Questions for those that has multible sets of same tools.

[Gregg33]

All my tools get dirty, then are cleaned up again. I never put away dirty tools, if I don't have time to clean them up properly or am too tired, I leave them on the bench (or sometimes even the floor lol) until I have time to put them away properly. Having said that I do treat my Mossberg, Gray, SO and even my Kobalt and Craftsman with more respect than my offshore tools, i.e. Mastercrap.

 

[Layspeed]

I don't have duplicates of much, except some 3/8 sockets in case of loss or breakage on the job. I don't understand what your buddy has his ******* in a bunch for. Like everyone else said, tools are meant to be used. You can show them off, but if they're all BRAND NEW still, it makes you look like a...yep, a TOOL! I've had no problems lending tools out to co-workers or good friends, it just has to make it back there before I lock up at the end of the day and in the same condition that it was borrowed in, CLEAN. And on the rare occasion something breaks, well **** happens and that's what warranties are for.

 

[dirtrider]

I do have multiple sets of tools and use them on different jobs. My nicest tools are the most used and I don't have a problem roughing them up a little, but I generally will not use them for certain high risk applications like where they can be easily lost or stolen or where they will be noticeably messed up or abused. I plan on keeping my high quality USA made tools for a very long time and also wan't my son to possibly inherit them as well some day. So yes I'm a tool user and tool collector to some extent. I don't know if my high quality tools will have an exact comparable replacement in the future and even so I think tools that are old show character. So basically I wan't to hold on to the one's I have with as little replacement as possible and that means watching what you do with the high quality tools. But I do also have a set of "mid-grade" tools (Craftsman) that I will use if a situation arises that requires a little mishandling in a rough environment but I still try to keep abuse to a minimum. And of course I own a few cheap imported tools that are basically sacrificial and I will abuse or fabricate into anything I need.

 

[Kev442]

To answer the original OP question, he should have the dirty everyday tools up front, so it's his fault!
I don't choose my cheap tools over the nice fancy ones except where heavy dirt might come into play, then yes, the chintzy ones get the call. This is especially true of screwdrivers, I am OCD enough to pick a cruddy one for a cruddy job.
My tools are all mixed together in my main box, good and bad. My new mission since joining GJ is to get the basement set nice enough that I don't have to go back and forth to the garage and basement so much. I even hauled my old Cman middle and top box down there and kept the bottom to be a roller cart in the garage. I'm liking it!

 

[Moose-LandTran]

If it's in the toolbox it's there to be used. The stuff that doesn't get used is in a box at home. Can't be messing around with two sets in the same place.

 

[LawnDart79]

I have a few non-greasy screwdrivers and other tools I primarily use for interior work. As a rule I don't use those particular tools in dirty/greasy situations, but if a buddy did and I didn't inform him about it first, I wouldn't be upset. They're only tools...geez!