13 yr. daughter asked for a knife for Xmas

How about a pink svord mini peasant?
Dave, very nice. Thank her (for us) for her service.
+1

At this time of year, while the mindset can be considered a shame, gifting is generally seen as mandatory.

All give some, some gave all. Please thank her for what she is giving us all.
 
Cool I'm sure she will like the Kershaw you picked for her. My daughters have both had their own knives since they were 6 or 7, one still carries one daily in her pocket, the other in her purse. My oldest has started collecting knives on her own and has a pretty good selection. Here she is with her current favorite.

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That's so cool. Ni e to see when a father has made such an impact and connection.
 
Thanks for all your imput and ideas. This may turn into a Xmas tridition and without a doubt my 10 yr old daughter will be asking for one also; next year maybe.
 
I think it's great for a girl, girly or not, to own and use a knife. I doubt it will be available for self defense purposes since more than likely the majority of her exposure to the outside world is through school and school functions which means "No Knife" during those times. I hope she likes it. I would have gotten some sort of SAK or manual opening Spyderco myself. But you know what she likes or think she likes. A Delica is hard to beat. :D
 
Driving home from the bus stop with my 13 yr. old daughter she tells me she wants a knife for Xmas. I didn't give her an answer but I reminded her she couldn't pack it to school, and why do you want a knife? I was actually surprised, because unlike her younger sister, this one is not the aggressive type, couldn’t harm a moth or kill a spider. On the other hand she is mature for her age and very responsible. I gave it some thought and decided maybe it’s not a bad idea after all. First thing came to mind was providing her with some form of protection, and maybe even a tool that might possibly save her life in the event of an emergency, like cutting a seat belt. Having asked me directly for such a gift I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t and something happened to her later where a knife may have helped her out. I can see potential for possible negative scenarios, but the advantages come out ahead.
I don’t know if my choice of blade was good or not but I ordered her a Kershaw Chive Assisted opening in Pink. I can imagine the two of us watching TV flipping together. lol

Back to the OP's question, I think you should look at a Spyderco Dragonfly. You have a choice of colors and materials. I would not get the ZDP-189 version as she would have a devil of a time sharpening it. The VG10 versions (many to choose from) would be just right. My tiny wife loves hers (stole it from me). She has an orange one and wants the purple when they come out. The Dragonfly is very light and small, but cuts like a big knife. It will fit in her tiny pockets and bags.

These are good knives. http://www.knifeworks.com/search.aspx?find=spyderco+dragonfly
 
Actually I have a Dragonfly that I'll introduce her to. Under my watchful eye I allow both my girls to try them out. Actually my 10 year old is a fairly good flipper and works to try and perfect it.
 
This year our 5 year old daughter felled our Christmas tree with her Kukri.
Wife didn't like that too much. "Too dangerous"
Yeah for the Douglas fir.
:-)

It all depends on the person. My son wouldn't get a knife the same age my daughter did. He'll probably need one or two years longer to be ready. We'll see.
 
Now while Kukris come in all sizes a small multi tool might be more useful for edc and cause less trouble if forgotten in a school bag.
For bad situations pepper spray is usually better than a blade. There are many out there. A good one seems to be fox labs. Make sure it sprays a cone and not a stream. It's hard to hit a dog with a stream.

Since she asked for a knife an not spray or tool make sure she still gets one even if you decided to buy her a spray or multi tool or both already.
 
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I might suggest a Buck 425. Small but useful, easy to open with 2 hands, solid as a rock. They used to make them in different colors, not sure if they still do. I'd bet you could find one N.I.B. in a color other than black from somebody on the Buck section of this forum. I gave my wife one in a bright blue years ago and she still has it. I touch up the edge for her every couple of years and she's good to go.
 
I always give SAKs or inexpensive Case knives to daughters and nephews. GECs go to the older kids. I expect the younger ones to lose them quickly, and for me to replace it.

But my 12 year old still has her SAK she got for Xmas 4 years ago, and the leather belt sheath. It's on her bedside table whenever she is asleep or in school. 😃
 
Personally I'd have gotten the rainbow Chive. It just looks cool, is very high vis and and fairy unisex.
At that age I wouldn't worry too much about taking it to school, or getting in trouble or even getting caught if she does.
 
Now while Kukris come in all sizes a small multi tool might be more useful for edc and cause less trouble if forgotten in a school bag.
For bad situations pepper spray is usually better than a blade. There are many out there. A good one seems to be fox labs. Make sure it sprays a cone and not a stream. It's hard to hit a dog with a stream.

Since she asked for a knife an not spray or tool make sure she still gets one even if you decided to buy her a spray or multi tool or both already.

I keep coming back to this brief thread and thinking about my own daughters. This is good advice from Jens.

I'm getting my 16 y/o pepper spray for her stocking. Never would have thought of that as a stocking stuffer, but I think she would really appreciate it.
 
I keep coming back to this brief thread and thinking about my own daughters. This is good advice from Jens.

I'm getting my 16 y/o pepper spray for her stocking. Never would have thought of that as a stocking stuffer, but I think she would really appreciate it.

I like the idea of the pepper spray too! Will have to look for some examples. On-line Ideas???
 
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