For those of us who regularly tote a pocket knife, flying comes with an extra headache. You’ve either gotta remember to stash that EDC item in your checked luggage or, if you are flying with a carry-on only, leave it at home. Enough of us forget, however, that there’s an active online marketplace dedicated to selling a variety of “dangerous items” that organizations like the TSA have confiscated.
Having been through the experience ourselves, we know how painful that moment of gear surrender can be. But here’s some good news: a crowdfunded pocket knife offers a smart solution that should come in quite handy if you get to the airport only to realize you still have your EDC folder on you. It’s called the , and the key is a blade that’s a bit different.
The source of this project? A little outfit called , which has a track record of about a dozen beautifully crafted, . The Howland XL is in fact the third pocket knife to carry that moniker – following the original Howland Knife and the Howland Knife Reborn — which honors Amelia Earhart.
Located in the central Pacific, Howland Island was to be the last stop on Earhart’s circumnavigation of the globe, before she and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared on July 2, 1937, sparking a mystery that endures to this day.
Removable blade knives are nothing new, but they are hot right now for any number of reasons. TSA compliance is a good one.
Read the whole thing at GearPatrol.com. There is actually a bit of pocketknife history in the piece as well.