At what age for a kids first knife

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Mar 16, 2013
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Ok so I'm curious as to what ages you guys and gals have given your kids there first knife. I remember getting my first at a young age probably around 7. Thou it was only a cheap lil folder and didn't get my first real knife until I was a lil older. Times have changed thou and so has the mindset of knives being a normal tool a young boy should carry.

With my wife I don't have any issues and have my step son his first cheap folder around 8, then he wanted a "survival"knife he saw that was a hollow handle green skull camo fixed blade which he got around 10. After using it and having the blade come loose he learned the importance of a full tang knife and got a Gerber prodigy when he turned 12. Then I've already started teaching my 5yr old daughter how to baton, make feather sticks, and start an emergency fire thou she will need to wait for her first knife a few more years.

The problem lies with my son's mother, who is what you would consider liberal minded. When I gave him his first pocket knife at 7 (lil Swiss army knife that I had as a child) it was immediately disposed of when he went home. She doesn't want me teaching him to use knives or any thing that involves knives. Thou I do realize that when he's with me I can parent however I so choose but that's not helpful in keeping the peace and the baby mama drama down. He'll be 10 in a few months and I think it's time for him to get a knife and be taught to responsibly use it.

Just curious when you plan to give or have given your kids there first knife.
 
I think it's going to be a judgement call based on an individual basis. Some kids will be ready before others. My sons were around 8 years old when they received their first knives. There have been no incidents with either one of them. My older son, who's now 13, recently bought his first Emerson. It is a CQC7V, that he bought with his own money, and he's very proud of it.
 
My father give me my first puukko when I was 5. I have done the same with my two boys. It is kind of finnish tradition. I still have that first one where is my name in sheath.
 
May I suggest you separate the boy learning to use a knife and owning one

Teach him how to use a knife, when he is with you and under your supervision
He will learn fast you you showing him and watching over him as he learns

Wait it the boy is fully proficient with a knife
Demonstrate to his mother that he is learned and skilled with a knife
Can he know own his own knife?
And if not then not

When he is with you, you will give him his knife or knives
And then he returns them to you
But they are his knives

I gift SAKs as presents to boys when they are 13 with the fathers permission
My father confiscated my knife collection when I was 9 or 10, I got it back
 
I agree that it should be on an "individual basis" as they all mature differently. Although my kids aren't ready at ages 1,4,6 I'm prepared with Buck Bantams thanks to Derrick @ KSF!

 
I'm in agreement with neeman. My 8 year old daughter and my 5 year old son have several knives each. They stay in with my knives, but they can come get them when they want them. They just put them back in their place when their done. This is more to prevent them getting left in the woods than anything, but it would work the same for a mom that doesn't want them to have knives. Get him a knife and let him know that it's his knife. Let him put it in the drawer/box/wherever with your knives and let him know that he can come grab it whenever he needs a knife, but to put it back when he's done with it. That way he has access, but mom doesn't have to deal with him bringing home something that she doesn't want in her house when she picks him up.
 
It's a tough decision these days. I know of too many boys that have gotten suspended or expelled because they decided to bring their knife to school. They didn't do anything dangerous or threatening - heck, a few of them never even took the knives out of their pocket until ordered to so by the principal. One of them actually found the knife in his backpack at lunch (his family had gone camping over the weekend), and approached the teacher - thinking that being honest and turning it over until the end of school was the right thing.
As sad as it is, the best plan is as stated in post #5. Teach him about knives without giving him one; and when you do finally give him one, keep possession of it except when it is appropriate for him to have/use it.
 
That's how I always started my step son out, and how doing with my daughter. My step son I got him his own it stayed with mine thou until I felt he was responsible enough and that's when he got his prodigy. I haven't gotten my daughter her own yet but have started teaching her.

My son's mom however insists that I not allow him to have a knife, use a knife, or even handle one while he's with me. Which when I do and he goes home and his mom asks what did you do while you were there he doesn't lie and will tell the truth. Which is promptly followed up with a phone call to me. That's where my dilemma is currently, I feel that when he's under my roof it's my decision with the way things are these days all she'd have to do is make a few calls saying im putting him in danger and then I'd have a whole new headache to deal with.

I was mainly just trying to see if others were teaching there kids young still or if all our current society views kids as fragile beings that must be sheltered and protected from sharp pointy objects.
 
I honestly dont think there is a set age that is appropriate for all. I think as a parent I am waiting for my child to 1. Show interest. And 2. Show that she can be responsible enough to where I wouldnt feel the need to worry about her having a knife. This can happen at any age really. You just gotta be open to the signs.
 
