Carrying weapons aboard a plane is a big no-no, isn't it? If you're the proud owner of a bowie knife, you might think that there's no possible way that you'd ever be allowed to carry that knife on a plane. However, while you're right, you're wrong at the same time. You can take your bowie knife with you when you fly, but you have to follow some pretty specific guidelines. What's the system you have to follow? What do you need to do?
First, you will need to make sure that your bowie knife is not packed in your carryon luggage. While you can take bowie knives aboard planes, your carryon bag is most certainly not the right place for them. Where can you put them? The only place that the TSA allows bowie knives is in your checked baggage - your suitcase, for example. This type of baggage is checked at the ticket counter, and then sent down a conveyor belt to be loaded in the belly of the plane. While this will certainly keep you apart from your knife for the duration of the flight, it does allow you to travel with your weapon.
However, you cannot just toss your knife in your suitcase. You must follow TSA guidelines to ensure that your knife arrives safe and sound (well, as safe as possible) at your destination. What are these guidelines? First, your knife must be sheathed. Naked blades cannot be transported aboard planes in any form whatsoever.
Next, you will also need to wrap the bowie knife in something - bubble wrap works well. Actually, if you can manage it, you should box your knife, wrapping and all. This will provide the utmost protection for baggage handlers and inspectors who might come into contact with your luggage and the knife itself. As long as you follow these precautions, you can carry anything in your suitcase from a bowie knife to scissors, swords and even firearms (broken down into component pieces, of course).
You should also understand that your bag will likely be inspected during the loading process. No matter how well packaged it might be, it will show up in the x-ray machine. Therefore, having bowie knives wrapped securely will prevent injury to the inspectors, as well as potential injury to baggage handlers. You will find that traveling with bowie knives or even with swords and other bladed weapons is not a problem so long as you follow the proper procedures.
Author Resource:
Dylan Sabot is the owner of an online bowie hunting knives store featuring the Cold Steel training knife . Additionally, Dylan is also the President of an online humidors store.