Cute locking folder as 8yr old GIRL's first knife?

MatthewVanitas

MatthewVanitas

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Okay, I've refined my parameters for Christmas gifts for my little cousins.

13yr old anime-loving tomboy: CRKT tanto neck-knife
11yr old girly type: Opinel (size 5? 6?), since they have one on display at the NYC Museum of Modern Art

Now for the 8yr old. I've been advised that non-locking knives cause more injuries than any other type, so SAK and others are out. Come to think of it, that's how I cut myself with my first knife when I was 5; it closed on my hand.

Looking for a locking folder, blade around 2". Ideally, one that has "pretty" scales, like pseudo-pearl or something. I'd like to avoid liner-lock, since that would involve her getting her fingers in the blade's path to close it.

Decent quality, but under $20. INOX preferable: I don't think that 8yr olds are big into stropping or running Rockwell tests.

Thanks for any tips. I'm a simple BM Mini-Grip man, so don't know much about the classic locking folders.

-MV
 
You could always dull the blades for the young one...

Not a locking knife but case makes a cotton candy bone scaled series iirc.
 
Don't go over the top with it, she's an 8 year old girl. She won't be field dressing game or chopping wood :D . Just pick up the My First Victorinox. Her parents will not be alarmed by it, it's got a blunt tip, but a sharp blade. Dull blades are dangerous blades!
 
Get the Swiss Executive. It has a small blade, scissors, tweezer, toothpick, screwdriver. A small blade can't hurt too bad, the worst damage will take only a bandaid. Anyway at 8 she's smart enough to keep her fingers out of the way. I think the My First Victronix is an insult to the intelligence of a child, neither me nor any child I've given an knife with a point and sharp blade ever injured themselves. You give the knife at the right age and provide instruction in its use.

I would not recommend the CRKT tanto neck knife for any child, unless they live in the woods. This knife is basically a weapon with multiple methods of concealed carry. Giving children knives that can be easily thought of as weapons could get you or the kid in trouble.
 
If you already have, ignore me, but also make sure it's OK to give them knives with their parents.

Case/Zippo makes neat little lock-blades in various colors including orange and blue that are actually good quality.
 
I don't think the other knives will be a problem; this is the same uncle who'd given me a Ka-Bar, throwing knife, bolos, bullwhip, and machete before I turned 12. I don't think he has much room to complain. IRT the tanto: I'd imagine that a 13yr old girl has enough common sense not to take it to school, and that's pretty much the only really problematic scenario. I had all kinds of knives (and no common sense) and still never took them to school.

IRT the small lockback: any particular models of the Case or Schrade that I should look for? A search on Smokey Mountain Knifeworks turns up about 398 different Case products.

Any other good recommendations, by model name, that I should look for?

Small, "pretty", approx 2" single-bladed lockback folder, under $20.

-MV
 
A really cute knife for an 8 yr old girl would be a cotton candy Case peanut:
http://www.shephillscc.com/DisplayDetailPage.asp?ProductCode=7822
They are super cute and small, girls love 'em (this is part of the "Lady Case" line) The blades don't lock but they are very small and I don't think they are particularly dangerous. I got my first (officially sanctioned by parents :) ) knife when I was 6 or so I think, it was a slipjoint (non-locking) Barlow, and I never cut myself or caused any trouble with it. I kind of think that locks on a knife encourage unsafe behaviour in kids- a slipjoint emphasizes the fact that what they are using is sharp and they need to be careful with it.

I can't think of many other small-bladed knived I would want to give to a little girl. Case knives are beautiful and it's hard to go wrong with them as gifts. They are a bit more expensive than what you mention, though.
 
MatthewVanitas said:
IRT the small lockback: any particular models of the Case or Schrade that I should look for? A search on Smokey Mountain Knifeworks turns up about 398 different Case products.
-MV
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if it has a model number, but here is a ebay seller that has one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ZIPPO-LIGHTWEIG...8QQihZ012QQcategoryZ48819QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I have these in blue and orange and they are really sturdy little folders, made by Case under the Zippo name. (Zippo owns Case)
 
From the feedback I'm getting here and on THR, I'm thinking that a Case Peanut might do the trick. Doesn't lock, but it small, durable, non-threatening, and cute.

I did have on person suggest that not only is an 8yr old too young for a knife, but so are the 11yr old and 13yr old. I argue: 13yd old is two years away from getting a Learner's Permit to pilot 2,000lbs of steel at 70mph.

I will admit though, there are 30yr olds that I wouldn't trust with a sharp stick. However, I got my first SAK (from my urban liberal parents) at age 5, and I came out fine.

-MV
 
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