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Comment by nradov | Hacker News Reader

Not really true since you can't even bring a little pocketknife or other cutting tool with you.

Yes, that's one thing that I really dislike. I'm very used to carrying my Leatherman supertool around with me, and it irks me that I can't do that.

But I do have a Wallet Ninja that's useful that's only ever been questioned once, and never taken away. And I used to carry a small knife that folds into a key, and nobody ever noticed until one particularly bored TSA agent decided I couldn't take it with me. I should really order another one, or dozen, and treat them as "disposable" for traveling with.

I have heard that people often forget that this is on their keys, and it is very rare that it is noticed:

https://www.swisstechtools.com/product/detail.html?id=111

You could bring the Swiss Army Jetsetter, but the problem with that is that you are almost certain to get stopped by US security every time, and deal with a 1-15 minute delay depending on how well the particular agent you get knows their rules around scissors and how many times they mistakenly call your item a Swiss Army "knife". To save yourself some trouble, just put it on an s-biner on the outside of your backpack, and ideally extend the tools so it is obvious there's no knife.

https://www.victorinox.com/en/Products/Swiss-Army-Knife%E2%8...

why do you need one? I see a lot of "edc" stuff online where people seem to carry knives and tools with them everywhere they go. I've never found a need to do so and never been caught out in a situation where I would have benefitted from a knife.

Having some kind of a sharpish edge is pretty useful in my experience. I just use a keychain multi tool that’s more like a screwdriver than a knife but you can open things you can’t with just your hands. A real pocket knife I only bring when camping or renovating or something like that

"My good reason to carry a knife is that God gave me rather weak teeth and rudimentary claws in an evolutionary trade-off. The hairy-armed person who figured out how to put an edge on a suitable rock made it possible for us to be recognizably human in the first place. I wear a wristwatch whether or not I have an appointment to keep, and I carry a pen and/or pencil because I am a literate person whether or not I have a specific writing task ahead of me, and I carry a knife because I am a human and not an ape."

- James Mattis

When I was a kid, my dad told me that all gentlemen should carry a pocket knife. (And presumably gentlewomen, too, but he was addressing me at the time.) I carry a nice Spyderco Para 3 with me at all times when I'm not flying somewhere and use it multiple times a day for random stuff like: trimming a loose thread on my shirt, digging out a splinter, trimming a hangnail before it can snag on something, cutting a length of rope, popping a piece of glass out of my shoe, opening an envelope, cutting tape on a box, slicing an apple or a piece of cheese, and so on ad infinitum. On the very few occasions where I didn't have it, I've reached for my phantom knife and been bummed to realize I didn't have the tool I was counting on. Without exaggeration, I use it every single day.

Note that crazy stuff like self defense absolutely, positively does not enter the equation. I mention that only because some people get weird about it in both directions, both "eek, you carry a weapon around?!", and "ooh, ever get to stab anyone?!" No. My primary self defense mechanism is good running shoes and decent stamina.

And different countries having different rules.

Always fun to lose your contact lens solution at a transit airport that doesn’t embrace “one stop security” and find yourself tracking some down on a Sunday. Fuck you Heathrow.

I have every time I've traveled. Lighters as well. TSA is fucking useless.

Most airports allow for 1 < 5cm knife and 1 lighter.

Nope, not in the USA.

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

Lighters are allowed though:

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

If you can’t go without, just buy one at the destination. Leave it at the hotel with a note that it’s free for the taking when you leave.

Swiss army knives are cheap and easy to find in every city.

You can fly with a swiss army knife in europe, or at least nobody ever questioned me. If you buy local everywhere you fly look for opinels, for $10 you get the perfect camping/food knife

And throw it away every time? Or at least give it away or so?

Leave it at the hotel/hostel. I leave a small note so the cleaning staff knows it’s abandoned, not lost and in need of return.

I’ve done this with various things I forgot, like a phone charger for the local outlet type.

Back in the the before times of the '90's, when it still existed, I flew on SwissAir in a premium cabin for work; they gave all the passengers Swiss Army knives as a gift while we were in the air...

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