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Patrick, I can't quite top the butter knife story, but did hear a good line about why TSA officials believe such rules are necessary.
A friend of mine is also a pilot for a major airline. A few years ago, he went through security checkpoint at a US airport. They stopped him because he was carrying a wine bottle opener. Told him it wasn't allowed. When he asked why, they said it was because he could use it to seize control of the plane. He responded "that's going to be a problem, because I am going to be in control of the plane". In the end, he had to give up the bottle opener.
Okay, he's a first officer, but you get the idea. According to the TSA, Pilots need to be searched because they could take command of airplanes.
