Knife abuse by friends and family members

USMCPOP said:
Years back a co-worker loaned his Olsen knife to someone. They returned it sharpened - very crudely on a bench grinder.
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When I got started out I tried to do the same thing.... sharpening was a difficult concept for me at first.
 
About a year ago I loaned out my benchmade griptilian S30v. At the time I only had that and a kershaw leek from 2003. I had it for about 5 years and never sharpened it. I told him it was dull and he offered to sharpen it after use. I got it back MORE dull and it looked like it got in a fight with a curb and lost!

If I had not loaned out that grip I would not be over $1k poorer and surfing bladeforums for knives I don’t need and attempting to increase my sharpening skill. I should be thankful for that moment!
 
I had zero problems loaning my Ka-Bar utility to a bush savvy sergeant in a heartbeat or a blade to someone I know doesn't use knives for prying open paint cans, but for everyone else it's "what do you need it for?" and "How about I take care of that for you". It's like having a sweat shop owner asking if they can borrow your kid. I mean it'll probably be all right and they might even pick up some new skills, but it's still not a good idea.

There are a hell of a lot of people out there who are in the camp of "give me a job and I'll finish the tools". More and more people grow up without any manual skills and would be in big trouble as an adult if YouTube wasn't there to teach them things. Unfortunately, YouTube isn't there to correct whatever lessons they take away from watching those videos, if they weren't watching closely or taking notes.

My girlfriend has a lot of things she's handy at, but taking care of tools (unless they're sewing scissors) isn't one of those things. She'll leave a shovel sticking out of the garden in the rain until someone else rescues it. She's left knives outside in the rain overnight or until someone else finds it. It's why I have some Mora stainless steel knives for ready use in the yard, by the front and back doors, and keep a cheaper folder or fixed knife easily accessible in every room. The good knives are put away until they're needed or in my desk. I'd love to buy her a really nice Hinderer, which she'd love, but she'd do things to that knife that would result in me turning her over to the Hague for war crimes prosecution. It might cause some domestic problems around the homestead, after I testify on behalf of that poor Hinderer knife. As a result I give her CRKT and Kershaw knives from time to time, which get used and appreciated, but also tend to get lost after a few months.
 
The_Knife_Man said:
Since we are on the topic of abused knifes.....

What kind of kitchen knifes (brands or steels) would be recommended for theses non-knife folks?

The type to toss them in the metal sink, stack them with the dirty dishes, the dishwasher... 😯
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The cheapest Chinese Walmart junk. I have a set of German kitchen knives that were not cared for by my chef significant other. Dishwasher, leaving them in sink, scratching them up, dulling, handles left on a burner melting the handles on a $80.00 knife etc.
I decided that there would be no more quality kitchen implements or tools, including quality pots and pans etc. It just was a waste of money and the tools were getting damaged and destroyed. Pisses me off as I even right this post. Not everyone appreciates or values quality tools
 
It sickens me that we as knife people , loan out good quality tools , and are surprised that they come back damaged.
I now will not loan out any good tools/knives to anyone . Period. Once bitten , twice shy.

You are the looser. Anyone been told by the abuser , that they will 100% replace the damaged tool??

Not if its more than a $20 filling station knife!!

Hell NO
 
While I am in the "NO" crowd, I actually have a knife in my bag that I brought to work specifically for the purpose of loaning to someone. I am helping them find the best (new) knife, for their particular needs. I had mentioned the AD10, they looked at it online, I told him I'd bring one he could test drive for a few days.

Different deal, tho. This dude has a couple BM's and has been asking me questions about grind types vs edge angle, etc. Dude really seems to have respect for the tools and a genuine desire to learn more about maintaining them.

I can not think of a time between now and 1998 that I have let anyone (other than spouses) use one of my knives. Last time was a Chief of Police....... that was an edge chipping experience that changed my attitude on MY knives forever. Hopefully this won't be.
 
If it’s somebody who I trust knows knives I’ll lend em anything I have on me without question. I’m blessed to interact with kinfolks that are for the most part pretty well versed.

If it’s anybody else I ask what they need it for. If it’s something stupid like using it as a screwdriver I’ll point their dumb ass toward the correct tool.

I don’t keep a POS beater on me just to lend out to idiot assholes. I only carry what I’ll want to use myself.
 
karnaknives said:
It happens enough that more than one person here said they carry loaner knives.
Maybe I shouldn’t have said “constantly”.
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I usually carry four, actually, when I go out-out for a day. Slipjoint in the fifth pocket, like an Old Timer Workmate, use for any small task it'll work for, two "user" knives like a PM2 or RAT2, and a carbon steel folder like a K55, Douk Douk or Opinel 8, to have in case and sometimes borrow out, and one big "get off me" knife, like an Espada XL, 6" stiletto, XL Voyager, Matriarch 2, Verlangerungsmesser... We were visiting at my girlfriend's grandma's house, to cook some stuff right before Christmas, and I brought only the Spyderco and my multitool, it's Christmas, right? We were making lemon curd, fresh from the tree outside, so needed to cut and process a ton of 'em and my girlfriend wanted something a bit better than my poor-quality cheapo multitool blade. It is actually only ground on one side, I do not think purposely.

In terms of her family, they are very manly-machismo-men, convinced that I am some froo-froo metro-man, Lord knows why, maybe my long hair, so I very much value being able to turn their opinions of me around by an act so simple as having a RAT2 handy to cut the top of their Christmas tree so they could place the angel nicely. I like budget knives. I'll be buying custom wooden RAT1 scales when I have a Medford, I tell you.
 
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karnaknives said:
...Knives are tools to me. I'm not a knife collector, I'm a knife user.
As a mechanic I do believe in having good tools, and in having the right tool for the job, but I use my tools.
I LIKE to use my tools, that's why I have them. What would be the joy in having a big toolbox full of tools, and never using them?
...
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I see your point but I would like to add something.

Tools can get used in the propper way... or the wrong way. An impact socket is unlikely to get damaged no matter how you use it... But some other tools, battery, electric, etc... are more prone to be broken.

To keep it mechanically oriented. Let's say someone borrows a battery ratchet and instead of using it to fast thread the fasteners and THEN switch to a fixed or extension+socket or torque wrench for further tightening... goes and tries to torque the damn bolt/nut with the battery ratchet. Chances are the tool will be damaged. Either at the head or (most likely) at the battery-body junction.

Belt grinder... well... belts are consumables but a friend of mine managed to snap two new belts in 5 minutes because he didn't know how to properly use it and didn't have the touch.

And one thing is dulling a knife and other is breaking a chunk of the blade...

So yes, knives are tools... but can also be permanently damaged in a non-fixable way!

Mikel
 
In the 1980's I had a nice Gerber Paul knife. A coworker named Paul wanted one and bought one. The Paul knife is a small pocket knife.

He lost his keys once and used the Paul knife to remove his front door.
He once used it to jump the Starter in his car because the ignition switch was failed- Left a big arc mark on the spine.
 
DangerZone98 said:
Gentlemen, don’t lend your Sebenzas and Shiros to loved ones. I’m not sure if there’s a warranty on Earth which protects us from the destructive hands of the Non-Knife Ones.
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This is why I bought the better 3/4's a WE Saakshi... She doesnt ask to borrow mine anymore.
 
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