Where to get small 'pocket neon test screwdriver?
 

Late 2007 early 2008. All the way from North America to the Middle
East, through security in three major airports etc.

Then Malta for 8 days and back to M.E. Through security again, in six
airports. No problems.

In some airports a belt buckle or metal eye-glasses would activate the
metal scanner and in others nothing seemed to do so. Some required one
to remove shoes, some did not.

Then before boarding a twenty minute hop between two airports within
the M.E. my pocket neon test screwdriver, with a blade all of two
inches long, was confiscated! "Not allowed"!

Any idea of where to acquire another one? Preferably cheap! Also do
some have a resistor in series with the little NE-2 type neon; but
others not?

P.S. Rather interesting is that on one leg of one flight we were
served a meal, complete with 'metal' knife and fork. This was a nice
airline, but wasn't in business class; just back in steerage.
Estimate blade of that knife was longer than my later confiscated
pocket screwdriver, which had been tucked into a row of pencils/pens
in my brief case for many years including three other international
trips, 2005 to 2008.

Certain lack of security consistency; eh?

Where to get small 'pocket neon test screwdriver?
 

Terry,

Isn't it absurd?

Anyway, if you are looking for the little 120VAC voltage testers in a pen
case I have seen them at Ace Hardware stores. I have also seen them at
another store that is about 2 hours away but only get there about 3 times a
year (thank you, Exxon). If you can't locate one drop me an email and I will
keep you posted on my next trip to that store in the next few months.

Good luck.

Smokey

Where to get small 'pocket neon test screwdriver?
 

terryS wrote:

Then before boarding a twenty minute hop between two airports within
the M.E. my pocket neon test screwdriver, with a blade all of two
inches long, was confiscated! "Not allowed"!

It's a tool. You aren't allowed to have tools on US airliners. They took
my Allen wrench away. When I asked, I was told that I could use it to take
the plane apart. I pointed out that we were flying on an Airbus which is all
metric, but it didn't help.

Any idea of where to acquire another one? Preferably cheap! Also do
some have a resistor in series with the little NE-2 type neon; but
others not?

As far as I know, they all have a resistor in series, because without it
they could not be used on the 110V AC line.

What you want is a Blackburn 19-079. Wesco carries it, so does Tristate
Electrical Supply. Ask your local Graybar if they carry the Blackburn tools.

P.S. Rather interesting is that on one leg of one flight we were
served a meal, complete with 'metal' knife and fork. This was a nice
airline, but wasn't in business class; just back in steerage.
Estimate blade of that knife was longer than my later confiscated
pocket screwdriver, which had been tucked into a row of pencils/pens
in my brief case for many years including three other international
trips, 2005 to 2008.

Certain lack of security consistency; eh?

The War On Liquids isn't about actual security, it's about annoying customers
so they feel like Something Is Being Done.

What airline gave you metal utensils? US airlines don't even serve you meals
any more, as far as I can tell...
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Where to get small 'pocket neon test screwdriver?
 

(Scott Dorsey) wrote in
:

terryS wrote:

Then before boarding a twenty minute hop between two airports within
the M.E. my pocket neon test screwdriver, with a blade all of two
inches long, was confiscated! "Not allowed"!

It's a tool. You aren't allowed to have tools on US airliners.
They took my Allen wrench away. When I asked, I was told that I
could use it to take the plane apart. I pointed out that we were
flying on an Airbus which is all metric, but it didn't help.

Tools (not defined) and screwdrivers less than 7" long are allowed
in carry-on bags.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...d-items.shtm#7

However:

To ensure traveler's security, transportation security
officers (TSOs) may determine that an item not on the
prohibited items chart is prohibited. In addition, the TSO
may also determine that an item on the permitted chart is
dangerous and therefore may not be brought through the
security checkpoint.

http://www.tsa.gov/assets/pdf/Prohib...ly_3-16-07.pdf

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |

Where to get small 'pocket neon test screwdriver?
 

Scott Dorsey wrote:
terryS wrote:
Then before boarding a twenty minute hop between two airports within
the M.E. my pocket neon test screwdriver, with a blade all of two
inches long, was confiscated! "Not allowed"!

It's a tool. You aren't allowed to have tools on US airliners. They took
my Allen wrench away. When I asked, I was told that I could use it to take
the plane apart. I pointed out that we were flying on an Airbus which is all
metric, but it didn't help.

too bad you didn't have a micrometer on hand to prove the size...but
then they would have taken it, too. It really would suck if they
allowed an Allen wrench on board, and some fool took the wings off the
plane while it was en route. g

I was in line for security in Vegas last year. When I opened my
carry-on to pull out the laptop, I realized I had packed a little cheap
'computer tool kit' in there, rather than in my checked luggage. I
simply tossed it in the trash. I wasn't going to give them the
satisfaction of taking it from me (and getting to keep it), or an
opening to hassle me any more than usual.

