"Borrowing SAKs"

[clickstop]

I've been carrying a Recruit that I got from DeezNittles some months ago, and it had become my favorite knife. I carried that thing everywhere, so much that my Deluxe Tinker hasn't seen daylight in a while.

When I went to a robotics competition with my team, I decided to bring it with me for the day. Of course when we got there it got a lot of use (a whole robotics team and only two of us had knives  ) Naturally a friend of mine asked if he could borrow it, and I gave it to him just to try it out. It wasn't 'til I got home that I realized he never gave it back! And this was a week ago. He still hasn't bothered to give it back, saying that he somehow lost it    I'm gonna miss that little guy 

Has this ever happened to any of you guys? Got a list of knives that never made it back to your pocket? 

Oh and on a side note - on the chance that I never see that knife again, should I buy another Recruit or should I try out the Cadet? I love the alox scales, but I'm not sure I could find a lot of uses for the small blade.

[cbl51]

I hate to tell ya this clickstop, your buddy didn't loose the SAK, he just got so impressed by it he can't part with it. That's okay, you probably made a convert to sakdom for the price of a recruit. That's pretty cheap when you think about it. Consider a recruit the gateway drug to SAK addiction. For the price of a couple of beers down at the neighborhood pub, you gave him oneof the most useful objects ever invented by mankind. A tool that has been on more expeditions and even space trips, than any other tool man has made. I'd chalk it off, and go by Lowes and pick up another recruit and carry it. And maybe some day, some other person will have need, and you can gift the recruit to them. The price of a recruit is a cheap one for something that can bring enlightenment. 

SAK's, it's not just a knife.

edit to add; I know a lot of folks use and love the cadet, but I tried one for while, and found it was too thin for me. The recruit feels better in my hand because of the little bit of added thickness to the handle. Not really an issue most of the time, but when my hands are cold or wet, or both, I found the cadet a little too thin for a good hold. Plus I don't like to loose the tweezers. Sometimes I really do use the tweezers for a splinter or even pulling a tick off the dog in a pinch. Plus I'd rathr have the extra knife blade. I find the small pen blade handy.

[Accujohn]

The Recruit is a teaser. I would just replace it with a swisstool... Then next time you see your buddy, compare the size of your saks. Oh that's right... He "lost" it. In that case, first beat it out of him until he cries for his mom and coughs it up.... THEN compare, and then tell him he can keep it;)

[clickstop]

Well I figured he didn't lose it  ,  but I won't bug him about it. Hopefully it did convert him! Chances of me getting a Swisstool are pretty slim though...then again that's what's I said before bought my first few SAK's  For now though I'll have to settle for a Cadet and a Recruit to compare

[Accujohn]

Just kiddin;) and you dont want to get one of those bulky swisstools just to show him up anyway because you'd still have to carry it around. And you'd probably still only use the 4 tools the recruit has

[MARIOS7319]

"SAK's, it's not just a knife"
That's the real truth, you said it right cbl51.
As for the dilemma to what to buy, if i was you i will choose the Recruit.
The small blade is more useful than the nail file of the Cadet.

[landwomble]

If I lend a tool I care about, I'm itchy till its back in my pocket. Generally I don't lend out my pocket tools at all...!

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[kirk13]

If I lend a tool I care about, I'm itchy till its back in my pocket. Generally I don't lend out my pocket tools at all...!

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

Massively big +1!

Still this is MTo...Buy both!

[PTRSAK]

The garage my parents used to take thrie car to had a sign on the wall...

"The mechanic who lends his tools to people isn't here today."

I saw that over 30 years ago, and it's been my motto too.

[ICanFixThat]

....

edit to add; I know a lot of folks use and love the cadet, but I tried one for while, and found it was too thin for me. The recruit feels better in my hand because of the little bit of added thickness to the handle. Not really an issue most of the time, but when my hands are cold or wet, or both, I found the cadet a little too thin for a good hold. Plus I don't like to loose the tweezers. Sometimes I really do use the tweezers for a splinter or even pulling a tick off the dog in a pinch. Plus I'd rathr have the extra knife blade. I find the small pen blade handy.

Anothjer way to solve that problem.... add some scissors to the Cadet... better hold, more function...

[clickstop]

If I lend a tool I care about, I'm itchy till its back in my pocket. Generally I don't lend out my pocket tools at all...!

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

Yea I hate the feeling  Definitely not lending any more of my tools!

As for the Cadet issue I had heard many things about it being to thin, but adding scissors would do the trick...yet another mod to add to the list! So I'm guessing not a lot of people are fans of nail file then?

[Singh]

As my father (a mechanic) said: Never lend out your tools.

[Wire Edge]

I dislike the nail file on the Cadet, especially since its pretty easy to scratch the blade with it.

I don't lend out my knives, it's just a bad idea in my opinion!  I've found most things my kids or anyone else needs cut is easily accomplished with scissors.  I take out my Rambler, snip whatever needs snipped, and put it back in my pocket.

[JNieporte]

I don't lend out my tools unless the borrower is willing to let me hold on to his driver's license until I get it back.

The Sportsman is quite nice. It's a Recruit, but with a nail file / cleaner instead of the small blade, and adds a corkscrew and reamer. You can find them NIB for about $12.

[jzmtl]

So he just told you he lost it with no offering for replacement? Time for a new friend.

