TSA question

[normshapiro]

I do a fair amount of air travel and always carry on my luggage. I want to be able to take a multi-tool on board with me that will pass TSA inspection. I'm thinking of getting a SOG multi-tool and removing all the sharp tools and replacing some of them with non-sharp tools. Another thought is getting an Atwood Crawdaddy which will handle most of my travel requirements. Which are pliers and screw drivers (straight and phillips).

But I'm wondering if the pliers or any other part of the SOG multi-tool will cause a problem?

[NeitherExtreme]

I'm no expert, but I think all it takes is a security person to not like the tool and all the legalities go away :( Leatherman seems to think their Knifeless Fuse would be ok, and even have a link to the TSA guidelines from their site. I can't remember where or when, but I remember reading that some airlines won't let you bring screwdrivers on the plane (other than eyeglass).

I get the feeling they just don't want tools at all, but if you don't mind loosing the tool or have plenty of time to go mail it back to yourself I'd love to hear how this works out for you :) I'd also love to be able to have a few tools handy when traveling, but I always chicken out and put it in the checked luggage :rolleyes:

Edit: I just check the LM site and the Knifeless Fuse no longer has the TSA link, so maybe that didn't work out for them :-X

[normshapiro]

I was going to buy the knifeless Leatherman tool until they (Leatherman people) told me they didn't think it would pass TSA

[NeitherExtreme]

Figures :(

What SOG are you thinking about? Full sized or Crossgrip sized?

[normshapiro]

Pocket Power Grip and take out the blade and awl and maybe add the socket drive tool and a spacer. Or the Cross Grip and take out the blade. They do not have any other tools for the Cross Grip.

[NeitherExtreme]

I hadn't thought about no other tools for the Crossgrip... I'd still guess that would be the safer bet. Either way the best advice I think I ever heard was to hand the tool directly to the security person before they have a chance to get suspicious and just say something like "can you check this out for me? It shouldn't have any blades or illeagal parts." Then hope they're in a reasonable mood ;) Other people had other ways but that seemed the best to me...

The Atwoods seem like they should be safe, though I don't have one. It'd be a sad day if they wouldn't let you through with one of those :rolleyes:

[NeitherExtreme]

If you want to ask more questions about SOG, you could check out this forum:
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/board,2.0.html
Quite a few of them over there could help you a lot more than I could.