What Would You Do?

LaneMeyer

LaneMeyer

Joined
Jan 23, 2016
Messages
182
So a couple friends for my birthday chipped in and got me a knife. A damascus folder. I know, super thoughtful of them. They know next to nothing about knives and just picked out something they thought was pretty (they're women). I really appreciate the gesture. The knife on the other hand is pretty much total junk. I'm 99% sure it's a Pakistan made blade. Anyways I'm not here to rag on the knife I'm just wondering what to do with it, as I'm pretty sure I'll never use it.

What would you do?

A) Keep the knife as a keepsake.
B) Sell the knife on Ebay.
C) Re-gift the knife.
D) Tell them thanks but the knife is junk (in nice way) and try to return it back the seller.
E) Fill in the blank.
 
Keep it and put it up. I have several gifts like this ,it's the thought behind it. I'm a sentimental guy though .
 
E. I would keep the knife.. maybe at home to use when the opportunity arises whenever they are around.
Definitely keep it.
 
The worst thing to do is tell them you don't like it. Keep it, and use it when they're around.
 
I've got a couple of those knives put up somewhere. They mean well....
 
Yup, keep it. I know how it can suck when people you care about give you stuff they really think you will like but you don't because you know fare too much about said items. It is part of the hobby honestly. I've got some pretty crappy knives that I will never get rid of because they are gifts.
 
If you appreciate the gesture, keep the knife. Years from now, you'll come across it in a drawer and smile at the memory it triggers.
 
Put it in your car's glove box, or center console.

Telling them it is garbage is not going to endear you to them.
 
Yep, keep it. it's the thought that counts. I have a drawer full of early Chinese junkers my well meaning grandfather bought for me over the years. "Look at these knives! I got all 9 of them for $20! TWENTY dollars! Which one do you want?" I picked the one that looked the coolest and had the tightest lock up. I comment on what a great deal he got, and he's proud of himself. I'm not patronizing him. It IS a great deal if all you need is a sharp piece of steel to cut something from time to time. He's a depression era guy that was forced to appreciate an affordable deal.

At 90, my grandpa isn't going to be around a lot longer. He's a man of meager means. These junkie rattle boxes are what he'll be leaving me. The knives' quality doesn't matter at all to me. I have a drawer full of love and good intentions. Every time I pick one up, it makes me think about him and how excited he is to share what little he has.

So yeah, keep it and think fondly of them often:)
 
MTURBO said:
E. I would keep the knife.. maybe at home to use when the opportunity arises whenever they are around.
Definitely keep it.
Click to expand...

This, but the next time you give them a gift include along with something that they'll actually like a knife of the sort that you'd like to receive.

Use the occasion to briefly explain the merits of the knife and how it's a good item to keep in the purse or car. Then the next time they want to gift you a knife they'll have an example to go by.

Worked great on the wife. Got a Schrade imperial our first Christmas. Spydercos and USA Kershaw since.
 
A friend at an old job gave me a cheap multi-tool as a gift once. She didn't know one multi-tool from another, new nothing about quality multi-tools, she just wanted to do something nice for me. Money was tight for her, very tight, so buying me a gift, even a cheap gift was no small gesture.

I had no actual use for the thing, it was big and bulky and unnecessarily heavy. And although the multi-tool had no value, I placed a very high value on the "gift", the gesture, her desire to make me happy by giving me something.

So I put the thing in the tool bag of my motorcycle, the one I rode to work everyday. And every once in awhile I would use that multi-tool for something. And then I would bring it up in casual conversation how the gift she bought me really came in handy, and when she heard that her face would light up with the biggest smile. And that made that cheap multi-tool one of the greatest gifts I've ever received.

They gave you a gift. And when someone gives you a gift the gesture, the thought behind it, is worth far more than the actual item. It's a knife, how hard is it to keep it, use it for a few small tasks, and tell them how useful it is. It costs you nothing, but it's a great way to make their day. Women in particular love to hear that their gifts, and more importantly their thoughtfulness, are appreciated.

Where I come from, giving a gift says a lot about a person. And how one accepts a gift says a lot about them as well.
 
