It would be nice if there was an option to box it up and mail it back home or to a friend/family member for a fee. While a lot of people have throw away knives and wouldn’t care, many also have knives that are either expensive or have a lot of meaning.
Maybe they would encourage more people to risk it and hope they don’t get caught, but a vast majority of these people aren’t criminals. When I was a kid I would always take a Swiss Army knife with me on vacation. That was my favorite thing to back, and I could look like a hero when an opportunity came up where it was useful. No longer.
It’s really not too bad - not having to fight for overhead space and thus being able to board last makes it worthwhile even if you don’t have items prohibited in carry-on bags.
I just bring a small backpack that fits under the seat, so no worries about overhead space. Also, no baggage claim, lost luggage, or navigating ground transportation and city streets with cumbersome bags.
Most of the time I will not pack liquids, and buy them locally, so I can avoid that TSA bother as well.
Maybe they would encourage more people to risk it and hope they don’t get caught, but a vast majority of these people aren’t criminals. When I was a kid I would always take a Swiss Army knife with me on vacation. That was my favorite thing to back, and I could look like a hero when an opportunity came up where it was useful. No longer.