Recently noted Chicago's knife laws in this forum re: limiting a carry knife to 2 ½ " blade length (did I read this right?....anyway, assuming I did). I've often passed through Ohare and haven't given much of a thought to my SAK or whatever "legal" blade I had tucked in my carryon. Neither has security there. So, do I now face a potential problem when "just passing through" if one of these blades is over 2 ½"?
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Passing Thru Chicago Airport
- Thread starter maury
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2001
- Messages
- 2,618
Maury:
I'm completely off the deep end on the subject of airport security, and as a result, my advice is "don't". I've passed thru detectors (years ago) carrying a small auto, to and from NY from the southwest. Never a bleep. My wildest tale, however, is about my youngest who came in on leave from Spain - MATS to Dover and commercial via Chicago from there. On his return, his checked baggage contained several hundred rounds of various calibers of hollow-point ammo (illegal to buy in Spain, but not illegal to have), going back to several on his base, including .380s for the base commander's wife. At Ohare, he was stopped for carrying (ready for this??) handcuffs. In his shaving kit. His AFOSI badge and credentials meant nothing to the civilian security, nor to the Chicago patrolman who responded. Finally, a Chicago Lieutenant arived and expained that he had the same status as any federal agent, and was not carrying a weapon. The civvy security still insisted on keeping the cuffs until she was told to shut up and go away. Conditions have improved since then (we're told) but I don't believe it's that much. The people they hired then couldn't get other jobs because the kept repeating "Do fries want you with that" during training. Fly Greyhound
I'm completely off the deep end on the subject of airport security, and as a result, my advice is "don't". I've passed thru detectors (years ago) carrying a small auto, to and from NY from the southwest. Never a bleep. My wildest tale, however, is about my youngest who came in on leave from Spain - MATS to Dover and commercial via Chicago from there. On his return, his checked baggage contained several hundred rounds of various calibers of hollow-point ammo (illegal to buy in Spain, but not illegal to have), going back to several on his base, including .380s for the base commander's wife. At Ohare, he was stopped for carrying (ready for this??) handcuffs. In his shaving kit. His AFOSI badge and credentials meant nothing to the civilian security, nor to the Chicago patrolman who responded. Finally, a Chicago Lieutenant arived and expained that he had the same status as any federal agent, and was not carrying a weapon. The civvy security still insisted on keeping the cuffs until she was told to shut up and go away. Conditions have improved since then (we're told) but I don't believe it's that much. The people they hired then couldn't get other jobs because the kept repeating "Do fries want you with that" during training. Fly Greyhound
- Joined
- Aug 2, 1999
- Messages
- 1,910
My advice would be to carry at least one sub 2 1/2" folder, in addition to whatever else you might want to have with you (I usually like to use either a CF Dragonfly or an aluminum Cricket as a money clip when travelling). That way, if you need to cut something in the airport, you'll be covered. After all, it's not like you're going to give the police a reason to search your carry-on, so whatever else you have is between you and airport security.
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Dave
Let no one ever from henceforth say one word in any way countenancing war. It is dangerous even to speak of how here and there the individual may gain some hardship of soul by it. For war is hell, and those who institute it are criminals. Siegfried Loraine Sassoon
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Dave
Let no one ever from henceforth say one word in any way countenancing war. It is dangerous even to speak of how here and there the individual may gain some hardship of soul by it. For war is hell, and those who institute it are criminals. Siegfried Loraine Sassoon
There was a post here a couple of months ago where a fellow had his "DRAGONFLY" confiscated at O'Hare. He had to catch a plane and just didn't have time to argue with the imbicile who took the knife.
Sad but it sounded true to me.
Will
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Mendacity is the
system we live in.
Sad but it sounded true to me.
Will
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Mendacity is the
system we live in.
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2001
- Messages
- 18,959
Hah! Lost a broken tipped Spyderco Delica outta my pocket at Mobile, (serrations you see...), while the Endura 50/50 in my carry-on and the Leatherman Wave on my hip were no problem...."Doh"
I'll never forget the security yokel's comment about my fresh seafood carry-on, "Wale, you kin take on the shramp boyee, but ye cain't take on the naff"
"wud ya lack fries with theyat?" *eg*
Mel
"Buy Quality and Only Cry Once"
I'll never forget the security yokel's comment about my fresh seafood carry-on, "Wale, you kin take on the shramp boyee, but ye cain't take on the naff"
"wud ya lack fries with theyat?" *eg*
Mel
"Buy Quality and Only Cry Once"
A permenant additon to my air travel carry-on is now a padded, self-addressed shipping envelope with enough postage to mail home all the blades I'm carryiong and a roll of packing tape to secure the whole thing. Thanks for the advice. New problem: how do I cut the tape?
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2001
- Messages
- 146
I once passed through the metal detector at ST. Louis Lambert Airport after placing my small,legal Spyderco on the tray beside me. The airport security person actually picked up the knife, handed it back to me and said something like "have a nice day". I landed at Phoenix AZ and had a short layover for a continuing flight to Vegas. About a week later, I was back in Phoenix getting ready to board a connecting flight to St. Louis. I placed the same pocket knife on the tray while passing through the detector. This time the airport secuity officer told me to freeze and called for backup. I explained to the commander of the watch, that this was the fourth commercial airplane I had boarded in less than a week and I didn't realize it was a problem. He explained to me that I needed to go back to the counter and check my knife instead of carrying it on. This was not an option because the plane was about ready to take off. This guy seemed to have good common sense. He took my knife from me in front of his subordinates and told me to step to the side and talk to him. When we were alone, he handed me the knife back and said something like " I don't want you to loose your favorite pocket knife over this, but keep it in your pocket and check it in one of your bags if you ever fly with us again. I thanked him and headed for home.
Dennis
Dennis
Hey, Dennis. What Spyderco was it? Just curious as I have traveled thru that same airport just about three weeks ago with a Cricket in my pocket (dropped it in the tray and never had a second look), a Dragonfly in my jacket pocket (went thru the x-ray machine), and a Delica and a Gerber AR-3.00 in my carry-on (also went thru the x-ray machine) and had no problems what-so-ever. The reason I'm wondering, is that I am going to have to fly thru there again in just a few months. Maybe it was the airline you were flying on as it seems that every airline hires their own personal rent-a-cops. I was flying TWA.
Flinx
Flinx