Airport Security and Stitching Equipment

Discuss your gear and stitching and shoe modification in here.
Post Reply
User avatar
TayChaint
Multidex Master
Posts: 230
Joined: 03 Dec 2006 18:10
Location: NY

Airport Security and Stitching Equipment

Post by TayChaint » 12 Feb 2007 17:36

I tried searching this but i couldn't find anything...here's my question. Does anyone know if there's any sewing equipment that CAN'T be brought to the airport? including small scissors and filler. Are there any specific rules for bb pellets because i'm going to travel for February break and want to stitch at the airport but i don't want security thinking i'm some crazy terrorist trying to smuggle ammunition in and such. If anyone has any experience with this or whatever it would be appreciated :lol:

thanks,
peace.
Taylor Chaintreuil

User avatar
Moxie
Taphophile
Posts: 3610
Joined: 13 Jul 2004 09:46
Location: USA

Re: Airport Security and Stitching Equipment

Post by Moxie » 12 Feb 2007 17:42

It seems like a lot of it depends on the person in charge on that shift. Once on a return trip I had a belt taken away from me because they said it could have been used as a weapon. The people on the flight out didn't have a problem with it, but that doesn't matter if one person thinks it's too dangerous.

I'm quoting myself from a recent post in the Airplanes thread in Journies to Tournies.
Moxie wrote:Carol W. works(ed?) as a flight attendant and had something that looked like a credit card but had a little slit in it to cut thread because at some points airlines don’t allow anything sharp. It was neat; I have no idea where to get one.

The last four or so time I've been on a plane I've brought footbags, shot in a Ziplock bag, glover's needles, very sharp fabric scissors (Fiskars), a very small pair of manicure scissors (in case they take away the Fiskars so I’ll still be able to cut thread) and I've had no problems.

I know that one of these days one employee might not be okay with me having sharp stuff on a plane and need to take it away. I accept that as a possibility.
"I contend we are both atheists, I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."

Emily Kulczyk

User avatar
PegLegHolly
Swashbuckler
Posts: 2475
Joined: 02 Aug 2006 17:43
Location: Cleveland, OH
Contact:

Post by PegLegHolly » 12 Feb 2007 18:16

when i flew from nashville to chicago and back they let scissors with a blade of 4" or under onto the plane. they didnt care about my lead shot footbags. and they didnt care about glovers needles (most of the time those are too small for a metal detector to see) but in any case... be prepared to have your things confiscated because different airlines have different rules and different people have different ideas on whats dangerous
Holly Mathews
peglegholly.com

User avatar
mosher
brutal footbag cronie
Posts: 6177
Joined: 22 Jan 2004 23:30
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Contact:

Post by mosher » 12 Feb 2007 21:43

Basically all the stuff used to stitch can be seen as dangerous to some airline people. I don't bother putting my stitching stuff in my carry-on as it's totally not worth the risk. I need to be lighting a lighter to melt floss, there's no way that'd just get ignored in today's society.

It's really not worth the risk just to stitch a bit. There are other ways to kill the time and other places to stitch.
Tom Mosher

hate is a waste of passion!

User avatar
brinard
Flower Child
Posts: 1915
Joined: 05 Jan 2006 22:14
Location: nashville tn
Contact:

Post by brinard » 12 Feb 2007 21:51

yeah, i remember dave wilder saying they confiscated a lighter from him, and called it "a personal flame throwing device".

but yeah, not worth it. i would bring a floss with cutter, and needle at most. you shouldnt need scissors just to stitch. (precut your panels)

or just play gameboy. thats what i do.

User avatar
dp
Egyptian Footgod
Posts: 1222
Joined: 09 Nov 2005 16:25
Location: ohio

Post by dp » 13 Feb 2007 06:50

Lighter's aren't something you want on a plane. I was on a transatlantic flight once and in my cabin was a manic depressive guy with a lighter who hadn't had his lithium in a very long time.

