Terrorist Concertina

[spindizzy]

I totally want one of those Homeland Security shirts!

 

They do coffee mugs too, I bought one last year when I got a trip to New Mexico

[Constant Screamer]

Well, I was headed out of Philadelphia again last week and this time I took my 5-string banjo. Who do I get at the screening area? Yes indeed, the same woman who pulled me & and Morse out. She stopped dead in her tracks, fixed a "I know you" look upon me....looked at the banjo and just motioned with her head as if to say "go already."

 

I think she wanted that most dangerous of instruments out of there as quickly as possible.

[Stephen Chambers]

I think she wanted that most dangerous of instruments out of there as quickly as possible.

Wot, is "banjo wire" more dangerous than "concertina wire"?

 

Mind you, I have seen some banjo-wire entanglements...

[Perry Werner]

Howdy:

So what exactly are they swabbing for???

I went to Florida this past winter and got my case, not my instrument, swabbed by security going both ways.

They took to the swab to some sort of swab reading machine and told me I could go.

I figured there was maybe some sort of questionable residue on the velour of my brand new case, but t was never explained to me and I did'nt ask questions.

Just wanted to get going.

 

AND just returning from Bradfield and headed to Killrush I went right through security with no swabbing in London, though my accompanying concertina playing buddy got the swab while going through a different security queue.

 

Of all the things to swab.

 

So, what's it all about?

 

Have fun,

Perry Werner

[Leo]

Howdy:

So what exactly are they swabbing for???

I went to Florida this past winter and got my case, not my instrument, swabbed by security going both ways.

They took to the swab to some sort of swab reading machine and told me I could go.

I figured there was maybe some sort of questionable residue on the velour of my brand new case, but t was never explained to me and I did'nt ask questions.

Just wanted to get going.

 

AND just returning from Bradfield and headed to Killrush I went right through security with no swabbing in London, though my accompanying concertina playing buddy got the swab while going through a different security queue.

 

Of all the things to swab.

 

So, what's it all about?

 

Have fun,

Perry Werner

 

Hi Perry

 

Its in the link I posted above. It's here in case you missed it: http://www.secure-skies.org/explosivedetection.php

 

They are looking for residue of the components and chemicals from handling things that go boom.

 

Thanks

Leo

[hjcjones]

Howdy:

So what exactly are they swabbing for???

I went to Florida this past winter and got my case, not my instrument, swabbed by security going both ways.

They took to the swab to some sort of swab reading machine and told me I could go.

I figured there was maybe some sort of questionable residue on the velour of my brand new case, but t was never explained to me and I did'nt ask questions.

Just wanted to get going.

 

AND just returning from Bradfield and headed to Killrush I went right through security with no swabbing in London, though my accompanying concertina playing buddy got the swab while going through a different security queue.

 

Of all the things to swab.

 

So, what's it all about?

 

Have fun,

Perry Werner

 

I doubt they are picking out concertina cases, it was probably just random.

 

If anything, I'd expect a terrorist trying to smuggle a bomb would want to use inconspicous luggage rather than something that stands out as unusual.

[Stephen Chambers]

I think she wanted that most dangerous of instruments [the banjo] out of there as quickly as possible.

Wot, is "banjo wire" more dangerous than "concertina wire"?

Mind you, in Tim Lyons' song parody on the classic "murder ballad", The Grisly Murder of Joe Frawley ("a tale of drink, love, revenge, grisly murder and prison in a fantasy gombeen land"), the murder weapon is "a Black Diamond banjo wire", and the policeman's initial assessment goes:

 

We have reasonable suspicion foul play is involved here

For we found his body floating at the bottom of the lake

And those marks around his windpipe - a blunt instument did make!

So maybe "banjo wire" really is more dangerous than "concertina wire"? Just don't tell Homeland Security...

Edited August 21, 2008 by Stephen Chambers

[fiddlerjoebob]

Once, back in the early 70's, I went through airport security with one of these in my carry-on bag. They asked me what was in the bag and, well, I should have said it was a hand plane for my furniture making work, or something more descriptive like that.... What I actually said was it was a Stanley 45. Even then it made them call out the guys with guns. Whoops....

 

 

 

 

fjb

[lildogturpy]

Howdy:

So what exactly are they swabbing for???

I went to Florida this past winter and got my case, not my instrument, swabbed by security going both ways.

They took to the swab to some sort of swab reading machine and told me I could go.

I figured there was maybe some sort of questionable residue on the velour of my brand new case, but t was never explained to me and I did'nt ask questions.

Just wanted to get going.

 

AND just returning from Bradfield and headed to Killrush I went right through security with no swabbing in London, though my accompanying concertina playing buddy got the swab while going through a different security queue.

 

Of all the things to swab.

 

So, what's it all about?

 

Have fun,

Perry Werner

 

Hi Perry,

I came through Manchester UK once, expecting my Concertina to be swabbed as it usually is. Instead they took a great interest in my carry on bag, swabbed it twice, pulled me over to the side and arranged for an interview with security staff. It turns out a British Army Officer had gone through Airport Security earlier in the day, after spending the morning on the firing range. Contaminated their detection equipment so every other bag was showing up positive for explosives. The security person said he was heartily sick of filling out the mandatory form each time someone showed up positive for explosives.

[Steve the beginner]

Carrying a concertina through screening in east asia can have it's moments. At least in the anglosphere the word "concertina" is known (even if only in the context of folding walls in a wedding function centre).

20-yo Indian girls on a Singapore screening station can really take some convincing that it is a legitimate and valued musical instrument, or that "concertina" is even a word in English. I'll take advice from earlier in the thread & call it "mini-accordion" from now on.

Edited August 21, 2008 by Steve the beginner

[Lawrence Reeves]

The swab can detect many explosive elements including gun powder, and accelerants. Forensic technicians are pretty smart.

[Stephen Chambers]

... it was a Stanley 45.

fjb,

 

My father had a pre-war Multi Plane like that, in its original wooden box and with with its associated "magazines" full of cutters - I wish I had it now!

 

Meanwhile his wartime ".45" was also of an American model, designed by a certain General John T. Thompson...

 

 

...but might have been more of a problem to take on a 'plane these days?

 

Edited to add photo.

Edited August 22, 2008 by Stephen Chambers

[Perry Werner]

Hi Perry,

I came through Manchester UK once, expecting my Concertina to be swabbed as it usually is. Instead they took a great interest in my carry on bag, swabbed it twice, pulled me over to the side and arranged for an interview with security staff. It turns out a British Army Officer had gone through Airport Security earlier in the day, after spending the morning on the firing range. Contaminated their detection equipment so every other bag was showing up positive for explosives. The security person said he was heartily sick of filling out the mandatory form each time someone showed up positive for explosives.

 

 

Hi Robin:

We breezed through Manchester.

Of course we wre arriiving , not departing.

 

By the way, how are you doing with that new box?

Hope all is well,

Perry

[catty]

An X-ray of a concertina is a very strange looking beast.

 

An x-ray of anything is very strange looking .

 

I typically fly with fiddles/mandolins, guitars, etc. I've always been astounded that I'm allowed onto planes with a case full of steel wire "garrotes" with nary a word. I can't imagine a more efficient means of inflicting damage to a person's larnyx than a three-foot length of .10 mm steel wire..

Edited August 22, 2008 by catty

[Stephen Chambers]

I've always been astounded that I'm allowed onto planes with a case full of steel wire "garrotes" with nary a word.

I hope they're not Black Diamond...