Something you always loose

300jk

Well-known Member
I have a bad problem with misplacing utility knives and don't know why. Seems like as soon as I set one down they run away ! I know I have probably 4 or 5 but can only put my hands on 2. Don't seem to loose wrenches or sockets but them darn knives and I have had my pocket knife for a long time. Just utility knives. Anyone else always missing a certain tool ?
 
Knives I can always find. It's the rest of my tools I can't keep track of - especially after the wife rearranges things....to "help" me! :lol:
 
Yep, utility knives are at the top of the lost list.

Also tape measures, every kind of writing instrument, wire strippers, and Sawzall blades.

My problem (among many) is I have tools at work, at home, and in the truck. The more I put in the truck, the harder they are to find. I try to keep the most used ones in the truck because it is always with me.

Then I can't remember where they are, at home, at work, or sifted to the bottom of the pile in the truck! LOL
 
Pencils and pads. I have five locations where I'm always needing to make a note or sketch something out: My wood shop, my mechanical/service bay, my modeling bench, my electrical/electronic bench and the computer desk. I try to keep a pencil and a notepad at each location. I know what happens to them, I tuck the pencil behind my ear and it gets laid down somewhere...anywhere...else but where it belongs.

The pads get lugged between locations, into the truck on a parts run or into the house while I hit the innerwebz looking up that part number and never make the trip back where they belong.

About once a month I get steamed about it and go around collecting all the prodigal pencils and pads (how about that for alliteration?) and returning them to their assigned spots.
 
I see your problem. You just don't have enough utility knives. Buy some more; if you have 10 - 12 knives, you should be able to find one whenever you want it. I have a dozen in various sizes.
 
I too loose utility knifes until I went to rural king and bought two dewalt folding utility knife. I carry it in my pocket. The other is in the tool box of my truck. I haven't lost either one.

Same with tape measures, until HF gives them away as a free gift.

Never seem to have a surplus of carpenters pencils or sharpies when I need one.
 
I have several of the Milwaukee folding utility knives. I like them do to the fact that u can open them one handed, probably buy several a year. Not sure where I lose them all at either. I have a few extra now that I can not carry at work do it them being a weapon!
 
Iape measures! I bought several and scattered them around the shop. When I need one I cannot find it until I look at one place and find all six.
 
Knives and tape measures are never a problem for me, but the striker for my torch and a lighter to start fires are hard to come by. I buy strikers by the box and they are always gone just when I need one.
 
I tape the striker to the torch hose... a few feet from the torch. Maybe not OSHA approved, but I never have to look for it! I tape one side of the handle parallel to the hose. Beats attaching to the torch with a dangly chain too.
 
Always missing a certain tool? Yeah, the one I just used a minute ago. I find that if I have several of a certain tool it is easier to loose them. I guess when I have only one I know where it is, but when I have several I don't keep track as well as "I have a lot of these so I don't have to worry about not being able to find one". Can't win. Mostly the lost stuff shows up in time. I haven't really lost much. The one thing that shouldn't be lost but seems to be is a set of fine thread taps and drills in a index. I had two fine and two course, one of each at work and at home, and now that I am retired I should have two of each and don't. I know it is here somewhere as I remember it shortly after retiring four years ago, but it hasn't shown up yet. Another of the mysteries of life.
 
House hold general purpose scissors. Buy several each year & use them for stocking stuffers for wife. They end up in kitchen utility drawer intill I need a pair. By January 30 there are none to be found.
 
I never could find that 20' log chain that fell off in the pasture back in '83. Boy Pa was mad! I know where I had it and I know where I was missing it, but through the years of checking fence, wood cutting, cow gettin', and deer hunting it was never rediscovered.
 
There's still hope... maybe someday it will be rediscovered with a rotary cutter!

Several years ago I was using my renter's 7' finishing mower to mow my farmyard and "found" his "Handyman jack" that his Dad had "lost".

Only cost a blade and a spindle assembly!