Find a nice way to display it. If it's a good looking knife, make it an attractive wall hanger behind a bit of glass. If they ask why you don't use it, tell them it's too good looking to mar the blade and the sentimental value means you don't want to risk losing it.

A. You get a neat piece of art/conversation piece that reflects your hobby.
B. You don't offend anyone.
C. You don't risk your fingers with a potentially unsafe knife.
D. You'll think of them and their desire to get you something nice whenever you see it, and if any if them visits your home they'll probably be thrilled that it has a place of honor on your wall.
 
Thanks for all the replies everyone, I really appreciate it. I think I got a bit hung up on keeping something I'll likely never use. But I do agree that it's the thought that counts and being appreciative of that. So I think I'll hold onto the knife and who knows, maybe I'll even find a use for it someday.
 
Nice killgar,

The gesture is what stands out to me as well. And I usually try to return the gesture plus some as a thank you for thinking of me.
killgar said:
A friend at an old job gave me a cheap multi-tool as a gift once. She didn't know one multi-tool from another, new nothing about quality multi-tools, she just wanted to do something nice for me. Money was tight for her, very tight, so buying me a gift, even a cheap gift was no small gesture.

I had no actual use for the thing, it was big and bulky and unnecessarily heavy. And although the multi-tool had no value, I placed a very high value on the "gift", the gesture, her desire to make me happy by giving me something.

So I put the thing in the tool bag of my motorcycle, the one I rode to work everyday. And every once in awhile I would use that multi-tool for something. And then I would bring it up in casual conversation how the gift she bought me really came in handy, and when she heard that her face would light up with the biggest smile. And that made that cheap multi-tool one of the greatest gifts I've ever received.

They gave you a gift. And when someone gives you a gift the gesture, the thought behind it, is worth far more than the actual item. It's a knife, how hard is it to keep it, use it for a few small tasks, and tell them how useful it is. It costs you nothing, but it's a great way to make their day. Women in particular love to hear that their gifts, and more importantly their thoughtfulness, are appreciated.

Where I come from, giving a gift says a lot about a person. And how one accepts a gift says a lot about them as well.
Click to expand...
 
As a side note:

Man, have I gotten lucky. I don't often get knives as gifts, but the list consists of:
1. Buck Strider 880 from my father, now lost to the sands of time. :(
2. Himalayan Imports Ang Khola from my fiancée. Go to chopper.
3. M. Nieto lockback with olive wood inlays that my parents brought back from Spain. Gorgeous knife.
4. Benchmade 860 Bedlam from my fiancée (is it any wonder I'm madly in love with her?)
5. Victorinox Tourist from my father.
6. Only lemon here, a very cheap knockoff SAK. But it came from one of my employees who's really just a kid. Seriously nice to even have him think to do it.

Almost forgot! 7. Buck Metro from my father. Rode on my keychain for more than a decade. Still have it, it's just been retired due to sentimental value. Still occasionally open a beer with it, though. ;)
 
Moniker, you have the best family on Earth. They are a treasure beyond measure, just don't tell them that or they'll start thinking you should love every idea they have.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
As a side note:

Man, have I gotten lucky. I don't often get knives as gifts, but the list consists of:
1. Buck Strider 880 from my father, now lost to the sands of time. :(
2. Himalayan Imports Ang Khola from my fiancée. Go to chopper.
3. M. Nieto lockback with olive wood inlays that my parents brought back from Spain. Gorgeous knife.
4. Benchmade 860 Bedlam from my fiancée (is it any wonder I'm madly in love with her?)
5. Victorinox Tourist from my father.
6. Only lemon here, a very cheap knockoff SAK. But it came from one of my employees who's really just a kid. Seriously nice to even have him think to do it.

Almost forgot! 7. Buck Metro from my father. Rode on my keychain for more than a decade. Still have it, it's just been retired due to sentimental value. Still occasionally open a beer with it, though. ;)
Click to expand...

Ya you did get lucky. Sounds like a nice little collection just in gifted knives alone.
 
My sweetie has given me:
1. Nondescript Browning folder. My first one-handed opener.
2. USMC Ka-Bar
3. Griptilian (Jeez, it's hard to type this with auto-correct.)
4 SOG Spec Elite

I have no complaints.
 
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