And "no" means no.

[The Tourist]

As I flipped on my computer this morning I saw a great article on how to say "no" in certain situations. While that's never been a problem for me, it does become a hassle on the subject of knives.

I don't lend knives, for any reason. Even if it means assembling a tourniquet for an injury to your femoral artery.

I take very good care of my knives. To most "citizens" a knife is a tool, and they treat it as such. In most cases they want to pry something or open something so filthy that they don't wish to make physical contact with it. And they are not going to jam my Strider into something murky. Never, ever, ever.

If you saw the video from the Hudson River airplane crash, you'll remember that the inflatable emergency landing chutes were tethered to the plane. Since airline passengers are not allowed knives, one of the survivors had to plead with a ferryboat worker to toss him a knife--now undoubtedly laying at the bottom of the Hudson.

And while that example is extreme, that's pretty much my experience. I learned long ago that my sharp, pristine, expensive knives come back dull, filthy and without apology. After all, it's a "tool."

Well, if it's a tool, then buy your own. If you're foolish enough to bow to political correctness, don't blame me for being unprepared.

This argument deepens now that I am a professional tinker. For some reason my knives attract "experts" who wish to tickle-the-dragon. I don't even like fingerprints on my blades, so why oh why does every couch-Rambo want to put his thumb on my edges? Why is he surprised when he is cut? Why is it my job to find a bandage?

The majority of the public--and I mean 99% of this group--do not know what a sharp knife really is. They don't know how to handle one, or the proper way to slice without inflicting injury upon themselves. And let's be honest, that edge is mine, I created it.

This is one area where I have zero problems with saying "no." And frankly, these people have no experience whatever. None, no matter how much they brag.

[eastcoastsniper]

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I own a landscape business. I had just backed my trailer in the yard the other day, when one of the guys working in the yard across the street (I don't work for neighbors) came over and asked me if he could borrow a pair of hedge trimmers. This was a well known, in the phonebook company doing contract work and trying to borrow MY tools. After I got over my initial shock, I simply told him I don't lend out my tools! Well, he just couldn't believe how "un-neighborly" I was! I told him he wasn't my neighbor and to get the @#*@ off my property. He quickly left telling me how Jesus was going to be judging me and what a jerk I was.
Often, I wonder how some people manage to get as far in life as they do.

[Vagrant]

Simple manners and common courtesy are no longer "in"
Those of us who learned them, have been forced to re-learn and adopt what is in vouge today
For some of the easiest way to accomplish this is to dig deep into our ancient Barbarian Roots [what would Ariminius dp?]

[The Tourist]

The last time I even let a person touch one of my knives was about +20 years ago. Like I said, for some unknown reason all of these chairborne rangers wipe their thumbs across the edge.

We always say that you shouldn't aim a firearm at anything you do not wish to destroy. I also believe that you shouldn't put an edge on anything you do not wish to slice.

[tr4252]

I know just what you mean; if they flip one of my knives open, I suppose one out of four people will drop it. If I open it up first, they'll probably break it trying to close it. I just don't hand them over.

In fact, I don't even like to let it be known that I make or am even interested in autos; the majority seem to think it's an indication that one is a psychopathic type, or at best in need of counseling on political correctness. We are a tiny minority. You'd think there would be a support group or P.A.C. for us.

**** on political correctness! Look where it's gotten us.

Tom

[j.a.c.]

If it's a good friend and someone I trust , no problem.
Strangers and people I don't trust .... I simply ask to hold their wallet while they play with my
knife. Most lose interest real fast.

[Vagrant]

I sharpened an ax for a guy and warned him it was VERY, VERY, sharp [and would shave] he walked over to a friend and said "lets see how sharp", then he ran his thumb down the blade - 4 or 5 stiches

[Cryptomecanic]

I know just what you mean; if they flip one of my knives open, I suppose one out of four people will drop it. If I open it up first, they'll probably break it trying to close it. I just don't hand them over.

