Knitting With Oddments

The socknitting email list I am on has been talking about flying and not being able to take knitting needles (pits). Someone said maybe we could knit with pencils!
Now, in my mind, it seems a pencil would be a worse weapon than a circular knitting needle!
Well, in my quick search I could only find two mechanical pencils. Does this say something about the times we live in?

I did knit a bit with the mechanical pencils and it can be done. I've knit with toothpicks in the past also. Hmmm... what about bamboo skewers? A little sand paper, a coating of nail polish - it's a thought. Hey, just give me a Wal-mart or a dollar store and I can find something to do!