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Confiscated Knives

Old Hunter

Old Hunter

Gold Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2012
Messages
9,369
A customer/friend told me his sad tale yesterday. I really like this young man; he is a hard worker and a good family man and has become a very good customer for me. He took me fishing about a year and a half ago and I gifted him a knife, this Case 6175. Several times since he has shown it to me and told me how much he enjoyed it - reminded him of his Grandpa's pocketknife. He and two friends of his traveled down to an Atlanta Braves game a couple of weeks ago and he got caught with it in the screening coming in the gate - they had taken a shuttle and he had to drop it in a confiscation barrel (I know he hated to tell me about it). I despise the fact that pocketknives have become contraband in so many areas of our lives. I avoid places now that won't let me carry a knife, even pay the $30 at the airport to check-in my carry-on so I can have a knife wherever I'm at. Just blowing a little steam, but it will be a cold day in hell that I ever attend another game that screens my pocketknife - TV is good enough and I will have kept enough of my money to buy a new knife if I want! Rant over. OH
Case-6175-SS-Jack-2002.jpg
 
Yes - it is definitely out of hand. I was at a hockey game in Peoria Illinois, it was around zero outside, and we had to park about a block away from the arena. When we got inside we found they were doing metal detector screenings. I just emptied my pocket into the little bowl, and you would have thought I threw an AK-47 on the table when they saw my Victorinox Waiter.

I had to run all the way back to my car as I sure as heck was not going to let them confiscate my knife.

And I'll likely not go back, either. Lots of good hockey on TV.

best

mqqn
 
kvaughn said:
Stash em outside and go back and get em! Courthouse screening-Stuck it in a planter.--TSA-Stuck it in a planter once and hid it behind a stack of magazines in airport shop once.--Concert-under a garbage can. --KV
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My dad put his sak in a planter once and when he came back it was gone.

I am with Bruce on this one; I avoid going to places that confiscate knives, other than an occasional concert. One time going to a concert I stuck an 8ot behind my belt buckle so when they wand you the knife is masked by the buckle.
 
TheChunk91 said:
My dad put his sak in a planter once and when he came back it was gone.

I am with Bruce on this one; I avoid going to places that confiscate knives, other than an occasional concert. One time going to a concert I stuck an 8ot behind my belt buckle so when they wand you the knife is masked by the buckle.
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Behind the belt buckle! Great idea! I have a friend who has slid a slippie by a couple of times by holding it in his hand while raising his arms to be to be wanded.--KV
 
I went to Universal Studios Florida this past spring. They have metal detectors as you enter the amusement park then, on top of that, they have them at the rides as well.

Even if you were to make it through the gate with an unnoticed Vic classic on your key chain, you have several other chances to get caught with it. You could put in a locker but that defeats the purpose.

I have used the belt buckle trick at Wrigley field. I don't think they have the sensitivity set very high.
 
I was about to lose my Kershaw Leek with carbon fiber scales and CPM154 steel at the airport in Belize. I forgot it was in my carryon bag. Instead, I just paid the extra $50 to check in my carryon as an "extra" piece of luggage.
I KNEW better, but in the haste of packing, I forgot it was in the carryon. I was not going to give them my knife.

Money making scam, in my opinion. Legalized theft.
 
About 10 years ago We took our kids to New York City for the week between Christmas and New Years Day. Great time to be there except for the crowds. Took them to see the Empire State Building never expecting a metl detector search. Had my 50 year old Case with me. There was no going back. The line to get in was massive. Resigned tht I was going to lose the knife. Put my stuff in the tray including the Knife. The Homeland Security guard looked at it, looked me up and down, looked at the family and said "Go through and put that back in your pocket on the other side." I was stunned. Always figured he was a knife collector!
 
jmh33 said:
I have a prosthetic leg.. Slide my slippie in my shoe.. If it buzzes I tell them its my foot.. ;) Away I go.. :D
John
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Lesson of the day knife collectors chop off your leg and you can bring one anywhere :p I can see how those how have had unfortunately lost a limb or had plates installed had a sneaky means to bypass as they will always trigger the detectors and get a pass.

kvaughn said:
Stash em outside and go back and get em! Courthouse screening-Stuck it in a planter.--TSA-Stuck it in a planter once and hid it behind a stack of magazines in airport shop once.--Concert-under a garbage can. --KV
Click to expand...

TheChunk91 said:
My dad put his sak in a planter once and when he came back it was gone.

I am with Bruce on this one; I avoid going to places that confiscate knives, other than an occasional concert. One time going to a concert I stuck an 8ot behind my belt buckle so when they wand you the knife is masked by the buckle.
Click to expand...
With a "trick" like stashing it somewhere hidden there is hope it will be there vs dropping it in their knife dumpsters where you are guaranteed to loose it. I was in DC and had ridden a some rail thing from some part of VA to get there when I got off the rail I realized I had my pocket knife and of course every building there was basically no "weapons" so I stashed my knife the dirt under a bush or something anytime I had to leave it outside. I came out of one building just in time to catch someone else discover my knife so I managed to keep it so I know it isn't ideal but when you can't take it with you or reasonably return to a place you can lock it up it beats throwing it away like the other sheep do.
 
