Living in the metro Detroit area, I've flown through Detroit quite a few times. Unlike chizpuf, however, I haven't had a security problem having to do with any knife. Of course, I'm usually carrying my small Sebenza as a money clip, or a Calypso Jr. with micarta slabs, neither serrated, so it must look more innocent. I also try to do the "clean cut, nicely dressed, polite young gentleman" thing, no "kill `em all, let God sort `em out" T-shirts. Of course I also have the old self-addressed stamped padded envelope standing by.
One friend was hassled once about his plain-edged Delica, and "confiscation" was mentioned. He politely asked the security guard, "Excuse me, but what are you charging me with?" "No, we're not charging you with anything, but the knife has to be confiscated." "I'm sorry, but you can confiscate my knife as evidence, but only if you charge me, and how can I be charged with carrying a perfectly legal pocketknife that also complies with FAA regulations? That's false arrest, sir." This was met with a blank stare. Then my friend offered, "If there's a problem that we need to discuss with your supervisor, I'll be glad to meet with him, or would you rather I send my pocketknife home or check my baggage?" Mr. Omnipotent Security God backed down, and allowed the knife to go through with checked baggage. A couple things I learned from his encounter:
- Always be polite with security, be disarming, smile and say hello, and at least appear to want to cooperate withsecurity's efforts to make the world safe for all of us. "Hi, if I can have the basket, please, I have some keys and stuff in my pocket I'd like to check through."
- Security guards many times have no grasp of the real laws that governs pocketknives. While my friend wasn't sure of security's authority to confiscate his knife, he also felt that security had no right or authority to do so, and he politely explained why he felt that way. YMMV with this approach, but remaining civil, polite, and allowing security to save face by not letting a "deadly weapon" through their checkpoint can make or break such an encounter.
- Always refer to your pocketknife as exactly that. Sheeple tend to equate the term "knife" with weapons and evil from watching too much TV. "Pocketknife" is a more innocent sounding term to many.
- Allow yourself plenty of time. I know, I know, many of us are pressed for time, but is an extra ten or twenty minutes worth it for some of us to not lose our pride and joys? Is the price of my Sebenza worth an extra half hour if I have to go back through, stand in line, and check my carry-on? Absolutely. Even the principle of not letting security get away with "acquiring" another knife for their collection drawer at home is worth it to me.
Be smart, be prepared, be polite, be conservative in your choice of "flying partners", and simply hope for the best, that's all we can do.
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Don LeHue
The pen is mightier than the sword...outside of arm's reach. Modify radius accordingly for rifle.