First off: This post is about a tiny Leatherman multitool. Not a gun, not a sword, not something that can actually hurt someone. Just a small, harmless tool that is unfairly banned from planes because of onerous TSA regs. No one is going to do 9/11 with tiny pliers and a fingernail-sized screwdriver.
Now that that’s cleared up…
There are 2 things I hate: Going without my keychain-sized Leatherman, and checking a bag at the airport. Unfortunately, these things are in conflict, as TSA won’t let me take my precious Squirt (actual product name… ew) in my carry on. Over the years, I’ve probably lost half a dozen multitools to overzealous airport security, both in the US and abroad.
I’ve probably gotten it past security over a dozen times, but there doesn’t seem to be any consistency to it. Packing it between my razor and my beard trimmer worked for a while, until it didn’t. Lining it up with the handlebars of my suitcase worked a couple times. But then I lost another one.
“Did you know they sell airport-friendly Leathermans that don’t have a knife?” Yes I do. Did you know that several overseas airports straight up don’t care, and will take it anyway? (I’m looking at you, Philippines and Costa Rica.)
I don’t need a different tool. What I really need is a reliable method to get this tiny tool past security, so that I can peacefully open beers, fix janky hotel showers, and open the occaisional package without having to buy a new Leatherman every year.
Thank you in advance for your calm, measured, and helpful responses.
Everybody forgets about the shoe bomb incident. I think it was early 2002. He had a full bomb in his shoe. He got the shoe past TSA. He just needed to make a small incision in the shoe to detonate it. They somehow figured it out, and stopped him as he was fiddling with the shoelaces. They wrestled that style pocket knife away from him, and then the shoe. Then beat the shit out of him and did an emergency landing. THAT’S why that one, and also liquids over 3.74oz are on the list.
Fun fact though, you CAN freeze your water and bring it through. As long as it’s still ice when you go through the checkpoint, they don’t give a shit. If it’s melted back into water? Nope.
Bullshit. There is literally nothing you can do with 4 oz of liquid that you can’t do with 3. And there’s 0 evidence that binary liquid explosives are even feasible to get through security. And if they’re worried, they would actually test the liquid not make you dump it into the trash next to them.
The Shoe Bomber was caught because he was trying to light a fuse with a lighter. You cannot light a bomb with a pocket knife. If you want to ban something from planes, ban lighters
I am also amused by the fate of a terrorist who attempted to bomb the plane he was on with an underwear bomb. Which ignited rather than exploding and in doing so seriously burned his junk. That was a nice add on for someone who will spend deservedly the rest of their life in a cage.