Would You Lend Anyone Your Flashlight ?.

neutralwhite

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Oct 18, 2012
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London Heathrow
:thinking: - this happened to me just earlier on, someone who was flying to Pakistan tonight and asked me if he could borrow my PD32UE, and all the other bits so that he could use whilst there for some weeks.

he already has a $30 weird Cree LED flashlight bought off ebay which is no way near the PD32, and says he wants to use mine.


I said no way, no!,....as I use it for work mostly anyway, if it breaks, he ain't going to pay me back my $73.55 I paid, but maybe $20 he said - as according to him, it's not even worth $73, and if it comes back damaged broken, it would only be a 'sorry' leaving me to pick up the pieces...and start again.
don't you just hate people who take the P*SS ?!!!.
buy your freakin own!.



So again, ...My answer to lending is a BIG NOOOO!

thanks everyone...
 

mvyrmnd

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Sep 4, 2009
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Australia
It depends on the friend. I have a friend who appreciates my lights, and their value, but wouldn't buy them himself (he spends his money on other stuff)

He would look after them, take care of the batteries and whatnot. He would get a yes.

That said, I'm hesitant to give them to my wife who a) is very rough on everything she uses and b) very certainly had no idea how much I've spent on these things.
 

välineurheilija

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Jun 29, 2011
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Finland
It depends on the light in question. I would lend one of my Led lensers or maglites for example :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Coleslaw38

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Feb 24, 2012
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I'd probably say no to most people. Especially when it comes to my zebras.

I've only let my best friend borrow one of my lights and that was only for a couple of hours, even so, he only got to use the s-mini. I'll start small with him.
 

Micah

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Jan 10, 2013
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I would lend out a light I don't care about, but not one of my favorites. I might let them use it for few minutes, but definitely not take it to another country. You might as well be giving it to them.
 

shelm

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Dec 8, 2011
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2,047
I would lend my LED Lenser, Maglite, Sipik SK68, Klarus P1A (it's a cheap light and i got it cheap), and any other cheap power led light i have. They are portable, pocketable and may be dropped. The Led Lenser was expensive but is a worthless poc anyway. With quality cells they are bright enough. Only flashaholics need and want even more lumens ;)
 

dougie

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Aug 21, 2006
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523
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Jersey
In general terms if someone is my friend they are in a special group of people who I know and trust. They are dependable human beings who would give me what it is theirs without much thought and accordingly I'd do the same for them. On the other hand I have loads of acquaintances who I know and who may think of themselves as my friends but who I still see as acquaintances. Those people I'd take on a case by case basis. Some I'd trust and others I wouldn't! ;)
 

eebowler

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Dec 18, 2003
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Trinidad and Tobago.
I have cheapies or old light I don't like moded with better LEDs or drivers to lend out. I assume that the person doesn't have the decency to buy back my light so lend out something I wouldn't cry over if they scratch, break or leave a bloody alkaline cell in it to leak.
 

Cataract

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Apr 24, 2009
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Montreal
:thinking: - this happened to me just earlier on, someone who was flying to Pakistan tonight and asked me if he could borrow my PD32UE, and all the other bits so that he could use whilst there for some weeks.

he already has a $30 weird Cree LED flashlight bought off ebay which is no way near the PD32, and says he wants to use mine.


I said no way, no!,....as I use it for work mostly anyway, if it breaks, he ain't going to pay me back my $73.55 I paid, but maybe $20 he said - as according to him, it's not even worth $73, and if it comes back damaged broken, it would only be a 'sorry' leaving me to pick up the pieces...and start again.
don't you just hate people who take the P*SS ?!!!.
buy your freakin own!.



So again, ...My answer to lending is a BIG NOOOO!

thanks everyone...

Key words being "it' not even worth xxx$" plus him already owning a light, I'd never even show him one of my lights again. USE YOURS!

Tell your friend even I am pissed at him!

Now that I feel lighter;
Depends on who, where, what for and how long. Most people who are likely to borrow a light from me know I pay big bucks, how much I love my lights and are respectful enough to bring it back in the same condition. They also know better than to borrow one for more than a few minutes. I guess I'm lucky or just plain scare people off...
 

nbp

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Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
10,970
Location
Wisconsin
I would lend my:
Solitaire, Fury, Tri-EDC but NEVER my Foursevens quark...

You'll lend your Tri but not your Quark? That's funny. :laughing:

The Tri EDC is a precision, handmade work of highly functional art. Quarks come off the assembly line by the bushel full. I gotta hear the explanation for that.
 

scout24

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Dec 23, 2008
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Penn's Woods
You'd be hard pressed to hurt anything I edc, light-wise, and I let my co workers and friends use them as needed for things when they ask. Gives me the chance to suggest they start carrying their own! :)
 

Harry999

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Jun 19, 2009
Messages
584
Cataract,

You express my attitude about the friend perfectly!

