Never, never, never loan anything with an edge. Other things never to loan are CD's and DVD's, money, and vehicles. Unless of course you loan simply because you have an abundance. The "better" the friend, the least likely you are to get these things back at all and hardly ever in original condition. Family usually always returns, but again, seldom in original condition.

Funny, there are 2-3 people in this world I'd call good friends. Those people can borrow ANYTHING I have, at ANY time. The break my knife, I'd shrug, and tell them not to worry. Worse things have happened. I've trusted those friends with my life, and they have trusted me with theirs

Everyone else? They get the loaner

Y'know, looking at these stories, I think it's a bit of poetic justice that these folks cut themselves while abusing your knife. So, yeah, loan it out. If they screw up they'll know it. Then you can look at them innocently and ask if they have a FAK so you can bandage them up. Then roll your eyes and act like they're an idiot when they have neither a knife nor FAK.

And if they break it, get money from them right there and then.

To be honest, I don't have a horror story. The only cuts a friend of mine got was when I ran him over on my BMX back in the '80s.

I have two options for loaning knives:

A) I will loan n knife that, if broken, is not a going concern, such as a mock SAK classic (dollar store variety), which is easily replaced. I've had no problem collecting remuneration from those who have done so.

B) I will loan a knife that was made to take heavy abuse/misuse with a minimal chance of failing. In the event of failure, it has a lifetime unconditional guarantee. I know that in the unlikely event the knife is broken, all I need do is send it to the mfr and it will be replaced at no additional cost, save that of shipping, without exception. As before, I have no concern with being able to collect shipping costs from someone able to break those knives if I feel it is warranted.

Those foolish enough to self inflict, I just laugh, except for the wife, lest I end up in great pain myself...

Learned that lesson long ago. I always keep an inexpensive Mora or similar blade in my gear when going out with others.

However, what in my opinion is far worse that lending a knife is to see what other's have done with axes. I will never, ever lend an axe out again. Ever.. They will either kill your axe or themselves..

Did you ever notice that the more experienced the crew you're with, ie people you would lend your gear to, the less often that is requested?

On a training day with an emergency response unit one of the guys ask if he could borrow my SAK to slice open a bun. I thought that he could do it without inflicting major damage. So I gave the knife and a word of warning to him (that knife was quite a bit sharper than the factory condition). After him being half way through a remark about NOT being to stupid to handle that knife and cutting all the way through the bun and deep into his hand I had to admit that I was wrong. As the medic in the team I had to administer first aid. The guy with the cut earned some laughter from the rest of the team, a tetanus shot and just barely evaded stitching. Folks there remembered (and did not fail to remind him) for a long time that he lacked the skill to slice bun without shedding blood.
On the bright side the SAK suffered no damage at all and the blood was easily wiped from the blade.

My loaner -- $3

http://www.armorysupply.com/merchant.ihtml?&lastcid=392&pid=48250&Step=4

I use it for opening boxes and spreading peanut butter.
Sharpen it on a course diamond file so it cuts paper and rope
easily.

I keep a small SAK with scissors on my keyring - most times it is the scissors I open for people when I give it to them. Safer option for people too dumb to carry anything sharper than their teeth.

Good point on the scissors. One of my friends who builds and trains
folks on ropes challenge courses issues EMT scissors to the ones
in charge of rescue rather than knives. He figures they are less
likely to accidently cut the wrong rope in an emergency and less
likely to stab themselves in a fall or swing.

Good Thinking BRD,

I like that idea so much I think I will follow suit, Thanks!

Mike