Don't you hate it when someone borrows a tool....

[GraysonK]

....and doesn't take care of it?
My soon to be ex brother in law is a jerk.  We had some projects to take care of at my sister's the weekend and I had my trusty Pulse and Vic Ranger on hand to help out.  I used the Pulse to help put the fence and gate back together and mainly used the Ranger to open up bag after bag after bag of mulch, garden soil, and top soil.  Well, my soon to be ex brother in law, asked to use my Pulse to attach the down spout to the house and then just threw it on the ground!  Did I mention we'd been digging and burying the drain pipe?  Then, he asked to use my Ranger to open some bags of top soil and threw my Vic in the top soil after he'd used it, not bothering to close the knife or pick it up!  Grrrrr!  I mean, I know they are tools and meant to be used, but that bugged me.  I don't baby them, I use them, but I still take care of them.  He's a smurf head!
Okay, rant over.  Still, my tools and especially the Ranger came in very very handy this weekend and I was so proud that I got to use them and use them well.  Now I just have to give them both a thorough cleaning.  I had fun though and I think they did too. 

[PyroJames]

I agree.  I usually have a cheapie or abuser tool for friends and family in situations like this.

"Soon to be ex brother in law"... are you kicking him out of the family just because of this incident or for other reasons as well? 

[GraysonK]

I agree.  I usually have a cheapie or (ab)user tool for friends and family in situations like this.

"Soon to be ex brother in law"... are you kicking him out of the family just because of this incident or for other reasons as well? 

This would be enough to make me kick him out, if it were up to me But no, my sister is kicking him out because he's a...well, this is a family forum so let's just say he did some dumb things and if it wasn't for my niece he'd be in a different time zone. 

[Mr. Whippy]

I suppose this could be viewed as inflammatory, and un-moderator-like, but:

Your Soon to be Ex-BIL is an ef'n douchebag.

Since he's going to be Ex, if he asks to use a tool again, if it were me, I'd say, "No you can't.  You treat quality items like sh!t.  It's no wonder you're going to be the Ex.  I suggest you use your fingers and teeth"


 

[GraysonK]

I suppose this could be viewed as inflammatory, and un-moderator-like, but:

Your Soon to be Ex-BIL is an ef'n douchebag.

Since he's going to be Ex, if he asks to use a tool again, if it were me, I'd say, "No you can't.  You treat quality items like sh!t.  It's no wonder you're going to be the Ex.  I suggest you use your fingers and teeth"


 

Thank You, Mr. Whippy!!!!!  I'm telling my sister that one! She'll love it! 

[Gareth]

It even bothers me when I see people mistreating their own tools, let alone mine.     With that in mind I honestly can't remember the last time I lent out any of my SAKs or MTs.

Not that long ago an electrician I was working with used a pair of my side cutters to help turn an Allan key that was stiff.  CUTTERS, NOT PLIERS!   When challenged over this (ie I grabbed them off him) he did say sorry but he couldn't find my pliers.  What about his own smurfing pliers and cutters?

[Mr. Whippy]

It even bothers me when I see people mistreating their own tools, let alone mine.     With that in mind I honestly can't remember the last time I lent out any of my SAKs or MTs.

Not that long ago an electrician I was working with used a pair of my side cutters to help turn an Allan key that was stiff.  CUTTERS, NOT PLIERS!   When challenged over this (ie I grabbed them off him) he did say sorry but he couldn't find my pliers.  What about his own smurfing pliers and cutters?

If it were me, he'd be owning the now dulled side cutters.  (Replacement cost only however  )

[Gareth]

It even bothers me when I see people mistreating their own tools, let alone mine.     With that in mind I honestly can't remember the last time I lent out any of my SAKs or MTs.

Not that long ago an electrician I was working with used a pair of my side cutters to help turn an Allan key that was stiff.  CUTTERS, NOT PLIERS!   When challenged over this (ie I grabbed them off him) he did say sorry but he couldn't find my pliers.  What about his own smurfing pliers and cutters?

If it were me, he'd be owning the now dulled side cutters.  (Replacement cost only however  )

Luckily they are very cheap cutters.  Mostly because a different electrician blew a hole in my good (Knipex) cutters a couple of years ago.

[Sparky415]

  



Some people can't be trusted with sharp objects especially my sharp objects 

[nuphoria]

It's disrespectful - indicates all you need to know about a persons character.

[sousterre1]

I'd bury this guys tool under some top soil for that.

[Swiss Man]

I knew this heating and air guy once that his rule was
"you can borrow his tools but put them back when you are done."

So one day on the job site he found his tool ( I think cutters) in the other persons box.
Walking back to the crawl space opening he took out a hammer and nails and nailed it shut with the other guy still inside went back to his truck called the boss and told him he was quitting and to come over and let the other guy out.

