Customs/Aiport Security and tools/electronic items?

[MetalMonkey]

Anybody brought any unusual electronic items or tools through customs and airport security recently, and if so how bad was it?

My brother is currently in Spain and due to fly over soon, and was considering bringing me a nice Voltage Tester as a Birthday present.

As far as I can tell there should be no issues with border force (under £390 limit), should being the operative word.
But given the thing is not the usual electronic items (omg a bomb) and suspiciously shaped with two pointy bits (omg a Taser), I fear he might be in for the ole' one gloved Michael Jackson routine by Security.
He's on a tight flight schedule so I don't want to cause him any hassle at all.

We did consider posting it on ahead (over £39 gift but under £135 import charge), but I assume that will be another 20% VAT on top of the VAT already paid, plus whatever the courier deems a suitable admin fee.
Takes the gloss of it somewhat.

Curious to know if anybody has taken tools or equipment through and if so how bothered they all were are about it.

 

[Pilgrim22]

They only seem interested in batteries, especially Li-ion. Get him to remove the battery and it should be fine.

 

[tigdlo]

3 years ago and not Spain but no issues. They deal with this stuff all the time, plenty of engineers flying about with tools and parts, people buy electronics on holiday, you would hope they are trained well enough to spot the difference. I did work with someone that got fed up with the TSA in the US ripping the foam out of his pelicase so his tools ended up all loose inside.

 

[striker]

In hand luggage, fairly recently, I've had to give up, on separate occasions, a chromed brass wet shaver and a campagnolo pedal spanner. Gutted.

 

[skotl]

I fly in the UK and back and forth to Europe pretty much every week, carrying all sorts of electronics from medical equipment to computer components, all in carry-on. Literally zero times has the bag even been opened yet alone anyone ask me what it is.

 

[MetalMonkey]

I think this would be checked rather than carry on.

 

[striker]

If it's checked in, I can't see a problem, I regularly take full bikes and associated tooling including electronic gears and battery.

 

[skotl]

^^ that

Only time I've ever had checked baggage opened was a flight to the U.S. nearly 20 years ago (and that was a random check, not cos of anything I was carrying).

I just got back from Italy last week with my kilt and a very sharp 6" bladed sgian-dubh (dagger) in my checked bag - no problems at all

 

[Barking Mat]

Customs found a tiny spanner in my man bag my daughter gave me as a présent, I'd forgotten about it, maybe 6 or 7 mm.

Got quite a telling off, but they let me keep it, any doubts, stick it in the hull, not worth confiscation.

 

[Robotstar5]

^^ that

Only time I've ever had checked baggage opened was a flight to the U.S. nearly 20 years ago (and that was a random check, not cos of anything I was carrying).

I just got back from Italy last week with my kilt and a very sharp 6" bladed sgian-dubh (dagger) in my checked bag - no problems at all

My dad told me this was a sgian-dubh, 8" overall with a 4" blade, was he right?. Resides in the bottom of my wardrobe with his other knives these days.

 

[skotl]

My dad told me this was a sgian-dubh, 8" overall with a 4" blade, was he right?. Resides in the bottom of my wardrobe with his other knives these days.

View attachment 385764

Probably.

The two giveaways are the black handle and that the sheath doesn't have any belt holes because it's supposed to be concealed in a sock (or under the armpit!)

 

[skotl]

Probably.

The two giveaways are the black handle and that the sheath doesn't have any belt holes because it's supposed to be concealed in a sock (or under the armpit!)

This is mine

 

[Robotstar5]

Probably.

The two giveaways are the black handle and that the sheath doesn't have any belt holes because it's supposed to be concealed in a sock (or under the armpit!)

Cheers, it's not quite visible in the pic but the other side of the handle is relieved which I assumed is to make it a comfortable fit against the calf.

 

[skotl]

Cheers, it's not quite visible in the pic but the other side of the handle is relieved which I assumed is to make it a comfortable fit against the calf.

Indeed - the back side of my handle is completely flat

 

[bricol]

In your checked luggage will be fine. I've had 10 flights in the couple of weeks in and out of UK, various European counties and USA (writing this in Seattle) - no issues at all with checked tools, electric tools etc.

Check airlines policies for total amount of battery power they allow - never had an issues with power tool batteries in carry on.

 

[fractured]

I had one of the folding Allen key sets confiscated during a hand luggage search. Put it in your suitcase and check it in, but remove batteries.

 

[500e]

Electric Allen keys another thing to buy

 

[Morrisman]

I flew in and out of the US for ten years with no end of electric gubbins in my carry on, ipa, ipod, phone, along with attendant chargers, plugs, adaptors, leads etc. It looked a right horrifying mess when shown on the x-ray screen, but the security never batted an eye lid.

Now a 120ml tube of toothpaste, that was serious stuff, it got confiscated and I got a right ration of grief for the heinous offence.