I don't lend out my knives except a few who know how to take care of tools and won't come back to me with "oh I lost your knife so suck it up", I've seen too many broken knives on the net from loaning them out.

I don't really like alox knives even though they appear to have a fanatic following. They are slimmer but you lose t&t, and don't have the classic "SAK appearance". The best two layer model IMO is the compact, though my EDC is a climber for quite some time now.

[clickstop]

The Sportsman is quite nice. It's a Recruit, but with a nail file / cleaner instead of the small blade, and adds a corkscrew and reamer. You can find them NIB for about $12.

Although I know many people love Sportsman, I don't think I'll be getting it. Part of why I loved the Recruit was that smooth, flush back. Feels so good in the hand 

So he just told you he lost it with no offering for replacement? Time for a new friend.

I don't lend out my knives except a few who know how to take care of tools and won't come back to me with "oh I lost your knife so suck it up", I've seen too many broken knives on the net from loaning them out.

I don't really like alox knives even though they appear to have a fanatic following. They are slimmer but you lose t&t, and don't have the classic "SAK appearance". The best two layer model IMO is the compact, though my EDC is a climber for quite some time now.

He's definitely on my dunzo list now (I'm hoping there's some Tom Haverford fans here? )

I have no problem with losing the T&T, but I'm worried that alox won't give me the same smooth feel of the nylon scales on my Recruit, which I think is much better than cellidor. I recently got a Compact, and I'm surprised that I don't like it. I think it's partially because of the corkscrew (don't wear glasses, so no need for the mini driver.) I think I'd prefer it with a smooth back. Am I the only one who thinks this?

[gregozedobe]

I'm another who subscribes to the golden rule:

"Never lend anything that you care about"

I might lend out my Mr Pinchy (Gerber pre-600), or one of my cheapy lights, but you simply can't trust many people to look after your stuff properly.

Often I will just fix whatever needs fixing for them - that way my tools are safe and it is often quicker anyway.  I usually carry some fauxtons (very cheap coin-cell light) to give to anyone that "just needs a light", and I don't ask for them back.

[jzmtl]

I have no problem with losing the T&T, but I'm worried that alox won't give me the same smooth feel of the nylon scales on my Recruit, which I think is much better than cellidor. I recently got a Compact, and I'm surprised that I don't like it. I think it's partially because of the corkscrew (don't wear glasses, so no need for the mini driver.) I think I'd prefer it with a smooth back. Am I the only one who thinks this?

ALox is lumpy but not abrasive, it feels similar to nylon scales in hand. I do use the back tools (including hook lol) though so I like them there.

[ColoSwiss]

" If you loan $20 to someone and never see them again, it was money well spent."

Same thing applies to pocket knives or anything else. If he lost your knife he should have replaced it. If he didn't he's a total #### and should be avoided.

[clickstop]

Lesson learned! I've learned to avoid this guy, turns out I wasn't his first victim. He seems to "misplace" his friends' stuff all the time  Definitely avoiding him. On the good side though I've found a nylon scaled recruit on eBay that I'll hopefully win  I don't even regret buying another one, this knife is awesome!

[GNandGS]

There is a "loan" where you are not in sight of the item/cash and there is the accross the isle loan.  The latter is usually not a problem.

For quick loans where I can observe, my concern is they will hurt themselves or hurt the tool.  If they know how to use a non locking blade properly they likely carry their own or preface with "I forgot mine, can I..."

You got bit by the more rare quick loan gone south. 

[jerseydevil]

There are some people I know I can lend my SAK or multi to without fear of it walking away.  If you're not on that short list, either I'm going to be hovering over you, or I'll be doing the cutting or what not for you.

[magentus]

That is one sucky friend!

I'll only lend my knife to my wife and daughter (though I will remind them that they have their own SAK's and why do they not have access to them at all times?, to which I get rolled eyes )

I hope your 'friend' feels guilty and does the right thing.

[KiwiMark]

I don't generally lend my SAKs, but if I do I hover over the person using it and wait to have it handed back to me.  No way I want my precious SAKs 'lost'!

[ironraven]

The list of people I will share my main rotation tools with is the same list of people who can borrow my toothbrush.

[clickstop]

The list of people I will share my main rotation tools with is the same list of people who can borrow my toothbrush.

[Ashley]

The list of people I will share my main rotation tools with is the same list of people who can borrow my toothbrush.

You share your toothbrush? yuk! Just playing I know you was kidding (I hope)!

Sent from Ash forum mobile

[Mattexian]

I gotta agree with the folks saying, "DON'T DO IT!"  (Kinda the reverse of the Nike slogan.)    I've heard too many horror stories of lending someone a SAK and then turning around to find them using the main blade as a screwdriver or prybar!!! 

Matt in Texas

[clickstop]

I gotta agree with the folks saying, "DON'T DO IT!"  (Kinda the reverse of the Nike slogan.)    I've heard too many horror stories of lending someone a SAK and then turning around to find them using the main blade as a screwdriver or prybar!!! 

Matt in Texas

  Although I'm certainly never lending any of my tools again, I'm glad the past knives I've had never suffered from that kind of abuse whenever someone borrowed it!

[Styerman]

There are only two peeps on the planet I'll lend a knife to . Both Dudes know what they are doing , and are Old Skool , in that if they break or loose something , it will be replaced .

Chris