Knives and travel...

R

ricehaterboi

Joined
May 10, 2009
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Ok well ive always wondered about these questions but it just hit me now that im on BF why not ask you guys? I tend to travel alot in the summer and I always like to have a knife on me but sometimes end up with a very small cheap blade in my checked luggage (usually a Kershaw Chive)

My questions... First on planes. I KNOW I cant carry anything even resembling a sharp edge on a plane so now on to checked luggage, what do you guys carry and has anybody had knives stollen by TSA or airport employees out of your checked luggage?

Next is cruise ships and this is the more difficult question. Im pretty sure your allowed to carry onto a cruise ship but I think theres a length limit? And as far as checked luggage idk? Also what about carrying knives into port once you get in other countries? I know I can carry anything I want off with me but its just a question of will my $100+ knife make it back on the ship with me? Im not worried about that country's laws as I wont be using it unless i REALLY need to and definitely wont be using a knife in a self defense situation im just worried about what will make it back on the ship?
 
ricehaterboi said:
My questions... First on planes. I KNOW I cant carry anything even resembling a sharp edge on a plane so now on to checked luggage, what do you guys carry and has anybody had knives stollen by TSA or airport employees out of your checked luggage?
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I am pretty sure that Ken Onion had one his knives stolen by TSA.

ricehaterboi said:
Next is cruise ships and this is the more difficult question. Im pretty sure your allowed to carry onto a cruise ship but I think theres a length limit? And as far as checked luggage idk? Also what about carrying knives into port once you get in other countries? I know I can carry anything I want off with me but its just a question of will my $100+ knife make it back on the ship with me? Im not worried about that country's laws as I wont be using it unless i REALLY need to and definitely wont be using a knife in a self defense situation im just worried about what will make it back on the ship?
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No clue about cruise ships, if you are really concerned about iffy knife laws and you don't want to chance it you could always pick up a SAK Classic SD for about $12 new and carry it.
 
Cruise ships (at least the ones I have been on) are a no-no. You go through security, only slightly less stringent than for an airplane. I had to have a custom knife I purchased in Alaska shipped back home because it couldn't be brought onboard. And, yes, UPS broke a knive :mad: I have no idea how....

If I was determined to carry something, this is one of the few places that I recommend the Frost Cutlery 2.00 ea type knives. Won't kill me to drop one of those into the trash.

Doc
 
If you're worried, just don't carry. It's not worth the stress to worry about losing a nice knife.
 
When I fly I never bring a nice knife because I am worried I would get it stolen. I wish it didn't have to be that way.

As for cruising, I went on a Royal Caribbean cruse once and I swear they had the worst security ever, I walked on the ship and I set the metal detector off and they told me just to come on in. They did this for everyone I saw set the metal detector off. I could have had anything on me but they didn't seem to care. When we got to port in foreign countries (not the US) I didn't bring a knife because I didn't know the countries laws. Its always frustrating to me when I don't bring one of my good knives with me somewhere because I am worried about the hassle its going to cause me, only to find I would have been fine bringing it.
 
Taken from Carnival's website
"Scuba Gear Diving Knives: Diving knives are permitted on board. Due to security reasons, the knife will be confiscated by Shoreside Security at embarkation and turned over to the ship's Chief Security Officer. The guest will sign for the knife for diving excursions and return it to the Chief Security Officer upon returning to the ship. At the end of the cruise, the knife is returned to the guest in the cruise ship terminal."

And if you check this next link it says that knives with blades over 4 inches are not permitted

http://www.carnival.com/cms/Images/Promo_Content/PDF/prohibited_items.pdf
 
I am pretty sure that Ken Onion had one his knives stolen by TSA.
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More likely than being stolen by TSA (which I don't put outside the realm of possibility), is that most stuff stolen from checked luggage is stolen by baggage handlers.
 
ricehaterboi said:
My questions... First on planes. I KNOW I cant carry anything even resembling a sharp edge on a plane so now on to checked luggage, what do you guys carry and has anybody had knives stollen by TSA or airport employees out of your checked luggage?
Click to expand...
It does not happen all that often, but it does happen that things are stollen out of checked luggage. When I do travel I by air I just bring a less expensive knife with me that can be replaced if it grows legs. If you are flying somewhere for an extended time and want or need to bring one or more expensive knives, it may even be safer to ship your knife to yourself at you hotel or where ever you are staying. At least that way you can insure it against loss are reasonably expect to be reimbursed if it is lost or stollen en route.

