Air Travel with Pens in Carry-on Luggage

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TonyL

TonyL

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Joined
Mar 9, 2014
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Location
Georgia
Hi Folks:

I am probably over thinking this, but have any of you ever had a problem traveling with your pens (say 6 or more) stored in a carry-on bag?

I am going to look up the FAA/TSA regs, but thought I would ask. I plan to transport about 8 pens.

They probably look like very long bullets when x-ray'd.

Thank you,

Tony

Flying from Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
 
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I accidentally traveled with a PSI bolt action. I did not have any problems going through TSA. I would be a little more cautious with 8 though.
 
A few years ago I took 13 through a small airport in Illinois. They let them through, but I was pulled aside so they could inspect them closer. They took caps off and everything. They mentioned pen knives so they were being cautious. All went fine and to top it all off the TSA agent bought one of them :biggrin:

They could have cared less about the 8" long by 1" dia rod of Damascus I had in the same bag....go figure :confused::rolleyes:
 
There are at least 8-10 scattered around in various compartments of my brief case, I've carried it through airport security well over 100 times in the last 4-5 years; never been checked.

When I take along a large quantity of last minute production inventory to meet my wife at a show I put it in checked luggage, but that is usually more like 100 pens.
 
Yes my wife forgot she had 2 bullet pens and 1 50 cal BMG in her carry on. Well she got racked over the coals. Was told to throw them out or leave security and send them home.
Funny thing is this was on her second leg of the trip, both airports were International Airports.
Lin
 
Been there, done that many times. No problems.

I should explain that I'm a fountain pen person, and I've been known to travel with 6-8 FPs. I did have an experience in which the security folks (I think it was in Canada) looked at me like I had just arrived from Mars.

I generally empty my pockets (IAP-style pens are typically built around brass tubes that would trigger the magnetometer) and put my carry-pen in my carry-on bag for the security check.

I don't carry (and refuse to even own) pens that look like bullets or guns. So I've never tested the TSA response to those.
 
Just got back from a trip/cruise where i took over 30 pens (no bolt action or 50 cal) in my carry on bag with no probems (4 time i have done this), they took a good look at them when were getting on the ship but no problem. Checked bag???? You may or may not have them at the end of your trip, its up to you..... how well do YOU trust the TSA boys and girls..... when you are not watching them. We went on one trip when we open up our checked bag it looked like someone had a party in it ,so i don't put anything in them out of the norm .
 
Thanks folks. I don't have any BA to take. I don't see anything in the regs, so I should be fine.
 
I flew in to Washington, DC.couple of years ago from KC with about 10 bullet pens in my checked luggage. No problem, but did have them in a zip lock bag with a note describing what they were.
 
We both got to show the security guards our pen kits, won at last years MAPG, at the Richmond Virginia airport. They saw them on the x-rays and since they couldn't figure out what they were, they looked and we explained. They were nice about it and off we went.
 
I travel quite often for work. 20 flights or more a year. I always take pens with me. Mostly I travel with my 48-pen leather case like this one. I have a collection of all sorts of pens to include bolt actions (all three sizes), .50 cal (both with the real bullet tip and a Wall Street III nose cone end), 12 gage Over under pens, and the real bullets made from .308 and .30-06 with real FMJ nose cones.

I have never had a problem in the last 6 years of traveling with pens except for this last April when flying out of Colorado Springs, CO. They inspected my pens and wanted me to toss out my one .50 cal pen in the case, but they did not care about the rest of the bullet pens. Even the real bullet pens. Just he .50 cal was the problem.

I would not trust my pens in the checked luggage as I have had a few missing when they went through a checked bag screening. One was a Majestic Squire and the other was a Roman Harvest. Neither looked anything like a bullet, and the other bullet pens were left untouched.

Michael
 
I have taken 20 in a carry on - all kinds - many times. Never been questioned about pens but I did have them open the bag and remove a partial tube of toothpaste.

Hubert
 
I worked for a major though now defunct air carrier pre-TSA and have seen things I would rather not have seen happen with checked baggage... I actually walked off a flight I was working because one of the loaders had opened a bag in the belly of the airplane... he didn't take anything that I saw, but I left the flight and reported him to my lead. After I left that station, I later heard that he and a number of other ramp servicemen had been arrested for stealing luggage items, guns, cameras, etc....
 
I've had no trouble flying with pens. I've had times that I've carried a dozen bolt actions and was never questioned. They were each boxed individually. I'm not aware of any regulation, and most of the TSA folks I encounter are reasonable. I only remember being questioned once, and it was nothing once I explained it.
 
I travel for a living and see TSA several times a week. Always have a selection of pens with me including various bullet pens. Been checked a couple of times yet once they saw they were functioning writing instruments all was fine. I often leave my card and have made sales to TSA security folks. On one stop the difficult thing was getting away as the first agent called over several of his fellow agents to see what i had, not to question them going through but because they were interested, sold three that day.
 
I make 20 to 30 high end pens every year for my husband to take to a conference as gifts for the heads of the groups. He always has them in his carry on with no problem.
Of course no bullet etc... pen kits as other have said.
Alice
 
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