As soon as you stop playing the cymbals and take them off their stands they are in danger of being damaged. They can get knocked over or the edges can get hit and bent. Remember, one dent or nick can grow into a major crack. When you take the cymbals off the stands and sit them down to take the rest of your equipment apart, the cymbals can be hit by other band members accidentally. The best way to work around this is to place the cymbal in a cymbal bag or case.