A first knife for my son

My eldest got a vic "my first swiss army knife" when he turned 10.
the second got a vic german army knife which I bought from a surplus store for around 5 AUD(belt pouch cost more than the knife)
the youngest gets one he turns 10 but he's been unofficially using it when we go on hike etc.
Also got them a Mora with a red handle that has a molded finger guard "its the same as a viking kife".
I reckon these are good qual yet inexpensive options for a kid.
cheers
 
thank you for all the advice. yesterday we wear at the hardware store and he hinted about a Case single locking blade on display, and having learned to recognize when fait is playing her cards I got it for him. As it turns out fait still had an ace to play. to night I was working in my basement shop when Jack (8 by the way) came down to visit. Usually he will rummage threw my wood scrap, drag out his tool box and make some "art". This time he climbed up on a stool stated watching me. I am an apprentice with Andy Roy and I bring projects home to work on, this time i was filing some handles. After watching me for a minuet he picked up a file and said"can i help". So i got a pin block and put it in a vice for him and showed him how to file round off corners and make contours. We sat their for some time on opposite side of my work bench working quietly with our own thoughts. One of those thought was how some of you mentioned fix bladed knives. So I have decided to look thru the ends and drops at the shop for some o-1 or 1080 so we can make his knife. while i am rambling off topic has anyone els heard of the tradition " that you should never give some one a blade or it will cut your friendship". that you should always sell it to the for the going price of 1 penny? than k you for your advice and patients, I will let you know how this all works out.


Dan
 
The first knife I gave my son was a Buck 102 Woodsman, being that was the first knife given to me by my father in the mid 70's (still have & use it). I have since given him a Mora, Case Peanut & made a few for him from 1095. The Buck is a great first knife & being fixed with a small guard was comforting to a degree.
 
About 1960 I remember my Dad coming out of the Hardware\Feed store with 2 Checkerboard Square Purina knives. One for each of us. I agree with taking the boy shopping. I was about 7 at the time, probably not my 1st,but the one I remember. Good Luck!
 
ron_m80 said:
Humm, The last knife store I took my son to he wanted a leatherman Squirt. Maybe dad should use his taste and better judgement anyway. That will give junior some time to develop one of his own :D.
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It could be worse. I choose a Chicago Cutlery three blade slipjoint (which I still have). It was a great first knife I suppose, but certainly not the level of performance I started my boys out with. OTOH, if you start your knife life with the best....there just is not as much to look forward to owning;)

I was talking to one of my knife maker friends last weekend about a custom blade for my oldest son (now 10). I have not decided if I want to create a total steel snob at this early age.
 
dogwood dan said:
thank you for all the advice. yesterday we wear at the hardware store and he hinted about a Case single locking blade on display, and having learned to recognize when fait is playing her cards I got it for him. As it turns out fait still had an ace to play. to night I was working in my basement shop when Jack (8 by the way) came down to visit. Usually he will rummage threw my wood scrap, drag out his tool box and make some "art". This time he climbed up on a stool stated watching me. I am an apprentice with Andy Roy and I bring projects home to work on, this time i was filing some handles. After watching me for a minuet he picked up a file and said"can i help". So i got a pin block and put it in a vice for him and showed him how to file round off corners and make contours. We sat their for some time on opposite side of my work bench working quietly with our own thoughts. One of those thought was how some of you mentioned fix bladed knives. So I have decided to look thru the ends and drops at the shop for some o-1 or 1080 so we can make his knife. while i am rambling off topic has anyone els heard of the tradition " that you should never give some one a blade or it will cut your friendship". that you should always sell it to the for the going price of 1 penny? than k you for your advice and patients, I will let you know how this all works out.


Dan
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OK, making a knife WITH him would be great. have him draw the design, and then you have him help with the completion. let him pick the handle material, as long as it is not too expensive, and let him have some fun. it would be great fun for both of you.

as far as the saying goes, it depends on the person. if they love knives, then give it to them. they will appreciate it. if they hate knives, don't mention it and don't try to give it to them. they will probably think you are crazy.
 
My first knife was a Cub Scout issue pocket knife. It had blue scales. I don't know what ever happened to it. I think I had lost it by the time I was 10 or 11, but I fondly remember it.
 
I think a traditional knife is a great idea, for several reasons.

First: Learning how to use a knife without a lock will provide an opportunity for him to learn PROPER and SAFE knife handling and use. Relying on a locking mechanism can be dangerous, since any and all of them can potentially fail (mechanically or due to user error). If he learns to rely on a lock, he may one day be seriously injured.

Second: It won't scare the sheeple, and therefore he'll be less likely to experience any potential negative consequences from carrying it.

