Letting people borrow knife?

The thing that drives me nuts when I let someone use one of my knives to opening something is that they never know how to close it. I try to explain the liner lock, but I usually just end up having to do it for them. I'm inevitably left with someone handing me back an open knife who then asks me to show them how it closes as if it is some kind of newfangled gadget. It then leads to a conversation regarding the legality of it... I have to listen to their dumb myths about the knife having to be as big as their palm or something equally stupid, etc., etc., etc. It happens every time. I rarely deny them use of the knife, but I should probably start.
 
When they ask to borrow your knife, ask to borrow their toothbrush. If they aren't close enough friends to loan you their toothbrush, they aren't close enough to borrow your knife. ;)
 
yeah i was thinking about picking up a cheap utility knife to let people borrow, cost-wise not much different from my edc, an opinel no 8, but i LIKE my opinel and don't want anything to happen to it.
 
FTO_dude said:
he says "can i borrow your knife?"
figuring he just meant knife as in the whole leatherman and that he was just gonna use a screwdriver i reluctantly agreed.
he then got out the blade and started using the back of the tip to scrape of the silicone WITH HIS THUMB ON THE BLADE.
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Holy crap! :eek:

If someone did that with my Leatherman they would end up getting a lot of blood on my blade! The plain blade on my wave is always 'shaving sharp' and the serrated blade is just nasty sharp!

Maybe I should ask a prospective borrower if their blood is acidic, because I don't want my blade to rust. If someone wants to fondle my knife then they better be offering me their girlfriend to fondle - if they can avoid getting any of their bodily fluids on my knife then I'll try to do the same with their girlfriend.

I am struggling to remember the last time someone asked to borrow a knife, it really doesn't happen often. I don't often get a proper knife out in front of other people because you never know how a non-knife person will react, if they don't know what you have in your pocket they they are unlikely to ask to borrow it. Usually I'll use the small blade on my SAK when I need to open a box in front of someone - no big impressive looking blade to scare people or for them to decide they'd like to borrow & fondle.
 
I just say "What you crazy, You know how much I had to hustle to get this". Sometimes I throw in the (its only for skin & bones) They will never ask you again. lol
They will never use the knife the way it was intented to be used. Always some weird crap that you wouldnt use the knife for. Its almost like thay want to damage the knife on purpose.
 
Last time I loaned a knife to a friend he used it to scrape dried morter off a chimny to get the cap to sit right... Freshly sharpened s30v native. Last time I let a family member borrow a knife they got a half inch gash in their thumb trying to open a blister back... Freshly reprofiled Buck trapper.

Since then I usually just cut things for them.
 
I always have a sharp knife and I tell them "If you cut yourself I am going to point and laugh". Their actions determine the outcome, it's a great system for me.
 
If someone asks to borrow a knife, I loan them a Gerber, Buck, Ka-Bar or something else of little value from my old junk boxl of "beater knives." :p
 
I have a small SAK on my keychain, and a custom Ohta slipjoint in my pocket. Everybody gets the keychain but me :)
 
I never lend out a knife to anyone, particularly anyone who wants to slice up or peel food items.
If asked why not, I reply that I use this knife for skinning rats.
All my EDC's are razor sharp, and nobody is going to ruin the blade except me.
 
I just ask what they need me to cut for them and if it's something else I tell them I won't do it because I don't want to ruin my knife.
 
uncouth said:
Whenever I'm at work, people ask to borrow my knife. My problem is:
a) if my knife is sharp I'm worried they will cut themselves
2) if my knife is dull they will think i have a dull knife
iii) if i say no they will be offended
So my question is, do any of you let people use your knives? Ever had any problems because of it? Or if you do not let people use your knives why not? And how do you tell them no?
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There's two types of people who ask to borrow my knife.

- My friends who are used to working with tools and know how to use them.
They get to borrow my knife.

- my acquaintances who do not know how to use tools.
For them I ask what they need cut and I cut it for them.
 
My work knife gets loaned to anybody and everybody who asks, but that's just usually co-workers etc. It cost me $70 but it's already beaten and abused so I don't even care if I lose it. Already thought I lost it a few times but always found it somehow.

My non work carry knives only get loaned to friends but they know how much they cost and how sharp they are, so they are careful and only use them to cut stuff, no abusive tasks.
 
Just dont do it. Either they'll hurt themselves, or jack up your blade. Refer them to where they can get their own good knife.
 
Dag-nabit said:
To my close and trusted family/friends, yes, without question. My friends are worth more to me than any knife I own.
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If they don't want to be your friend because you won't let them use and potentially ruin your knife, they are a crappy friend anyway. No real loss.

I have loaned out my blades a few times. Only under direct supervision. Usually I just say "nope."
 
knarfeng said:
There's two types of people who ask to borrow my knife.

- My friends who are used to working with tools and know how to use them.
They get to borrow my knife.

- my acquaintances who do not know how to use tools.
For them I ask what they need cut and I cut it for them.
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This is what I do, also. People not schooled in knife-ly things are generally grateful to have me do the cutting task for them.

When I am internally clear on my personal boundaries, others seldom ask me for wrong favors. Somehow they just seem to understand without asking that the boundary is there and they do not push it. This saves a lot of time and trouble. I like to call it Jedi mind tricks.

Bill
 
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