Yet Another "My First Mod" Post

[frugalscotty]

An old thread showing Neil's "The Scholar" mod inspired me to swap out the blade on a Rambler creating this little fellow that theoretically should be able to pass through US airport security.



Piecing together the tiny bushings on this mod has given me fresh respect for work of the master modders whose work I enjoy viewing in this forum.

Now I have a small stack of parts from the bunged up minichamp I disasembled to get the cuticle pusher. It's giving me ideas for more mini mods, I think I've got the bug. 

[donvito]

That's a nice mod

[ari6126]

An old thread showing Neil's "The Scholar" mod inspired me to swap out the blade on a Rambler creating this little fellow that theoretically should be able to pass through US airport security.

Theoretically is a key word. I would never take a SAK through security. Great mod though. I love a bladeless SAK. It is a lot like my Egghead. Got a name for it yet?

[Zed]

very nice mod, 

[AHB]

very nice mod, 

Indeed it is.. 

[frugalscotty]

Theoretically is a key word. I would never take a SAK through security. Great mod though. I love a bladeless SAK. It is a lot like my Egghead. Got a name for it yet?

It's true there is no guarantee against a screener with a bad attitude confiscating it simply because it appears to be a knife. I'm not a frequent flier but my experiences with TSA so far have generally been positive. I have a trip planned in a few weeks so I suppose I'll find out. I hate being without something handy in my pocket.

Hadn't thought about a name; how about Flightline. As in "waiting in line for my flight"

[Gareth]

Very nice mod mate, and yes the 58mm bushings are a real fiddle aren't they?    

A word of warning though, while that may be OK going through US airports, it won't get through any UK airport security.  The scissors alone would see to that, and I think they'd be very suspicious of that nail-file.

[nuphoria]

Well, you can't be too careful eh? I might hijack the plane by cutting and filing the pilots nails 


Very nice mod, congrats to you for fighting the fiddly bits and welcome to the forum 

[Sparky415]

An old thread showing Neil's "The Scholar" mod inspired me to swap out the blade on a Rambler creating this little fellow that theoretically should be able to pass through US airport security.

Theoretically is a key word. I would never take a SAK through security. Great mod though. I love a bladeless SAK. It is a lot like my Egghead. Got a name for it yet?

How about 'Your-nicked-sonny' 

Nice Mod and welcome 

[J-sews]

Looks good

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Good work that mate

[Benner]

The Scholar was an idea created by a genius...

[Neil]

Nice mod   glad you've got the bug

The Scholar was an idea created by a genius...

   Suffering from low self esteem are we Ben

[rp252]

Great mod mate.  I wouldn't risk getting it on a plane mind - the scissors would be problematic.

I have a friend who apparently had his transformers T-shirt confiscated because it had a picture of a gun on it. 

[frugalscotty]

Great mod mate.  I wouldn't risk getting it on a plane mind - the scissors would be problematic.

The NTSA in the US has relaxed it restrictions to allow small scissors of less than four inches. With the scissors extended my little Flightline is just under that length. Of course there is no guarantee that a grumpy security officer won't just take it anyway but it's not doing me any good in the drawer either. I'll post whether I made it through or not after my trip at the end of May.

[Neil]

Please let us know how your travel experiment goes

[Benner]

Nice mod   glad you've got the bug

The Scholar was an idea created by a genius...

   Suffering from low self esteem are we Ben

Might be. 

[frugalscotty]

Please let us know how your travel experiment goes

I am back from my trip and pleased to report that my little mod did make it through airport security on my outbound flight. I was a little surprised they didn't even want to inspect it. Perhaps it went through the scanner unnoticed but it was plainly visible in the plastic tray that all personal items must be placed.

I put it in my checked bag on my return flight because I had some other items in my carryon that I thought might need to be inspected and didn't want the additional hassle. False alarm though, they did run my backpack through the scanner twice but no further inspection was needed.

[Gareth]

Good to know I worked well mate.

[Neil]

I'm pleasantly surprised.  Though I don't think it truly passes the test until you've had three security bods pulling the tools out and muttering before they let you on the flight with it

[Mike 56]

I haven't had any problems with my knife less 58mm yet. But for insurance i carry a addressed mailer with plenty of postage just in case.
Mike

[frugalscotty]

Flightline Log: Final Post

Yesterday I took the Flightline mod on another round trip through the US airport security system. I am happy to report it is still in my possession although I wasn't sure I'd make it for a moment.

On the outbound leg a friendly screener informed me it couldn't go through security so I requested she inspect it since it was without a knife blade. She quickly did so, pronounced it "Cool" and sent me on through. On the return trip, I encountered a couple a couple of female screeners who were a bit more surly. The first, upon spying my Vic, immediately called for backup. When backup arrived, she grabbed the little tool and was preparing to confiscate it as I asked her to please inspect since there was no knife blade. She relented, did the inspection, but still decided it needed to be approved by her supervisor. She then marched it over to the supervisor who glanced at it for half a second before nodding his head in approval. She handed it back to me and I was on my way.

So I made it through security but was it worth the hassle? I honestly can't say. I think all of us here hate the thought of being without some tool in our pocket but having to face down airport security twice in one day was maybe too stressful (especially when you have other things to think about). I think future carry of this little fellow through the airport will be on a situational basis. If I am traveling to a single destination for several days I will probably just put a classic or sportsman that I could stand to lose in checked baggage. If I am on a day trip without baggage I might just decide to live without for the day rather than prove how right I am at the security gate.

BTW Neil, They really do mutter don't they?

Thanks for following the saga of "My First Mod" 

[Neil]

And there's the rub   You know it fits the rules, they acknowledge it does but do you need the grief every time?  Here's hoping the rules get relaxed t more sane proportions in the future.

On the plus side I think it would make a great companion tool to a larger SAK.  It not having a blade is a bonus in my opinion as I consider the 58mm blades to be too small to safely handle (that's from personal experience more than once).

[nuphoria]

It's a great idea all round, I totally agree.

However, I know the UK security bods would just take it because of the scissors 

I hate travelling without a tool.

[ari6126]

It's a great idea all round, I totally agree.

However, I know the UK security bods would just take it because of the scissors 

I hate travelling without a tool.

Although my Egghead should easily get through security, I won't risk it. I have the same feeling of helplessness without my EDC, so I carry my E01 just to make me feel a little prepared. It seems every time I'm in an airport I need scissors, but what can you do?