Varied reactions from lending someone a knife

stevejams

stevejams

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Somewhat random and specific thread (hopefully not too similar to “loaning someone a knife”) but today at work someone needed a knife to open a box and I gave them my recently sharpened spyderco carbon fiber M2 sprint run and he was flabbergasted. As a knife guy, I sometimes forget that what seems cool/normal to other knife people may be overly spectacular or downright terrifying to non knife people. After admiring the overall construction/look/size of the knife, he proceeded to use it and was utterly amazed at the sharpness of it. Granted it was just sharpened and is very sharp, I would assume this was essentially a lightsaber compared to the every day work knife of him and my other colleagues (I’m in construction, most people use blades until they’re less useful than a butter knife). The funny part is, being a considerate person, he tried to wipe the blade of any debris left on it (with his finger) and gave himself a nice cut, and went DAMN THATS SHARP. I felt bad, but I also would not wipe a blade that I just experienced the sharpness of with my finger. Also years ago I had the kershaw static and it was my other colleague’s favorite knife. He was enthralled with its tiny cleaver blade and the first time I lent it to him he kept flipping it open and giggling…..made me feel normal for once. Anyone else have some funny/interesting encounters when someone asks to borrow something sharp?
 
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Anymore I cringe at hearing that from someone around me because in the past I’ve given my edc knife to that person who proceeded to use it in some way that knives are not meant to be used for such as prying out a large shipping staple from cardboard or roughly cutting through something and hitting what ever is underneath it such as metal or concrete. Then I would have to spend a lot of time fixing the dings and chips they caused to my knife. Not all people appreciate a quality knife and the time it takes to put a laser edge on one or just how much some quality knives cost such as a Sebenza for example. Anymore if I’m around someone asking “who’s got a knife” I just stay quiet or give them the Ozark Trail knife I’ve been known to carry as a backup blade to my Sebenza. 🤷🏼‍♂️
 
I think you guys are missing the assignment, I was wondering if anyone had an interesting/funny story about someone’s amazement or appreciation when borrowing a knife, not that one time I lent my really nice knife out to someone who I should’ve known would not care for it the way you would. People are dumb, obviously dont give someone whos got a brick in their hand your hundreds of dollars knife when they say they need to cut something, and if you do, thank them for using it in a way you were never prepared to do in it’s entire knife life
 
I got so tired of other Soldiers messing up my knives I got to the point that the only one they could use was the SAK Tinker which I had attached to my belt with a lanyard. Whatever they needed the knife for they had to do it with me watching that way. Upset some, but saved my knives!
 
As others say, I don't loan out my knives.
However, I have let people use a kitchen knife (for limited use while I am discretely watching them like a hawk). They comment on how sharp my knife is, even the ones that I thought needed sharpening. Probably the same reason as you - I sharpen, so I don't put up with a dull blade. And most people just keep using their blunt knives.
 
I lent my knife to a friend of mine at my kids B day party. Spyderco Swayback which I reallly like btw.
I was expecting him to hand it right back but he was checking it out and said “now that’s a nice knife” !

Not all hand outs go bad.:/
 
Most of the people I work with know that I’m a knife person. So, when they are curious as to why I spend what I do, I’ll pull out one of my knives and supervise them handling it. Most are in awe and know what a quality knife feels like, until they ask about the price. That’s when they become overly cautious and get nervous. They will gently hand it back. Had one guy handle a CRK and was so amazed with it, didn’t think he was going to give it back. He bought one from me. When I tell one of my co workers the knife is sharp, they know it’s sharper than any other knife they’ve ever handled. I don’t let anyone use my folders, but I don’t mind them using my fixed blades
 
At a former workplace, I loaned a Benchmade Emerson CQC7 to friends who needed a knife for a project they were working on, and they were impressed with the sound it made when locking open. Oh, that project was a song called, “And a Knife.” Other than that, they used it properly and returned it in pristine condition.

