I have learned through bitter personal experience to never, ever loan guns or knives to anybody. Period.

Hi Hacksaw,

Actually the D.H. Russell knife story turned out OK, I applied some type of oil to the bleached wood (it was at the work camp, I cannot remember what kind of oil it was) and kept right on using the knife with no ill effects.

Speaking of D.H. Russell #1's I bought a used one on an internet classified ad site last summer for $15.00, so I retired my old one from the Boy Scout Jamboree.

Later,

Mike

Ah yes, the kitchen knives and the wife...almost as painful as having my dutch ovens run through the dishwasher.

I cringe every time I see a knife in the sink. I know it was tossed in like any other common utensil, and point first, and I know if I don't rescue it, it will end up in the dishwasher. I've seen my Henckels get used to pry on paint can lids. Funny thing is, the wife and kids go right on using them for cutting, rolled tips and all, like nothing was wrong.

Of course, I could just as well be sitting in that big house alone again with my pristine knives and immaculate dutch ovens. I've been there, done that, and will not willingly do it again.

Trust me I'm there now and the edge of a few knives and a dutch oven or two are more than a cheap price to pay for what you have.

I equip my kitchen with Zwilling Henckels too and just spent a full day running them all through my Sharpmaker so I'm extra protective now. The latest victim is my vintage Chinese veggie cleaver. At least it doesn't have a tip to wreck when it gets tossed in the sink...and lots of metal to remove when it gets dulled hehehe.

A "friend" once borrowed my Sog seal pup out of my TAC vest on exercise(in my absence) and decided it was the best tool with which to mix epoxy, thinking he could simply wipe it off. Well... the epoxy, did what epoxy is supposed to do and in a panic he decided to wipe it off with paper towel in an attempt not to ruin my knife. The towel promptly dried to the epoxy and all attempts to wipe it off became futile. Rather than admitting that we all sometime do things that are tremendously stupid he decided to place the knife back in to its case, to which the remaining epoxy quickly dried. Upon finding my knife, to this day I bet no one has ever put the "F" word into a single sentence so many times without pausing for a single breath. I am amazed about how many people, soldiers included, Do not carry a knife. And how many people in this forum have friends who constantly ask them to sharpen their knives because they are no good at it. Doesn't that drive you berserk? I've met people who can fly helicopters but can't properly sharpen a darn knife. It goes to show that being an actual soldier goes a little farther than just wearing a uniform. But , as always that is only my opinion and not meant to offend anyone here. To make a long story short, I will only lend my knife to someone I trust and then only after I know exactly what they intend to do with it, and only if it remains in my direct line of sight. I have learned my lesson on this topic.

Hi Soldier,

Your loaner knife story was great, I am eager to hear the ending.

Did you every get the stuck Seal Pup out of it's case, was it salvageable?

I agree with you, many (may be most) people who carry a knife carry a dull one. This maybe why replaceable blade knives (utility cutters) are so popular. It may also explain the amount of serrated knives around as they will rip/tear through something long after a straight edge is dull.

Thanks,

Mike

So did your "friend" buy you a new knife?

Oooh, I feel your pain re the epoxy story. That's just nasty.

But I don't mind if people ask me to sharpen knives for them. They get rather addicted to sharp tools after a while, and that has worked to my advantage. During my university days, I got a lot of free suppers because the lady of the house knew I would bring along my favourite stone and touch up her kitchen knives. Heck, I've even put "gift certificates" in a few Christmas cards. Naturally, my efforts must be "whet" with suitable offerings of good brew. (Also, word gets around; when someone uses one of my knives, other people in the vicinity will usually warn them not to goof around with it, for obvious reasons.)

After cursing for a while with every conceivable use of the F and C words, and then making up a few more curses of my own under my breath. and making him strip the epoxy off of my knife(a lengthy process involving paint thinner, utility blades and the painstaking removal of the Knife from the sheath) I actually had quite a laugh, once I calmed down. In the end, a knife can be replaced easier than a good friend, stupid as he may be. The knife faired out well but with cosmetic damage to the finish I, like you I am sure, hold my knives in the highest regard and consider the basic knife one of my greatest assets in ANY situation. I was not to upset over the scratches as there were plenty there to begin with. I take care of my knives, but I use them for what they are intended and often put them through much abuse in the process. I was more angry at the fact that he did not have his own knife, or better yet, had not used my knife to cut a branch to stir the dammed epoxy with.