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Hey have any of you that fly with your straight had your checked baggage completely ransacked by the TSA? This was my first trip and the TSA went through EVERYTHING and then left their little tell tale paperwork, Im hoping its just a coincidence since I will be doing this quite a bit.
Yikes I was just going to bring my straight razor set-up to Canada this friday.....Hopefully TSA wont tough my stuff.
I read this on the Yahoo forums where somebody had their straights seized by the TSA. He will unfortunately never see those again, but the Yahoo guys banded together and provided him with some new stuff. The icing on the cake, so to speak, was that his house had been broken into while he was away and his neighbors figured out he was moving out.
I've had my luggage totally ransacked by TSA twice now. Neither time did I have a straight razor in my bag. It could be worse. On a trip back from Cozumel, Mexico in fall 2002, their screeners went through every person's bag on a big table, right in front of everyone else. You might take a toothbrush holder, drill some small vent holes in both ends, drop a little dessicant pack in there, then place a rubber-band around your straight to keep it closed, drop it in there, then apply a little piece of scotch tape to keep it closed. Or P-touch a nice big "DANGER - EXTREMELY SHARP OBJECT INSIDE" label to place on the outside ;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by mgraepel
Its not illegal to take straights if they are checked...why would they seize them???
To shave with them . . . ;-p
Because they are thieves and low life bastards, thats why.Quote:
Originally Posted by JLStorm
I had my checked baggage ransacked once, I was using
some multi blade at the time. I think it was on a trip to Orlando.
Nothing was missing, but I had nothing worth stealing. If I did
have something of value or that was cool, it would have been gone.
That said, I may be totaly way off base and these guys searching
the bags may be white knights who donate their off time to helping
old ladies cross the street and mentoring and providing financial
assistance to orphans.
Terry
Yep, they took my nice zippo Ford lighter. I flew out, was told the light had to be in checked bagage, on the way back, the other airport said it was banned even in checked bagage.
Freakin thieves.
Ummm... because some of these guys are thieving bastards who should be shot. I read an article on a telecom forum where a guy had several items stolen from checked baggage, including a hand-held HAM radio. Dumb thieving TSA doofus tried to sell it to other hams, who had been alerted to the stolen item. Said doofus was busted on the theft, immediately fired, and went to jail.Quote:
Originally Posted by JLStorm
There are a lot of righteous, honest folks out there. There are also a lot of scumbags. I guess it all depends on who checks you luggage.
I had a friend who was a helicopter mechanic in the Army, and got sent to Iraq. Part of the way, he had to fly commercial, and his bags were ransacked. 5 Benchmade knives were stolen from him, with no explanation or sympathy from the airline. Yep...there are a lot of theiving bastards out there.
Isnt the airline responsible for replacing those lost items, or do they have to lose the whole bag so you can prove it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Chandler
Apparently not. They were in his checked bags. This whole 9/11 security scare, while partially justified, gives a bunch of cockbites a reason to act thuggish. And the airlines really don't care. He got his bags, and the only things missing were his knives. According to him, that was the final word from the airline. I wish you'd have a few lawsuits (and I f-ing hate suers), because people's property is being seized and not returned without due process.
My guess would be, they would have to loose the whole bag.Quote:
Originally Posted by JLStorm
I have to wonder how much stuff disappears from the checked
bags that get searched. And as far as the airline not really giving
a damn about the knives disappearing, no real surprise. They aren't
going to take responsibility and besides in our ultra liberal society
they are probably opposed to people owning knives.
Just a thought....
Terry
I cant wait to see the faces when I check my one of my guns in a future pleasure trip :)Quote:
Originally Posted by wvbias
I fly with on a very regular basis with straights in my checked baggage and have even flown on international flights with them and to date have never had a problem. Luckily downunder here in Aussie we don't have the TSA but that's not to say some of our baggage handliers aren't thieving bastards. I have had a few instances where my luggage was damaged and the airline has had my luggage repaired or replaced without an argument.
John
I am pretty sure the airlines wont replace damaged luggage in the USA. They chalk everything up to "normal wear and tear" :(Quote:
Originally Posted by FXR
I have had my checked bag searched about 2/3 of the time. I think this is mostly due to all the cables and weird electronics that are in there for work. I put each str8 in a long skinny ziploc bag* (I got them from Veripak for cigars), and then into it's own pocket in my padded carrier. I've never lost a straight yet. The electronics are damned specialized and would be easy to trace.
*about 9" x 2"
Wayne
I haven't flown anywhere in a while since my last encounter with TSA. I was the first in line to board and the last one on, as it took that much time to rifle through my carry-on. On my way to the plane I told the TSA employee how I felt. I told her "This is what happens when minimum wage employees are given authority."
"I wouldn't be a member of any club that would have me as a member." -- Groucho Marx
I often wonder if the TSA agents were all the people that wanted to be cops or security guards but couldnt make the cut. BTW have you noticed how FAT many of them are, I didnt think they made button down shirts that big!Quote:
Originally Posted by jmcamp54
It'll be interesting to see if you get placed on some *list* based on them searching your bag and finding your straights. I wonder if this will result in you getting searched more often.
