Handing people knives

Hand it to them open, handle extended in their direction
After you're okay with what they need it for
Cause you gotta ask
1: hey can I borrow your knife?
2: sure ( hands it over)
3: thanks, my wife is a real pain, so I'm gonna get rid of her, I'll clean it when I'm done
4: wait, what?

Worst case example and obvious joke, but point still applies
 
No

Its been my observation that most people don’t know how to use a knife. I won’t let them practice on mine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TC
I like the idea a few of you made about opening the knife then handing it to them, and having them hand it back open to me so I can close it. I will try this going forward.

BigMoney said:
What about when they ask for a knife when they really need a screwdriver? 😫
Click to expand...

One time a friend asked to borrow my Steel Will Modus - then promptly used the tip to try and tighten an allen screw so I can relate to this unfortunately
 
I have a lot of disturbing memories about others handling a knife of mine. Over the years, I just decided at one point that no one can have my knife, except for my daughter and wife. But they usually don't need it, the have grasped enough of my knives to have their own little collection.

From chipped edges to broken tips to damaged handles (from hitting it with a hammer- just shoot me), I've seen it all. I really can't stand it anymore. I'm talking a needed complete edge profiling from just cutting 3 large boxes of cartbord. Yeah, you did on stones in all sizes on the ground with a USA made folder (old Gerber, but I loved it), job well done.
 
I used to hand people knives, but then I realized no one really cared about them outside of a few seconds of interest. I don’t think knife guys are very common out there.
 
I don't hand other people my knives, with a few family exceptions. The last two times, one person wanted to pry something ridiculous and the other person dropped one of my knives directly onto concrete.
 
My teenage son knows knives from playing with my collection. He’ll engage knifemakers in any conversation and really has a reverence for them. Especially design elements - he appreciates good design, and is impressed by the makers.

However, his hands are still small so some frame locks are challenging for him. There are few things funnier than him at a knife show casually dismissing a very expensive custom because of what he decides is a lock stick problem. He’s never been entirely wrong either. Most makers are of course gracious about it, but the guy that really does have a problem always blames him.
 
I generally carry a small fixed blade along with my folder.
Had a gent cut himself pretty bad because my knife was very drop shut.
He then lectured me inaccurately, on how illegal my knife is to close like that.
I now only hand over my fixed blade or cut stuff for them.
 
Since I'm a knife user and not really a collector, I don't have anything all that impressive that people want to look at them. Most are fixed blades too.
When I'm letting someone look at a fixed blade, I hand it to them without the sheath, blade in my hand and they are normally careful when returning it.
My folders that I would carry are from Rat 1 & 2 to an Emerson and their locks work the same way. They also aren't that impressive to look at that the uninformed types would want to see or handle.
 
I don't hand people my knives unless they know how sharp they are and can handle a blade responsibly.

As for "what if they ask you for a pen?"

I give them one. Nobody's ever needed stitches from mishandling a ballpoint pen, my knives are sharp as hell and if they screw around with one they're probably headed to the emergency room to get a finger re-attatched.
 
“What do you need cut?” As I pull out my knife to do it for them. If they insist I give it to them open and tell them I will close it for them.

Only my wife or kids ever ask though 👍
 
If you have a reasonably close guess of the brand of knife in my pocket based on what you can see of the clip/top of knife, I will probably hand you the knife and strike up a conversation. Met a guy in my area who asked about a County Comm breacher bar I was carrying. Turns out he is a collector and a member here. Beyond that, casual requests revert to the "whatcha cutting?" loop.
The incident that broke me was a maintenance guy asking for a knife, then using it to jimmy a lock he should have had a key for. Minor edge damage only, thankfully.
 
I've found most guys are fascinated by autos. But it seems many have a tendancy to use the trigger button to unlock the blade to close it. The guy next door was over, and asked, "What have you got there?" I said, "I just got a new knife." He said, "What do you need 'that' for?" He's not getting his hands on any of my knives.

Several times I've had to yell, "STOP!", when one of my uncles was pressing the deployment button to unlock the blade to close it. Yeah, it's gotta work if you use enough force! He's a guy who grew up on a farm in community where most boys carry a pocket knife to school. I figured he'd use more sense.

Then, my other uncle was opening my Buck 110 Auto, which has a good kick, and it got away from him, so he caught it by the blade! It was ugly. But just the tip went into his hand, so the cut was deeper that it was wide. Didn't need stitches. And he was a rancher for 20 years. How can he not know how to use a knife?

I also have knives I either got for free from a supplier, or that just wore out. I give those away.
 
Boattale said:
What kind of fit do you guys throw when someone asks to borrow an ink pen?
Click to expand...

I no longer work, so I rarely carry a pen. But when I was working, I'd cringe when some ill-prepared fool would ask to borrow my pen.

First off, people are gross. I don't want someone's booger remnants on my writing tool. Then covid came around, and I was vindicated.

Secondly, my pen costs more than many people's good knives. I don't want a goofball jamming up the tip. Invariably, if I loaned them my pen, they'd be all, "Urrrrgh... umphh... mmfff... Isn't this what John Hancock used to sign the Declaration of Independence? I don't think it works... How to you write with one of these?"

I guess fountain pens and locking knives just aren't for everyone. Luckily, I never had anyone stab themselves with one of my pens.

To me, asking to borrow my knife is like asking to borrow my gun. Asking to borrow my pen is like asking to borrow my underwear. You'd better be a really good friend before trying either.
 
Gary W. Graley said:
I usually open it for them and hand it handle first to them. Either for them to use or just to look it over.
But I tell them that I will close it and just quote an old knife superstition that says the person who opens a knife should also be the one to close it. I do get looks but I also don’t hand my knives over very often.
Superstions
😇
G2
Click to expand...
That is indeed an old knife superstition. When I worked in Kentucky, people would go nuts and not take a knife if you handed it back in a different state than when you handed it to them.
So, it's a cute old superstition and a "conversation piece". You also should be sure to tell them to hand it back handle first if they don't.
For non Karen types, it shows you to be a Boy Scout instead of a serial killer and is actually good for knife "public relations". For Karens, who gives a shit.

BTW. "Karen" might replace "sheeple" and actually be more accurate in this case. Someone who is always complaining or outraged and has spoken to a few managers in their day.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top