Boy's Knife, child's first knife

[jc57]

I think I had access to a scout knife (from an older sister who was in the girl scouts) and a Barlow that was in a kitchen drawer and later in a tackle box when I was probably 8 or 9, though at the time I was not interested in them nor did I carry them.

I got my first very own pocket knife, I believe as a gift from my Dad, which was a typical red-handled SAK, when I was 11 or 12. I no longer have that knife but I have a nice scar on the base of my left thumb to remind me how sharp it was. I don't remember the exact circumstances - I believe I was trying to cut through something and was used to dull knives, and not a brand new super sharp knife, and was using more pressure that needed. It cut right through whatever it was (probably balsa wood I was holding) and right into my hand.

I don't recall getting any particular instructions on knife safety or anything like that. Those lessons were self-taught! No better teacher for knife safety than a deep cut. I also don't recall my parents making any kind of fuss about it, if I even told them. I believe band-aids were the treatment of choice.

 

[guy g]

are those SAK models?

Yes they are. The small Tinker is a smaller version of the popular Tinker. Sportsman is small model with a nail file and corkscrew.

 

[BradleySmall]

I assumed too much and apologize.... I see my grandson a few days a week.

My first "real" folding knife that was gifted to me was a Case.

Maybe you can get him something like this? A Case peanut with black synthetic scales, they're usually under $40.

View attachment 1917687

That's nice looking. You have nothing to be sorry for. We all see things from our own experiences. So this is why i ask a broad audience so I can have opinions different from my own.

 

[BradleySmall]

I think age 5 with proper instruction is about right. Something not too sharp and with lighter springs. A small Jack knife or pen knife is what many of us started with. In my opinion, a first knife is likely to get lost. I’d keep that in mind, and after a couple of years perhaps give him something a little nicer.

That is something I hadn't considered.

 

[Drop bear]

I assumed too much and apologize.... I see my grandson a few days a week.

My first "real" folding knife that was gifted to me was a Case.

Maybe you can get him something like this? A Case peanut with black synthetic scales, they're usually under $40.

View attachment 1917687

The issue might be the non locking and the snap back? Whatever it is that dragged the knife in to the handle.

And it closing on his fingers.

Which for us was part of doing business but there are other options now.

Otherwise maby a hawkbill or a yacht style sheep's foot. That will give the kid heaps of blade to grab when he opens and closes it.

And you can generally get them cheap.

 

[BradleySmall]

It's the best pocket knife pattern in existence, and the Guardians are committed to letting the world know that! With considerable success over the past few years I reckon

Really? The best on existence? Is there a source for a template? GEC #93 or something. I think I saw a how-to on instructibles. Any better pointers?

 

[BradleySmall]

I think a Victorinox Solo (SA1) would make a pretty perfect child's first knife.
View attachment 1917695

It is good looker. Clean and industrial.

 

[BradleySmall]

The issue might be the non locking and the snap back? Whatever it is that dragged the knife in to the handle.

And it closing on his fingers.

Which for us was part of doing business but there are other options now.

Otherwise maby a hawkbill or a yacht style sheep's foot. That will give the kid heaps of blade to grab when he opens and closes it.

And you can generally get them cheap.

Hawksbills are interesting. I have never used one. I guess I would have to try carrying one a while to see.

 

[Drop bear]

Hawksbills are interesting. I have never used one. I guess I would have to try carrying one a while to sese.

Well they cost almost nothing so are good to experiment with.

Otherwise camilus do a couple of nice sheepsfoots.

This one looks like a two hand opener with a lock.

 

[BradleySmall]

I think I had access to a scout knife (from an older sister who was in the girl scouts) and a Barlow that was in a kitchen drawer and later in a tackle box when I was probably 8 or 9, though at the time I was not interested in them nor did I carry them.

I got my first very own pocket knife, I believe as a gift from my Dad, which was a typical red-handled SAK, when I was 11 or 12. I no longer have that knife but I have a nice scar on the base of my left thumb to remind me how sharp it was. I don't remember the exact circumstances - I believe I was trying to cut through something and was used to dull knives, and not a brand new super sharp knife, and was using more pressure that needed. It cut right through whatever it was (probably balsa wood I was holding) and right into my hand.

I don't recall getting any particular instructions on knife safety or anything like that. Those lessons were self-taught! No better teacher for knife safety than a deep cut. I also don't recall my parents making any kind of fuss about it, if I even told them. I believe band-aids were the treatment of choice.

Yeah, I closed my kampking on my index finger digging woodpecker beads out of a tree. Still have that scar 50 years later. I loved that knife. Bandaid to the rescue. Perhaps some merthiolate or mercurochrome or iodine.... Don't remember. But I never used a slipjoint that way again.

 

[BradleySmall]

Well they cost almost nothing so are good to experiment with.

Otherwise camilus do a couple of nice sheepsfoots.

This one looks like a two hand opener with a lock.

Looks like a sailor knife with a marlin spoke. Will watch later.

