Handing people knives

[James Y]

What kind of fit do you guys throw when someone asks to borrow an ink pen?

Personally, I don't refer to non-knife carriers as sheeple.

However, I also don't hand other people my knives.

In one instance, a guy I knew noticed my Delica 1's clip in my pocket and asked to see it. Then he said he wanted to see what it could do to a hard support beam and started walking toward it. I told him to give it back, and he broke out of the "spell" he was in and meekly handed it back.

Another time, a 'friend' I knew who was a LEO noticed the pocket clip of my Benchmade Mini-Stryker and quickly snatched it out of my pocket. He then began twirling it in his fingers and half-heartedly shoved it tip-first into a support beam (what is it with men, knives, and support beams?). The tip didn't stick in, and the knife fell (luckily, sideways) onto the floor. He stepped back as the knife fell, looking at me with a big grin on his face.

The last time was when I was using a Sebenza, and an older guy I trusted asked to see it. He started trying to bend the lockbar back and forth.

There's a big difference between handing someone your knife and an ink pen. When people ask for a pen, it's to write something, not to do something stupid with it. And if they did fool around with a pen, so what? It's not nearly as dangerous (or expensive) as any of my knives.

For some reason, knives seem to compel certain adults to try doing dumb, dangerous, and damaging things with them that they otherwise wouldn't do. They can rediscover their own inner child, but they won't be doing it with my knives.

Jim

 

[DMG]

What kind of fit do you guys throw when someone asks to borrow an ink pen?

When was the last time someone injured themselves with an ink pen? Or asked to borrow a $300 pen?

 

[Danke42]

What kind of fit do you guys throw when someone asks to borrow an ink pen?

 

[FranklinG]

What about when they ask for a knife when they really need a screwdriver?

Or a hammer. One time we had a contractor out to replace some exterior siding on our house that had been damaged by another project. The contractor patted his pockets, and asked me if I had a knife. Before I could answer, he found his, got it out, and hammered a piece of siding off to take to the shop as a sample. We didn't hire him.

My Case peanut nearly died that day.

 

[ferider]

Give them the fixed blade, or open and close the folder for them (see G2’s answer).

After all, it’s just a knife, not - say - a fountain pen or motorcycle.

 

[HexY3co]

If I have to explain how a folding knife works then I do not hand them my knife. In the past I have had people pushing on the lock bar the wrong way. Not cool.

 

[pholder]

I don’t loan cars, knives or wives, they can get their own

 

[ferider]

I don’t loan cars, knives or wives, they can get their own

In German we have a saying: don't loan stuff that starts with an "F", like Frau, Fuellfeder, Fahrzeug, etc. (Woman, Fountain Pen, Vehicle). Messer = Knife is not included

 

[Hashishiin]

I have had people like my mother try to close a locked knife like it has no lock, or try to work any modern lock like a liner even if there is no liner lock. I always tell her not to force it, but it isn't a big deal as she mainly uses a Mora, Opinel or SAK. My fiance is very safe with knives and locks, always closing any knife before handing it back on instinct.

 

[Richard338]

Assuming it's someone I want to pass it to, then like most of us, I snap it open quickly, pretend to stab at them, pretend to throw it at them, and then carefully pass it over.

 

[TC]

In German we have a saying: don't loan stuff that starts with an "F", like Frau, Fuellfeder, Fahrzeug, etc. (Woman, Fountain Pen, Vehicle). Messer = Knife is not included

 Fahrtenmesser.

 

[Wild Willie]

Anyone I associate with on a regular basis, while not necessarily being into knives, at least respects the fact that I am. I don't mind passing my blades to those people. If I don't know someone fairly well then forget about it.

My power saws are a whole different story... Keep you grubby meat beaters off, I'll cut it for you if the need arises.

 

[BlindMouse2of3]

What kind of fit do you guys throw when someone asks to borrow an ink pen?

I carry a Benchmade Longhand, so I will more often borrow a knives than my pen. That was a hard purchase to make but as a lefty it doesn't hurt to write with. Only a few get to borrow my knifes. I have a drawer full of box cutters at work. And a few that have self retracting blades, I like to hand those out. But I have a shaman for my left pocket work knife that was an abused eBay purchase. If I hand a knife out that's it. It has a well rounded tip and it's sharp but not nearly up to standards.

 

[Knives&Lint]

The people who I am likely to hand my knives to are likely to use them with the proper care and respect, and I damned sure don't know anybody that would grab it right out of my pocket and try to stab it into something like in the example at the top of the page (I notice he put friend in quotation marks ). Usually it's family or a friend who either needs a knife to cut something quickly or more often have their own knife and just want to check mine out, in which case I gladly hand it to them. It's just stuff, and I like to share my enthusiasm for them, and see what others think of them from a non-knife-nut perspective. That being said I do understand the safety issue for those unfamiliar with certain locks, but it's not rocket science.

Although I'm in my mid 40's, quite often when I visit my dad he'll still ask to check out my pocket knife and he'll always scrutinize the edge. If it's not shaving sharp (it always is) he'd say something like "you need to take a file to that thing, boy". I only made that mistake once . Anyhow, he has carried Bucks and Case all his life, so he's not always familiar with the locks on what he deems my "fancy knives". Nevertheless, he's old school, and firmly abides by the rule (and superstition) that you never close a knife someone else opened, so he always insists on me explaining the lock and him closing it himself before giving it back.

On the rare occasion when people I don't know well have asked if I have a knife, I've just cut whatever they needed for them.

 

[L.A. Saiga]

With few exceptions, I avoid handing people my knives. Saves me a lot of cringing.

Same

 

[pvicenzi]

Nope. I don't trust many people with my knives. Too many have cut themselves wiping down the blade. "it cut me right through the rag!" I told you to be careful, it was sharp.

 

[Boattale]

Caran d'Ache Léman De Nuit Ballpoint Pen

Sleek and refined, you’ll feel properly attired with the Caran d’Ache Léman in hand. The sweeping lines and subtle curves deliver a distinguished profile, while the transparent black lacquer with Clous de Paris guilloche detailing provides a striking, yet professional appeal. Showcasing Caran...

www.penheaven.com

A person can spend as much on a pen as a knife. Or as little. They're both just tools made to be used. I will say some of you could use an upgrade on who asks to borrow your knife, pen or hammer.

 

[BlindMouse2of3]

Caran d'Ache Léman De Nuit Ballpoint Pen

Sleek and refined, you’ll feel properly attired with the Caran d’Ache Léman in hand. The sweeping lines and subtle curves deliver a distinguished profile, while the transparent black lacquer with Clous de Paris guilloche detailing provides a striking, yet professional appeal. Showcasing Caran...

www.penheaven.com

A person can spend as much on a pen as a knife. Or as little. They're both just tools made to be used. I will say some of you could use an upgrade on who asks to borrow your knife, pen or hammer.

No doubt I'm a fleet mechanic and some of our guys can destroy an anvil with a cardboard box.

Wow that's got to be an impressive pen. Not sure my pay grade could carry something that nice

 

[PNWhovian]

I would never spend that much on a ballpoint pen. I’ve got a few Kawecos that run less than a quarter of that price and I wouldn’t lend those out either.
As for knives, if someone needs something cut I’ll do it or they can use their keys/teeth.

 

[mobilerd]

Generally speaking it’s a bad idea to hand anyone who isn’t carrying a knife already a knife. Better to oblige them by doing whatever cutting they require yourself, hopefully exhibiting to them to consider carrying a knife of their own.