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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
TSA Locks for Pelican Cases
Mike Greener, Photographer
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Fairfield | CA | USA | Posted: 6:43 PM on 12.28.09 |
| ->> Yep. Finally made it to the Pelican case club. I just go the 1620 model for my Profoto lights and other gear. It is a beast of a case. I am wondering how all of you lock up your own cases for travel. There are two places to lock up the case. Do I need to invest in two locks or will one do the job? Also, do any of you guys have advice for the best ways to lay out your gear in the case? Is it personal preference or do some ways work better than others. Anything I should avoid doing with it? Anxious to hear your thoughts. Best regards and Happy New Year everyone. -M |
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Bryan Hulse, Photographer
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Nashville | Tn | USA | Posted: 7:07 PM on 12.28.09 |
->> Last time I used TSA locks on my Pelican case, they took the locks off, changed the combination code, clicked them together, then put them inside the case. So now they are worthless.
I'm sure they laughed about that over beers!
At least they didn't change the locks and put them back on my pelican case! |
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Patrick Fallon, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Columbia | MO | USA | Posted: 8:38 PM on 12.28.09 |
->> Bryan,
Were they the Pelican branded TSA locks? If so, shoot me an email and I know someone to contact - they'll send you new locks.
P |
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Mike Greener, Photographer
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Fairfield | CA | USA | Posted: 8:45 PM on 12.28.09 |
| ->> Bryan, Are you suggesting forgoing TSA locks all together and just using a regular padlock? |
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Kevin Seale, Photographer
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Crawfordsville | IN | United States | Posted: 9:56 PM on 12.28.09 |
->> "Bryan, Are you suggesting forgoing TSA locks all together and just using a regular padlock?"
That will keep them from relocking them on you. A regular padlock can't be relocked without a welder once they use bolt cutters to remove it from your case. |
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Scott Serio, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Colora | MD | USA | Posted: 10:20 PM on 12.28.09 |
| ->> TSA Sucks. Last trip they snapped one and put it into my case and lost the other one. Sure, they can manage to miss a terrorist on a watch list, but, by God, they can destroy and lose "TSA Approved" locks on the case for a working photojournalist. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR. |
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Alexei Agaryshev, Photographer
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Washington | DC | USA | Posted: 5:56 AM on 12.29.09 |
->> Last time I used a TSA approved lock (at DCA), the guy going through my bags asked for the combination code...
They had one TSA approved key to share and that key was taken by their manager, who went for a coffee.
So I was told not to be a jerk and tell the combination code... |
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John Germ, Photographer
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Wadsworth | Oh | USA | Posted: 8:00 AM on 12.29.09 |
| ->> Yep, twice I've used TSA locks on bags and twice they've been removed and not returned. |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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102 Yards From The Beach | CT | | Posted: 8:28 AM on 12.29.09 |
->> A standard, non-Sentry, lock will be removed by the TSA.
TSA lock are often removed with a bolt cutter as the TSA DFS agents simply don't have the TSA Sentry Keys they are supposed to have. More often than not TSA locks are unlocked with a Sentry Key and the lock is placed back on the bag, however if the TSA does not have access to the proper key (and there are a few different Sentry keys) they just cut off the lock, like any other lock.
While the TSA does not seem to have enough Sentry keys...you can find them online if you look around and but them yourself for a few bucks.
This has been a consistent problem for quite some time. The TSA 'rations' the Sentry Keys for 'security' reasons (really I think it is cost reasons) leaving agents ill-equipped but anyone who wants to buy a set of these keys can do so quite easily. |
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Paul Montague, Photographer
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Swisher | IA | USA | Posted: 10:16 AM on 12.29.09 |
->> Knock on wood.... I've never had a lock cut off a case.
I show up at the airport and check in. I tell the folks I have a case or two that need to be hand-checked and they direct me to TSA. I arrive at the TSA with the cases unlocked, ask them to inspect them and lock them when they're finished.
A couple of times I had to wait up to 30 minutes for this little inspection to take place, but I always build in a little extra time for this to happen.
When they're finished with the inspection, they usually lock the case in front of me, put "TSA Inspected" tape on it, and I thank them and leave.
I've always been patient. They've always been polite. And the locked cases always arrive at my destination. Am I just lucky?
Leaving for the Orange Bowl on Friday. We'll see if my luck holds out. |
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Chris Russick, Photographer, Assistant
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St. Petersburg | FL | USA | Posted: 10:51 AM on 12.29.09 |
->> I recently had my carbon tripod and some other items taken out of a case that was locked by TSA locks. When I got the case back, it was locked, there was a TSA notice that it had been searched, the contents looked ransacked and I was out roughly $700. In my opinion TSA locks are a waste of time and provide a false sense of security. Like Steven said above, you can get TSA keys online.
If you need to get gear somewhere, stick it in a pelican case and Fed-Ex it. |
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Bryan Hulse, Photographer
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Nashville | Tn | USA | Posted: 12:55 PM on 12.29.09 |
->> Mike: No, I understand the reason behind the TSA locks, and support that. It's just a no-win situation in our case.
But I do think those TSA locks do provide minimal grab and dash security and I've used them on many occasions where they were replaced correctly. Overall, I've had positive experiences with the TSA, but I don't fly as much as many on this forum.
I've long since thrown those locks away. Now I just use another cheap TSA lock setup and consider them expendable. In fact, I have 2 sets in case one gets messed up on my outbound trip, I have another set for the return flight.
Actually, now that I live in Nashville, I am closer to everything and can usually drive. |
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Mike Greener, Photographer
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Fairfield | CA | USA | Posted: 7:12 PM on 12.31.09 |
| ->> Thanks for the feedback everyone. Have an epic New Year. |
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