Third: Traditional pocket knives tend to have way more character than your run-of-the-mill, black plastic-handled, one-hand-opening folder. This will help him form a sentimental attachment to his first pocket knife, and it'll be something he treasures more and more with the passage of time. Who knows, maybe he will even pass it down to his son eventually?

tl;dr:
Traditional pocket knife is the way to go. Try one from Case for value, Queen for fit & finish, GEC for better looks and easier-to-sharpen steel.
 
Making His First Knife With Him Is a MUCH Better Idea Than Buying One, Though That Little Case Knife Will Go Through Hell And Maybe Get Lost Lol.
When He Is Older, Get Him a Custom Folder With Scales In His Favorite Color And Handle Material, Maybe A Damascus Blade, He Would Love That, And Use It But Keep It Forever. As He Will Probably Do With The Knife You Make Together.
Also I Realized A Boker Subcom Would Be A Hell Of A First Knife For A Little Guy.

My Little Brother(17) Isn't Much Into Knives, He's More Of A Fantasy Blade Lover. I've Traded Many Many Things To Get Him The Small Collection He Has Lol.(Two Large Swords(He Actually Bought One Himself, I'm Going To Have To Do some Matienence Soon), Two Short Swords, A Steel Hands Two Blade Dagger, A Grim Reaper Arm Length Blade, And A Cool Big Knife With Wood Handles And A Finger Hole.) I Even Bought Him His First Sword. You Wouldn't Expect The Fantasy Stuff To Go Through Use... But You Don't Know My Brother, I'm Looking Into Getting Him A Cool Machete. I Used To Have A Vintage Vietnam Machete And He Loved The Thing.

My Little Cousin(15) Has Become Addicted Like Me Lol. He Started Out With Cheaper Blades From Me, Like I Did When I First Started Out, But The Tips Started Chipping And The Blade Getting Nicks, So It Was Time To Step It Up, He Stepped Up With A Gerber AR 3.0 That He Loved And Used The Hell Out Of.(I Let Him Trade Me Random Little Things(Like A Hat Or A Drawstring Bag) For These Knives, I'm Trying To Teach Him The Value Of A Trade. He's Learning Fast.) Well, He Chipped The Tip, The Blade, And Wore The Coating On The Gerber, He Traded It To Me. I Fixed It Up And Traded It To His Friend. Well Just The Other Day I Finally Let Him Trade Me His Little Beat Up Cheapo Bali For A CRKT G-10 Drifter, And He Loves The Thing, I Don't Think He'd Part With It If You Killed Him, Unless It Was a Kershaw Of Course.

And Now My Little Cousin(10 And Female) Wants Her "First Real Knife" Lol. Everytime She's Over She Just Has To Look My Knives. She Used To Have One I Gave Her But Her Older Sister Took It And Gave It To Her Friend, So Now I Have To Find Another One. Lol.

Now, I'm Working On Three Things, Getting My Brother A Machete, My Cousin His First Kershaw, And My Other Cousin Her First Real Knife. Hopefully Small. Lol.
*Yanks Hair Out*
 
A Victorinox is always a good bet. Kids love the multi-tool aspect of it.
Depending on his age, there is also an interesting "my first Opinel" with a rounded tip: good for cutting, not for stabbing:
carton_mpo_rouge.jpg
 
If you have the skills, making his first knife is a very rewarding experience for both of you.


Both my son and my daughter recently asked to make their own knives and we started working on them a few days ago. I am having blast working with them and teaching them how to make something useful with their hands.


Helping design and create his first knife will help teach him to value tools and the value of hard work and dedication as well. I can't think of a better way to bond with a child than to create something together.
 
up date we finished jacks knife, I did round off some corners, and even out the symmetry while he was at school. how ever I made shore he put plenty of time into it and he added one necked finger. He also stitched the sheath (I glued it up and punched the holes) when he was all finished he look at me and said "but dad i don't wear a belt" to witch I said "may be you should start" next project make a "going to the woods belt" and I think a necessities pouch
 
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I almost forgot, it is 1095 with a satin (600 grit) finish total length 7.7" blade 3.5" x .95"". handle slabs are rosewood laminate (plywood) with 3 0.45" macarta tubes the drop at back of handle 1.20"
 
My dad got my my first knive about 5 years ago it was some kinda fleemarket knock off thing but at the time i loved it! I still use it now to go out in the woods and what not and imo i wouldnt get your son a folding knife to play in the woods as it will probley get broken b
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I've always thought that a Buck 55 would make an excellent first folder for a kid I dunno it just seems a bit safer than a slipjoint due to it's lock not to mention it is also about the perfect size.
 
I would say whatever you get should come with some kind of clip.

When I was a kid I created my own clips for knives and they didn't work well at all.

A few years later I discovered nearly every pocketknife came standard with a clip. What a revelation!
 
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