Knives in suitcase must STAY in suitcase!

Gollnick has it right, ignore all replies above that contradict him :) Seriously, don't get confused, Gollnick has a good summary, there's one more thing to add:

- As Guyon points out, if you don't want to go through the hassle of requesting to be present during the TSA search so you can lock your bag, there is one type of lock allowed on your baggage unconditionally, and that's the TSA-approved locks that he linked to. However, TSA employees have keys to get into those types of locks, which is the reason they're allowed in the first place. If what you're frightened of is TSA employees stealing your knives, the TSA locks don't help. If what you're frightened of is baggage handlers stealing your knives, then the TSA locks do help, because the TSA re-locks the lock once they're done with the inspection.

Joe
 
TravelSmith and some other companies are selling "TSA" approved locks. Most are marked TSA Approved. The idea is that inspectors have the ability to open these locks for inspection and then re-lock them. I couldn't say whether or not this method makes your belongings any safer. I guess it could stop a baggage handler or casual thief from getting your knives but I don't know how much trust I put in this system. Just something to think about.

Edit - several people already had said this while I was slowing typing my response. Sorry.
 
Here's what I did the last time I flew... I used a cable gun lock and threaded it through the "spyder-hole" on my Spydie Mas Ayoob, ring on my SAK, and the handle hole on my Becker necker and secured it to the frame of my suitcase. Of course your suitcase has to have a frame, which should be accessible on most that have the telescoping handle with wheels feature. Obviously, someone with a cable cutter could get it, but it deters the anonymous grab by the unscrupulous TSA type.
 
Homeland Security can choose at any point in time to inspect a piece of luggage with you present or not, and whether it was marked inspected or not (they use this special lock that is still allowed as well, so if you have one of those approved locks you are still fine). I would like to take the credit, but the zip-tie idea is actually what the homeland security is recommending. Aside from these official inspections, the local airport authority is usually also doing routine inspections.

As far as I understood the question, it had nothing to do with the legality of the knifes in the checked luggage or knives being conficated (never had a knife conficated even from the luggage that was inspected), but rather with knives being stolen from unsecured luggage. I think with the increase security on airports, theft from luggage has become less and less common. Airport personel has to pass security checks these days as well. If somebody steels a knife and gets caught carrying that stolen knife, he will have hell to pay and not only for the theft :D .

I zip-tie mine shut mainly to prevent accidental opening (drilled two holes into the lock of my Samsonite) since I am not allowed to use the build-in combination lock anymore.
 
At the time of inspection, could you get a Homeland Security or airport official to sign a statement stating that your knives are still in your luggage, maybe a photo pasted onto a document? If you have insurance purposes...

Grasping at straws
 
Guyon said:
I think this is what you're looking for:

http://blujay.com/item/Search-Alert-Classic-Luggage-Lock-16030000-1309783

That's just the first site that came up on Google. Do a search for Search Alert luggage locks.

They lock to keep out baggage handlers but can be opened by a key that all TSA (security) employees should have. The ones at the above link also have a feature that allows you to see when a TSA official has "overridden" your lock.

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Click to expand...

Yep. this works. I have just been to Orlando International this afternoon and I asked a TSA representative there. She confirmed to me that this is a good idea but added that not all TSA employees had the override key - only TSA managers have them (which would reduce the risk of "unofficial forfeiture" even further). She also confirmed that this hold true for all US airports.

Thanks for the good tip!

I will sure get one of these.

Cheers!
 
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