I pack a full blown sewing kit in my shoulder bag as a carryon for every flight. My bags have been checked at least half a dozen times now, and no one ever bothers with the needles or anything else in the sewing kit. I did forget a pair of mustache scissors in my hygiene kit once on my carryon, and had to have the TSA agent take them back to my wife on the other side of the barrier. All knives and lighters get put in checked baggage. I dress so that once I remove my wedding ring and my dog tags, I can walk through the metal detector without setting it off. I am one of the few, and they give me funny looks when I step through and nothing happens. I guess the way I dress they just expect they are going to have to wand me. Sometimes they do it anyways. I always ask for the cute gal to do me. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />