Airport security follies

[Jarlaxle]

Liz's best friend (Tina) took a flying cattlecar out of Logan yesterday. Everything went fine...until she went through security. The metal detector went off. I am not certain of the details (Liz was laughing too hard to give me any) but the verdict is: multiple piercings (not counting earrings, Tina has about a dozen) WILL set off the metal detectors.

She almost missed her flight...because she and the security agent got into a long discussion about her tattoos.

And she is now firmly in my camp: if she cannot drive somewhere, she does not need to be there!

[Gob]

Can the piercings be changed for non-metallic ones, or taken out, for flying?

[Scooter]

Many years ago a friend of my set off a metal detector with his Prince Albert. Hearing "it's jewelry" when the wand got waved over his crotch was enough to get the security guy to make a hasty retreat. Nowadays, they probably would have forced him to drop his pants then and there.

[Jarlaxle]

Can the piercings be changed for non-metallic ones, or taken out, for flying?

Yes, usually...but Tina didn't. The thought simply never occurred to her.

[Econoline]

And she is now firmly in my camp: if she cannot drive somewhere, she does not need to be there!

Spoken like someone who doesn't have relatives (and a free place to stay) in Hawai'i. If it weren't for that, I'd be in your camp too.

ETA: I don't think an Amphicar would work for that trip.

[Jarlaxle]

I have no desire to ever visit Hawaii even if you PAID me to...so you are correct.

[Miles]

I was under the impression that piercing material was stainless steele. If so it should not set off a magnetic scanner.

[rubato]

I have no desire to ever visit Hawaii even if you PAID me to...so you are correct.

Not "paid", "Leid".

First thing off the plane you get Leid by nice young woman like this:



yrs,
rubato

[rubato]

I was under the impression that piercing material was stainless steele. If so it should not set off a magnetic scanner.

Some types are non-magnetic and some are depending on the alloy. Our kitchen knives are magnetic and we put them on a magnet strip attached to the side of the cabinet.

http://www.physlink.com/education/askexperts/ae546.cfm


"...
As for whether they are magnetic, the answer is that it depends. There are several families of stainless steels with different physical properties. A basic stainless steel has a 'ferritic' structure and is magnetic. These are formed from the addition of chromium and can be hardened through the addition of carbon (making them 'martensitic') and are often used in cutlery. However, the most common stainless steels are 'austenitic' - these have a higher chromium content and nickel is also added. It is the nickel which modifies the physical structure of the steel and makes it non-magnetic.

So the answer is yes, the magnetic properties of stainless steel are very dependent on the elements added into the alloy, and specifically the addition of nickel can change the structure from magnetic to non-magnetic. ... "

I suppose you could check your piercing materials with a magnet before heading off to the airport, or even take a magnet with you when you buy it. The body-scanners will pick it up but I expect the TSA people will see so much of it they will readily identify it by shape and location.


yrs,
rubato

[Joe Guy]

It has been my understanding that the cheaper the stainless steel, the more magnetic it will be.

[rubato]

It has been my understanding that the cheaper the stainless steel, the more magnetic it will be.

No, it has more to do with the other properties you are trying to give the steel.

yrs,
rubato

[Joe Guy]

It has been my understanding that the cheaper the stainless steel, the more magnetic it will be.

No, it has more to do with the other properties you are trying to give the steel.

yrs,
rubato

My understanding probably comes from quality of tableware. The more expensive sets are not magnetic.

[loCAtek]

...because they have less ferrous iron in them. This makes them less magnetic, and prevents them from rusting.

However, I think metal detectors can identify many sorts of metals, just magnetic ones.

[Joe Guy]

...because they have less ferrous iron in them. This makes them less magnetic, and prevents them from rusting.

However, I think metal detectors can identify many sorts of metals, just magnetic ones.

I agree.

If only magnetic things could be detected, the detectors would be useless.

[Jarlaxle]

...because they have less ferrous iron in them. This makes them less magnetic, and prevents them from rusting.

However, I think metal detectors can identify many sorts of metals, just magnetic ones.

They can: offhand, coins will set them off. The only ferrous coin I can think of used in the last 100 years is the penny, made of steel for one year (1943) due to wartime copper shortages.

Many of Tina's piercings ARE nonmagnetic (surgical steel or titanium), they set off the detector anyway.

[rubato]

It has been my understanding that the cheaper the stainless steel, the more magnetic it will be.

No, it has more to do with the other properties you are trying to give the steel.

yrs,
rubato

My understanding probably comes from quality of tableware. The more expensive sets are not magnetic.

Right.

SS Flatware is now "expensive".

yrs,
rubato

[Miles]

Thank you one and all for the information. I have no metal adornments other than the staples in my chest, from open heart surgeries, which are stainless but I am always interested in learning new things.