Once upon a time while camping, one of my uncles asked to see my pocketknife, the same Benchmade Emerson mentioned above. He looked at the tanto blade and asked what that kind of blade was for. I gave him a silly kiddo answer: For killing people! It was designed to ram through samurai armor! He gave it second or two of consideration, then handed it back, exclaiming that a man should always keep a knife on him just in case he has to get a dog off of him. I’m still not sure if he meant a literal or a figurative dog.

At my present workplace, colleagues needed a knife to open some giant shipping boxes, so I loaned them my keychain SAK (classic SD Swiss Army Knife), whereupon I was promptly told -- while boxes were being sliced open -- that I could run into trouble for having a weapon on campus (yes, with its 1.5-inch blade, itty bitty scissors, nail file that doubles as a flat-head screwdriver, and plastic toothpick).

At yet another job I loaned an old timey pre-Demko Cold Steel Voyager (one with a 3-inch blade) to a co-worker who ran off with it to do whatever work he needed it for, then later had it returned to me near the end of the day not by him, but by a young woman who also had used it for whatever work she had been doing. Then there was this loaner experience...

The son of one of my wife’s friends helped us when were moving into our new home. He brought a friend along (both of them college age), and the friend needed a knife to do something (open boxes or slice apart things bundled in bankline or multiple layers of tape, I presumed). I thought, hey, college kid, therefore adult and responsible. I loaned him a 4-Max and continued working. Not two minutes later he was bleeding and asking for a Band-Aid. Turns out the knife was way sharper than knives he was used to (in his words, Your knife is too sharp!), and when he had “tested the edge” with his thumb, he sliced open said thumb without notice till the blood ran and salivating sharks were gathering ever so frantically along the coast...
 
Going back about 30 years, I was carrying a Jimmy Fikes "Cabin Boy". I managed a tire business and an employee need to trim the bead on a large machine tire. I handed him the Fikes and watched it go through the rubber like butter, his eyes lit up, couldn't believe a knife could be that sharp.
 
About a year ago, I let my brother in-law (dumb as dirt and just as ugly) my old Manix2. He needed to slice through a ton of cardboard he had accumulated in his basement. He opened the knife just fine. But for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out how to close it. He texted me asking how to close it, and I gave him specific and simple instructions yet the solution evaded him.

So I went over there later on, and there was the knife sitting open on a pile of cardboard. He said that he thought it was a liner locked despite me telling him it was a ball bearing lock. And he was trying to move the liner with his thumb. And I said to him “I told you it’s a ball bearing lock and you just pull these buttons down, and that releases the blade”. He told me that he thought the buttons were just decorative. So he’s not allowed to use my stuff anymore.
 
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Sunday at my in-law's, I had grill duty. Used my Manix 2 XL to open some brats, gave it quick wipe and put it away. Later I got it back out to clean it properly, and came to find out my wife's cousin is a knife gal. "Is that a Spyder?! What kind of lock does it have?" Ten minute conversation about good and cheap folders ensued.
 
My CEO at work is a Wilson Combat collector. I had recently acquired a large Sebenza 21 Wilson Combat that I showed him at an after work event. He did comment that it was a very nice knife. And given what he drives, his gun collection, etc., he has an eye for quality. Side note, I'm allowed to carry at the office, so handing my CEO a large Sebenza was in no way endangering my employment.
 
I have a Reate Torrent that I’ve had for 4-5 years now. When I first got it, I sharpened it and showed it to a friend. He flicks it, launches it out of his own hand, and it cuts him on the way down. To this day he’s scared of it. 😂
 
Most of my friends group carry a knife so it's rare anyone asks to borrow a knife. My brother carries a knife when he's outdoors, but he doesn't keep them as sharp as they should be. So when his girlfriend asked if anyone had a sharp knife at the camper to slice some onions I handed her my Spyderco Stretch 2 XL ... she made one slice and gingerly layed it down and stepped back like it was going to bite her and said "not that sharp".

It's funny that non-knife folks really don't think a knife should be "that sharp".
 
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