Knife-lender's nightmare

ItchyTasty

ItchyTasty

Joined
Jan 21, 2006
Messages
557
So here's what happened,

A good friend of mine was preparing for a three week excursion into Southern California on the Outward Bound program. When he mentioned that the trip called for a simple pocket knife I immediately suggested bringing along my FRN Endura 3. There were actually a few reasons why I suggested this knife to him: 1) My friend isn't too enthused about knives and thus has a very basic knowledge on the subject; the lockback on the Endura is much more straightforward to him as opposed to an axis-lock 2) The handle contours to most hands nicely, and 3) the look of the Endura indicates that use comes before admiration (at least for me).

Anyway, during the following three weeks it occurred to me "What if he loses the knife or something?" I just dismissed this notion and reassured myself that he's a responsible individual (which he is). So three weeks are up and guess what? He manages to lose the knife. It fell out of his pocket when he was emptying it of lint--forgot the knife was there. He's a nice guy though, and he promised me that he'd reimburse the expense. I'm going to use the money on a waved Endura 4 and a Becker Necker :D I'll miss my old Endura, and surprisingly so will my friend; he used it mostly to open packages, carve wood, and even spread preserves on bagels (the wide blade was much more effective than that of a SAK)--he may in fact buy himself an Endura 3 if he can find one.

All in all it's a bittersweet situation: I lose a knife, but I gain two more, and my friend also gains appreciation of edged tools.
 
I have miss-placed a few and almost lost a small sebbie. I have a necker and love it. I think the necker is a lot of knife and it feels great in my hand. Came razor sharp. Maybe he will come through for you. I have seen many times someone means well and fully intends to give you money or replace something, but it just never happens. Good luck and enjoy your new knives.
 
Assuming you weren't terribly attached to the knife for reasons of nostalgia (I mean, it wasn't something your grandfather carried on Iwo Jima, right?) then I think overall it's not a knife nightmare at all. I mean, you turned the guy on to knives in general, and Spydie in particular, and you're getting a brand new knife out of the deal. :-)
 
I've had two similar stories involving a famlily member who shall remain nameless. He managed to chip up my CE FRN Endura pretty well, taking the most unusually shaped chunk out of the tip. It's now my beater knife, and as soon as I get fluent with a Dremel, it will be my knife mod test bed.
 
i leant a throwing knife to one of my girlfriend`s friends , need less to say she lost it . when i told her they were $100 aussie dollars a set , she refused to pay it.
 
mnblade said:
Assuming you weren't terribly attached to the knife for reasons of nostalgia (I mean, it wasn't something your grandfather carried on Iwo Jima, right?) then I think overall it's not a knife nightmare at all. I mean, you turned the guy on to knives in general, and Spydie in particular, and you're getting a brand new knife out of the deal. :-)
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Not counting maybe turn the stranger who will eventually found it to Spyderco.....

This give me an idea,..... I'll post it somewhere else...

Simon
 
Loaning a knife to anyone who isn't a knife knut himself -- in which case, he would have one already -- is a probable loss or damage.

Any knife on a longterm loan you may consider a gift. Don't expect it back or break a friendship over it.
 
I've given too many knives away to easily count. None of the people I gave knives to never carried knives before- now most of them are knife people too. I give knives away to hopefully convert people so they become knife crazy too, and strart buying and giving away knives... etc. etc. This is all in the hopes that it will support the industry so there will be more and better knives out there for me to buy. (So it's actually selfish to give someone a knife, my wife says)

Every once in a while, though, one of my gift knives gets abused and that sucks. My best friend has lost 2 and broken 3 knives I've given him. 2 of the knives he broke prying the red tips out of the ends of cap guns. Why you wouldn't learn the lesson the first time when you're 30 years old is beyond me. Why he is buying cap guns instead of real guns is beyond me. I guess he figures if he breaks a knife I'll just buy him a new one.
 
I just lent my buddy my R-2 on a more or less long-term loan until he finds something he wants to carry more. I have a feeling this one won't end well either :)
 
I live in the Philippines which is home to a lot of knife makers and knife fighting practitioners. Janich swears by our arts and so do a lot of other MBC's. Needless to say, we have a rich tradition of knife related arts which dates back eons.

That being said, I'd like to share a tradition we have. We never give knives away nor lend them without compensation. It's bad luck and may cost you your life or at the very least a friendship. It is believed that a knife will always find it's way back to its owner and legend goes that an old time knife maker got stabbed in the back by a the first knife he ever made which he gave to his brother. If you want to give a knife as a gift, ask for a token in return. It could be as small as a quarter. What matters is the idea of you relinquishing ownership to that other person. If you are only lending it then keep the quarter til he/she gives the knife back then give the quarter back.

This might sound superstitious or even downright silly but, hey. Never hurts. It also gives some mystique and a lends sense of profundity to knife knuts everywhere.:rolleyes:
 
bikethief said:
I live in the Philippines which is home to a lot of knife makers and knife fighting practitioners. Janich swears by our arts and so do a lot of other MBC's. Needless to say, we have a rich tradition of knife related arts which dates back eons.

That being said, I'd like to share a tradition we have. We never give knives away nor lend them without compensation. It's bad luck and may cost you your life or at the very least a friendship. It is believed that a knife will always find it's way back to its owner and legend goes that an old time knife maker got stabbed in the back by a the first knife he ever made which he gave to his brother. If you want to give a knife as a gift, ask for a token in return. It could be as small as a quarter. What matters is the idea of you relinquishing ownership to that other person. If you are only lending it then keep the quarter til he/she gives the knife back then give the quarter back.

This might sound superstitious or even downright silly but, hey. Never hurts. It also gives some mystique and a lends sense of profundity to knife knuts everywhere.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I love this idea! I think I'll try it. Oh and Esav, as for my buddy who keeps breaking and losing knives, he was officially cut off when he lost the Ti-Lite I gave him. What a putz. Now he has to go out and buy his own knives to break and/ or lose. Last count since he had to start buying his own blades? 2 Italian switchblades broken, one cool Czech switchblade confiscated by Baltimore's finest when he was caught pissing on the wall outside the bar. The piss cost him the night in jail, but the switchblade was never mentioned on the report. I'm sure that cop is carrying that knife right now and it's certainly in better hands. That lucky knife escaped a gruesome fate!:D
 
There are just 2 tools I now will not loan out. I am even very reluctant to loan them to family members as well. I learned a long time ago if you want to keep a friendship don't loan out either a chain saw or a premium pocket knife. I don't know what it is exactly but those are 2 tools that no one will take care of like you will yourself.

Everytime I've loaned out a chain saw they always come back dull as a screwdriver with no exceptions. And it seems like most non knife people will use a premium knife for everything except what it is intended to be used for. And keep in mind that I am talking about people who for the most part are pretty decent, honest people who mean well but don't have a clue.

I got a feeling that it doesn't even stop there either. I got a feeling that any EDGED TOOL will not come back in good shape as a general rule. I even loaned out a lawnmower last year and it came back as dull as a wooden nickel. It's truly one of LIFE's mysteries :confused:
 
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