Can I use your knife?

david tn

david tn

Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Messages
317
This week I had two instances where someone asked to use my knife. I bought my first CRK an umnamzaa a few months ago.
First was a friend who was fishing and had caught a turtle. He wanted my knife to try and cut the hook in order to free the poor turtle. "Can I barrow your knife to try and cut this hook?"........aaaaaa.....mmmm. I don't have a knife on me.
A few days later my son wanted to dig out a coin from a vending machine. " Daddy can I use your knife".....mmmmmm. I don't have a knife on me.
Is this knife too good for me? Do I need to carry two knives. I really don't want to carry a multi tool.
Has anyone else ever denied having a knife? Do you tell'em why there is no way in hell they are using your CRK to do that.
I don't know........
 
I tell people no all the time after having a Sebenza dropped by someone who borrowed it to use for a second. The last straw was when someone just wanted to see and flicked it open.

If you were fishing I assume the guy doing it as well should have a knife, pliers or some tools of his own.

On the coin thing, the blade is probably too thick to be of much use. Maybe some banging and shaking might help more than the knife would.

I did use my Sebenza very carefully to pry some rocks out of the tread on my car tire once as it was bugging me. That click when you drive. Arggg
 
I couldn't tell my boys I have no knife on me they know I'd be full of shit.
As for the friend with the turtle, I'd probably cut the line myself.
 
I've read too many sad stories of people loaning their knives, and some are not abuse, they just drop it. The safest route is to offer to do it for them if it is a true knife task and if it isn't say so...I don't use this as a pry bar, or hammer, or whatever. May also be a good time to suggest they carry a knife 😊
 
Because of just this thing, I carry two knives - the "loaner" is a SAK, usually a Victorinox Huntsman or Climber, with tools that are usually more applicable for what the borrower wants (scissors, awl, screwdriver, tweezers. etc).
 
someone who has not learned to keep a knife on them at all times will not know how to "use" it. my knifes have only one rule no one touchs them but me, the lessons i have learned on letting someone borrow my knifes are legon.
 
That's why I carry a Leatherman also..... Can I borrow your knife? .... Sure,, then watch the unprepared struggle to open it, or find the blade they need......
 
I don't run into the problem often, and when asked to use it for something inappropriate I just get them the right tool-usually not that far out of the way. I do know that some carry a lender knife, such as a SAK. If it was an appropriate use of a knife, I would just do it for them-easier on me, and they get what they need. Everyone knows I always have a knife, so denying it would be ridiculous.
 
My usual answer is no. But, I usually know the person who would be asking me that. If it is someone I do NOT know, the answer is absolutely NO.
 
Sorry Charlie. And I never let my books leave my house, either. Even for friends to read/use. If something happened to the item, whether it was their fault or not - we'd both feel bad. Real stingy guy? No, just hard lessons learned over time. You need something cut, I will do it.
 
The wife gets to use my knife, but I don't typically let anyone else use it..I did let a coworker use it to score some polycarbonate a few days ago at a robotics competition. He is the type of person that would replace it or have it repaired if he broke it.
Don't carry a second knife, but not a bad idea.
 
My normal reply is "Wheres yours ?" No matter who it is.
Then if the guy is a respected friend, they can borrow but pay for it as they heard my opinion.
If its a known Chump or stranger, the conversation already stopped at the word "yours".

That applies to any of my everyday tools.
Btw, And I am not going to do somebody else knife task for them.
 
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One reason that I carry my Code 4 rather than my 25. While not quite the same f and f, the Code 4 s functionality and durability are quite similar to my 25 s. While I love my 25, I m just too much of a cheapskate to carry it for work that my Code 4 handles just as well. I guess I m doomed to edc relatively high quality bargain knives.:rolleyes:
 
I usually reply by offering to cut whatever needs to be cut or suggest an alternative if I can think of one, like using a different tool or technique. The secret is to sound eager to help--sell them on a better solution than handing them your knife.

Around the house is a bit different though--I just leave out a cheap knife I got for free when the girlfriend needs to use a knife and doesn't ask me to do it or I'm too busy--which is usually something to do with gardening and involves the blade cutting through dirt or hitting metal and rocks. It's dull as a butter knife now, which is about as sharp as her kitchen knives are a week after I sharpen them...she doesn't mind apparently.

I've never had good luck explaining why I don't want someone to pry or scrape the edge of a knife against metal, ceramics, rock, etc, or use the tip as a screwdriver on a seized screw, but I've learned the hard way I would rather someone think I'm a bit analretentive than ruin a knife or break a tool. I've gone through more screwdrivers than I can count, but I've never broken one myself. Locks on toolboxes are never a bad idea either--it's just for when you take your tools camping and you forgot to unlock them when you got home, right? ;)
 
I'll only let someone use my knife if I know they have the same kind of respect for the knife that I do.

My dad (the person who taught me respect for my knife) is the only person I let use my knife, although he usually has his knife on him.

If anybody else asks to use my knife, I'll tell them I can use it for them.
 
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