Gentlemen,
I must say that I find the blatant stereotyping that has run rampant in this thread quite disturbing. I thought most members in this forum were above such behavior. Individuals who abuse their office should be held accountable; uniformly berating or vilifying an entire class/section of our society because of the actions of a few is reprehensible.
Ed
To get back on track, here are the two messages from nef919 on the yahoo groups. In this particular situation it was one bad apple spoiling the reputation of the rest.
Hello all,
It has been some time since I have posted to this forum and until
last night I was really looking forward to passing on some good news
to the group. Let me explain what has been going on. For those that
know me also know that my mother has been battling cancer for almost
a year now and I have moved in with her to help her out. Well I went
off to Puerto Rico on a 2 1/2 assignment for work where I had no net
access so I couldn't post or get any mail. I had called the airline
to ask if there was some way I could carry on my razor. To my
surprise I got a positive response (Jet Blue before you ask). So on
the way to PR I had no issues with the razor. On the way back however
I was told that I had to place it with my checked luggage. I get back
to NJ and was greeted kinda oddly by my neighbors. Apparently they
thought I had moved out. When I opened the door to my apartment I
knew why. I have been cleaned out. There was nothing left. Literally
nothing. No furniture not even a partially used bar of soap in the
bathroom. All I have left is what I took with me. Well after the
police leave and all I decide I need to do something to help me
relax so I decide to have a have. I open my bag and immediately
notice a form from the TSA informing me that my bag had been
searched. Missing from my bag though is one of my Ham radios and both
my razors. Can you say bad day? Anyway it is going to be a while
before I will be able to become an active member once again. Thanks
for all the laughs and great info. You guys helped discover the
pleasure of a good shave and for that I will always be grateful.
Hopefully in the near future I will be in a place where I can fully
enjoy these forums again. Until then I will be lurking in the
background and saving up for a new razor (after I get a new bed though).
-nef
Hey guys,
Just to give you a quick update:
Mid-afternoon Monday 12 Dec 2005 Caserio El Carmen, Mayaguez Puerto
Rico. A former employee of the TSA was arrested by the State Police
(policia estatal estado libre associado de pr) as he attempted to
sell a Yaesu FT817 (yes I am a QRPer) to a local ham. The arrest also
yielded around 100 other pieces of consumer electronics that had been
pilfered from unlucky travelers flying in and out of the Aguadilla
Airport. Also found in the search were several AK47's and 2 1/2
ounces of Heroin. The arrest was possible thanks to the local ham
radio community who informed me that someone was offering for sale a
radio they knew belonged to me. Unfortunately no razors were
recovered in the raid. Although thanks to the members of straight
razor community those are being replaced. I would also like to thank
the anonymous person that sent me a new king size bed from sleepys.
Imagine my surprise when I show up after work at 230 am to find I
will not have to sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor! Incredible. I
guess the bad guys don't always win.
Nef
Talk about a sad story. Good to know that the good guys are stepping up to the plate to help a man in need, though. Reassuring that in these interesting times.
I just returned from Montreal -- I decided to leave my Straight at home and take a double edge....and I brought a small suitcase to store overhead and tryt o avoid checking it. Well the TSA stopped me and would not allow me on the plane after an X-Ray. There then removed my blade from my Razor.
I am not sure if it was the way they placed it back in my suitcase--but it was now broken. Oh Well....their goes an My Grandpa's razor.
And to top it off the guy say my shaving cream and was like "What is all of this"--then he stated how the I should get the new 5 balde razor and real shaving cream! I guess it is their job to bust balls. lol
I've never been to the States by car or plane (and I live an hour away from the border lol) but I have a relevant warning for you gentlemen.. Even before the 9/11 craze, checked baggage going through Heathrow has been known to disappear. Once I checked 2 bags: one was full of expensive designer fashions and the other had more mundane stuff. Guess which one made it to Toronto and which one got "lost" with a miserable compensation of about $20/kg.
Man now that's a heartbreak. I'm never gonna travel with a razor I couldn't stand to lose.Quote:
Originally Posted by diablonyc2
Anybody ever tries to tell me I should change, I'm just gonna say something like "That might be fine for someone like YOU, but it's not good enough for ME." ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by diablonyc2
X
Have you checked into filing a claim against the airline? I don't know if you'll get anything, but it's worth a shot.
well the TSA, my experiences with them havent been too bad, obviously my straights were checked in with my strops and on the way back i had a 4 sided paddle strop which i bought from tony miller, i also had a few ebay razors, plus 2 of my own. I decided to pack them together so i knew where to get them and if they were searched for they would be easily found
True to form they were searched but perfectly replaced even the 4 sider was checked as It was not how I had wrapped it, but all in all not too bad an experience