Growth of traditionals?

[jackknife]

Okay, so the now the airline industry has gone back to allowing the carry on of small slip joint knives on flights. Watching the news, it became clear that this move was pushed by the international airlines who have somewhat more relaxed attitudes than our American based TSA. The 2.3 something of an inch measurement is what the even metric measure is for a blade on a flight. And of course the non locking blade is a familiar rule for some of the European countries. I know our British cousins have long had a restriction on what they can carry in public.

Sooo... I can only wonder if, and how, this all will affect the growth and/or popularity of the traditional slip joint? I am aware that there is an entire generation of young guys who have grown up with only the latest of the one handed lock blades, and have never even considered a slip joint knife. But I do see some signs of branching out. Spyderco has the grass hopper and a few other tiny slip joints, and now with the easing of the carry on rules, I can only wonder if there will be some people who will buy one just for a trip, to be tossed in the sock drawer afterward. Maybe a rough rider peanut or pen knife will be used for a travel knife, and just maybe, some sort of epiphany will happen. Some light bulb may go on, while making a precise cut with a mini copperhead or tiny trapper, or a realization occur while opening a package on vacation with a small SAK.

I had read where Victorinox was badly hurt by the 2001 clamp down on any knives on flights, so I can only wonder of now, maybe Case will have a rush of sales of people wanting a TSA legal pocket knife with a little more style and panache than a SAK? A nice jigged bone and CV CAse, or an exotic wood little GEC conductor or Pemberton?

Carl.

 

[Mink]

Time will tell, but I forsee a rush to production of many small knives designed to fill this niche.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

I think it will be a positive impact, but I do think we should help make sure the new to a slipjoint folks should be safe. Many folks handle a lockblade in a way that I wouldn't, but it's even more important on a slippie.

 

[mnblade]

I know Leatherman already is (on their Facebook page anyway), but Victorinox, Case, Buck, etc. ought to be making a big hairy marketing push to let folks know which knives in their product line-up are TSA approved. If I were running the web site for any of those companies (I'd consider it, by the way ), I'd rush to create an entire section listing knives that fall within the TSA guidelines.

-- Mark

 

[black mamba]

Hopefully some manufacturers will even market their new offspring as TSA approved. A printed advert or internet description page with the words "TSA Approved" on it would be comforting to carry along with the knife when traveling.

 

[mnblade]

Hopefully some manufacturers will even market their new offspring as TSA approved. A printed advert or internet description page with the words "TSA Approved" on it would be comforting to carry along with the knife when traveling.

Yep. Great idea!

-- Mark

 

[pinnah]

If I were Case (or Leatherman, or whomever), I would be doing a run of something, anything really) with TSA on it (blade etch, printing) and selling them to TSA agents on a pro-deal for less than cost. My goal would be to put one in the pocket of every TSA agent.

 

[bill2000]

I'll be shocked if this regulation change stays in place sad to say. The hue and cry has already begun and these tiny blades are being called weapons all over national news programs. I think this will be rescinded post haste.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

I'll be shocked if this regulation change stays in place sad to say. The hue and cry has already begun and these tiny blades are being called weapons all over national news programs. I think this will be rescinded post haste.

Actually, since they are doing this to conform with international travel, I think it will stick.

 

[midnight flyer]

I'll be shocked if this regulation change stays in place sad to say. The hue and cry has already begun and these tiny blades are being called weapons all over national news programs. I think this will be rescinded post haste.

I don't know that it will be rescinded completely. But as the government does I am sure they will reconsider, appoint an investigative committee to study the law they passed, a steering committee to make sure the investigators are on track, an oversight committee that keeps both of them on track, a findings committee to study the data accumulated by the committees, and finally a presentation group will assemble all data related to the studies and put it to a sub committee to be prepared for the Congressional committee hearing.

This allows them to work on a dead issue of little or no importance to the public, but still provides a reason to go to work.

There was an article on one of my newsfeeds that addressed the issue of the affect of the rule change on knife makers. While they couldn't get a knife manufacturer to comment on the issue, they did get an industry guy of some sort that said that certain models of SAKs that had been cut down to a trickle in manufacturing would probably be ramped up a bit. This stands to reason as this picture (or one like it)

is the one I have seen the most of confiscated knives. The two articles I read seemed to indicate that knife manufacturers are looking at this change with some skepticism, though.

