from his opinion of the FAA ("......those are regulations, not laws!"......!!) to the "fact" that he was selling "letter openers" not knives, and on to something about Hitler killing Jews and how we can't let that happen here.
Clearly, this gentleman is entitled to his opinions. There were however, two things that bothered me about him being at the show. First was his "sales pitch" about how his blades weren't really knives and therefore not covered by FAA regulations - which, remember weren't really laws, so you could really carry a knife on a plane anyway! When I again reminded him of signs to the contrary now posted at every US airport that forbade carrying knives made of "any material" on to planes, his answer was: "Well, that's your opinion."
Did people believe him and walk away from his table thinking his blades were "legal" to carry on planes? I hope not, but think so.
It is not pleasant to consider the fate of anyone caught with one of these at a security checkpoint: You might explain that you had forgotten about the SAK on your key chain, but what would be your excuse for having a blade made of a material designed to defeat x-ray and metal detectors? And to compound the matter, how do you explain that you are carrying it in way intentionally designed to disguise it?
Secondly and even more disturbing is the whole idea of selling blades specifically designed to defeat security procedures.
Certainly there is a place for nonmetallic blades, but the only legitimate one I can think of is a work situation where the danger of sparks creating a fire or explosion might call for this specialized sort of knife. But lets deal with the real world: is it at all plausible to think that someone who's work requires having this sort of blade would also need to disguise it as a belt buckle?
There used to be a few dealers carrying plastic knives sold under names like "CIA Letter Openers" or some such nonsense. Responsible dealers have discontinued selling them post 9-11. And they now are illegal in many localities. And before the hackles rise, lets not confuse the situation by raising some Second Amendment issue: there is no right or legitimate reason for most of us to own a knife specifically designed to be smuggled past security checkpoints any more then there is to own a silencer for a handgun.
Anyway, I am curious if anyone else shares my concern: As responsible collectors and users of blades, don't we have a responsibility to at least keep this sort of stuff out of our shows?
