Evidence That We Are Genetically Inclined Toward Knives

S

shurimano

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May 10, 2018
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My sister found her 7 year old daughter, my beloved niece, with this. My sister said that my niece apparently has had it for awhile now and has been hiding it on her person:
AriannasKnife.jpg

I told my sister that rather than punishing her for it, teach her how to be responsible with it. She's been responsible enough on her own with it this far. BTW, just in case anyone is about to give me the environmental factors that probably played a role in my niece having this, the title was just a joke.:p

Mods, if this is in the wrong forum, please move it and I apologize for any inconvenience.
 
Reminds me of myself.
Someone bought a Schrade 34OT from Walmart ( probably an impulse as they were only $14 ) and just left it laying around the apartment for a few weeks unopened.
One day I up and decided to open it, put the knife in my pocket and dispose of the packaging.
I kept the knife a secret as I knew my mom wouldn't want me to have it and I didn't want to take and leave it with my other knives at my dad's where I wouldn't be able to use it.
Nobody ever asked around for it or anything and eventually when I was a teenager It fell out of my pocket fishing which nobody saw so I picked it up as if I was finding it there and my mom let me keep it in my tackle box. It actually stayed in my pocket and may have went to school with me a few times.

Every responsible kid should have a pocket knife.
 
When i was about 7 or 8 years old my mom would be shopping or doing errands and i would wait outside. I had saved up my pennies and had it in my mind i was going to buy a knife. It took a few weeks, and several stores, but i finally went in to a little shop ran by a cherokee man and he sold me a a little buck folder and i talked to him about a bow he was making. He actually gave me a little wooden bow and 2 arrows, surprised me. It wasnt a toy bow either, that thing was serious! Anyway, it gave me an explanation for why my pockets werent jangling from a few hundred pennies anymore. I stripped the bark off of no less than 10 thousand sticks with that knife.
 
One of the first things I taught my boys was to respect knives and not play with them. I tried to keep them put away, but kids are curious and I knew it was better to teach them not to touch than think that they would never run into one in my house. Now that my oldest is possibly responsible enough to have his own and not hurt himself or take it to school I find myself reluctant to give him a knife. I can teach him knife safety, but I know from personal experience that things don't always go the way I expect. Blood happens around tools, and I am not quite ready for playing medic on him yet. Fortunately for me, his "knife drive" has been diverted into learning how to throw knives and use a tomahawk--we'll whittle when my nerves can take the strain.
 
Kids need to be able to engage in dangerous activities, otherwise they can become "soft." Most of us here still have our fingers despite handling knives, but we have all been cut and learned from the experience.
 
S shurimano - That is probably the same thing I would have done, if I had a niece -- this is a teachable moment for your sister and niece, and since your niece has not done anything but show responsibility (other than not asking permission) making sure she is safe and responsible is probably the best approach. If she got one knife, she can probably get another, since kids can be pretty resourceful.

B BitingSarcasm -- I understand where you are coming from. I've been teaching my kids to respect tools (knives included) since they were old enough to crawl -- maybe earlier. My daughter recently turned seven and got a My First Victorinox Swiss Army knife from Mom and Dad for her birthday, with a few rules/conditions:
  • She can only carry it on the lanyard and only around the house or while camping.
  • It is stored safely in her jewelry box (also a birthday present) or another approved area when she is not wearing it
  • She needs permission to open the blade, and will be supervised while using it -- this is mainly to make her think before using her knife
  • She follows the knife safety rules I have been teaching the kids since ... forever. These are loosely based on what I learned in scouts ages ago
  • She needs to maintain it, with help
  • If she breaks a rule, it disappears for a week or more, depending on the infraction -- unsafe behavior means a much longer timeframe
The rules (which I know some will think are overboard, and others will think are insanely loose) will be loosened as she earns more responsibility through her choices. So far, she has followed the rules, and has helped me with fire prep for a few fires in the backyard fire pit, as well as opening a package or two. She has also helped in the kitchen with things like strawberries, with me working next to her, offering suggestions. And she has used my Sharpmaker to touch up the edge. She scratched up one side of the blade, but it is not too bad. I know learning is a process and I would rather her make small mistakes at home with loving and supporting help than make big mistakes elsewhere. :) But it is hard.
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So far, all is good. However, I also made sure we had extra band-aids and QuickClot on hand and accessible, because my wife and I know it is a matter of time until she cuts herself. Or I cut myself, again. Or my wife cuts herself, again. :eek: My heart beats a little bit faster whenever my little girl has her knife in her hand, but I just breathe deep and ... well, I'm still figuring it out. :confused:

Enjoy.
 
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Children are very capable of learning to use a knife responsibly. It all is about the quality of instruction you give them. Never talk down to them, and talk to them as you would an adult. They'll get it. All my kids by age 6 or 7 had hands on experience with sharp knives and now the grandkids are going the same.