Any idea of where to acquire another one? Preferably cheap! Also do
some have a resistor in series with the little NE-2 type neon; but
others not?

As far as I know, they all have a resistor in series, because without it
they could not be used on the 110V AC line.

What you want is a Blackburn 19-079. Wesco carries it, so does Tristate
Electrical Supply. Ask your local Graybar if they carry the Blackburn tools.

P.S. Rather interesting is that on one leg of one flight we were
served a meal, complete with 'metal' knife and fork. This was a nice
airline, but wasn't in business class; just back in steerage.
Estimate blade of that knife was longer than my later confiscated
pocket screwdriver, which had been tucked into a row of pencils/pens
in my brief case for many years including three other international
trips, 2005 to 2008.

Certain lack of security consistency; eh?

The War On Liquids isn't about actual security, it's about annoying customers
so they feel like Something Is Being Done.

I think it's an agreement between them and the airport vendors. Throw
your water away at the gate, and buy more on the other side.

jak

What airline gave you metal utensils? US airlines don't even serve you meals
any more, as far as I can tell...
--scott

Where to get small 'pocket neon test screwdriver?
 

Bert Hyman wrote:
(Scott Dorsey) wrote in
:

terryS wrote:
Then before boarding a twenty minute hop between two airports within
the M.E. my pocket neon test screwdriver, with a blade all of two
inches long, was confiscated! "Not allowed"!
It's a tool. You aren't allowed to have tools on US airliners.
They took my Allen wrench away. When I asked, I was told that I
could use it to take the plane apart. I pointed out that we were
flying on an Airbus which is all metric, but it didn't help.

Tools (not defined) and screwdrivers less than 7" long are allowed
in carry-on bags.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...d-items.shtm#7

However:

To ensure traveler's security, transportation security
officers (TSOs) may determine that an item not on the
prohibited items chart is prohibited. In addition, the TSO
may also determine that an item on the permitted chart is
dangerous and therefore may not be brought through the
security checkpoint.

In other words, if they take a fancy to it, they have license to steal it.

-Chuck

Where to get small 'pocket neon test screwdriver?
 

On May 20, 2:44*pm, Chuck Harris wrote:
Bert Hyman wrote:
(Scott Dorsey) wrote in
:

terryS wrote:
Then before boarding a twenty minute hop between two airports within
the M.E. my pocket neon test screwdriver, with a blade all of two
inches long, was confiscated! "Not allowed"!
It's a tool. *You aren't allowed to have tools on US airliners.
They took my Allen wrench away. *When I asked, I was told that I
could use it to take the plane apart. *I pointed out that we were
flying on an Airbus which is all metric, but it didn't help.

Tools (not defined) and screwdrivers less than 7" long are allowed
in carry-on bags.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...tted-prohibite...

However:

* * * * To ensure traveler's security, transportation security
* * * * officers (TSOs) may determine that an item not on the
* * * * prohibited items chart is prohibited. In addition, the TSO
* * * * may also determine that an item on the permitted chart is
* * * * dangerous and therefore may not be brought through the
* * * * security checkpoint.

In other words, if they take a fancy to it, they have license to steal it.

-Chuck- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Could be but I don't think that Arab bureaucrat would have known how
to use it.
Also the voltage 'over there' is 230 volts (50 hertz) so my 115 volt
would certainly 'fire' just through body capacity of an individual
using it!

Yes water! Must be hazardous? Was given a bottle just before landing
in London UK, arriving from the middle east. Not allowed to take it
through the re-security check in the transfer line! Had to drink it in
the presence of the security guy, while we had a most pleasant chat
about our respective growing up some 40 to 50 years ago. Apparently it
ceased to be hazardous down my gullet!

No. It wasn't a North American airline that served that meal it was
IIRC Emirates Air out of Abu Dhabi etc. Very nice service from an
international crew, good planes etc.

Thanks for the leads on finding another neon pocket tester. Terry

Where to get small 'pocket neon test screwdriver?
 

Scott's right.

I make my living as an airline pilot so I have ample opportunity to witness
this "window dressing."

It is all about conditioning. Period.

They have admitted that their plan is: what you see at the airports now will
become what you experience as drivers and pedestrians.

God help us.

Where to get small 'pocket neon test screwdriver?
 

However:

To ensure traveler's security, transportation security
officers (TSOs) may determine that an item not on the
prohibited items chart is prohibited. In addition, the TSO
may also determine that an item on the permitted chart is
dangerous and therefore may not be brought through the
security checkpoint.

In other words, if they take a fancy to it, they have license to steal it.

-Chuck

Officer discretion based on experience (or accumulated frustration
or bad attitude) teaches them to react autonomously such that
any outcome is possible, ranging from looking the other way to
field execution.