Airport Security and Stitching Equipment

[TayChaint]

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

thanks,
peace.

[Moxie]

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.

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.

[PegLegHolly]

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

[mosher]

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.

[brinard]

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.

[dp]

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.

[TayChaint]

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

Peace.

[Zac Miley]

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

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



That.

[Johnny]

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.

[mosher]

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.

[LEGOMAN]

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.

[TayChaint]

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.

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

Peace.

[brinard]

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.