Next is cruise ships and this is the more difficult question. Im pretty sure your allowed to carry onto a cruise ship but I think theres a length limit?
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AFAIK there are no federal regulations on this, but each cruise ship line has it's own rules on the subject. My advice it to check with the cruise company for their specific rules. It might not be a bad idea to carry a copy of those rules with you, as I have heard of passangers being hassled by crew that did not even know their own rules and tried to prevent passangers from bringing on knives that should have been acceptable according to the written rules. :grumpy:

Also what about carrying knives into port once you get in other countries?
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Again, it varries from country to country. Some places have really restrictive rules (less than 2-inch, no lock blades, no one-hand openers), while others don't much care. In some countries officals and police will routinly confiscate anything they think breaks the law (or that catches their fancy) and you seldom have any real recourse and little chance of getting your propperty back. If you don't know the rules, you are better off leaving your knife on board the ship, or at home if you are flying. ;)
 
Yes, a few years ago Ken Onion had several timascus knives stolen, really a priceless, one-off collection. I don't believe any were ever recovered. There was a large effort put forth here, but i'm not sure any of them ever surfaced.
 
It seems that about 99% of my traveling involves going to places with really restrictive knife laws, so I just bite the bullet and go without. I'm not happy about that, but there's not much I can do about it either.
 
Ive pretty much decided ill carry one on the ship with me but ill print those rules out too. As for in port I may just go without. I know I always take a flashlight with me in port but I guess I will go knifeless again. We usually tend to go on the more adventerous excursions where a flashlight and a knife may come in handy.
 
I'm going on a trip to Puerto Rico soon. I won't be bringing my Sebenza or my Kerry Hampton KHnutbuster as those are two valuable to risk being stolen, but I will be bringing an Endura and nice stockman.
 
When in doubt, always carry a SAK. It's familiar to everybody around the world, and at $15 for a Vic Tinker it's no big deal to lose.
 
I had a CRKT folder stolen out of my checked luggage in Costa Rica. I even hid it! I really liked the knife so I wasn't happy. I would never travel with an expensive knife.
 
Its REALLY sad that theres that many lowlifes out there that steal other peoples possesions. I know me and my family have had other high dollar items stolen out of our luggage before (not knives). I dont see why they dont install cameras in baggage areas of airports so they can get rid of theiving employee's.
 
I went on a R/C cruise in January. I had smaller knives and 1 medium (Spyderco Salt). Getting onto boat was not a problem. I had CLB Subcom as a money clip, went through X-Ray w/o problem. Spyderco salt was "found" in luggage. I "turned" it over to security and took it back on my first shore excursion. I carried a Buck 425, SAK esquire, and Salt off the boat every time. There was no secondary search or security, when you get off the boat, that's it. I went to Aruba, Curacao, St. Maartin, and St. Thomas. Security is really looking for Booze being smuggled back on board. I will not go without a knife, my choice, my problem, but it was not a problem. On the boat I only carried the Buck 425 or CLB subcom, Salt stayed in room safe.

R/C had a problem with my salt, security said it was overlength. I had a copy of their rules with me but it didnt matter. I had other smaller knives in my other luggage so I always had something.

I have never had anything taken out of my luggage. I check my bag and have a gun safe with a cable that wraps around the luggage handle.
 
If you can't bring a knife on your cruise ship, make a beeline to the buffet (you'll have to hurry to make it before the crowd) and eat a steak, keep the steak knife for the length of the cruise.
 
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