 

[jc57]

But I never used a slipjoint that way again

That which does not maim or disfigure us horribly for life makes us wiser.

For a boy's first knife, without knowing more about the boy or his interests and hobbies, I think I would still go with a typical red-handled Victorinox SAK. Recruit is a typical camper pattern, with a large and small blade, and the can opener/bottle opener combo. Which are of much less value now than when I was a kid, and soda pop came in capped bottles, and stuff in cans needed a can opener. But the screwdrivers still come in handy.

Or he could get into craft beers young, who knows?

The Walker is a good pattern if he'd get use out of a small saw. The Tinker Small or Tinker regular if he'd get any use out of the awl and regular Phillips. Spartan if he's a wine drinker

 

[BradleySmall]

That which does not maim or disfigure us horribly for life makes us wiser.

For a boy's first knife, without knowing more about the boy or his interests and hobbies, I think I would still go with a typical red-handled Victorinox SAK. Recruit is a typical camper pattern, with a large and small blade, and the can opener/bottle opener combo. Which are of much less value now than when I was a kid, and soda pop came in capped bottles, and stuff in cans needed a can opener. But the screwdrivers still come in handy.

Or he could get into craft beers young, who knows?

The Walker is a good pattern if he'd get use out of a small saw. The Tinker Small or Tinker regular if he'd get any use out of the awl and regular Phillips. Spartan if he's a wine drinker

Carried a Zippo long before I was a smoker. Loves lighting everyone else's cigarettes. So cap lifter or cork screw isn't out of the question.

 

[BradleySmall]

That said, with regards to the topic of this thread, there’s a reason I don’t worry about leaving any of my Lambsfoot knives lying around even with a 2 year old running around. She could open any of them even if she wanted to. (Neither could the 6 year old, for that matter.)

Why not?

 

[jc57]

Sounds like he has a career ahead of him in the restaurant service business! In that case, the SAK Waiter

https://www.victorinox.com/us/en/Products/Swiss-Army-Knives/Medium-Pocket-Knives/Waiter/p/0.3303

 

[JM2]

I have been teaching whittling to kids in a variety of venues for a long time (25+ years). I absolutely insist that participants in my classes be at least 9 years old.

Parents lie about their kids' age and sneak them in. I can always spot them. 7 and 8 year olds just do not have their brains attached to their hands yet!

I know, I know, YOUR grandson is VERY mature for his age. Baloney. I have dealt with literally hundreds of kids with very sharp knives.

Younger ones can whittle with one on one supervision, and I myself had a knife of my own before age 9, but I would not let a child have a knife unsupervised before the age of 9.

I’m interested in a how to teach kids knife and whittling tutorial.

 

[Hickory n steel]

A Victorinox cadet or recruit would be a great choice.
I feel like something with other functions is a good idea, teaches to use blades for cutting and screwdrivers for screws...ect , it also allows you to experience an accidental closure with say the screwdriver which won't cut you.

I got my first knife at age 7.
My dad just handed me this dollar store Victorinox knockoff and said " be careful , don't cut yourself ", there was no other explanation beyond that.
I don't remember being told I could only carry or use it at home, but that's how it went for probably a year till I forgot to leave it home one day without issue and just kept it or any subsequent knives on me from that point whenever I wasn't in school.

I never cut myself with it but those crappy things never come sharp and I only remember using the philips screwdriver , so I probably wasn't actually any more careful than the average kid.

 

[Drop bear]

Looks like a sailor knife with a marlin spoke. Will watch later.

Yeah. The army gave us a steel version sort of. And it did everything a knife should do. I would have recommended that. But from memory it was a bit stiff to open.

Otherwise a poking stick could well be a useful tool for a child.

 

[JohnDF]

I gave my kids a small Buck Lockback as their first pocket knife... figured they were less likely to fold the blade onto their fingers doing something stupid.

 

[draggat]

I have been teaching whittling to kids in a variety of venues for a long time (25+ years). I absolutely insist that participants in my classes be at least 9 years old.

Parents lie about their kids' age and sneak them in. I can always spot them. 7 and 8 year olds just do not have their brains attached to their hands yet!

I know, I know, YOUR grandson is VERY mature for his age. Baloney. I have dealt with literally hundreds of kids with very sharp knives.

Younger ones can whittle with one on one supervision, and I myself had a knife of my own before age 9, but I would not let a child have a knife unsupervised before the age of 9.

I have to say, I totally agree with this, although there probably are some exceptions. My son is 7 and I don't think he is ready for a pocket knife yet. Aside from that, he currently has zero interest in pocket knives, unless you count a Microtech OTF. He LOVES that one because of the way it opens and that it has a blue dlc blade. Besides the fact that he absolutely isn't getting that knife, he isn't strong enough to actuate it anyway.

I'm going to start him off on a fixed blade for the kitchen, something not too pointy. First pocket knife will probably be around 9, if he's interested by then. That's how old I was when my dad gave me a SAK. Second knife was a 110 at 12. I still have both!

I suppose YMMV, but I don't see a point in giving a knife to a kid who isn't interested.