It would sure seem to me that it would be easy enough to take a smaller knife already in production that conforms to the new laws and simply stamp it as "TSA friendly" or something like that. If that was the case you could just run that model a little longer in the production schedule with no retooling.

Robert

 

[Humppa]

Gentlemen - please excuse my ígnorance, but what does the term "TSA" stand for?

 

[bvik]

I was measuring some of my traditionals to see if they fit, and noticed that the regulation (6cm by 1/2 inch) almost exactly matches the large spear blade on my cheap SAK knockoff. I'd be willing to bet that those measurements were chosen specifically to allow the popular SAK models.

 

[bvik]

Gentlemen - please excuse my ígnorance, but what does the term "TSA" stand for?

Travel Safety Administration, the USA government organization that confiscates knitting needles, cupcakes, water bottles, and other instruments of terror.

 

[jackknife]

Actually, since they are doing this to conform with international travel, I think it will stick.

Yes, there is that, but I also think there is yet another reason they did this. Manpower. It's expensive to keep handling all those boxes and barrels of confiscated SAK's and other keychain size knives and stuff. Manpower equals money, and in this day and age of spending cuts, TSA is not wanting to keep spending money on this. It's easier to just gt in line with international guidelines and use a bit of common sense. No little pocket knives were ever used in a hijacking, and 9-11 was a one shot deal. I even suspect there may be a little ironic humor in letting up to 24 inches of bat on the plane, but no boxcutters. But in the end, TSA is just doing what everyone else does in the end, try to cut labor and man hours.

Carl.

 

[silenthunterstudios]

I've heard the outrage over these small tools being allowed on flights. Irks me a little bit. Who's going to run around a plane with a peanut trying to assault anyone?

I have already seen some one handed wonder knife companies and makers stating that they are making smaller knives to meet these new rules/qualifications. These knives are already there, and I would like to see an internet campaign by Victorinox, Case and others to illustrate the fact that their smaller knives already meet the new qualifications.

You can walk into any Walmart or Target and get a Victorinox classic. They used to be ten bucks brand new, I think I saw them for about 15 bucks brand new the other day at Walmart. I've gotten them for my sisters, my cousins and a few friends. The ones for my sisters and cousins were pink, had flowers on them etc. Not only are these small, but they are "non lethal looking" as a friend told me . Now, at least near me, you have to go to a Bass Pro or Gander Mountain to find Case or similar small knives, outside of a knife or gun shop.

Also, how many non knife nut knife users (say that ten times fast), are going to fly with a knife? I don't know, I want your opinion. I'm guessing that it will be a few more than I expect. Not just knife nuts.

I don't fly, it's not natural for fat people to fly. We usually fall right out of the sky.

 

[richstag]

The first thing I thought of was actually tactical companies making non lockers with full size handles and TSA approved blades. I can think of one that already made similar for other laws.

I hope it's a positive thing but I'm not sure. If slipjoints get a bad name from tactical companies doing something like that it would be a sad day. One thing I know is it must have made members of the cult jump for joy.

I like Gary's idea for congress knives with full handles and approvable blades.

Kevin

Time will tell, but I forsee a rush to production of many small knives designed to fill this niche.

 

[pinnah]

Travel Safety Administration, the USA government organization that confiscates knitting needles, cupcakes, water bottles, and other instruments of terror.

I've never had troubles with them trying to take my knitting needles. Just sayin'.

 

[pinnah]

The first thing I thought of was actually tactical companies making non lockers with full size handles and TSA approved blades. I can think of one that already made similar for other laws.

They will have to abide by the fuzzy guidance on "molded" handles, which seems primarily focused on what we might call finger grooves of any sort.

 

[silenthunterstudios]

Case mentioned the rules on their Facebook page, but hasn't hammered home the fact that they already offer some small knives that "fit the bill". Great marketing opportunity.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

Travel Safety Administration, the USA government organization that confiscates knitting needles, cupcakes, water bottles, and other instruments of terror.

Transportation Security Administration.... the rest is spot on.