There are two phrases I don’t like to hear:
- Can I borrow your knife?
- Do you have a knife I can borrow?
Usually the answer to the first one is: “what do you plan to cut?” followed by “sorry, no.” The answer to the second one is usually similar to my first answer. Here’s the thing, if someone is asking me to borrow my knife there is a high probability that:
- They don’t have a knife on their person (obviously)
- This means they probably have no concept of what the difference is between a $10 knife and $100 knife, or what goes into sharpening one
- They probably don’t know if the expensive knife in my pocket will even cut what they want to cut, but are willing to give it a shot anyways
In the past when I have let people borrow my knife, besides the fact that I usually have to ASK FOR IT BACK, I have gotten in back with dings in the blade. What, you mean a pocket knife won’t cut through steel cable? Who knew!
I know that this may come across as a bit selfish and I can assure you that in a life or death situation I’d give my knife away if it would help someone. Yet for run of the mill, everyday stuff where someone not savvy enough to have their own knife wants to borrow mine…sorry chum this one stays in my pocket. Get your own.
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Love it. Before I retired and was on the streets, I carried 2 knives. One good and one better(best). I would allow someone to borrow the lesser, knowing full well that it probably would not be returned in the same shape as when it left my hand. But when someone wanted to use my Benchmade, they got the No reply quickly.
Nice article
Author
That’s a good idea. Keep the Benchmade for myself, and a $1 Wallyworld flip out blade in another pocket. Oh you need a knife? Here you go…keep it.
The main thing I would run into when i would allow someone to borrow a pocket knife was people cutting themselves with it. I tend to keep a very sharp edge on all of my knives and would typically warn others that it was sharp. This phrase, for some reason, would overwhelm their minds, forcing them to test the edge by running a finger across it. more than one person nicked themselves like this. One guy, in my military days, ran the ball of his thumb down the length of the edge, resulting in getting stitches.
I dont lend out my knives anymore, mainly because of this.
Author
Nothing makes you want to touch a stove more than someone saying “don’t touch that, it’s hot.”
You should have let them borrow it with the phrase “be careful, that knife is suuuper dull. You’d probably be better off with a spoon”
I always borrow someone else’s knife when I can. No need dulling or damaging my own. 🙂
Author
Classic! You’re “that guy”
Simple and defining answer, “no, but if you need help with something…. “
Like the rest of ya-all the last time I loaned my Spyderco the azzhole drug it through a Lot-A-Burger Burrito cutting through the Styrofoam and cut a nice 1/8 inch deep cut in the concrete table top, handed it back still dripping with green sauce with the stupid, non-caring look of “what???”.
NRP
I remember when it was in fashion for soldiers to carry/have on their person Leatherman pocket tools. 145 different attachments and yet once borrowed whether they were going to screw a screw or open a bottle, they’d flip out the blade. Just goes to show that most people think they can use a knife for anything and everything.
Author
How many people actually solved a problem or fixed anything in the motorpool with a Gerber or Leatherman? I think guys just liked flipping them out, I fell victim to that hype as well. The knife blade did work well to cut open MREs, and scrape carbon off of the tip of the M4 bolt face.
Can’t say that I ever used the pliers, file, or ruler etched into the side for anything. Ever.
How about the tooth pick?
Author
Or the corkscrew?
I remember when Schrade actually made a decent blade. My dad always carried a 3 blade knife and honestly it was the original multi-tool. Wire-cutter, chisel, screw-driver, knife, finish hammer, scraper, etc. As long as he had that knife in his pocket and a sledge hammer in his hand, there wasn’t much he couldn’t do or fix.
Naturally, he always broke the short blade, but it just made a better common screw-driver at that point. I have seen him work the long blade point back into shape and the knife normally lasted about five years. Then he would get a new one for his birthday or Christmas.
Now, those same knives last him about one year.
I always get hassled for wearing knives, and normally those who ask to borrow one of my knives are those who complain the hardest. My usual response is: use you teeth.
I normally carry two knives, a folding Ontario in a belt sheath that has been my EDC blade for about 20 years and a utility knife with several different extra blades in the handle (different blades for different tasks). It gets loaned out (have several replacements already) occasionally but never twice to anyone who abuses it. If you don’t know that the purpose of a blade is to cut than your mother shouldn’t let you have one. And if you do use a knife, then IMHO you should also always carry a basic first-aid kit since accidents do happen, just ask a guy named Murphy’s Law!!! Good Luck!