Need a Airplane-Safe Multi-Tool

L

Laos

Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
4
Hey everyone,

Pretty soon i have some business work that involves a plane ride. Now when i'm walking I carry around my vic. swiss champ, and a miniature husky multi tool (for two dollars, just for some simple pliers)

Ok, so now I want to find some sort of multi tool fulfilling these needs, and is airplane friendly (Meaning it doesnt have any knives, or anything that will let them accuse me as a terrorist.

1. A set of pliers.

2. SOME SORT of file, a filing piece w/e

3. Scissors (Unless they banned that too)

4. screwdriver of course

5. (optional) some bottel operner of sorts

6. (optional) LED light

If anyone knows any multi tools fulfilling these needs let me know

P.S. If it can fit nicely on a key caddy/keychain, much obliged thanks

-Laos
 
Well, the LM's Knifeless Fuse fits everything but the keychain... For the keychain I'm afraid you'd have to modify a tool to take the blade off. :rolleyes: The only others I can think of would be the Sebertech or Swisstech type...
Unfortunately though, the general consensus (including, from what I hear, Leatherman), is that it's just not worth trying to take a tool on a plane. Whether it "passes" the checklist or not, they'll probably take if from you. :grumpy: And there's no point arguing with the people who make the rules...
 
I remember seeing that LM knifeless edition, and you are right at that part, they can claim knitting equipment can be used to stab someone

Personally, i liked it pre-9/11, their conditions were ACTUALLY realistic. How come overnight it suddenly becomes dangerous with knives, just for a fact, Their security of possible hijacking has NOT gone up. agents planted on purpose get past with explosives, a lot worse than a sharp piece of metal,
 
Yeah, it usually seems that zero tolerance also means zero common sense and limited results. :rolleyes: But such is the world today...

Back to the tools: One thing I've thought of doing is just getting a super cheap knockoff keychain multi at Lowes or something, and just cutting the knife off. Then if they take issue with it, you can just give them the "dangerous" object. And if they let it through, well... at least you have something.
 
i was thinking of that, my husky i have in my pocket is a piece of SH*T but it was 2.00 and from home depot.
 
No tools of any kind will be allowed through security. I had just the Philips bit for the drill/driver in my pocket, one inch long and nothing sharp about it, but they made me surrender it.

I have often wondered about making a knife out of a dollar coin. If one could machine it so that two halves would fit together, while the edge of the coin could be sharpened into a nice curve. That could come in handy for opening packaging and such.
 
I flew some this summer with a SOG Cross-Grip that I'd customized by swapping the knife blade for a second screwdriver blade. Several questions asked, a few conversations had, but ultimately it was allowed in my carry-on baggage without too much delay or any real problems. Obligatory warning: YMMV.
 
JNewell said:
I flew some this summer with a SOG Cross-Grip that I'd customized by swapping the knife blade for a second screwdriver blade. Several questions asked, a few conversations had, but ultimately it was allowed in my carry-on baggage without too much delay or any real problems. Obligatory warning: YMMV.
Click to expand...

Good to hear a success story! :) Out of curriosity, did you show it too them right away, or wait for them to find it?
 
I showed it to them right up front. There was no chance they'd miss it. I figured it allowed me to point out immediately that there was NO KNIFE BLADE. ;)
 
I read in a magazine where the author brought the LM knifeless fuse on a plane and it was confiscated, the security guy pointed at the bottle opener and said
"whats this?"
"its a bottle opener."
"looks like a blade to me."

(the bottle opener has about a 45 degree bevel)
 
Schmecky, I hear what you're saying but a $20 CrossGrip is/was within the range where I was willing to take a chance.

Keith, what I've found with these TSA people is that there is *no* standard for what they will and won't allow on the plane. None. It is the worst world of totally arbitrary decisions made by totally....well, I'm going to leave a blank here...people. From gate to gate, shift to shift, airport to airport, what (literally) flies at one place/time won't fly at another. It is a terrible system, IMO.
 
Laos, I can tell you from experience that TSA will take away even a set of allen wrenches.
 
My wife had a remembrance day poppy plucked from her blouse - due to the pointy little pin :( This was closer to 2001 though.
 
I've had both experiences. In my little regional airport I can carry the knifeless fuse with no problems however LAX and JFK both wouldn't allow it. I asked why and LAX said that it could be used as a weapon. I just checked it but did report the screener to their supervisor. He said that it was up to him. I sent TSA an email and they said that the screener does have that discretion. Basically you're screwed. I read that TSA was going to allow small knives back on the planes but the Flight Attendents objected. The only suggestion would be a petition but I don't think enough of the flying public cares not to mention the press having a field day with "dangerous weapons" being allowed back on planes.

The only thing I haven't had stopped is a Micra from witch I removed the blade. Just a lot of questions but no real arguments. Just show it to them up front so they don't think you're hiding it.
 
It may be that a Cross-Grip or a Micra gets evaluated completely differently than a Fuse. For reference, one of the airports that passed my knifeless CG was Logan/Boston, which is a pretty tough place.
 
As others have said, with TSA there seems to be no standard. It is always a roll of the dice. That being said, I travel international 6-10 times a year and so far my various Swiss+Tech models have had no problems.
 
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