Here's my granddaughter, Bree, learning to clean her own fish that she caught with her pink Hello Kitty fishing rod. knife is a Martini fillet knife that is very sharp. Now at age 8 she's learned to clean the small game she shoots with a Marlin 39TD .22 rifle.


I believe that kids have to learn and take some risk. We all cut ourselves one we were young, and so will they. I agree that if a kids kept in a risk free environment they will be a soft kid. Totally unprepared for real life in a real world. We owe it to them to teach them what we know and to start early. Knives are tools and they will need to prepare dinner for themselves sooner or later. It ain't Mr. Rogers neighborhood out there.
 
I'm surprised at the number of people that have no idea how to achieve simple tasks with a knife. The other day a girl in my office was trying to open a box of paper. I handed her a folding knife, she couldn't open it. So, I open it for her handed it back and then she had no idea how to slice the tape and open the box. I wound up doing it for her.
 
jill jackson said:
I wound up doing it for her.
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I am starting to thing that cutting stuff for people might be a better idea than handing people a knife. I feel like no knife people often don't even know how to use folding knives. Maybe they are just overwhelm on the spot or something but cutting stuff for people kinda eliminates the risk of them hurting themselves or using your knife in an improper way. I've heard way too many stories on here of coworkers breaking knives or hurting themselves hahaha
 
jux t said:
Kids need to be able to engage in dangerous activities, otherwise they can become "soft."
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Strong disagree.

1) Using a knife is not a "dangerous activity" unless you are not taught how to use one correctly. Anything is. Kids need to be taught how to use knives correctly.
2) Kids who are allowed to engage in dangerous activities don't end up "tough," they end up dead. Children should protected...but also taught. It how society/culture works.

Watched a great Nova on PBS years back about monkeys. They are plenty smart, they can use tools, but they don't have the capability to pass the knowledge they have gained about using the tools onto their children. They are on their own.

Or maybe they are just worried about them getting "soft."
 
jackknife said:
I believe that kids have to learn and take some risk. We all cut ourselves one we were young, and so will they. I agree that if a kids kept in a risk free environment they will be a soft kid. Totally unprepared for real life in a real world. We owe it to them to teach them what we know and to start early. Knives are tools and they will need to prepare dinner for themselves sooner or later. It ain't Mr. Rogers neighborhood out there.
Click to expand...

Well put. Knowledge is power.
 
jackknife said:
Children are very capable of learning to use a knife responsibly. It all is about the quality of instruction you give them. Never talk down to them, and talk to them as you would an adult. They'll get it. All my kids by age 6 or 7 had hands on experience with sharp knives and now the grandkids are going the same.

Here's my granddaughter, Bree, learning to clean her own fish that she caught with her pink Hello Kitty fishing rod. knife is a Martini fillet knife that is very sharp. Now at age 8 she's learned to clean the small game she shoots with a Marlin 39TD .22 rifle.


I believe that kids have to learn and take some risk. We all cut ourselves one we were young, and so will they. I agree that if a kids kept in a risk free environment they will be a soft kid. Totally unprepared for real life in a real world. We owe it to them to teach them what we know and to start early. Knives are tools and they will need to prepare dinner for themselves sooner or later. It ain't Mr. Rogers neighborhood out there.
Click to expand...

This is how my father taught me. I caught it or shot it, I cleaned it. Guts were just more cool because my dad made the experience a positive one.
 
marcinek said:
Strong disagree.

1) Using a knife is not a "dangerous activity" unless you are not taught how to use one correctly. Anything is. Kids need to be taught how to use knives correctly.
2) Kids who are allowed to engage in dangerous activities don't end up "tough," they end up dead. Children should protected...but also taught. It how society/culture works.

Watched a great Nova on PBS years back about monkeys. They are plenty smart, they can use tools, but they don't have the capability to pass the knowledge they have gained about using the tools onto their children. They are on their own.

Or maybe they are just worried about them getting "soft."
Click to expand...

100% spot on post.

My son, who turns 4 soon, is fantastic with his Opinel "Petite Chef" knife in the kitchen, but only because he was VERY carefully instructed and supervised. Even being excellent with it now, I still watch him like a hawk. That said, he is proving himself to be a very capable student, and is developing skills that will help him through the rest of his life.

IMG_4023.JPG IMG_4022.JPG IMG_4020.JPG
 
jackknife said:
Children are very capable of learning to use a knife responsibly. It all is about the quality of instruction you give them. Never talk down to them, and talk to them as you would an adult. They'll get it.

