TSA approved self defense items?

[sebas1226]

I sneak an extra ounce of liquid with the 3.4oz that I'm allowed to have and waterboard my attackers

 

[nwslopoke]

Wouldn't it just be easier to stay off Spirit or Southwest airlines?

 

[Mark W.]

Right after 9-11 my mom who is now 84 flew to Scotland she said if some a hole stood up on the plane and said anything she would beat him to death with her upright tray and hard bound book LOL Having grown up under her temper and views on corporal punishment I prayed for anyone asking for the restroom in anything that sounded not like perfect English

 

[aljames]

A box cutter. For when some DEI hire flips the plane over on the runway and I have to cut my seatbelt.

 

[wired]

I did not think that you could take a metal flashlight like Streamlight or Surefire past TSA.

Do you have it in your carry on or wear it and put it in the tray for xray?

I carry a flashlight in my carry on bag every time I fly

 

[monkeybutler]

I bought a microplane in Denver. For shaving nutmeg. 2006 or so.

I knew the Denver TSA to be an avid bunch. I had previously been fondled - never wear jogging pants to the airport - the agent gave some kind of goofy smile when we both realized he was trying to initiate foreplay. Eew. And some other dolt seized my videographer's shaving kit. Male grooming accessories. Terrorism. They go together.

So I wondered about the nutmeg shaver. Roughly shaped like a screwdriver, it has maybe 6 inches of 'blade' plus the handle. I forget what the rule on tool vs handle length was, but in my case if they were only measuring the blade, it was okay. But if the handle were included, it was over the spec. I sent them an email about that. They could not answer the question. Tards. So I shipped it to myself.

 

[Tony617]

My pocket knife that I put in my checked luggage was seized at SeaTac airport last March of 2024 when I was flying out to take some manditory training for my job. My next trip I will be ordering a pocket knife that I sent to my sisters home and then I will leave it there when I fly home.

 

[Nocaster]

I did not think that you could take a metal flashlight like Streamlight or Surefire past TSA.

Do you have it in your carry on or wear it and put it in the tray for xray?

I just flew to Hawaii and back with an HLX in my pocket. Daily carry is a one cell Modlite, but I figured the HLX would make a better impact tool. Just had it clipped in my pocket, and put it in the tray to go through the scanner. Or maybe I put it in the backpack before the scanner.

Edit: i always bring a gun with me, but decided not to risk it in Hawaii and their weird rules. But I did have a couple of POM sprays, a clinch pick, a Northman, a g10 dagger, and a camping knife in checked luggage.

 

[coop44]

I fly with a laminated hardwood cane, probably wouldn't let me bring a baseball bat. So cane it is.

 

[1911Fanatic]

I would just take a burrito, if I were to fly. Munch it down after take off, and if anyone threatens my life during the flight, I can fart in their face. That should deter them.

Seriously though, I don't ever plan to board a plane again ever. The last time I was on a plane, we hit turbulence that was so severe, that several people were injured. It felt like the plane was smacked by a bus at highway speed.

One of the flight attendants was walking down the aisle when it hit, and it was like the floor fell 12 feet from under her. She hit her head on the roof of the plane and was knocked out.

 

[danarzh]

I just take my streamlight wedge and one of them "tactical" pens - the pointy end can unscrew and I can flip it over and screw it back in. The other end is just flat, so it looks like any old metal pen. Never had an issue.

And then obviously put my gun, knife, and oc spray in checked baggage.

 

[2nd Amendment]

If in doubt, search for your item in this list:

What Can I Bring? | Transportation Security Administration

The TSA "What Can I Bring?" page provides a comprehensive list of items that travelers can and cannot bring in carry-on and checked baggage. It includes guidelines on common items such as liquids, electronics, sporting equipment, and medical devices. The page also offers special instructions for...

www.tsa.gov

Expand the 3 lists under Enforcement Sanctions Guidance here to see the penalties for violations:

Civil Enforcement | Transportation Security Administration

The TSA Civil Enforcement page outlines penalties and regulations related to prohibited items and security violations at airport checkpoints.

www.tsa.gov

TSA says:
Flashlight: I have read that for carry-on luggage it needs to be less than 7" long, and no crenellated bezels:

What Can I Bring? | Transportation Security Administration

The TSA "What Can I Bring?" page provides a comprehensive list of items that travelers can and cannot bring in carry-on and checked baggage. It includes guidelines on common items such as liquids, electronics, sporting equipment, and medical devices. The page also offers special instructions for...