In the late 70's I lost the flat drive chain off of a John Deere pressdrill while crossing a wide railroad crossing that divides my land. The track and ties have been torn up, but not the railbed and just for the heck of it, I stopped there last summer and and there was the chain, in plain sight!
 
Tape measures an scissors stick out in my mind. Probably literally have 30 tapeeasures in the house, and still can rarely find one when I need it. Screw drivers too.

My half inch breaker bar gets lost incredibly easily as well...
 
Have you been to TSC lately... they are selling various tools in "camo". That should be "helpful"!
 
Guess I"m the odd man out on this topic. SWMBO complains about my messy shop, but others comment about how well organized I am. Some even call me a "Fuss Budget".
Utility knife rests in top tray of roller cabinet. When starting a project that will need a knife, it goes in my back pocket. After making a cut, the blade gets retracted & returned to pocket, always within reach. Screwdrivers, pliers, combo wrench sets (inch & metric), socket sets each go in its own drawer. Sockets are in the metal boxes they came in, specialty sockets in same drawer as sets. 1/2 & 3/4 drive sets on shelf by entrance door, too heavy for cabinet. Drill bits in index box on bench next to press.
Power tool such as drills, Sawzall (with spare blades), taps & dies, angle grinder (with spare wheels), etc in case they came in, on shelf.
When working on a project I set tools, parts, supplies on saw table, bench or plywood on horses nearby. Put check tools & put away before moving car, truck, tractor etc.
Sorry about getting so long winded, just what works for me.
No snow today, about 1/2 way between Mpls & Duluth.

Willie
 
Went through that last winter, wife would use a utility knife to cut the hay bales when feeding horses.
Couldn't find mine one day and asked her, she said that she misplaced her's and borrowed mine 'cause she couldn't find any more scissors or knives.
Started looking around barn and up in the rafters was a nest, grabbed a rake and pulled it down, 3 utility knives, 3 pairs of scissors, couple of steak knives, lots of shiney stuff etc.
Pack Rat, put some aluminum foil in a live trap and got him the next night.
 
That is funny I have collected and painted about 20 of them and they are on every surface there is. A lot are lettered and pinstriped too. All bright colors . I hate having no knife.
 
Reading glasses.

Must have 20 pairs around here somewhere, and the only pair that I know where they are is the pair I have on right now.

Fred
 
If I'm welding something it's the soapstone. If I'm choring it's the utility knives - folding type. There's is one in EVERY tractor and pickup plus spares in the machine shed. Invariably, I cut strings and slip the knife in my pocket. When I go to feed the next day the knife isn't in the tractor door pocket. I know just where it is but walking into the house without taking these boots off would get me shot, and taking off my boots and bibs is a lot of work. That's when I start stealing knives from vehicles close by. Soon enough I'm confused because the red knife that's always in the gator is somehow in the laundry room and there's a blue one in a tractor that I can't recall buying. Funny, when feeding round bales ends the knives slowly appear again.
 
I probably misplace my 6"pocket rule with the clip and and a pocket screwdriver more than any other items. Ordered two 6" rules from NAPA a while back and found one I'd misplaced the next day!
 
It's a place called "Somewhere" that's what I need to find. Because everything I loose at a place called "Somewhere". Now if I can just find somewhere I'll have all my stuff (lost items) back! bjr
 
May not make anyone else feel better but I am somewhat consoled to hear so many others suffer the same issues with misplacing tools. Apparently it's not just me. Neighbor pointed out that I've always been disadvantaged since I don't have any boys and have pretty much always worked by myself so have no one else to blame it on.
 
Sunglasses.

I have finally taken to buying coffee/bronze safety glasses from Fastenal. I still lose them, but I don't go broke replacing them this way.

Aaron
 
A couple years ago I got tired of cheap 25 foot tape measures not retracting all the way so I looked for a good expensive one hoping to find a good one. I did find a good one that retracts like a champ, only it's colored olive drab. I still bought it and it works fine every time, but Olive drab for a tape measure?
 
I have a tough time finding allen wrenchs their black and hard to see. I got some bright yellow paint and went to town- I can find them now!
 

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