Everyone who EDC's a knife must have one of these stories to share?

Here is one of mine:

As I have said before, I am a very easy-going person but about 25 years ago I had a "disagreement" with a fellow in a bunkhouse hallway, which involved us having to repair some drywall the next day. It turned out my toolbox was locked and the key was out in my vehicle, so the other fellow says "you got your knife on ya" and I like an idiot give it to him. Moments later I hear "SNAP", toolbox is still locked and about an inch off the tip of my knife is missing. My opinion of this fellow is again going downhill quickly, so I tell him that I will fix the problem myself and he leaves, I have never seen him again.

I learned a few things from this occurance; how to repair drywall, never lend your good knife (lend them a cheapy) and do not pick a fight with a sober person twice your size!

Lets hear your knife/axe/tool loaner horror stories?

Mike

I hate to hear a story like that.

As a Marine, I hear the question, "Hey, anybody got a knife?" at least once a day. I don't really have a horror story, as this question is usually followed by, "what for?". Then, based on the merit of their explanation, and my own split-second analysis of the likelihood of my knife being damaged they may or may not be loaned a knife. Usually they are not.

I continue to be amazed by the sheer number of people among us (to say nothing of Marines) who don't carry a knife. I am further amazed by the tasks that a person will subject a knife to, when, with minimal effort they could get the appropriate tool for the job.

The number of people I'll loan anything more than a box cutter to is about the same as the number of people I'll loan my toothbrush to. If you are allowed to handle my blades, I trust you with a bit more than just my life.

As you might have gathered, while I have "ok, give me a second and I'll fix it for you" stories, I don't have this kind of story. :P

Yes, it would about kill me to loose my crutch-tip (Model 18) Randall or Chris Reeve Project one to a fools misuse.

Maybe I should carry a cheap Mil-spec survival to loan out.
Seriously one of those ASEK's would limit the damage to only painful.

SwampDonkey you are so right, I can think of a couple of pocket knives that were misused in front of my very eyes before it could be stopped.

Funny thing is would the same fool do it with his own knife?
Sometimes people do value thing exactly as they paid (in this case nothing).

I once had a fairly old collectible f.s. command knife from WWII, that an acquaintance (friend of a friend) was looking at.
After picking it up to look at he struck it against one of the crates (why we will never know)in my workshop and the blade broke at the cross guard.
Scratch $150.00 or so.
Yes he promised to make it up to me, and of course I never saw him again.
I feel guilty when someone says can I barrow that leatherman, swisstool on you belt.
Answer NO!
Why on earth would any craftsman or soldier,marine,sailor be without a knife, just can't imagine it.

But really the whole concept of man's primary tool is the knife, but a lot of people don't carry them anymore.
There was a tail a while back about a paratrooper who died because the jump plane was knife-free, I kid you not.

Maybe I should lend out a knife with a utterly dull blade and chuckle in amusement?

Years ago in another job, I had someone I didn't know very well borrow a knife to open a big shipping carton at work...sounds simple enough right?

Well, they sliced open the palm of their hand, not while using the knife on the box, but rather, trying to close it. The concept of a locking blade was too much for them apparently. They just thought it was "stuck", so they kept trying harder and harder to force it closed until the back of the knife slipped and the point created a bloody mess on the carpet. I actually ended up being the one who bandaged the guy up! Everyone else was just standing there watching him bleed and scream.

I was told the next day by the site manager that they don't allow "weapons" at work, and that I shouldn't bring it back. He was going to have to file an accident report with OSHA or something, and wasn't happy. I think he knew that the other bozo was the problem, but, it was easier to take it out on me, than acknowledge that he had someone working for him that couldn't close a knife safely...

I was camping with my son's Boy Scout Troop at a Cub Scout family overnight (we were invited to help out). While setting up, one of the parents was putting up an EZ-up canopy, but one of the poles had gotten stuck. The parent asked if anyone has a knife. One of the Scouts offered up his knife. I cringed as the parent started using the tip of the knife to jimmy loose the stuck pole. I was thinking "I'm glad that's not my knife."

Then I notice that the Scout's knife looked just like my son's Kabar Dozier Spearpoint that I'd given him.

The parent handed the knife back to the Scout. I asked if that was my son's knife. It was! I had the Scout give it back to my son, and then I inspected it. Luckily - Amazingly - it wasn't damaged. I told my son in no uncertain terms that its a good rule not to loan out a knife.

It turned out that the other Scout had forgotten to bring a knife. Since my son usually brings both the Kabar and a SAK, he loaned the Kabar to the other Scout, who in turn handed it off to the "knife-killer".

My rule is simple - I don't loan out my knife. Ever.

I have the same rule with my tractor. If someone needs material moved (using the tractor's front end loader), I don't let them use the tractor. I come with the tractor and do the work for them.

Same with my popup camper.

Ken K.

As a teenager my brother and I were camping, my brother asked to borrow my knife. At the time it was a Western Bowie, that I kept razor sharp. He took the knife and walked off into the cane and after a few minutes I hear him screaming bloody murder a splash and he came crashing thru the bushes holding his hand streaming blood. After a trip to the doctor and 15 stitches I found out the he had been chopping a tree with my knife and hit the back of his fingers instead. Luckily it was after he had already cut a few limbs and it was kind of dull, and the splash I heard was my knife finding the middle of the river. If you think he was bad on my knife and that I was stupid for loaning it to him, you would die if I told you about loaning him my shotgun or the time I went hunting with him.

My second story is a little like Be_Prepared's.

In 1999 I went on a very cold winter caribou hunt in northern Quebec with my lifetime hunting partners. It was a successful hunt and my partner and I were tying caribou quarters onto the back of the truck around the snowmobile. My good buddy says "lend me your Leatherman, I need to cut this rope", I say back to him "sure, but be careful these new serrated blades are really sharp" he replies with something like "I know how to handle a knife .....".
Before he even finishes the sentence I am doing first aid on a major cut to his left hand, his only reply is "Man that blade really cuts rope, where you buy it". His DW (on my instruction) bought him one for Christmas that year (original WAVE).

I would still lend anything to my hunting partners, we respect respect each others equipment like it was our own.

Mike

I like that one!

-Blast

This is why I often carry an Alox Bantam or Soldier in my pocket. Most of my family and friends know I carry a knife and they always ask to borrow it. So, I give them the V-nox to use and my Benchmade stays in my pocket.

If they break it I've got a bunch more and they don't cost too much (~$20). Plus, being a swiss army knife most people know how to open them, use them, and close them.

The nice thing too, is if it's someone who I think deserves a solid knife and could use it, I'll let them keep it. I've given a few out to kids/teens (with their parents permission of course) who I thought would use it responsibly and correctly. The glowing smile I get in return makes it worth it.