www.tsa.gov

Tools - total length less than 7" in carry-on, otherwise, must be in checked:
Screwdrivers: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/screwdrivers-shorter-7-inches
Wrench/pliers: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/wrenchespliers
Power tools in checked only: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/power-tools

Belt: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/belts-clothes-and-shoes

Knives: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security...ne=knife&field_item_category_value=All&page=0
Sword: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security...ne=sword&field_item_category_value=All&page=0

Canes: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/canes

Rules for various self defense sprays here:

What Can I Bring? | Transportation Security Administration

The TSA "What Can I Bring?" page provides a comprehensive list of items that travelers can and cannot bring in carry-on and checked baggage. It includes guidelines on common items such as liquids, electronics, sporting equipment, and medical devices. The page also offers special instructions for...

www.tsa.gov

Silencers/suppressors must be declared - they are considered firearms.
Undeclared and/or improperly packaged silencers; mufflers; frames and/or receivers.

What Can I Bring? | Transportation Security Administration

The TSA "What Can I Bring?" page provides a comprehensive list of items that travelers can and cannot bring in carry-on and checked baggage. It includes guidelines on common items such as liquids, electronics, sporting equipment, and medical devices. The page also offers special instructions for...

www.tsa.gov

 

[P7M13]

I fly with a Zen aura that puts anyone to sleep.

I've seen that you can take tools with you like screw drivers that are under 7 inches in length. Accourding to TSA….. but at the end of the day is up to the officer's discretion. I have a flat/sheath that I carry concealed where I am not allowed to carry fixed blades but I don't know if I wanna run the risk of loosing it. lol.

In hundreds of flights, I remember at least two times where TSA said that I couldn't bring my toolkit in my carry-on.

 

[Alexx1401]

My pocket knife that I put in my checked luggage was seized at SeaTac airport last March of 2024 when I was flying out to take some manditory training for my job. My next trip I will be ordering a pocket knife that I sent to my sisters home and then I will leave it there when I fly home.

WTF? What excuse did they give for taking a knife out of checked baggage?

 

[NeoBlackdog]

WTF? What excuse did they give for taking a knife out of checked baggage?

The inspector wanted it! Duh!

 

[FourTeeFive]

Tools can be iffy. I have some very tiny ones I keep in my carry-on, but anything else I end up checking. Also, Canada doesn't allow you to travel with ANY tools. I had a tiny screwdriver set and they said all tools were banned from carry-on.

As far as flying with flashlights, this one has been with me around the world in my computer bag to numerous countries:

Streamlight 88061 ProTac 1L-1AA

 

[SCARed]

After 2001 when I was flying quite a bit, and the TSA was even more strict with what you could carry, I'd always ask for an entire can of soda which they always gave me. It's pretty easy to tear it open, creating a pretty sharp cutting object. I was always amazed at the (improvised weapons) stuff they'd give you on a flight.

 

[edzz]

After 2001 when I was flying quite a bit, and the TSA was even more strict with what you could carry, I'd always ask for an entire can of soda which they always gave me. It's pretty easy to tear it open, creating a pretty sharp cutting object. I was always amazed at the (improvised weapons) stuff they'd give you on a flight.

Always unopened can of soda. Spent enough time servicing (C&D checks) commercial planes to trust anything coming from the galley including the ice.

Wonder about a frozen water bottle, not liquid so the liquid rule should not apply.

Flying out of SeaTac the day of the shoe bomber I learned not to ware cowboy boots that need a boot jack. Little tsa girl said I "may" want to take my boots off. She should have said I "needed" to remove my boots. As I don't think English was her first language things rapidly went down hill.

As far as "weapons'" a tightly rolled magazine or a bottle from the duty free shop. Never have understood why flammable liquids in breakable glass bottles are allowed IF you buy them after passing screening.

 

[dvqsjr59]

Bring a 2-ft. length of paracord tied in a loop, along with a large nut; i.e. 1 inch or so. Carry them separately through security. Once you're at the gate, discretely loop the paracord through the nut. You now have a weapon that can easily fracture a miscreant's skull.

Also, there are scads of defensive pens available on Amazon and eBay that, in addition to being fine writing instruments, can deliver a nasty jab.

 

[shibbershabber]

A good metal bodied pen is as good as it gets

I brought a couple when I had to go to LA... more so for walking around LA not so much for the flight. Get the cheap ones off Ebay or Amazon just in case it gets confiscated.


Never know what theyll do until you get to the scanner... I had made about 10 flights within a months time carrying a Zippo torch lighter. No problem at all. 11th flight out of PDX and they wont let me thru with it because somehow having two flames is more dangerous than the single flame model.

TSA isnt exactly recruiting the best and brightest