Think a terrorist can't get a knife on a plane? Think again.

Most people are under the ridiculous illusion that airport security actually will prevent anyone who wishes to be armed on a plane from boarding. Apparently, most people are ignorant to the existence of polymers. Allow me to introduce you to the fallacy that is metal detection:

They only detect METALS.

They won't detect this:



$9.75

Or this:



$3.25

Or this:




$9.75

Or this:



$9.75

Ok? So while you may feel you're safe on a plane, anyone can take a knife on board, and have it on their person. If they haven't been patted down and had all of their belongings searched, treat them as if they are armed, because they very well may be. I actually think this is a good thing. The more people that are armed on airliners, the less chance we have of another bunch of fools with boxcutters trying to make their way into the cockpit.

reply to post by angrysniper


I guess it only matters if yo think someone is going to hijack a plane with a small blade. I personally dont. I dont believe that planes were hijacked with boxcutters, either.

# i accidentally got stuff onto a plane and off and wasn't caught. didn't notice till i unpacked my bag. (course then again it wasnt anything dangerous) Its easy even though they have xrays, a ps2's have a stash place if you know where to look. big enough to fit a knife or explosives, and the xrays cant see all the way through it.

It's kinda like the predator/prey relationship in the animal kingdom, isn't it? Each side just has to keep evolving new defenses or strategies.

I've always thought that if someone was seriously determined to do damage somewhere....they will find a way to do it.

I own one of those.
Its a hard plastic and you can sharpen it with sandpaper.
I got mine from a biker friend.
They even come in lockblades...and yes they are undetectable.

www.shomer-tec.com...

Thats the company who makes them I believe.

[edit on 8-1-2010 by DrumsRfun]

reply to post by DrumsRfun


Some truly weird, and quite disturbing products on that site you listed... particularly the Super Sonic Nausea machines... plus with all that police endorsement I wonder if they actually supply this to any forces, and whether they have been used. Scary stuff indeed :s www.shomer-tec.com...

[edit on 8-1-2010 by Pr0t0]

reply to post by Pr0t0


I have never known or seen any cops with them...just bikers.

When my wife and I went on our honeymoon 2 months back, she managed to get through airport security with a can of pepper spray in her purse. She didn't even realize it until she was going through her purse at the hotel. So they obviously still don't do a good job.

BTW. It was very light traffic (Sunday morning) so it wasn't like they were too busy to notice it in the scanner.

I have lost 3 scizzors to airport security and they only had half inch blades. I could take a big rock and that beats scizzors. I could also take a piece of paper. Paper cuts really hurt and it beats scizzors. I could fold up the paper into a really big knife, ohhhh scarrrrry!

Items such as these quite obvious and anybody who is in anyway imaginative could secrete something upon their person which could be adapted as a weapon. Sky Marshals are few and far between on many airlines and so even the most basic tools would be needed to take control of a craft. The biggest threat I see see at the moment is items that could be secreted internally and these are numerous.

yeah plastic and ceramic blades are cool. i believe the only reason the 911 hijackers got away with highjacking is because passengers were told to go along that everything would be alright. me if i saw an idiot with a box cutter i would have taken a pair of socks out of my carryon i keep with me and put a full soda can in each and beat the tar off those idiots yes getting cut with box cutters hurt but usually aren't fatal . a can in a sock tho can be ask jeffery dalhmer.

When I was boarding a plane, they took all my shampoo and conditioner.

They probably get a lot of freebies that way.

I was very annoyed about that.

The whole thing is suspect.

reply to post by proteus33


I have thought about this many times. If anyone on a flight that I am taking ever stands up with a box cutter threatening people, I have a plan of action. I would use my seat that is removable for flotation purposes as a shield, and like you said, bash them with a sock stuffed with a can of soda.

I couldn't imagine a whole plane full of people submitting to 2 people with box cutters though. I think the will to live would over come any fears of a couple nasty cuts.

It's not gonna be a plane hijacking.

No one needs traditional weapons to kill any one, or to hijack a plane.

Give me a pen, and I can put a hole in your jugular, or through your eye socket and into your brain. And for those who have an idea of how open hand techniques work, well a thumb is a very dangerious weapon as well.

Besides, who needs box cutters, plastic alternatives or pens, when a neck can be broken.



Seriously, the only reason a weapon is used, is because the perpetrator is unskilled and has no real training in offensive techniques. Otherwise, if a weapon was needed, an expert could take yours.

Take it from a martial artist since 1984, how many of you have been alive that long, let alone studied any thing for 2 1/2 decades?

Of course it doesn't take years of training or experience, in order to hurt people with out getting hurt your self. But, it does go a lot farther than Joe shmoe who knows nothing other than little debbie and his x box...

Remember, the mind is the real weapon, every thing else is an accessory.

One last note, no one should ever be afraid of another person, but what that person is capable of doing.

Glock 19 is full polymer and won't be detected by metal detector, you can be creative and hide the ammo somewhere and keep something metal in pocket by accident they wand you and you can blame it on the small thing you forgot.

[edit on 10-1-2010 by ahddm]

I agree with most of what Advisor has pointed out. On top of that I'd like to point out that 'terrorists' with knives or junior chemistry sets in their pants are much less dangerous than a million other things.

You have more chance of being killed by a loved one.
You have more chance of being killed in traffic.
You have more chance of being killed by poor medical advice.
You have more chance of being killed food poisoning.
You have more chance of being killed slipping in the shower/ bath.


I'm not dismissing the intention of terrorists to terrorize.

In the big scheme of things the biggest terrorist is our own Governments. It's their fear that has generated a billion-dollar industry of media BS and our freedoms have been sold and replaced by paranoia and surveillance machines in airports. It's their fear that's undermining the fabric of society and diminishing the right to individual freedom and privacy. rant/

reply to post by ADVISOR


As I practiced martial arts previously for about 10 years at no point do I believe I had the skill to take on a plane of passengers jumping on me.

While this thread is just about the threat I doubt anyone is actually afraid of someone trying this.

ADVISOR on an offtopic comment what kind of martial arts are you involved in? I have been contemplating going back to practicing some.

Why would a terrorist want to use a knife on a plane when he can use a missle instead.A terrorist carring a tracking device for a missle would be more effective.The tracking device is so small it can be hidden within a cell phone or even a device hidden under the skin.The missle could be fired anywhere along the route of the planes flight path.

[edit on 10-1-2010 by GORGANTHIUM]

There are many knifes and weapons that can by pass the xray and metal detectors at airports, there are the CIA Graphite Knifes, There are Crystal Blades and Plastic Blades that are sharp enough to penetrate skin, none of these weapons will set off the metal detectors.

Just my 2 pence

Wee Mad Mental