When I fly I scatter mini-bics through my laptop bag, pocket carry, and 1-quart ziploc full of toiletries.

The ziploc also has hand sanitizer (think fire starting), cologne (more firestarting), a mini-match (definitely firestarting), and dental floss. Never had any comment on it.

http://www.bepreparedtosurvive.com/FirestarterProducts.htm

More hand sanitizer and dental floss ride in coat pockets, along with a surefire and spare batteries. More spare batteries are in the laptop bag.

The Res-Q-Me has only gotten examined once (when it rode with my watch and keys through the x-ray instead of in the laptop bag). The screener brought it back to his supervisor who approved it. I've heard of that happening to other people as well, haven't heard of anybody getting one confiscated.

You can really take on quite a bit of gear, just not a knife. But EMT shears can handle a lot of chores and they ride in the laptop bag or ziplock.

Of course, TSA is whimsical, generally doesn't have a sense of humor (there are exceptions), and won't tolerate arguement - excuse me, "discussion."

Airport Security Confiscates Rock
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2006/10/airport_securit_4.html
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(posting this as someone that has unintentionally done a bunch of stupid stuff in the past and will again...)