There's a knife that is being offered on the Internet as able to pass through (edit) a metal detector. Is this possible? Please see the link.

It may not get picked up by the metal detectors, but it will certainly send up a red flag when it goes through xray, which will see the outline of a knife. No way thats getting on a plane.

why take a knife anyway? if you want to get a weapon on an aircraft just make one once you are on board.

e.g. : get a can of soda, and use the sharp sheet metal to make a throat cutting device. pens and pencils make for nice stabbing tools. and im sure you could take something onboard that could be used as a blunt object, such as some silver candle sticks or something.

OK, but someone could hide it in their pants, and could walk through the metal detector. Yikes!

For future reference, you wont get through security with a duffle bag containing, knife, candelstick, rope, wrench, lead pipe, & revolver. Airport security has no sense of humor.

another thought… i dont know much about how aircraft work. but could a suicidal maniac not just simply open one of the emergency doors in mid flight? do those things lock? and if they do lock while flying, wont that cause problems if they are ever needed to be used in a real emergency and its stuck locked?

You’d be surprised at what slips through airport security.

The x-ray machine that shows the body outline is only available on international flights, as I understand. That would make this knife show up. But it’s not used on national flights. That still makes it possible for them to get through USA security metal detectors. @poisonantidote, I don’t know about doors.

I don’t know, but I want one. :D
Not for its security evasion properties, but it’s a diamond-hard knife with a transparent blade. How cool is that?

im sure you could get a small canister of nerve gas on board hidden inside an orifice, by my understanding you would not need much of the stuff.

Where can I purchase the Sapphire Knife online?

What would be the point? Bringing a knife to a gunfight? All aircraft carry armed marshals nowadays- domestic and international. In some cases the cabin staff and aircrew are also armed.

LOL, YOU GUYS are scary!

I wonder if ceramic kitchen knives (which I believe would be far cheaper than this “saphire” knife) would set off metal detectors.

@DarkScribe:

There are many legitimate uses for this knife beyond airplanes and their use can be successful even in the presence of guards:

”
In August 2008, “Marwa” filed a defamation case against, Axel, a 28-year unemployed German, after he called her a “terrorist” because she wears the hijab (Islamic veil).

Alex later stabbed her 18 times to death in a German courtroom after the judges announced she won the case against him, and that he had to pay 2,800 Euros as a fine for his previous insults.
”

@malevolentbutticklish how is that a legitimate use for a knife?

Once again, I’m reminded why I don’t fly.

My uncle has owned bone and ceramic knives for decades,they are usually not detected by metal detectors.

I would tell you about a plastic gun, but that might have some bearing on my Top Secret clearance.

@malevolentbutticklish There are many legitimate uses for this knife beyond airplanes and their use can be successful even in the presence of guards:

Successful? If the goal was suicide by armed marshal sure, but if was to hijack a plane – no way. As for legitimate uses, there are all manner of similar knives, ceramic etc., they have been around for decades. They are useful for those who do not know how to keep good steel razor sharp, but aside from that – not as good as a quality chef’s knife.

As for the courtroom scenario – you can quite easily kill someone with a ball point pen, or even a pencil.

@DarkScribe:
a) “they have been around for decades.” <== I own a Zirconium Oxide knife.
b) “quite easily kill someone with a ball point pen, or even a pencil.” <== you can even with your hands alone, but wouldn’t a knife improve your chances?
c) “If the goal was suicide by armed marshal sure” <== There were as many as 19 hijackers September 11th.

Best way to hyjack a plane? Work on a plane in international flights, there is a high chance that even if you are a flight attendant you will be given some kind of weapon.

Even better if you are the flying marshal.

But really, who would want to do a terrible thing like steal a plane in the first place?

@malevolentbutticklish Hmmmm. Increase power to pedant shields.

“quite easily kill someone with a ball point pen, or even a pencil.” <== you can even with your hands alone, but wouldn’t a knife improve your chances?

Not against an armed marshal.

c) “If the goal was suicide by armed marshal sure” <== There were as many as 19 hijackers September 11th.

On september 11th they weren’t carrying armed marshals – because of those events they now do so.

@DarkScribe: Consider how much more stringent Israel feels they need to be going so far as to interview each passenger. If armed marshals closed the book why implement these extra precautions? Don’t get me wrong… I believe the odds change with an armed marshal (especially for a lone attacker) but I would be surprised if we have seen our last airplane hijacking in the USA.

@malevolentbutticklish

Currently the threat is high explosive in women’s breasts. Being on security at an airport looks as though it is beginning to have some perks.

See: http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/breast-implant-bombs-new-terror-device/story-e6frfq80-1225846014542

This will change some traditional male attitudes. Guys will start avoiding well endowed women on planes – won’t want to sit next to them.

@poisonedantidote You can’t open those doors while flying at a high altitude. They open inwards, and the air pressure would make it damn near impossible, even if you had 2 friends, and no passengers to stop you.

@snowberry, we just got the body scanner at our airport last week and it’s not used only on international flights.

@lfino OK. Last I heard, it was only to be used on international flights. Things change fast. Thanks

@snowberry The body scanner at our airport is in the terminal that Southwest is in because that’s where most of the flights are out of. TSA is supposed to be installing 450 bodyscanners in 2010 and another 500 in 2011.

There is no such thing as safe. Safety never existed, it’s an illusion.

Security is not the process of making something “safe” – it’s the science of making it more expensive in terms of time, work and money to steal or destroy something than the value of what’s being stolen or destroyed.

Airport security is not useful. It’s full of holes, weak spots, and is just an extremely visible implementation of cover-your-ass security. It’s just there to make people feel safe, which is having the reverse effect, because, as is evidenced, now people are letting themselves get worked into a froth over ever smaller, more unusual and unlikely non-issues.

It’ll never replace my tungsten carbide blades. Still cool-looking though.