[AimlessWanderer]

NO ONE Borrows my Gransfors Bruks or Vaughan axes ... but I'll lend them my splitting maul, wood grenade or cheapo Wilko's hatchet
(Almost) NO ONE borrows my SAK's or main pocket knives - but I will freely lend one I don't care about, or maybe an opinel
NO ONE borrows my swisstool, swissgrip or spirit - but have no problem lending the Suspension or dedicated pliers
I have a "special" set of screwdrivers at the boatyard for lending - and a seperate set for me
... and so on ...

I took a cheapo knife into work for the baboons to use, and the blade had at least a 1/16" radius on the edge recently before I took it off them for sharpening. I saw one of them hunched over literally forcing it through a 6mm piece of O ring rubber which was resting on a solid lump of steel, and thought it's actually safer to put an edge back on for them than see it slip and go through something vital - like their last remaining braincell, which is obviously incapable of retaining the information imparted when I told them how to use it safely! I have upset people by not lending them the tool they wanted, and by lending them an alternative (perfectly adequate for task but less valued) tool, but they were not as upset as both them and me would have been if they mistreated one of my "real" tools.

Some folks just don't get it - learn to recognise them, and keep those treasured tools away from them. I use my tools heavily but don't abuse them. I have a very good friend who is a excellent joiner who knows how I feel about such stuff - and he's the same. I won't lend him a Granny B - and he won't lend me his chisels.  We're quite open about it

Sorry he mistreated your gear - but sometimes it's better for all concerned if you say no, or do it for them

[WhichDawg]

most of us seem to know people like that

I really don't mind when others use my tools, they can dirty them (and not clean em) they can even break them (doesn't make me happy but I know many don't use them well, they are tools to be used, they just have to replace them!)

but what I can't stand, where I draw the line is when they do not return them, when they leave them on the ground like that or just never bring them back. that is unforgivable and I will not lend them out to them again.

I have now met the worst tool user ever! I challenge anyone to beat this guy. he is my GF's father and the yard (grounds) every work area, every storage area is littered with rusty, broken tools. we can't mow the grounds here because all of the mowers are broken from running over tools.

he buys a tool, uses it once then leaves it outside, in rain and snow, all year long (hand tools or power tools) I've never seen this many tools in my life and I've worked with professionals and in a few shops. he does this with his tools and anybody else's, doesn't matter.

I think tools hide from him when he goes to stores (like toy story) "he's here, run for your life! " he better hope their is no such thing as "reincarnation" because if there is he's coming back as a tool!

[Mercury]

I absolutely refuse to lend my tools anymore.  It causes a stir sometimes, especially when it's the only tool around, but if that's the case I will use it for whatever needs getting done.  I get some looks but when I explain the cost and how ridiculously anal I am about their condition, most everyone backs off.  If I break my own tool, fine.  I have been using my pulse hard for nearly a year, and you can't even tell.  I lent a Blast to a friend once, about a year and a half ago, and it came back without the tip of one of the flatblades, and the knife had a nice pair of nicks in it where the moron cut a live stereo wire!

[Craig]

I get quite unreasonably worked up about this. I see people who can't be bothered to buy and carry their own kit and then expect to borrow other people's as parasites. If they then abuse the tools then they are parasites and scumbags

They seem to get away with it by putting people in situations where they have a choice between lending the tool or appearing mean and rude. They're like some telesales callers can be you end up having to be ill mannered in order to get rid of them - unpleasant but often the only way.

[MultiMat]

I was raised to respect peoples property & when I was 16 & bought my own quality tool set as a apprentice mechanic earning all of $3 a hour  . I feel really strongly about looking after a persons valued tools.I worked BLOODY hard to get that Sidchrome tool set & it is one of my most valued things I own. No one is messing with my Sidchrome's 
My brother in law is a cheap bas#ard & never returns things , I always have to ask him to return stuff. Drives me nuts 

Good riddance too that mongrel Gray 

[GraysonK]

He's being a jerk all the way around, but he really ticked me off when he did that.  I told my mom about it and asked her if I was over reacting and she agreed that it was really rude of him (and she added some other choice phrases and words that I shouldn't repeat here).  I'm just really really surprised he did it right in front of me.  Now the ranger got dirty, and I mean really dirty just from having to use it (rain, mud, top soil, etc) but it was not thrown on the ground or deliberately into the dirt just because!  Grrr...

[Swiss Man]

I think before we lend someone a tool (SAK MT or whatever) there should be a deposit made of at least $50.00 (depends on your tool) 

That would make them think before ABUSING.

[Styerman]

I never lend tools unless i really know the guy / gal , even then there is stuff I won't lend , ie: needlenosed pliers or prescision flush cutters . If someone wants to borrow a socket , I'll only lend impact sockets .

Chris