Advice needed: Terzuola situation

[SpyRC]

Years ago I bought 2 Spydies, a Harpy and a Terzuola. I bought the Terzuola because of the collaboration, and at the time I thought "How cool." But I never really liked the knife, and preferred the Harpy for my daily needs, so the T just sat unused in my desk drawer. OK, I used it occasionally to open letters, but that's about it. Needless to say, it was in perfect, brand new condition.

So it's been sitting in a drawer for what, 15 years? That is, until about 3 months ago...

The other day my 21yo friend pulls a somewhat shabby looking Terzuola out of his pocket and hands it to me. I thought, "That's funny, he's got a knife just like mine, but I've never seen it before." Turns out it is mine. Apparently he saw it lying in my drawer, and decided to "borrow" it. So for 3 months it had been in his pocket, banging against coins, keys, phone etc..., and the black finish is now knicked and scraped along the edges. It even looks like he dropped it once.

I got kinda upset. Obviously about the knife, but more so that he would actually steal something from me. He claimed it wasn't stealing - he was "borrowing" it and thought I knew, and he always planned on returning it, which he did. I'm sure the act made some kind of sense to his immature mind, but in my book, if you remove something from my house without asking or telling me, it's stealing.

I've attached some pictures of the knife after the incident.

I was wondering if someone could identify the model for me? I've searched some posts but can't figure out exactly which T this is.

So I figure I have several choices:

1. Give him the knife and make him find me another in unused condition. I suspect this will be difficult and expensive, and I'm not sure I really want another one anyway.

2. Sell him the knife at market value for an unused knife. I haven't a clue as to what this value is, so any help would be appreciated.

3. Give him the knife for free since apparently he likes it a lot more than I do. This would be taking the moral high road, in hopes that he'd feel some shame for his actions, which could be a better approach than making him pay money, which might give him a sense of entitlement to the knife and teach him nothing.

What do you think?

Rob

[merciful]

Option #2 is the only way I'd go. It's a good way to teach him a lesson about messing with others' stuff, and he gets to keep a knife that he obviously likes. He will learn that stuff can be worth a lot more than one thinks, and it just might keep him out of people's drawers (oh, I like that one: I'm good.)

[The CoPilot]

Looks to me like a C15 Bob Terzuola:



Don't have any idea of the value, though. I'll have to leave that to others.

[Joshua J.]

I'd go with option #2 as well. Or, I'd be willing to trade the knife for something current and of equal or better value. It would be a fair trade and you would get a knife that you probably like more that the Terzuola. Your friend might be more willing to just pay for the knife though.

[Tlohm]

SpyRC,
I think you have a C15 full size introduced in or about 1990. New or near new is a truely rare thing. I think that option 3 is the way to go though with an understanding of what the trust / friendship issue is at hand.

[fellyjr]

It's definitely an early model of the C-15 due to number on the blade. I've seen them for as cheap as $100 and as expensive as $200 in new condition. I believe they retailed for around $150 when they were released.

[Chucula]

I'd ask myself how good of a friend he is. Depending on that, I would either do #3 or (more likely) not be his friend anymore.

Most importantly, you should look at this as a lesson about friendship. The lesson is far more valuable than the knife IMO.

[KaliGman]

After I restrained myself from choking him unconscious (or maybe my wife would have restrained me, she is my better half :D ) it would be option two.

A true friend would not have done this deed. It sounds like he is an acquaintance rather than a true friend, and an acquaintance who needs a lesson in the finer points of ownership, property rights, the true meaning of friendship, and honor.

[giant1]

Friendship is about trust and loyalty. I don't think the guy that took the knife has what it takes to be a friend unless he redeems himself by doing the right thing and offering to buy the knife. If he doesn't do this of his own free will, then option 2 should come into play and a new friend then needs to be found.

Wonder what else he has "borrowed" with the intention of bringing it back some day?

[tonydahose]

i say #3 with the understanding that for the next year when you two go out all beers are on him....and then drink like a fish.

[druid]

my first impression is that you're lucky to have so many options, if they are all truly possible. I think a fair value subtracting your time and shipping. would be around $150 unused, you probably lost a good $50 in trade value.

I would go for having them pay 150$ for the knife, this would definitely prove that he is sincere in his apologies, and probably the only way to really put it behind you, without some resentment.

[SpyRC]

Thanks to all who responded so quickly.

