The Bandit Titanium keychain locking pocket knife is a Kickstarter crowdfunding project that has already earned more than 2x their funding goal. Made from Grade 5 Titanium and hardened 420 High Carbon Stainless Steel, this mini pocket knife is perfectly sized to hang on your keychain or fit in the coin pocket of your jeans without adding a lot of weight and bulk. The Bandit features 1.2 inch long blade with an overall body length of 3.0 inches when the knife is open. The blade comes sharpened and is up to the task for small jobs like opening boxes, cutting packages, zipties, cord, etc. The built-in loop allows you to attach the knife to a keyring or lanyard. You can pre-order your own Bandit Titanium pocket knife with a $36 pledge. Shipping is estimated for April 2016. For more info visit the Bandit Titanium Kickstarter page.
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Does the world really need another pocket knife? I don’t know. I stopped carrying pocket knifes shortly after 9/11.
However, I’m disappointed that the Kickstarter description for the knife does not mention that this knife, and others its size, are not allowed in carryon luggage or pockets of travelers on airplanes.
Don’t let those proposed changes in 2013 of knives under 2.6 inches fool you. They were never implemented.
I feel that any knife seller should be clear that any pocket knife or anything on a keychain is not necessarily getting through security. This Kickstarter description does not include it.
Once the item is taken by a TSA agent, the items become possessions of the federal government, and are deemed excess government property.
The TSA can give them away to schools (scissors), police departments (guns, mace), or sell them on eBay to raise money for the TSA.
Sandee isn’t that like saying the world doesn’t need another pen, laptop, purse, etc? Just because you stopped using knives does not mean everyone else has. I carry one with me every day in my gear bag. As for being disappointed that they don’t mention that it’s not TSA approved, I have to say that I get really annoyed every time we post a review or news about anything that has a blade or sharp edges and someone has to say that the TSA will confiscate it. What ever happened to common sense? It’s not new news that you should NOT try to take knives or other potential weapons on a plane with you. Why should every product with a blade have to warn people about this? Can’t people figure that out on their own? If not, then they need an IQ check.
No, of course not. Just because I stopped carrying pocket knives doesn’t mean the world should.
However, the ban on knives in airplanes makes it difficult to understand the need for a pocket knife attached to a keychain. It’s putting it on a keychain that is worn day in and day out that makes it possible for someone to forget when they travel.
I’d rather carry a 8 inch Bowie knife in a leather sheath. That way I wouldn’t forget to put it in checked luggage.
I typically fly about once a year or so. As stupid as the TSA requirements are, they don’t have any impact on what I do when I’m not flying.
It may not be useful to you, but as someone with a Swiss Army Knife on his keychain (which I’ve been carrying for many, many years), I’m always interested in new keychain-compatible knives. Just because it doesn’t interest you or meet your needs doesn’t mean that the rest of us won’t find it useful.
I saw this post this morning, followed the link and ordered two knives. Then this afternoon realized my little Swiss Army Knife that I always carry does much more than this knife for half the price. Although this looks like a nice, but not great, knife I don’t need another Kickstarter project gathering dust so I cancelled my pledge.
Also, a correction to the article: the Kickstart campaign lists the blade steel as AUS-8. From the description:
“The blade is made of hardened AUS-8 Stainless Steel.”
Not a premium steel, but a step up from 420HC. It has more carbon and a little vanadium and will typically hold an edge longer.
Looks like the steel was actually changed/upgraded when they hit a certain number of backers. It was formerly 420HC, and is now AUS-8.