Benchmade for a kid

Heck, if the kid is built like a rock and 6' tall, then the Adamas is fine. I've had three, and I feel that it's a great knife if you spend time in the woods. It IS HEAVY-duty, AND IT IS HEAVY. I weigh 185; I have large hands, I carry a large Sebenza or Zaan, and I wouldn't want the Adamas as an EDC unless I was walking the Appalachian Trail. That knife has D2 steel, excellent, but it weighs 7.7 ounce and is 8.7" long when opened. That thing is a beast...for a kid or a grown man.
At that age, I wanted a pony too, but Gene Autry wouldn't send me one in the mail.
There are more appropriate knives. Give some consideration to his age AND to his experience with knives.
I don't argue about the money; I've given my 12-yr old grandson a number of knives that ran up to $300. But the knives aren't heavy, and he's very much into knives...like his dad...and his grampa.
 
Should be able to find a discount on a previously owned one if the price tag is a little steep 150ish and the fixed versions (if he's not averse) are even less around 130 plus it'd weigh less 5.6oz. vs 7.68
 
I can't make the decision if the 13 year old is mature and safe enough for a large knife like that ... that would be up to you and his parents ...

and its great to see a youth have interest in the outdoors instead of video games ... and learning to safely use knives among other things ... and I would completely encourage it and teach him ... but just because a brand new car is what your 16 year old asks for doesn't mean that's the best choice ... and if they work for it and put in part of the cost at least they tend to take much better care of whatever it is.

and you mentioned him wanting it for boy scout trips ... you may want to ask his troop leader if they will allow him to carry that ... I know they definately would not allow it here ... for that age.
 
If you’re OK with spending that much money and you think he’s mature enough and won’t lose it then I would support it. It wasn’t a Benchmade but I got my first decent knife(Buck 501) when I was about 11 and it was a treasured item I carried for years. It was also the beginning of my interest in knives. I say get it for him.
 
I assume you are talking about the folding Adamas. It is a big heavy knife, and may be too big for a young man. I would steer him towards the griptillian. Better ergos all around.

If you decide on the Adamas, just make sure you get it from a place that has a good return policy. We have all been victim of researching a knife and buying it before even handling it. Sometimes it just doesn't work when you get it in hand.
 
James Y said:
Sounds like a knowledgeable kid. Would a knife like the Adamas be okay with the Boy Scouts? IIRC, I read somewhere that the Boy Scouts have become restrictive about knives(?).

Jim
Click to expand...
It's locally specific I believe. I don't think the BSA actually regulates knives any further than encouraging the right tool for the job. There are also age specific programs for the safe use of a knife. Otherwise I think it's up to individual troops to regulate their use or carry. Obviously you're probably going to see more knife related rules in a Chicago troop vs. a rural Montana one.
 
AlexT808 said:
I have a younger cousin (13) which has a interest in knives.. He wants to get a Benchmade Adamas. He has many knives...Would this be an appropriate gift?....
Click to expand...

Dude @13. they would want the best looking gals, the fastest set of wheels,
And The latest fads of tech gadgets, etc.
But has this young individual shown to have done
exceedingly well enough to deserve the best of everything?
I wouldn't deny any minor the right to some material happiness but
Some things have to be earned so that they grow up to
Be mindful and appreciative of what ever gift that's being showered on them.
In short, Only you can be the judge of his moral character
And in doing so, to reward him with what he should truly deserve.
With your mentoring, I hope he turns out to be a really nice knifenut.
 
Why is everyone trying to teach this kid (who they don't know) a moral lesson?

Just get him the knife he wants for his 13th Birthday. Best gift he will ever remember when he gets older.

Life is short.
 
People are concerned because the world is full of idiots who think they deserve things that they haven't earned. And people are that way because of being spoiled at a young age. I say that not coming from a grumpy old man, but from a 30 yr old perspective of myself, a spoiled only child who was given things I hadn't earned.
I would give a kid some really nice expensive things, if they earn it. For graduation, for good grades, for hard work, for good attitudes... This kid might deserve all that. We don't know. But giving teens things they don't earn teaches the wrong lesson. When they enter the real world and have a job, do they get a raise because they really want it? Or because they work harder and smarter than someone else. Spend some time in a highschool these days and you will see that they think they deserve to be treated like God's, and everyone should bend to their will, but they refuse to work.
 
colubrid said:
Why is everyone trying to teach this kid (who they don't know) a moral lesson?

Just get him the knife he wants for his 13th Birthday. Best gift he will ever remember when he gets older.