Depends on the kid. I have a 9-year-old in the house and she's very responsible about knife use, but giving her one would be a waste because it would be lost within a week. I have two that I bought specifically for her to use, and she'll get them when I trust her not to misplace them, but until then she uses them happily under my supervision and even uses one or two of the kitchen knives if she's helping me cook.
 
Bobby, it seems like you're less worried about whether it's socially acceptable to teach him about knives, and more worried about if it's legally acceptable. If I were you, that's what I would be worried about too. My suggestion would be to make a preemptive call to protective services. Tell them that you enjoy camping/hunting/whatever you'll be doing when using a knife and that you'd like to be able to teach your son about these activities. Tell them that he has a mother that's a worrier, and that you don't want to cause any problems down the road that would prevent you from having the relationship you want with your kid. Get their opinion. They should be able to tell you whether or not she'll be able to cause problems for you if you let your son use his knife in your house. Ask them to make a note, so that if she does go ballistic when she finds out that he was using a knife and decides to call on you they are already aware of the situation. In my experience, it's not so much the activity that gets people in trouble, it's who calls first. The person answering the phone is going to naturally be inclined to try to help the person calling. If she calls and says "My ex is putting my son in harm's way." They're going to want to help her prevent that. If you call and say "My ex is preventing me from being the father I want to be to my son." They're going to want to help you prevent that as well. Or they'll use it as an excuse to investigate your parenting altogether. I don't know, I'm not a lawyer. It's just what I would do in your situation.
 
I just gave my son his first knife. He's 7. He gets to use it when I'm with him and when he's done with it, he gives it back to me. I figure after he's developed some competency with it and understands what it means to be responsible with a knife, then I'll relax the rules a bit.

My wife would have preferred I waited until he was 10 or 12, so the current rules were put in place to satisfy her.
 
It is a decision call based on their maturity, the environment you live in, and if they actually would use a knife. As a kid, I used my knife and I got my first in the 2nd grade. But that was a long time ago and it was certainly not an assisted opener or have a thumb stud for one hand opening. I would get them something like a SAK (scout knife kind of thing) when they were ready and not some really cool assisted opener or even a one handed knife like a Delica. But the Delica is pretty tame in this day in age. It is a maturity call and by age 8-9 (4th grade-ish), I was pretty independent and used a knife fairly often.
 
Bobby, it seems like you're less worried about whether it's socially acceptable to teach him about knives, and more worried about if it's legally acceptable. If I were you, that's what I would be worried about too. My suggestion would be to make a preemptive call to protective services. Tell them that you enjoy camping/hunting/whatever you'll be doing when using a knife and that you'd like to be able to teach your son about these activities. Tell them that he has a mother that's a worrier, and that you don't want to cause any problems down the road that would prevent you from having the relationship you want with your kid. Get their opinion. They should be able to tell you whether or not she'll be able to cause problems for you if you let your son use his knife in your house. Ask them to make a note, so that if she does go ballistic when she finds out that he was using a knife and decides to call on you they are already aware of the situation. In my experience, it's not so much the activity that gets people in trouble, it's who calls first. The person answering the phone is going to naturally be inclined to try to help the person calling. If she calls and says "My ex is putting my son in harm's way." They're going to want to help her prevent that. If you call and say "My ex is preventing me from being the father I want to be to my son." They're going to want to help you prevent that as well. Or they'll use it as an excuse to investigate your parenting altogether. I don't know, I'm not a lawyer. It's just what I would do in your situation.
Yea I get what your saying and will have to dig a lil deeper into that aspect of it to try preventing an issue before it becomes one.
 
I think babies should cut their own umbilical cords. If it's a C-section, a good mother will simply swallow a small, well-wrapped scalpel. It's never too early to instill a DIY work ethic. :thumbup:
 
I plan on giving my son his 1st slip joint when he's 4-5 to keep in his tackle box for when he goes fishing with dadda. It will truly be his knife, and the knife he learns basic knife safety with, but the only time he'll ever see it is in the presence of a responsible adult, or with me :)

When he actually gets to "have" his own knife will be dictated largely by his own maturity at any given age, but my thoughts are 8-10 or so when he gets a little sub 3" locking folder to call his own.
 
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This is tough because age and maturity are two very different things.

At this point I am just teaching my young kids about knives and letting them use mine at certain times.

It's a process that's as different as every child....
 
I gave all my kids knives when they were very young. I've given them pencils, scissors, and other tools, to. No big deal. I also let them do dangerous things like ride in vehicles, ride bikes, and skateboard. To the question of what age... Oh and +1 on Sikael's idea on DIY...a nice offering of good humour... There are some 40 year old adults who I would never give a knife to... ...it is a good thread starting question... For me, my answer would probably be another question...
 
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