talonite, titanium, and magnetism

L

larrytwohig

Joined
Dec 6, 2002
Messages
395
I have read that knives made out of these materials are "nonmagnetic," knives such as those provided by Missionknives, Rob Simonich, and Camillus... does this mean you can wear them through a metal-detector, and not set off the alarms. This is kind of worrying, given that the WTC-destroying planes were hijacked by knife-wielding individuals... could they have walked through airport security carrying such knives? I guess even a plastic Blackie Collins "letter-opener" could even do likewise, if the felon knew what he was doing. scary.
 
I doubt if any of the makers would actually tell you to try going through a metal detector with one. The primary reason for nonmagnetic knives is actually EOD personel and others who work around and with High Explosives, specifically mines, as a magnetic utensil can set the trigger off. Also for the guys who go into the ocean alot, and want as little magnetic interfernce as possible. Oh, and there is the corrosion factor.
 
Do a little search here at BladeForums and you'll find several threads discussing this in depth.

The nut-shell answer is that Ti and Talonite blades can ellude older, cheaper, simplier "metal detectors" because they're really not metal detectors, they're iron detectors that detect the magnetic characteristics of iron. But, airports and just about any other installation that's even half-way serious about security screening these days is now using equipment that is based on the electrical conductivity of metal, not on it's magnetic characteristics which will detect Ti and Talonite.
 
Ceramic knives and plastic resin knives will pass thru. Hench the need for those new body imaging scan machines.
 
Don't forget about the porcelain Glock 7 in Germany.
 
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