Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/03/20/theres-a-store-in-texas-where-tsa-confiscated-items-end-up.html
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I thought it was funny that my friend got her nail clippers confiscated but on the same flight they let her carry on the ‘soul’ of an antique iron. (i.e. a 3 pound chunk of solid iron with a vaguely pointy end). I think they were just baffled into giving it a pass. S.E.P. field maybe?
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I remember once I forgot a small knife in my bag. It was missed on Xray, but caught by a “random” hand search (I got ‘randomly’ selected every time for a while, probably for having a beard on my drivers license but not on my face). The scanner operator apologized to her supervisor “I swear it looked like nail clippers on X-ray”. I don’t think we were allowed to have nail clippers either at the time.
Are they confiscating walking canes and umbrellas now? Sorry Grandpa…
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When TSA first started nabbing stuff, on a flight out of Santa Fe, I had a small pair of scissors confiscated but NOT my metal knitting needles! #SecurityTheater
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Walking canes? Was there something especially dangerous about these ones?
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Here’s a list with links to each state’s surplus program (most are auctions).
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I buy stuff from there pretty regularly.
Always good prices on multitools.
My partner spaced out that he was carrying his buckknife in the Charlotte, NC airport but at least the TSA there offers padded mailers there and for a few bucks you can send yourself your own items back to your home address instead of getting things confiscated.
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I’ve been there a few times and gotten a couple of things. My brother works nearby and goes almost everyday. He got a nice watch someone left at the screening machine for cheap, and good deals on some other items until the eBayers started showing up first thing every morning and snatching all the good stuff. That’s when the shop staff started pricing things more along eBay prices. He collects small pocket knives and still finds some interesting items, though not for so cheap anymore.
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I had to mail myself a leatherman from an airport to avoid TSA confiscation ~15 years ago. It was new at the time and still gets pretty regular use, so well worth the shipping cost. Next time I’m in Austin I’ll stop in to see what they have
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The selection is vast and changes all the time.
I usually go right after either SXSW or ACL Fest.
Or a Formula One weekend.
Usually a big influx of newly confiscated um items.
I can’t tell you the number of Swiss Army knives, wee screwdrivers, multitools I have surrendered at various airports, from here to Mexico City. I always think I’ve emptied every pocket and every backpack compartment, but noooooooooo…
ETA: typo
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They breed in those pockets and compartments. They sneak out and into the big main sections of backpacks, etc, and throw parties. They hook up with each other, and next thing you know, you have six itty bitty screwdrivers/multitools/various knives/etc when you used to have one* or two.
*Some items are evidently capable of parthenogenesis.
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There’s a store in Texas where TSA-confiscated items end up
Now that’s a country and/or western song waiting to be written.
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I suspect this also includes items that went through TSA security but were never picked up. On my last flight I didn’t pick up my AirPods Pro and assumed they were lost. After I returned I filled out a TSA Lost & Found report, not to be confused with the airport’s Lost & Found. They contacted me the next day and I picked up my AirPods. I talked with the person and they had many, many AirPods that never got picked at security up nor were claimed later. I assume at some point these are also put up for sale.
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Bag of Knives is my new band name.
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This is a 5 minute drive from where I work, so I pop in from time to time. I’ve gotten a few basic pocket knives and multitools there for very cheap. All the computer stuff is old surplus though, monitors and workstations from 10-15 years ago,not really that useful for much, imho.
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I’ve picked up a few knives via eBay resellers as well. Search TSA knives or TSA confiscated. Usually bag o’ crap gimme knives but occasionally a decent find.
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The online auctions list some stuff that would be fun to geek around with, like a spectrograph and chromatograph.
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I’m gonna fly down there, pick some stuff up, and then fly back.
That shouldn’t be a problem, right?
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Fill your carry-on!!
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Man, I understand why they do it, but eBay resellers make thrifting so boring these days. They’re so thorough I almost never find anything good. 
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