Sorry to hear, OH. I have been to many Braves games, but not at their new field. These days, I go to a decent amount of concerts and hockey games in Las Vegas. Security measures range from stringent to almost non-existent, depending on the venue. A couple times I have seen people get by with something like a peanut or old timer. I leave knives behind, also take them off my key ring, instead of "maybe I get by, maybe I don't".

On flights, I'll put a SAK or peanut in with toiletries and never had an issue - I used to fly once or twice a month for work.

Now here is some nonsense, IMO...years ago, (I think Indianapolis) airport security held me aside and called over a supervisor because of the P-38 on my key ring (it belonged to my father and has been with me as long as I have carried keys). I was glad the supervisor let me politely explain, understood, and let me pass. I would not have surrendered it - I would have sooner walked away and mailed it to myself. To me, being questioned about it was absurd.
 
I'm not sure this thread belongs here. I'm going to leave it for the time being with the caveat that it stays oriented to traditional knives, stays clear of politics and "sheeple" references. If Frank or one of the other mods decides it needs to be moved, that's OK with me.
I reserve the right to change my mind.

For my part, when I travel by plane, I always stow my knives in checked bags. I've yet to have a problem with losing anything. Knock on wood.

By the way, I love train travel! Never had a problem with having an edc in my pocket. That's in the US, the UK and Italy. If I can get somewhere by train, that's how I'm going.

I've never lost a knife because of some security checkpoint, but I have walked back to my car to put them in the glove compartment many, many times. Before retirement I was in and out of municipal buildings (city, county, state and federal) and jails/prisons, in a consulting capacity, quite frequently. Most of the security folk would hold my pocket knives for me until I left. Sometimes it was a walk back to my car.

My typical pocket carry when travelling is something like this.
neROxBe.jpg
 
When I travel I'll usually carry a Case Peanut because I won't mind losing it at an unexpected security checkpoint. I'll just leave it in the car or at the hotel if I know I'm going to a place with a scanner. I don't try to beat the checkpoints, the knife isn't going to be needed at those places anyways. Besides, I'm kind of a rule-follower anyways... Not much rebel in me. :D
 
I don’t understand how anyone would confiscate a traditional knife?! Makes no sense they’re legal I’m guessing world wide. Puzzles me.
 
Had a meeting for a city project. This particular office happens to be in a federal building. Lost a Buck 501 that’s I’d had for more than 20 years. Had to be in the meeting and didn’t have time to go back through the pouring rain to my truck. Went to symphony last year with group of friends. Ate, took shuttle over. There are signs when you GET to the venue about “contraband”. Mini Copperlock taken up. They give them back at least. Keystone Cops hilarity ensued when they tried to find it after the show. Security guard kept asking me if I was sure mine wasn’t the one with the blue scales. They finally found it. At the entrance I’d been trying to tell them for 20 minutes was where I came in.

What I find particularly asinine is they are apparently okay with whatever nefarious activities they think you’re going to commit with a pocket knife, just as long as it occurs outside the venue. In line, on the shuttle, etc. But danged if you’re doing anything inside. Save that for the return trip! Silliness.
 
The Classic on my key ring has made it through a number of checkpoints, and I managed to squeak my Victorinox Compact through the checkpoint at the US Capitol by burying it among the junk at the bottom of my bag. I did, however, have to hide my *bladeless* Climber mod in a planter outside the Air and Space Museum, as the security guard was not amused by my cleverness.

My favorite story (which I’ve told before) regards the time a US Air Force flunky made me put my SAK in a duffel bag...even though I was flying with my pistol.
 
In 1998 on the return from my honeymoon, I was stopped at the Miami airport as we were boarding and told that the blade on my knife was to long. I asked how big was to long and the woman said it was bigger than her palm. She did get a cardboard garment box and I put it in there. My MIL really thought that was funny when I opened the big box and took out my knife.

My parents were visiting Buckingham palace in the late 90s and my dad got stopped for his small knife. They said they were going to melt it down. He asked if he could send it home since it was a gift from me. They said he should just be glad he wasnt going to prison.

I now have a stable of inexpensive traditional that I put in my suitcase and unpack when I arrive at a destination.
 
We all need to be mindful these days..........in most cases the authorities are just doing this because of the minority who would misuse having a knife on them in a public place.

Think it's fair to say that although we're all likely talking about traditional pockets knives/slippies/SAKs that we'd like to be able to carry through wherever, they're still viewed in the eyes of the law/security personnel as 'knives'.

Would suggest some need to think twice about concealing a knife to try get it through undetected - if you're caught you may lose more than just the knife...

Here in UK and flying out of our airports, it is a lottery - some security officers are ok re any non-locking blade up to 60mm., others look at you with glee as you've helped make their day :rolleyes: as they throw it in the bin. Anything over and above this, you're in for a problem, particularly if it looks like you've tried to conceal it. Need to be careful on Eurostar as they often do a screening on all luggage.

So, as Gary says, running back to the car to deposit in the glovebox is the safest bet.........don't want anyone losing their pride n joy.

One thing's for sure, metal detectors and looking for knives isn't going to get any less from now on...
 
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