The TSA doesn’t play around. Try to carry a pocket knife through airport security, it’s probably getting confiscated — just like the thousands of blades intercepted every year by the organization in charge of keeping our airways safe.
While you may already be aware of the government-run site GovDeals, where brand-name knives routinely go for pennies on the dollar, it’s not your only option for picking up a TSA-surrendered knife on the low. In fact, it might not even be the most affordable one.
As Reddit user guy1138 just discovered a few days ago, the TSA often unloads surrendered knives to state-run thrift, consignment and surplus stores. That means you could find some excellent deals in a secondhand shop nearby, especially if you reside near a major airport.
They’re not just throwaways, either. The knife that guy1138 stumbled upon was a Kershaw Launch 1, an automatic knife that usually retails for $180 to $225. Their price? A jaw-dropping $70.
From sea to shining sea
That Kershaw find isn’t an isolated or even exceptionally lucky incident either. Furthermore, it’s not limited to just one fortunate store location.
At State Surplus Stores in Texas, for instance, there are bulk bins where you can get pocket knives and multi-tools from Victorinox, Leatherman, Gerber, Case and many more for as little as $1 apiece. And that’s just Texas — there are stores with deals like this in states across the USA.