I believe that kids have to learn and take some risk. We all cut ourselves one we were young, and so will they. I agree that if a kids kept in a risk free environment they will be a soft kid. Totally unprepared for real life in a real world. We owe it to them to teach them what we know and to start early. Knives are tools and they will need to prepare dinner for themselves sooner or later. It ain't Mr. Rogers neighborhood out there.
Click to expand...
In this world, there are things that bite and kill. There are things that cut and shoot. Kids have to learn that risk is part of life. We learn to minimize the risk for the rewards. That's where instruction comes into play. For my part, if a good kid wants a knife, he gets a knife as long as he doesn't take it to school. I wouldn't want to deal with that. I think most kids understand this without a lot of overbearing supervision. If they truly screw up, you'll be there.

Knives... yeah, they'll probably cut themselves. You did too. You survived. They will too.

Added: I do think most of us are inclined to want to use a knife (boys especially) especially if Mother or Dad use knives routinely and demonstrate that they have very practical uses beyond kitchen duty. Boys are naturally more aggressive than most girls. That is probably why they don't live as long and it has nothing to do with knives, crime, or guns. We don't want to make boys into girls; let them flap their wings and probably they'll cut themselves on occasion.
 
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22-rimfire said:
In this world, there are things that bite and kill. There are things that cut and shoot. Kids have to learn that risk is part of life. We learn to minimize the risk for the rewards. That's where instruction comes into play. For my part, if a good kid wants a knife, he gets a knife as long as he doesn't take it to school. I wouldn't want to deal with that. I think most kids understand this without a lot of overbearing supervision. If they truly screw up, you'll be there.

Knives... yeah, they'll probably cut themselves. You did too. You survived. They will too.

Added: I do think most of us are inclined to want to use a knife (boys especially) especially if Mother or Dad use knives routinely and demonstrate that they have very practical uses beyond kitchen duty. Boys are naturally more aggressive than most girls. That is probably why they don't live as long and it has nothing to do with knives, crime, or guns. We don't want to make boys into girls; let them flap their wings and probably they'll cut themselves on occasion.
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I'm offended by this kind of language. This is 2018, we don't talk like that any more. The less distinction between sexes the better when it comes to capabilities.
 
One of my nieces was always fascinated by my pocket knives & every time I came over she asked to borrow it so she could "carve" something. The carvings were pretty much pointed sticks. Anyway when she was 7, I persuaded her mother that she was responsible enough to have a "My First SAK", which comes with a blunted blade. She was thrilled with it but then called me later in tears saying "it wasn't sharp enough". I calmed her down & told her I'd come over the next day with my sharping tools & put a perfect edge on it. Got there only to discover that she wasn't upset about the sharpness, but the fact that it lacked a proper point like an actual knife. LOL It had taken a lot of fast talking to get her mom to allow her to have this & there was no way I'd be able to persuade her to let me give her a "real" knife. We compromised & I told her that if she handled the SAK responsibly for the next year on her 8th birthday, she could have a real knife. She was & she got a small lock back. She will be graduating from College next year with straight A's & no cuts.
 
betover said:
One of my nieces was always fascinated by my pocket knives & every time I came over she asked to borrow it so she could "carve" something. The carvings were pretty much pointed sticks. Anyway when she was 7, I persuaded her mother that she was responsible enough to have a "My First SAK", which comes with a blunted blade. She was thrilled with it but then called me later in tears saying "it wasn't sharp enough". I calmed her down & told her I'd come over the next day with my sharping tools & put a perfect edge on it. Got there only to discover that she wasn't upset about the sharpness, but the fact that it lacked a proper point like an actual knife. LOL It had taken a lot of fast talking to get her mom to allow her to have this & there was no way I'd be able to persuade her to let me give her a "real" knife. We compromised & I told her that if she handled the SAK responsibly for the next year on her 8th birthday, she could have a real knife. She was & she got a small lock back. She will be graduating from College next year with straight A's & no cuts.
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Sounds like someone has earned herself a graduation knife!:)
 
19-3ben said:
100% spot on post.

My son, who turns 4 soon, is fantastic with his Opinel "Petite Chef" knife in the kitchen, but only because he was VERY carefully instructed and supervised. Even being excellent with it now, I still watch him like a hawk. That said, he is proving himself to be a very capable student, and is developing skills that will help him through the rest of his life.
. . .
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^That is wonderful.

At age 3 1/2, my little girl wanted to start helping in the kitchen, since both Mom and Dad cook, and we ended up getting a Curious Chef tool set. It includes kids sized handles on tools like whisks and spatulas. There are also three serrated plastic knives. They are a safe tool for basic chopping tasks, but not for fine or delicate work, obviously.

That Opinel knife was considered before, and is on the list for the near future. I had wanted to get one instead of the Curious Chef set, but was overruled by Mama. :oops: I think she'd be OK with it now, or by Christmas. In the meantime, my daughter uses her "knives", and the paring knifes from the block, or her Vic, with careful supervision (of course).


betover said:
. . . She will be graduating from College next year with straight A's & no cuts.
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Wow, she does better than me. I still cut myself every once in a while, usually in the kitchen when trying to rush things. Good for her. :)

Enjoy
 
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