Wishing for a way to "check" knives...

[Six String Samurai]

When I was a fairly active participant in BF, a bit more than a year ago (under a different handle), or what I now must look back on as the "good ole days" of traveling with a knife, I had no real concerns with taking my EDC knives and equipment with me when I traveled by airplane. I just stuck all my stuff in my carry-on before I went through airport security and then re distributed my gear about my person in the restroom once I got in.

I am a light traveler and I rarely checked a bag when traveling by plane. (And no, just for the record, I didn’t bring a “carry on” bag roughly the size of a hollowed out water buffalo either.) Now, however, if I want to be anywhere near equipped when I arrive at my destination I have to check through at least one bag just so I can have a pocket knife when I get to the other end. So, I end up risking several hundred dollars worth of equipment in a small, easy to carry (or steal from the luggage claim) bag.

I’m sure this has been discussed over the past few months, but I’d love to know how you guys and gals are managing to stay equipped when you travel these days.

Anybody else wish that the airlines would develop some kind of system for allowing items like knives to be locked up in the cabin and claimed through a more secure system than by simply checking a bag with the luggage? I’m thinking of something similar to one of their drink carts with a lockable outer door and a series of lockable inner drawers. The outer door could be secured by a key in the flight cabin or by a master key that is brought on board after landing and removed before take off. The inner drawers could have keys like the luggage lockers where the owner of the contents keeps that key to keep gear from being claimed by the wrong people upon departure.

I don’t suppose it will ever happen but what do you all think of the idea.

 

[Daniel Dorn]

I think that this would be a neat and easy way to accomplish both the goal of safety, and happy customers. The only problem I forsee would be getting the knives to the "safe". There would have to be an additional X-ray, and luggage check at the door of the plane, or we would have to trust that the people at the check-in would get it to the plane, and therefore the same problem as with checked luggage.

I still think the easiest way would be to over-night the knife by mail (or send it cheaper, earlier) to your destination, and do the same on return. You could always find a throw-away knife at a nearby convenience store once you arrive, and 'til you get the knife you sent to yourself.

DD

As an afterthought, What do Couriers do nowadays? I seem to remember seeing in the past, someone with a briefcase handcuffed to their arm. Are they still allowed to do that, or is it something I saw in a movie? That might be something to check out.

 

[firkin]

Only problem is, the more potentially valuable "goodies" you concentrate in one place, especially a somewhat portable one, the greater the trouble/risk the bad guys are willing to endure to steal them in a single stroke. Complete anonymity of contents in an endless stream of baggage or packages is one of the best protections, I think. Why risk getting caught stealing if the chances of getting something valuable is 1/(large number)?

Unfortunately, security concerns are making that anonymity of contents harder to maintain--At the very least, the number of people who handle other's possesions should be minimized, and those who learn the contents should be properly compensated for the responsibility of minimizing theft. And severely punished for participating in theft or passing on to others the contents of baggage or parcels.

 

[Mongo]

.... if baggage handlers can legally enter your checked luggage and confiscate any knives? I am planning to travel, and check a fixed blade (Dozier Toothpick) and a stockman for carry at my destination. I would hate to loose the Dozier, and cry a little over the stockman. But I would be pissed beyond belief if I knew someone was pawing through my stuff!

 

[one2gofst]

They cannot legally confiscate knives from your checked luggage as checking knives is perfectly legal. In fact, baggage handlers cannot legally open your luggage at all without you being present.

 

[Rev. Pete]

wish that the airlines would develop some kind of system for allowing items like knives to be locked up in the cabin and claimed through a more secure system than by simply checking a bag with the luggage?

I would like to see the airlines hire only honest, competent baggage handlers.

 

[dman4384]

Originally posted by Mongo
.... if baggage handlers can legally enter your checked luggage and confiscate any knives? I am planning to travel, and check a fixed blade (Dozier Toothpick) and a stockman for carry at my destination. I would hate to loose the Dozier, and cry a little over the stockman. But I would be pissed beyond belief if I knew someone was pawing through my stuff!

They cannot do it legally if its checked, BUT...I had a fixed blade stolen from my luggage last month on a flight from Cincinnati to Dallas.

Delta gave me a bit of a runaround, but I finally got a check for it last week.

 

[matthew rapaport]

Its all a big drag plain and simple. I have the luxury of traveling by plane very infrequently. When I do, I have resigned myself to having little of any value in cutlery even in my checked-in bag. I too used to do most of my traveling with no checked-in luggage. That certainly has changed, and if I really was going somewhere for only a few days I would over-night a decent but inexpensive knife to my hotel the day before I left, then do the reverse direct from the airport or something the day I return.

I once had a very small knife (Spydie Dragonfly) confiscated in Europe on a return trip to NY (this was before 9/11). The knife had already made it <i>to</i> Europe and between a couple of countries, but this one particular security agent decided it wasn't to return with me to NY. They produced an envelope on which I put my name and address. To my suprise, the flight crew had the envelope with them as I left the plane and handed it to me. It would certainly be nice if this became an accepted practice, though I concede there would be plenty of logistical headaches if every passenger came to expect it!

The world has changed and we are all poorer for it. Only those who have the where-with-all to afford <b>private</b> transportation by air as required can now carry even manicure sets, let alone knives. The disparity between rich and poor (or in this case the not-rich) has grown by this act of terror, and it strikes at our very [knifenut] souls...

 

[J. MacDonald]

I travel a lot but only have to fly occasionally, and that is usually to a trade show where I'll be setting up and working in display booths. You know, a great place to have a Leatherman and a pocket knife as the perfect traveling companions. As I still need both items at the other end, I am now forced to check a bag for every flight. I have pretty good luggage with strong YKK zippers but recently realized that the locks themselves are the problem. Someone pointed out that there are only a couple different keys needed to open almost any luggage lock that needs a key. This person (can't remember who) mentioned that a couple good combination luggage locks available from a place like Sharper Image or Eddie Baur allowed for much better checked bag security than the keylocks most folks use.

I need to get a set of these, but If I were going to travel for a vacation or something and wanted to have something larger or more valuable at the other end, I'd probably FedEx it and insure it.

jmx

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Definitely get your own locks instead of those pop-apart cheapies that come with the luggage. Tie a colored lanyard or some distinctive marker on your luggage so you can spot it quick when it comes onto the carousel.

Put valuable items inside your luggage in a locked container like these: PacSafe and Pelican

((Of course, choose your own supplier but I've had excellent service lately from the once-dreaded Botach.))

 

[Don M]

Like you all, I used to travel with a knife in my pocket. I have not had to travel by air since 9/11, but now I would check baggage, whereas before I avoided it if at all possible.

I never had any problems, even though at least one security person took a close look at my knife at the security check area. I only had my knife taken once, and that was in Chile many years ago. I was pleasantly surprised when I got it back from the flight crew when we landed.

 

[DB1]

I travel quite frequently (500K miles in past 4 yrs) and have never had a bag lost or stolen in that time (knock on wood).

Getting your bag on the other end rarely takes more than an extra 10-15 minutes, which is worth it to me in order to check knives and the occasional firearm (yep you can still do this legally provided you declare it upon check-in).

I would suggest getting a solid hardshell suitcase (mine has 3 locks), and if your really concerned about losing your knives, only check relatively inexpensive ones - I usually leave the customs and higher-end production knives at home. A good Spydie and a Leatherman have sufficed on most of my trips (corporate settings...).

If you are an infrequent traveler, or going on vacation where you need your higher end knives, then the suggestion earlier of just overnighting the equipment back and forth would be a good option.

Hope this helps.