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Observations on Security
By DanB | November 6, 2005
A person wrote me recently asking about Swiss-Tech UtiliKeys. He was concerned they would be confiscated by airport security.
I have many customers who travel frequently and some that work in Homeland Security. They use these tools. The UtiliKey is the only tool we sell with a knife blade. The others only have pliers and screwdrivers. So the larger pliers based tools should go in a suitcase or not carried. They will be taken. The UtiliKey on the other hand generally is not spotted. You toss your keys in and unless someone is really looking closely it does not stick out. Speaking of the stainless model here and not the Gold finish! The Gold finish does stick out.
That being said I carry both a Gold and a Silver on my keychain. Frequently more than one of each. Why? I personally sell them directly off the keychain. I have never had my keychain suspected. I have traveled by air and into Federal and over Government buildings.
One tip someone gave me even before 9-11 was to keep a padded self-addressed stamped envelope in your briefcase. Then you can quickly mail anything to yourself without having to leave it behind.
Here is a funny story for you. In October 2001 we were in Washington D.C. It was my family and some friends of ours. Between the two of us we had 13 children. So we drop the wives and kids off at the Smithsonian and find a place to park about a mile away. During that time the inspectors found a Leatherman Micra, small tool that unfolds to scissors, my wife was carrying. Would not let her in the door, she would have to go back to the car and get rid of the tool before she could enter. The rub? The other woman and all 13 children were already inside! She phoned me and told me to hurry.
When I arrived I got in line on the opposite side of the building. The security people checking purses said “If you don’t have a bag go on it” without even looking up. So I did. Because of her call I had not “unloaded”. Had a Leatherman Wave on my belt, a knife clipped to my pants pocket, a few UtiliKeys on the keychain, Except for the UtiliKeys the other tools were freely visible. I was carrying them as we were camping during the trip. Just forgot to take them off at the car.
Anyway crossed the building retrieved wifes tool from security guard took it back to the car and finally made it in the building. But the second guard was interacting with me personally and had to have seen what was on my person. Didn’t exactly make me feel safer.
That was just one of the examples of lax security we encountered during our trip.
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