How to securely transport knives for air travel?

R

Reitwagen

Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
612
We are planning a trip to Germany to visit my wife's family and see the sights. Naturally, we'll stop in Solingen and I'll have to bring home a few knives. My concern is that they could be easily stolen from my luggage before I get home. A friend had two Spydercos come up missing from his luggage on a domestic flight. I'm considering shipping them, using my sister-in-law's German residence as a return address. Of course, I would only have knives compliant with section 42a of the German weapons law. Any suggestions?
 
I would not put them in a bag, I would ship and insure them. Try somebody global like DHL, UPS....
 
I've put folders in my pants pocket, situate the clothes so that they are in the middle of the suitcase. I haven't had any problems yet. I've flown only a couple times last year and once this year.
 
Tommy-Chi said:
I would not put them in a bag, I would ship and insure them. Try somebody global like DHL, UPS....
Click to expand...

That is prohibitively expensive for individuals.

Regular mail is probably your best bet if you want to ship them home. Personally, I'd use my checked luggage. While there are no guarantees they will make it home, I've had no issues coming back from Europe with items of reasonable value in my checked baggage.
 
I always “hide” them either in rolled up socks or else inside a pair of jeans. I also usually don’t pack anything too expensive or something that can’t be replaced easily.
 
I put my knives in among my clothes in the checked bag. I wouldn’t pack anything super fancy, out of reasonable caution.
 
I flew to Turkey last Friday with my Large Sebenza 21 in my checked bag without any issues. For added security I wrapped it in a sock and placed it in the center of my suitcase in vertical position, that way it just comes up as a small straight bar on the x-ray instead of it resembling the shape of a knife; plus I put zip ties through all the zippers of my bag to ensure it didn't open "accidentally".

Naturally it goes without saying that you don't try to take any knives with you on a flight in your hand luggage, because you can't.
It may also be wise to leave the boxes in Germany if you plan on taking multiple knives back home with you as you may be forced to show an invoice and pay added tax if they appear to be NIB as opposed to already having been in your possession.
 
I too have traveled to Europe multiple times without having an issue. Frankly there's more trouble returning to the USA. I always have a knife in my shaving kit, and often more than that in my luggage. Still, since I hate hauling stuff around when I travel I usually ship anything I purchase home via Bundespost.
 
In a small locked dry box type container can get cheap from walmart or any outdoors place and literally zip tie it to inside of luggage, if it’s not able to be quickly grabbed it won’t be
 
I have flown all over the planet with knives in my checked baggage with never a problem.
My advice is buy a good quality hard case and use that. They are far less prone to be broken into.
 
I use big zip ties and attach the knife to both my shoes. It’s a pain in the butt to steal a knife and 2 shoes attached
 
I've checked my work knife roll in all domestic and international flights pre-9/11 and since. Never had a problem. Sometimes I would vacuum pack the roll.
 
To echo the above, make it harder to find/steal. The trip that I recently went on, I brought an opinel and a Swiss Army knife- both cheap enough to replace if needed but still covers my uses while on the trip.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top