Life is short.
Click to expand...
If you don’t teach children lessons early on, they typically end up being spoiled brats that expect everything to go their way.

Next thing you know they’ll be complaining in the sales thread about a Spyderco Ti Millie that should’ve been theirs because of a time stamp.
 
AlexT808 said:
I have a younger cousin (13) which has a interest in knives. His birthday is coming up in December. He wants to get a Benchmade Adamas. He has many knives and is very safe and knows how to use them properly. Would this be an appropriate gift? Or should I opt for something in the lower end which he already has.
Click to expand...
No. Buy him a set of tools and teach him how to change the oil in a car, install a light switch, rip a 2x4, and hang a door. Much better use of $200.

Zieg
 
I mean he is a boy scout who has many knives and at least the proper respect for their use, knows about lock strength and edge retention and does research.. so I'd say even with such little info I'm thinking this kid's not likely at risk of becoming a spoiled brat
 
What grown adult man would EVER complain about missing out on a knife because of a time stamp????
Then whine about it?? No way!!
:D

Standard78 said:
If you don’t teach children lessons early on, they typically end up being spoiled brats that expect everything to go their way.

Next thing you know they’ll be complaining in the sales thread about a Spyderco Ti Millie that should’ve been theirs because of a time stamp.
Click to expand...
 
if you get him a knife - I would get him the one he is asking for.

as to whether you get him a gift or knife in that price range, that is completely up to you, based on you knowing him and that relationship you have.
 
This thread almost sounds like what it'd be like to decide whether or not the kid gets a rifle for Christmas. If he has all his fingers and toes(not literal) after owning other knives for a period of time I'd say he's probably pretty responsible with his knives.

Now I do understand getting him such an expensive gift, a Griptilian would be a great fallback if that is the case, but it isn't like he's asking for a 2017 M3 or a Corvette. He's asking for a knife, a very specific knife because he's done his homework, not because he feels he's entitled to it. That's the way I understand it, you may see it differently.
 
If I'm getting this right, you're wishing to know if you will appear "weird". Yes. The only safe answer here is to buy the kid a gift card and let him use it where he wants. If that happens to be BM, great, but that's "on him". I'm pretty certain there are older familial females in the inner circle or you wouldn't be asking, so that's my advice.
 
Kids must learn the information from adults, and there is nothing wrong with teaching a kid guns, knives, cars or other something else but when you teach a kid something about driving you shouldnt expect a racer show and definitly a kid cant be on the driveway hitting the gas. İts a kid after all, when it comes to a sensitive tool like a knife a kid SHOULDNT HAVE ONE like adamas, why not give him a multi tool that he can use for opening his drinks or help his mom in the kitchen with the can opener and if he is a scout he can definitly find much more use for it.

If ı had a kid ı would teach him knives (specially knives, cause ı love knives more than anything), guns, cars, computers, foods, hunting, camping... but ı wouldnt give him a gun if ım not seeing him when he has it, ı wouldnt give him a knife that is very expensive and big and strong, hes not going to fight terrorists with that not even simple daily challenges of life because a kid has parents for that. And when a kid say adamas ı think that kid is not living in a third world country or parents are not construction workers. So there is always the danger of spoiling.

And if a kid cut himself deep with a big mistake; a kid would be "HOLY F******CCK, BLOOD İS EVERYWEHERE AND AAAAAAAAA...." but if a adult with knowledge cut himself deep with a mistake it would be "HOLY F******CCK, BLOOD İS EVERYWEHEREEEE.........BUT I NEED TO PUT SOMETHİNG TO CUT TO KEEP THE BLOOD IN MY BODY AND I NEED TO DECIDE TO CALL AN AMBULANCE OR SIMPLY GO TO MY HEALTH KIT ıf ı have one".And its not just about knife its about rest of the life and expreinces, more you live more you know and 13 not much.
A human needs years for safely and efficently do something like shooting, cutting, driving and ım not even talking about an adult to say something about guns and knives to say "I know what ım doing and ı can improve what ım doing and knowing" and if you are a newbie just like me, then were not the knifemasters.

I had my first knife when ı was 15 it was an multitool. Then ı get a simple short folding knife it was low quality chineese product but with that knife ı started learning the rest of the knife world, and two years later when ı was around 17 my collection started to be something and and around 18 ı manage to have something with value.
Im not saying it was the perfect way, but the basics was right.

At the end if parents, okay let him, but he is too young to completly own by himself
And u should worn the parents no matter what their decision.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top