The practice of loaning knives

Would you loan a knife to someone?

  • Total voters
    108
Usually if you gift someone a knife, they tend to either keep it and not use it, or if they do use it, they will care for it. For those that just want to borrow a knife, they just want to use it to settle their requirements which do not necessary involve taking care of the tool itself. So I tend to do the work for them. Everyone happy.
 
I keep mine sharp,and learned along time ago not people like that have no respect for anything ,runs me wrong

TheEdge01 said:
I normally don’t mind loaning or letting someone look at a knife, but I have had some rather annoying experiences doing so. Someone at work wanted to look at a Benchmade Griptilian I had one day. I handed it to him, then another coworker wanted to see it, when he was finished, instead of bringing it to me, he tossed it to me from about 8 feet away. When someone told him that it was a $100 knife, he said “I don’t care, it isn’t mine”. I learned that day, that you had better be selective of who you hand you personal property to.
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Getting older said:
I keep mine sharp,and learned along time ago not people like that have no respect for anything ,runs me wrong
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The one time I let a fellow look at a knife. It was an Ontario RAK series. He spoke of wanting to buy it and got a wild hair up his ass and decided it was a good idea to throw it in the ground tip first. I was very lucky the blade did not chip. I never let anyone touch anything of mine again.
 
Mr opinionated said:
The one time I let a fellow look at a knife. It was an Ontario RAK series. He spoke of wanting to buy it and got a wild hair up his ass and decided it was a good idea to throw it in the ground tip first. I was very lucky the blade did not chip. I never let anyone touch anything of mine again.
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Did you tell him that he almost bought it even if he didn't want to?
 
After getting a knife back with a blunted edge a few years ago, I started carrying an extra knife that I don't mind loaning to people, usually a SAK. It is annoying when it comes back with edge damage, but I don't stress about it. If I happened to only be carrying one of my nicer knives I would probably still loan it out short term. No one has ever asked to borrow a knife longer than a few minutes, but if someone asked to borrow one long term I would loan them something based on what they needed and how much I expected to get it back.

I am fairly materialistic, but I would rather risk a $20-$30 knife than compromise a relationship with a friend or colleague. In some circumstances, I would be willing to give a knife away, but for the most part, if an adult hasn't bought a knife I wouldn't expect them to appreciate the knife I gave them anyway. So, unless the person can't afford a knife or is young I wouldn't gift someone a knife just because they asked to borrow one.

The only time I wouldn't let someone borrow a knife is if they seemed to be or were known to be unstable.
 
000Robert said:
Did you tell him that he almost bought it even if he didn't want to?
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As much as people talk about "you break it you buy it", I have never actually seen it play out that way. It's not like you can force someone to pay for the item that they broke.
 
MBG said:
As much as people talk about "you break it you buy it", I have never actually seen it play out that way. It's not like you can force someone to pay for the item that they broke.
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Yeah, it's not PC to break a jerks jaw nowadays.
 
Haven’t read the whole thread yet, but intend to.

I don’t lend.

Over the years the one recurring answer to this topic (that I remember) is: I carry a beater to loan out so that my expensive precious doesn’t get wrecked by the borrower.

I don’t lend because I have had at least one knife broken. I don’t carry a ‘lender’ because I’m not here to look after that segment of the population that refuse to look after themselves.

What I will do, if asked, is use my knife to make the cut for the requester. Always happy to do that.
 
Depends on the situation. But usually if someone has to borrow a knife it's because he or she doesn't recognize the value of carrying one, and such a person most likely doesn't know how to use it properly, safely, and without risk to the tool itself. Which seems to be the general observation here already.
 
I voted hell naw. I would give someone a knife before lending them one, and have given quite a few over the years. When the kids were wee, we did camping trips with multiple families - great fun. Guess who was known to be the go-to person for knives? Yep. I used to take along a SAK and a RAT-1 for that purpose. Nobody got their hands on my knives.
 
Problem 1 Loaning knives to people that don't know how to use them.
Problem 2 If the knife isn't theirs, there has less concern about damage.
Problem 3 Most people buy cheap knives. Mostly likely believe it is not a cost issue if they damage the knife.
I have also had this issue with tools.
 
i have in the past, but i have not for years. when someone says "hey can i borrow your knife? " i say " sorry man, its kinda like my toothbrush. no one else uses it". then i offer to cut whatever they needed cut, while remarking, they sell decent knives at walmart for $20 you know :D
 
I’ve loaned my knives at work and at home. In all honesty most people I know and out on job sites actually use knives as they’re intended. Not gonna some light prying doesn’t happen from time to time.

I’ve had knives sent to me to borrow from people here and I’ve sent knives to people as well. I’ve got one clear across the country as we speak and it’s gonna go to another member before it makes it back home. I had a knife sent to me to use and I chipped the edge pretty good. Wasn’t using it any different than I use my CRKs. Told the guy about it, offered to pay or whatever I needed to do to make it right. He said no problem, things happen. Now I’m sure he was cussing me behind that but I like to think it was followed by a smile or at least a head shake ;)
 
MBG said:
As much as people talk about "you break it you buy it", I have never actually seen it play out that way. It's not like you can force someone to pay for the item that they broke.
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True!!! However, a stern response to their actions will possibly make them think twice before doing it again. Sometimes a polite “Please don’t do that” doesn’t seem to penetrate very well.
 
BillZee said:
Problem 1 Loaning knives to people that don't know how to use them.
Problem 2 If the knife isn't theirs, there has less concern about damage.
Problem 3 Most people buy cheap knives. Mostly likely believe it is not a cost issue if they damage the knife.
I have also had this issue with tools.
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Tools??? You mean situations like letting someone borrow your miter saw to cut hardwood flooring then returning it with a dull blade and not offering to replace it? Or letting someone borrow a box full of tools, then you show up at their house for a visit and find your tools scattered out on the ground?
 
MBG said:
As much as people talk about "you break it you buy it", I have never actually seen it play out that way. It's not like you can force someone to pay for the item that they broke.
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No, but I can disown them for being a disrespectful prick.
 
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