First knife for 12yr old.

J

jim59

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Mar 8, 2010
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22
I want to suprise my son with his first knife. I first thaught maybe a swiss army with all the gagets. Would seem cool to him I loved having a boyscout knife when I was that age to look at. But it seems maybe it was not that good in use. Not very sharp can be hard to get at some of gagets. Can opener and bottle openers a thing of the past with pull tabs and screw tops. Maybe a rc3 or izula with kit would be a better choice. I was thinking a fixed blade might be safer then a none locking folder. I think 12 is old enough for him to have a knife if i show how to handle on. His Mom may not agree. any opions. When I was that age I had a 20 gauge that I brought to school for hunter safety class. Things were different then I guess.
 
My 5yo. has her own Izula.

Only allowed to use it supervised of course.

I got a Buck 110 on my 8th birthday and WASN'T allowed to leave the house without it, even to school.
 
an izula would be great first knife for sure! and if you get the kit, or have some paracord lying around, i would think it would be fun for him to wrap it with you...The izula is pretty much indestructible as well, so he should be able to have it for a very long time!
 
An izula or the ESEE-3 would be nice for a first knife. A fixed blade would be more injury-proof than playing with a folder. I used to carry around a small knife everywhere I went, and when I got older I carried a Buck 110 which I thought was the greatest.

Another knife which would be cool to have is one of the Blind Horse patch knives. I recently bought one of their smaller knives with tiger-striped maple handles. This will be a smaller knife to carry along with my RC-3MIL. Very neat, old style knife that would be cool to have for a first knife. I just got and am waiting to get it back along with a custom kydex sheath.
 
I wish there were more people like you. 12 is not young at all for a tool like a knife. Teach him to use the tool and he will always remember long after you are gone the time his dad bought him a knife and showed how to use it when he were 12. Right on man. KNIFEABILITY-a must for all humans
 
I'll go against the grain and say get a folder. I was a quite a bit younger than twelve when I got it but my first knife was an Imperial Boy Scout knife. Yes all the tools besides the blade were pretty difficult to get out but the blade is all I really used anyway. The tools on Swiss Army knives are pretty easy to access and definitely fun. There's nothing like that first pocket knife that goes everywhere with you. For me, a fixed blade was something I looked forward until I was a little older.
 
I start my kids at the age of 7 with an old style Victorinox Alox Soldier. They are taught at the kitchen table until I am happy with their knife safety, then they can use it unsupervised.
 
My 12 y-o daughter has a SAK (I don't know which model, but it has a lot of tools) and a Spyderco Spin. She said she would like another Spyderco (a Meerkat) and is saving for it. They're small knives, I don't know if this is what you're looking for, just some ideas to consider...
 
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I got my first folder at around that age, it was a Gerber EZ-out. I think the Gerber is a good choice or possibly a Spyerco Delica. If you want to go fixed blade the RC-3 would be my choice. It is actually my favorite ESEE knife (I find it the most useful overall) and very easy to handle due to it's handle and blade size. Your son is going to be so excited! It should be fun for both of you :thumbup:
 
my 7 year old just spent the weekend running through the woods with ttd's boys cutting and carving up every piece of deadfall they could carve into something destuctive...... I guess what i am saying is you know your child..you can't put an age on it...My 7 year old is responcible enough to handle a knife.....now my 5 year old may not get a knife until he is 40...all depends on the kid...Whatever you decide i am sure he will enjoy it as long as he gets to hang out with dad......Drew

P.s. Go with the Izula...it is versitile and he can use it for the rest of his life.....
 
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I'll put in a vote for the Victorinox Tinker.

I have carried one every day for about 15 years (I now EDC an Izula as well :) ) and you would be amazed at often I use the phillips screwdriver. The blade is very capable of getting scary sharp too!
 
+1 on the SAK's and i would pair it up with an Izula, that would be a great combination.
 
I think its great your getting him a knife. wish there were more like you. My daughters 7, and i cant wait ( nether can she) until i get her that first knife. I don't think shes ready yet..not an age thing..just depends on maturity, each ones different.
My first knife was Victorinox officier suisse. Still have it.
Your son will love what ever you get him. My recommendation: Victorinox, but I'm a little biased.

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Yes thats jb weld on it, yes dog chew marks, scissors broke last year. Small blade tip broke. And this is back when the Phillips screw driver came with a slit for opening sardines. Not bad for a 25+ years.

Good luck and let us know what he thinks of his new knife what ever it my be.
 
Owning a SAK is like a rite of passage, when my father bought me mine i was over the moon.....hands down, get him a good swiss army.
 
SAK of course, and how about a little Bark River? How 'bout the Rising wolf or Woodland Special?
 
i wish my MOM gave me a knife when I was 12 :D LOL
Wait till I show her my RC6 :D

I think a swiss is a nice knife... My nephew is 12 and he is got a couple of those (he is in the boyscouts) but he dreams of fixed knife ever since i told him i was giong to get one...

I would say get him a swiss knife and also a fixed blade (this one on a separate date too)... He'll enjoy both knives... i know i would have...
 
got my first when I was 6yo it was a small Swiss army knife it was a good first knife but I think an izula is a great first IMHO.
 
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