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TSA compliant multi tool

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JackOfDiamonds

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Jul 31, 2020
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Idaho (USA)
I've has Leatherman Micra, and similar small multi tools confiscated by TSA before. But I still like having some pliers and screwdrivers. Has anyone found a good multi tool that's TSA compatible?

I'm really close to cutting off the knife blade of my classic Leatherman, but I just can't bring myself to do it.
 
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ecally

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Sep 23, 2011
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In the past week my Victorinox Jetsetter and NexTool 9 in 1 made it through TSA with no problem. Doesn’t mean I won’t get them confiscated on the way home though.

EDIT: coming back through security in Anchorage my day pack got pulled. I keep these on the outside pocket of my daypack. The TSA agent was expecting to see a blade on each, but to his credit he opened them up, put them back and told me to have a nice day.
 
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whateg01

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doo dah, kansas, usa
I don't feel like dealing with it so I just check everything.

Today, for the first time ever at KICT I was told I need to take wallet out of my pocket. It's been the rule probably forever, but going through the metal detector, nobody has ever said anything to me about it. That's probably about 200 times in the past 6 years. It doesn't set off the metal detector, and didn't today. Ultimately it's the agent's discretion that decides what gets through and what doesn't.

I keep toenail clippers in my backpack for cutting zipties. Actual tools go in my checked suitcase.
 
J

Junkdrawer Dog

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LV NV
JackOfDiamonds said:
I'm really close to cutting off the knife blade of my classic Leatherman, but I just can't bring myself to do it.
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I had to remove the blade from my Wingman to remain workplace compliant at my last job. I replaced the blade with a small washer if I recall.
 
M

MitchL

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I used to carry a Gerber Multiplier 600 blade less in my carryon. took multiple flights around the US and Mexico.
www.gerbergear.com

Multi-Plier 600 - Bladeless | Gerber

As the #1 selling multi-tool platform to the US military, the MP600 series has been to hell and back. Learn more here.
www.gerbergear.com www.gerbergear.com

Often TSA would look at it and see it had no blade and let me on my way good to go. Then one day coming back from vacation in Mexico, the local airport screener must have decided he liked the look of it and wanted it for himself because he said it could not go on the plane. In the garbage can it went, as I was walking away I saw him taking it back out. I tried explaining it had no blade and was not a contraband item, but he had already decided he wanted it. in hindsight I kind of wish I would have tried to break it before It went in the bin. So I guess the moral of my story is- even without a blade you may get a POS agent that may decide it’s not acceptable at anytime, you can’t really argue, and you may have to forfeit to make your flight
 
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AEAdam

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“A 4-1/2” blade is a deadly weapon, while a 4” blade is nothing but a child’s plaything”

I seriously can’t even discuss this, nor can I get thru security without thinking about this Key and Peele bit.
 
N

NUTTSGT

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AEAdam said:
“A 4-1/2” blade is a deadly weapon, while a 4” blade is nothing but a child’s plaything”

I seriously can’t even discuss this, nor can I get thru security without thinking about this Key and Peele bit.
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Funny thing is , going to the Gateway Arch, I could carry a 4" and shorter blade but not a fixed blade.

Shows how jacked up the security protocols are.
 
1

134k

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Messages
100
I'm echoing everyone elses response to TSA. It varies widely by location and if the TSA goon has a bad day or not. I carried a no blade, cheapy multitool. Like a knock off version of a swiss keychain multitool, for many years. It's even been pulled out on a secondary a couple of times and they gave it back to me. It has a plier, a #1 phillips head and a small slotted screwdriver. So 3 tools.

Just last year, the bag got pulled aside again. And I already knew they were going to look at the keychain tool. The "agent" was youngish. He pulls it out, plays with it and says it's not allowed. I told him, it met the size and requirements. He said no it doesn't. It's a tool. Tools are allowed, but I'm sure this rent a cop just left training a week earlier. I'm not going to argue with this clown, and so I walked away.

Anything TSA compliant or allowed, isn't guaranteed. Be prepared for any tool to be confiscated/stolen by these schmucks.
 
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Odd-job

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Carry a jetsetter with me when traveling. Its attracted TSA scrutiny maybe twice out the dozen or so flights its been on so far.
 
F

Fixr

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Dec 23, 2012
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SW VA
134k said:
I'm echoing everyone elses response to TSA. It varies widely by location and if the TSA goon has a bad day or not. I carried a no blade, cheapy multitool. Like a knock off version of a swiss keychain multitool, for many years. It's even been pulled out on a secondary a couple of times and they gave it back to me. It has a plier, a #1 phillips head and a small slotted screwdriver. So 3 tools.

Just last year, the bag got pulled aside again. And I already knew they were going to look at the keychain tool. The "agent" was youngish. He pulls it out, plays with it and says it's not allowed. I told him, it met the size and requirements. He said no it doesn't. It's a tool. Tools are allowed, but I'm sure this rent a cop just left training a week earlier. I'm not going to argue with this clown, and so I walked away.

Anything TSA compliant or allowed, isn't guaranteed. Be prepared for any tool to be confiscated/stolen by these schmucks.
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Much like construction inspections, The AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) has the final say. You might be able to argue and ultimately win the argument, but you're not going to make your flight. And you may well be put on The List.
 
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southalabama

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Brewton AL
Just got back from Montana fly fishing trip. They took both rods out of the tube to verify I didn’t have a hook on the line. Ever seen how tiny a barbless fly hook is? I’d clipped mine off just in case. Sure enough they checked. You’d think Billings TSA had seen fly rods before.

I think it all depends on the day of the week and the employee. It’s a **** shoot.
 
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pfbz

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Dec 17, 2008
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As long as they keep the full size toothpaste tube ban, I see no problem with them loosening the restrictions on bladed knives...
 
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whateg01

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doo dah, kansas, usa
I get into a lot of discussions with people about why I don't just carry my suitcase on. Tools. This evening I was getting ready to slice my caramel apple I bought on my way through KDEN and remembered I have a paring knife in my toiletries bag for just such an emergency. I am sure that would cause a secondary screening...
 
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Aaron_W

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Feb 6, 2018
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Northern California
Anything remotely questionable goes into my checked bag, nail clippers, pocket knife etc. I'll be on the plane or sitting around the airport. Odds are I won't need them. What is / isn't allowed seems to be a constantly moving target, so I'd rather be without for a few hours than without for the rest of my trip if I get a super persnickety TSA agent.

Last year I was going through the line, and had a TSA agent tell me all my electronics should go inside my backpack. Get to the front of the line and the TSA agent told me I had to take all electronics out of my bag, clearly annoyed that I hadn't already done so. I told him the other agent said to put them in the bag, his reply "Well I'm telling you to take them out".

Yeah I'm not risking a pocket knife or multi-tool with that kind of internal consistency of policy.
 
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Davefr

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OR
Sorry, couldn't help it. TSA in action.
 
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Hakeem

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Jan 22, 2024
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Chicago
southalabama said:
Just got back from Montana fly fishing trip. They took both rods out of the tube to verify I didn’t have a hook on the line. Ever seen how tiny a barbless fly hook is? I’d clipped mine off just in case. Sure enough they checked. You’d think Billings TSA had seen fly rods before.

I think it all depends on the day of the week and the employee. It’s a **** shoot.
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This one might be craziest one yet. What do they expect you to do with a fishing hook—cast your rod and land it into the pilots neck? Absolute madness
 
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