I’ve started preparing for my trip to Patagonia. This isn’t my first big trip, so I know a lot of the rules: take a few sleeping pills for the plane; pack what you think you’ll need, then remove half; and learn how to say in the local language “do you speak english?” and “stop! come back with my wallet!”.

The Transportation Security Administration has thrown a curveball tho, with the new restrictions on carry-on liquids. I thought I should check their list of Permitted and Prohibited Items for other curve balls. For instance, is it ok to stow a 2-inch pocket knife in my carry on? Nope. No knife blades allowed, no matter how small… unless your only intent is to spread butter.

Other interesting items you may NOT take in your carry-on include:

• sabers
• swords
• hatchets
• cattle prods
• crowbars
• dynamite
• grenades
• and cheez whiz

Items that ARE ok, according the official TSA list?

• 7-inch long screwdrivers
• scissors with 4-inch metal blades
• corkscrews
• any amount or personal lubricant (as long as you declare it to the security officer, at which point it will be subject to additional screening)
• and of course, toy transformer robots.