So could a thermos. So could a ham. So could lots of things. Let's be honest - if you were attempting to hide contraband, you aren't likely to hide it in something that looks like contraband. But you miss the point: the TSA bans things like that sometimes. They ban things like that in some airports. They ban things like that on some days. They ban things like that in certain kinds of weather. Let's be clear - my smaller-than-my-pinky had passed through TSA screening at SEA, SFO, LAS, BUR, LGB, ABQ, PHX, ONT and LAX. The fourth or fifth time through LAX it got confiscated. Theoretically, there should be top-down instruction on what's contraband and what isn't and how to deal with it. There just isn't. Some airports be like "huh cool keychain" and some other airports be like "ZOMG WE COAT THE TERRIST" and those airports might be the same airport on the same day at the same f'n gate. I once had to fly from DC to Dallas to Orange County to Seattle to Las Vegas in two days. I interacted with the TSA everywhere but Dallas. It went like this: - DC: thought I would miss my flight because the lines were so long. Turns out the lines were so long because TSA in DC was unionized and refused to work before 8am. Didn't matter that the airlines had flights that left at 7; TSA didn't give a fuck. No plastic baggie for your shampoo? No problem. They were not the Shampoo Police. - ONT: TSA is all about your shampoo. No baggie? They will give you one and frown at you. - SEA: TSA hands out baggies. If you brought your contraband with you they've got a postal station that takes credit cards where you can mail your pocketknife back to yourself. - LAS: TSA will sell you a baggie for $2. Confiscated items are auctioned off (as they are everywhere) but Vegas is the only place I've ever seen billboards advertising the sale. Having interacted with more than my fair share of TSA employees, I will cheerfully agree that I don't want them using their initiative. However, the TSA is such a poorly-run, poorly-managed establishment that individual initiative is all they have. But things are so much better than they were September 10th back when they were all private contractors, right? riiiiiggggghhhhhhht.