There was literally a fight on the plane and they had to tie him up.
Danny P.

User avatar
TayChaint
Multidex Master
Posts: 230
Joined: 03 Dec 2006 18:10
Location: NY

Post by TayChaint » 13 Feb 2007 07:23

that's crazy about the person with the lighter!

although it's probably not worth the bother, i think i'm going to try bringing my sewing stuff just to see what happens...i don't see the how the kind of scissors you have in kindergarden can be dangerous to cut the thread??? Also, if anyone knows how to make that credit card cutter that Moxie was talking about...that would be sweet 8)

Peace.
Taylor Chaintreuil

User avatar
Zac Miley
Post Master General
Posts: 5953
Joined: 04 Jun 2006 12:11
Location: Kansas City, MO
Contact:

Post by Zac Miley » 13 Feb 2007 07:30

I think maybe she's talking about a letter opener?

They're kinda funny looking. I'll find a pic, maybe.

Image

That.
Jay (8:06:01 PM): Bu-bu-buu-buug--Looks up, and the feeling goes away like a sneeze-bu-buuuh-BULLLSHITTT
Jay (8:06:14 PM): *wipes bellybutton*

User avatar
Johnny
Post Master General
Posts: 2499
Joined: 22 Nov 2002 14:51
Location: Paris, Ontario, Canada.

Post by Johnny » 13 Feb 2007 10:24

Small "credit card" letter opener... google searched http://www.plasticpromotions.com/page.a ... HighPrice=.

I've crossed the border with a good 5 pounds of lead shot in a plastic pop bottle. I can only imagine what that looked like in the metal detector. Anyway they kinda flipped out when they saw it in my bag, but I said I used it as hacky sack filler, and showed them some bags. They brought the shot and my footbags to some office and got them okayed... It worked for me.
Johnny Suderman

User avatar
mosher
brutal footbag cronie
Posts: 6177
Joined: 22 Jan 2004 23:30
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Contact:

Post by mosher » 13 Feb 2007 23:19

Man, it's TOTALLY not worth the risk. It's kinda silly to take a chance just for the heck of it. They may cause you alot of trouble and waste alot of your time even for just little scissors and needles.

It's a dumb risk.

Also, they will stop you if you have filler, their scanners look at the densities of things in your bags. Filler is very dense. You will have to explain it all to them, so be prepared.
Tom Mosher

hate is a waste of passion!

LEGOMAN
Egyptian Footgod
Posts: 1171
Joined: 20 Dec 2006 21:00

Post by LEGOMAN » 14 Feb 2007 08:20

I remember having like all my footbags in my shit I brought to Santa Cruz.... they didn't ask me anything but it was still pretty funny.
People that like LEGOMAN - 10
People that hate LEGOMAN - 1000
LEGOMAN´s posts - Priceless

User avatar
TayChaint
Multidex Master
Posts: 230
Joined: 03 Dec 2006 18:10
Location: NY

Post by TayChaint » 14 Feb 2007 09:53

Gah!!! Someone my family knows sews and she told me that they don't allow needles on airplanes anymore at all, and that there's no way i'm getting through with any kind of scissors. :cry:

Looks like it'll just be me and my shot-free mr. sandbag.

Peace.
Taylor Chaintreuil

User avatar
brinard
Flower Child
Posts: 1915
Joined: 05 Jan 2006 22:14
Location: nashville tn
Contact:

Post by brinard » 14 Feb 2007 10:11

all these stitchers said they made it thru with needles, and shot.

i had a half pound of shot, and twenty something shot filled bags, needles, and floss, and nobody questioned me at all. not even a suspicious look. (edit: all that was in my carry-on!)

you can atleast bring your good footbags, but if you are worried about needles, just put them in your checked luggage, so you can sew later.

you could just call your airline and ask if bbs used for hackysack filler are okay, since you wont have any way (other than throwing) to make them projectile.

we called american airlines for nyj, and they were fine with it.

Post Reply