In fact, I don't even like to let it be known that I make or am even interested in autos; the majority seem to think it's an indication that one is a psychopathic type, or at best in need of counseling on political correctness. We are a tiny minority. You'd think there would be a support group or P.A.C. for us.

**** on political correctness! Look where it's gotten us.

Tom

I thought this, was, the Support Group !

[tr4252]

DOH! (slaps forehead)

Tom

[The Tourist]

said "lets see how sharp", then he ran his thumb down the blade - 4 or 5 stiches

This sums it up for me. The same outdoor loving, pick up truck owning, gun worshipping regular guy who would never foolishly point a firearm at someone or neglect to check a chamber rubs his thumb on an edge.

And I mean every time.

In fact, some of them find it funny. One of the elders at my church is an over-the-road truck driver. He needed a strong, durable knife for his job, so I found a Buck 110 Ionfusion folder and polished the edge. As he attempted to strip the plastic tarp from a load, he ran the blade over his palm. And he got cut, badly cut. But when I got to the foyer of the church that week, he ran up to me and related the tale with giddy delight.

Yikes, he could have severely lacerated all of the nerves and ligaments in his hand. He got very lucky. And because the edge was sharp, the dressing needed only butterfly bandages.

So here's a trained professional who wouldn't even consider moving a truck without a thorough "walk around," but handles a polished chisel grind knife like a soup spoon.

Oh, and BTW, just because a guy might be a friend doesn't mean he'll be any more careful. In fact, being a "friend" leads many folks to believe they have the right of entitlement to knives I carry because they are "insiders." But I'm not a snob here. I wouldn't loan those types a customized 1911 either for fear they would kill everyone within the area!

[thatoneguy]

For awhile I would inform anyone who was to use it the proper way, but that took to friggin long, now I go by "If you get hurt, that's your problem." Most of them let me do whatever was needed instead.

[dart]

Many years ago I worked in a factory as a full time employee. I met a "summer help" fellow and we chatted for awhile. We talked about knives. I showed him my penknife and told him that I would never lend it to anyone during our conversation. He was a nice fellow or so it seemed. A few days later after our chat, he approached me and asked to borrow my penknife. I asked him if he'd remembered our chat. He said he did but because he needed a knife I should be willing to lend mine to him. I asked him what he intended to do with my knife. He hesitated then said there was something he needed to pry open with it. I told him that I would not lend my knife to him nor anyone else and that he should buy a knife so he would not have to borrow one. He got very angry and stomped off. The rest of the summer while at work, he would not speak to me. I am happy to have made his summer work experience so enjoyable for him. I don't think he did buy his own knife but I really did not care. At least he did not get to ruin mine.

[The Tourist]

I winced when I read your post and I saw the word "pry." This is the major reason I do not loan out any knife--or let people sit on my bike. They don't respect borders, or rules. They don't seem to understand that scratches are a big deal for the object's owner. And prying with a knife will always snap off the tip or spring the spine.

Having said that, I never understand why the advice to "get a chisel or a screwdriver" offends them so much.

But I have noticed a common denominator about these people. They want your knife. They also toss cigarette butts out car windows or dump auto ashtrys in parking lots. It's the way they live their entire lives.

In Madison we have a fireworks display called "Rhythm and Booms." A fireworks company synchronizes the color and the sound of their displays to a music program played on our area radio stations.

Without fail there is a newspaper picture and a story on the tons of trash left at the park site after this presentation. And I mean tons. Everything from Mountain Dew cans to dirty diapers. Volunteers have to come out and clean the park.

The same guy who would complain about a small fee to clean the park would happily break your knife for "free" and light up a cigarette and bitch about his rights. Same mentality.

[tanto]

I have cheap + dull chinese knives in trunk of my car that I will lend to people who ask for a knife.

[Vagrant]

I find it curious that people who never had an original thought in their entire lives, can think of
the most original ways to damage a knife. Prying is the most common and as a screwdriver is the second most common.