International Saber Travel

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

Hey all, I'm moving to Taiwan in a few weeks and was planning on just detaching the blades from my two sabers and transporting them in checked baggage. I could also send them UPS if that is a more viable option.

For those of you who have traveled or moved internationally and taken sabers with you, how did you do it? I just want to make sure it will get through customs. Taiwan says no weapons or toy weapons...but since it's more of a prop replica (and I figure that meant like no swords with false edges, etc) I think it would be fine. I'm a little worried about what the TSA would make of a metal tube with installed electronics in a checked bag, but if the x-rays are good it would just look like a cool flashlight.

Anyways, anything to help alleviate my concern would be good! Other advice is welcome too, of course.

Thanks!

[Weaver]

Well, considering they threw a world-class tantrum over six cans of nutritional supplement drink (I drink it because I don't have regular access to healthy food), and very nearly carted me off to "The Back Room" as a terrorist over the ordeal, I would definitely just ship it to your new place.

I have no love for the TSA.

[Kevin Starwaster]

Well, considering they threw a world-class tantrum over six cans of nutritional supplement drink (I drink it because I don't have regular access to healthy food), and very nearly carted me off to "The Back Room" as a terrorist over the ordeal, I would definitely just ship it to your new place.

I have no love for the TSA.

I had to give up a bottle of teriyaki sauce. i thought about arguing over it but you know how that can turn out.

ticked me off. My biggest regret was that having left it behind I should have emptied it into the trash so that no TSA personnel be allowed to profit. Didn't think about. it until too late.

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

Were those both carry on issues? Or were they in your checked baggage?

[amadeus768]

First rule of checked bags.... never put anything in there you don't want stolen or broken. You can't have locks on your bag that aren't TSA approved because they have to open them to inspect your luggage. Ship them, packed well, with tracking and insurance. If the batteries are removable, take them out.

[Weaver]

Mine was in checked baggage, not carry-on.

[madmaxx]

this is not the aluminium tube your looking for...(wave hand)

[Skottsaber]

I have gone through numerous customs (South Africa, England, France, USA) with two sabers in my hand luggage and haven't had any problems. When officials have asked about my bags I have simply explained to them what they are and I have been allowed to board.

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

Thanks for the tips! I called the TSA today and they said that they should be fine in either checked or carry on baggage. I will likely check them. Let you know how it goes!

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

Hey all!

I made it successfully to Taiwan. No problems at all with checking them. None at customs either.

[GFJedi]

Great news, glad the travel went off without a hitch. :)

[Nevarr]

A little late, but I just found the forums and wanted to add a bit to this. I've traveled internationally with my lightsabers to attend Star Wars Celebration VI. I checked ahead of time and found out that the TSA does allow toy lightsabers in either checked or carry-on. While Japan's airlines don't necessarily follow the same restrictions, I decided to take them as carry-on (I'd bought them at Celebration V, and put them as checked baggage. The airline lost the box and it was a couple of weeks before they arrived, so I preferred to attempt carry on). The only real trouble I had was at the initial check-in desk prior to even getting near security. They claimed that my sabers were too long (Force FX, non-detachable blades, packed in a Kendo shinai case) to go in carry on. I told them that I'd looked into it ahead of time, and that they were allowed as carry-on. I even did the Jedi hand wave and said "they will be fine". They let me through with a warning that I might be made to check them in at the gate.

Onward to security. The sabers looked a little bit funny going through the X-ray machines. They asked me to open the bag, but once they saw what they were, they passed me through. One staff member even asked me where he could get some.

I got a couple of looks from airline staff when they saw my kendo case, but I just said they were not swords and were toys, and it was no problem. At the boarding gate, they even said that there would be a closet on the plane I could put them in so they wouldn't have to go in the overhead.

Going back to Japan was no trouble whatsoever.

I would recommend going to the TSA website and checking whether you can bring a saber as carry-on (just in case things change). I checked the TSA website (http://apps.tsa.dhs.gov/mytsa/cib_results.aspx?search=lightsaber), printed out the result, and brought a copy with me just in case, but it wasn't necessary in the end. I would still do it again, just in case, though.