The situation is actually a little more complicated than I first explained. After the reality of the situation sunk in, and after I restrained myself from "choking him unconscious", we did have a serious "chat" about property, stealing, etc.. I asked him what options did I have wrt our friendship: only meet him outside my house? Watch him like a hawk if he comes over? Obviously any relationship, friendship or otherwise, is built on trust, and as soon as that's damaged, so is the relationship.

But he really did not see his actions as theft, and after he realized the seriousness of it and that our friendship was on the line over this incident, he was tearful and apologetic, and said that he would "never ever" steal anything from me. "But you already did" was my answer, and he did offer to pay for the knife "when he has money", whenever that is.

He also had no idea it was a virgin collectible knife.

So the friendship issue is tricky. We've been friends for 4 years, and I'm 10 years older than he is, and somewhat successful in that I have my own house, car etc..., meaning he looks up to me and the friendship is very important to him. I believe that the knife-taking was a symbolic act of sharing, that he wanted a bit of me with him when I was not around. IOW, he feels a lot closer to me than I do to him, and I think he took it as some kind of "buddy sharing" thing (I'm not a psychologist ;-), which is why he was so shocked at my reaction.

So I don't think dumping the friendship is the best idea, because I think even true friends can mess up from time to time. Funny thing is, if he'd just asked me for it in the first place I probably would have given it to him.

So my quandary really is: what's the best way of both preserving the friendship and teaching him a valuable lesson? Money, or gift?

[A.P.F.]

What Druid said. Some compensation is in order, regardless of whether you keep the fellow as a friend or not.

[merciful]

Cool: now the boy (apparently) understands, and he'll pay. Tell him you're good with that, and wait a bit for the cash to start trickling in. If it does, you know he's OK; if not, screw him, show him the door.

But he really did not see his actions as theft, and after he realized the seriousness of it and that our friendship was on the line over this incident, he was tearful and apologetic, and said that he would "never ever" steal anything from me. "But you already did" was my answer, and he did offer to pay for the knife "when he has money", whenever that is.

[STR]

Yep. Thats about like me coming home one day to a surprise. My girlfriend of the time thought she was doing me a favor. You see I've collected more than just knives all my life. I also collect Hot Wheels and MatchBox die casts.

Came home to find that she opened about 1/4 or more of my new never touched cars to place them on a shelf she made me. She innocently didn't know that this is a big no no. New never opened is worth so much more its almost immediately a total loss to open one but how could I be mad? I mean really. She didn't know. She felt bad when I told her but it was innocent.

I think your son needs first of all to be taught what a new knife in unused condition looks like, second that they can and are collectible and third that helping himself to one whether its used or not is something he should not make a habit of ever repeating.

I think a browse to ebay to see if you can find one for sale one day is worth the time it takes to watch the auction with the understanding that whatever the knife like yours goes for is what he will have to pay out of his allowance for his huge mistake.

Thats what I'd do.

STR

[jaislandboy]

Actions speak volumes about a person's character.... If you want to give him another chance.....perhaps....but I'd be cautious (on the look out) for repeat actions of this nature..... :rolleyes:

[tonydahose]

there is one on ebay now and it is up to 215...just an fyi
http://cgi.ebay.com/Spyderco-C19P-Liner ... dZViewItem

[cobrajoe]

He was probably just thinking that pocket knives are inexpensive and are made to be used and then discarded, more like a pen or pencil. Almost every one of my friends can't understand why I'd pay 5 to 10 times the price for a spyder when a cheapie is much easier to find.

As for actual advice, I don't know what to say. I've been in a similar situation before, but with a much cheaper knife. I guess I did eventually give her the blue ladybug, but after I got it back from her, and I guess I was dating her at the time...

[butch]

He was probably just thinking that pocket knives are inexpensive and are made to be used and then discarded, more like a pen or pencil.
.

knives are tool and some treat them differently

for me anymore if it does not have a XXX/250 its a tool till you start looking custom (different world then 1/100 is mass produced custom)

i have no grail spyders but i have a few odd balls they still get use but light use

now if i had a jig bone delica or a walker CF and Ti different story as they are tux knives to me and the level of pissed would be off the chart

customs done get more use but they do get show time and bragging rights at get togethers

[araneae]

If it was me I don't care how sorry the friend appeared to be I would not feel right until they had compensated me for the knife. I don't feel its right of anyone to go into my drawers and shop for stuff they like. Regardless of whether or not you were particularly fond of the knife, its like "borrowing" $200 dollars without permission. Now if the friend is truly sorry they will make sure that whatever damage they had done was undone.

I would show him the knife on eBay linked above to impress upon him the value of your knife before he "borrowed" it.