If you borrowed something and you somehow broke it, what are you supposed to do next?

I always feel a great sense of responsibility when I ask to borrow something from a family member or a close friend. They are trusting me with an item they spent their hard-earned money on, and they expect it to be returned to them safe and sound as soon as I’m done with it, as it should. Every time I use this borrowed item, I make sure I treat it with extra care, and I try to avoid any risks while it is in my possession. The last thing I want is for something to happen to it on my watch.

But alas, accidents happen, and sometimes you find yourself having to explain to your friend or family member that something has happened to the item they kindly allowed you to borrow.

Then, you are faced with two options: Either you apologize and give them the item back, regardless of the damage you caused it, or you offer to supply a replacement, making sure you do right by the people who tried to help you. You can guess which option I would go for, and which option is generally more socially appropriate for any reasonable adult. 

That being said, there are still grey areas that might make a simple situation a lot more complicated, like the one in the story below. This man borrowed a miter saw from his cousin in the hopes of using it to cut some boards, but in the process, he ended up completely breaking it. Now, as a responsible adult, this man took accountability and offered to buy a replacement, and this is where the situation gets slightly tricky. While the cousin is happy to accept a replacement saw, he doesn’t want the new one to be used by his family member again. Since the man clearly doesn’t know how to use a saw, there is a chance he will break the new one if he uses it again.

This led the cousin to turn to Reddit and ask what he should do next. Should he accept the new saw and allow his family member to use it, or should he find another solution that ensures the saw is returned safely to his hands?