Planning a Trip. Can you fly with tools?

[JohnM Martin]

Planning a trip and was wondering. How do you fly with hand tools? I can't see TSA letting you carry on 2" steel blades from handplanes. How do you all handle this?

[Izzy Camire]

Why not just send a package ahead?

[chris carter]

Planning a trip and was wondering. How do you fly with hand tools? I can't see TSA letting you carry on 2" steel blades from handplanes. How do you all handle this?

You have to check the sharp stuff. If you really don't want to, you can mail the irons and carry on the bodies.

[john hejmanowski]

i fly with tools all the time. Just check them in as baggage, not carry-on. I have never lost a tool this way. The tool bag does get opened up by TSA regularly.

[Phil Mueller]

As Chris said, when flying with tools in the past, I’ve checked all the sharp stuff (chisels, irons, cutters, etc) and carried on plane bodies and such.

[glenn bradley]

No carry on but, checked is OK.

[Brandon Speaks]

Yes, for sure cant carry on. Even a plane body technically could be an issue if it is a longer one like a no 7 or 8. Checked would be fine.

[JohnM Martin]

Thanks all for the responses. Good to know, I suspected as much but it is good confirmation.

[al heitz]

Just to be on the safe side, make a list of your tools, especially any expensive ones. Things have disappeared, been damaged, or entire luggage bags lost - not often but it does happen. You''ll need a list for any reimbursement. Photos would even be better.

[Gene Davis]

If one of your tools is a Sig P229, just be sure it is locked in a case, unloaded, and that you have declared it at baggage check-in.

They won't care so much about your Two Cherries chisels, but they cannot ride in the cabin with you.

[Andy Jungblut]

FWIW...I bought a wooden jack plane while on vacation (I guess about 15-17"). I put the blade in my checked baggage, and put just the plane body in my carry on. I went through TSA and they made me go back and check the plane body, I couldn't carry it on (considered a weapon I guess). So to be safe, I wouldn't even try to carry on the body - although I'm not sure how consistent TSA is with their policies. It could vary on the airport or the mood of the TSA person.

[Mike Kreinhop]

I would check with the airline before I assumed anything can be put in the checked baggage. On my return flight from Dulles last month, one passenger sitting next to me told me he had to take the two fish fillet knives out of his checked bag and give them to his friend who brought him to the airport. The screener at the United desk specifically asked the traveler if he was carrying weapons or sharp objects in the checked bags.

[Ralph Boumenot]

I recently flew with tools. I put all of them in the checked baggage when I got my ticket.