I keep a cheap button cell keychain light and occasionally a cheap 9 led AAA light around to lend.

On most occasions the person asking to borrow a light is someone who can not be bothered to carry one themselves or any other EDC piece of equipment. They often don't treat the tool with respect and then to add insult to injury will say 'I would not carry that around' or ask 'Why do you carry that?'

A few trusted friends and acquaintances will be allowed to use my best gear. For everyone they get to use a fully functional but cheaper beater.

This sounds callous but I find that if someone has a good quality tool I have loaned out I am always worrying about it. This way I keep my blood pressure down.
 

Cataract

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Apr 24, 2009
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Montreal
Hi Harry,

In all honesty I wouldn't even lend a 1$ light I'm about to throw out to someone who dares to ask "why do you carry that around." An insult in any form is an insult, especially if the person does not know what they're talking about. I know I'm very harsh on this, but I have wasted too many years of my life getting things right and too many years trying to get people to respect my experience learned from hard lessons. I now know people need to feel the crap deflected from the fan before they get it. The best way I heard it expressed is: "Tell a man there are 300 million stars in the universe and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it, and he'll have to touch it to make sure. " There ya go, the exact moment I'm changing my sig line.
 

whiteoakjoe

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Jul 8, 2011
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337
Location
middle of nowhere
I loaned the wife my Zebra H51hf and she loved it, used it for about a week, (yes I was constantly asking where it was) then she lost it. I was mowing this summer and found my Jetbeam PA40 neutral laying in the yard where the kids had left it. NOW I HIDE THE GOOD STUFF FROM THE FAMILY, NO ONE IS BORROWING ANY OF THE GOOD STUFF...
 

nbp

Flashaholic
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Dec 16, 2007
Messages
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Wisconsin
No, it's not art, it's a high quality and extremely tough tool meant for working people that don't want a POS torch....

Yes I'm aware, I EDC one myself, along with various McGizmos and Muyshondts and other high quality lights. I'm also aware I spent nearly $400 on my Tri. I think I'd rather loan the Quark than the Tri is my point. If the Quark gets lost or destroyed, there are plenty more around and they're not that expensive, unlike the Tri. I was simply surprised you felt the opposite way. You are not wrong, you can do as you wish, I just personally don't understand it.
 

skyfire

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Dec 4, 2009
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1,823
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Los Angeles
Close friends and family, I have no problem loaning most of my light to them. It's a big reason why the majority of my lights are Surefires. Simple to use, durable, thermally safe, and if they do manage to break it somehow, replacement parts are easy to obtain. I've actually gifted all my close friends and family their own lights, so when my family asks me for a light, I usually ask them where are the lights Ive given them? :devil:

For anybody else, I don't mention my lights, and wouldn't even pull it out if they could use one, unless it was an emergency.
there was one occasion when out to dinner with my family. The valet needed a light to find another customers keys. My family looked at me knowing I always have a light, and mentioned he needs a light. I simply acted oblivious. :whistle:
 

ryukin2000

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Aug 1, 2011
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207
Location
Calgary
i have no problem lending a costco techlite 200 out as its a good cheap light that if its lost i dont care, i do however would care more about the eneloop batteries in them haha.
 

Admiralgrey

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May 5, 2009
Messages
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Not all of my loans have returned immediately, nor in the same condition. My red Inova X5 came back a month or so later munched on by a lawnmower. The other, a 3rd gen X1 I found over a year later at a campsite, waterlogged and chewed on, but upon drying still in working condition. Alas, not all my friends are gear friendly.

I'm very hesitant loaning most of my lights because of short run times that will mostly be piddled away instead of judiciously doled out. :shakehead
 
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novice

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Apr 19, 2006
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1,033
I might be able to loan a 'good' light to a family member, or a close friend. I would probably try to make it a 6P host with either a P60L, or a Malkoff that was still in production. I don't think anyone I just mentioned has any idea how much any of them cost, and I don't really want to go through the 'this is what it would cost to replace it, if I can find another one', and have to then be non-judgmental with their judgmental 'dropped-jaw' countenance.
It would be more painful to not get back a valued out-of-production or custom light, or one with O-O-P or custom components. Not getting back an A2 with a FM strion adapter and a Koala onion ring would just be too much to bear ("Why are you crying? What do you mean why am I crying? That had a Fivemega strion bulb adapter, you insensitive nincompoop! And it was a 'four-flats', to boot!). I have a few Rogue Icons that I got on sale that I would rather gift, then hand out a truly nice light. To most people, a Rogue Icon is the best light that they have probably handled, anyway.
 
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