Fixed Blade For 12 y/o Son?

Radjxf

Radjxf

Joined
Apr 8, 2006
Messages
288
I'm kicking around the idea of buying my son his first fixed-blade knife.

He's a pretty responsible, very outdoors-oriented (hunting/fishing) 12 y/o. Just shot his first turkey this week as a matter of fact.

I'm great with guns, but an absolute NOOB with knives. Still struggling to get a grasp on the most basic sharpening skills.

He's looking for something around 4" plain-edge blade, with standard belt sheath. Something that has good edge-retention (given my current lack of sharpening skills) and to a lesser-degree stain resistance would be a plus.
He mentioned he may be doing some 'batoning', so I'm thinking it needs to be a tougher, full-tang type knife.

Trying to keep it under $100-ish if possible.

We were potentially interested in the Benchmade 15005 Bone Collector, as I can get it for $79.99.....

Any advice/experience welcome. Thanks in advance.
 
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Mora stainless. Much less expensive than the Benchmade, and good for sharpening practice (follow the wide bevel, then tiny microbevel with fine stone). Buy the boy some sharpening gear with the money you save. Even a fantastic blade is only as effective as its last sharpening lets it be. Sharpening one's own knife is a valuable skill that builds confidence and appreciation for the edge. Boys, like men, respect something more if they have worked to make/maintain it.
 
Queen makes some nice looking fixed blades in D2 for around 60 bucks. D2 is pretty stainless and has great edge retention but you'll want diamond stones to resharpen it.
 
I was thinking ESEE 4 but Mora is a great option.
Check out the Mora Bushcraft 11835 on the Bay.
I have the knife and its really nice, it cuts like a Laser.
This one comes with a fire steel and a Field sharpener on the sheath.
Then again, ESEE and Becker are hard to beat.
What ever you choose be sure to let us know how he likes it.
 
Thanks to everyone who's posted so far.

I've shown him everthing posted above, and he seems to favor the Becker BK17 so far.....
 
A short KaBar or Mora should do you just fine.
Also, maybe a fixed Kershaw Skyline. Not sure the dimentions on that one.
 
BK16 & 17 are both excellent knives, and the sheath that comes with them is better than the average factory sheath.
Condor also has some good offerings he might like, like the Tavian and the survival craft.
Mora Companion, Robust, and Bushcraft are all good options as well.
 
A becker 16 or 17 is going to give him a great knife that's gonna last a long time and probably abecker fan for life.
 
Buck Woodsman (102): 420HC stainless with a 4” blade and leather sheath for under $50. It’s a great knife for hiking, hunting and fishing and easy to sharpen.
 
So I read through your post, honestly I would really go in another direction. For the average 12 yr old with limited skills I believe a 4" knife is too much and largly not needed for most tasks nd when using it for tasks requiring fine control will greal increase the change he cuts himself.
I also would go simple carbon steel that holds a solid edge and is easy to sharpen and learn to sharpen well. There were a few votes for esee and I will second that. Lots of bang for the buck. Solid company good people simply the best you could ever hope for in a warrany, no questions asked fully transferable warranty.
Personally I would say go Izulla II. Comfortable handle and a modest sized blade that is thick enough to be absolutely beet on. And its carbon steel let him learn how to take care of a blade and let rust (which can be easily removed) show him when he has faled in tht area. It is still one of my altime favorite knives whether its neck carried, hip carried or on my shoulder strap of my hiking bag or even riding tandem on a bravo 1.
 
When I started out years ago, and now I am just realizing my age.....lol, I had a small Buck Woodsman and a small Schrade Old Timer Guthook Skinner. Both came with leather sheaths and had 4" blades. A quick look around and you will find them. The Buck Woodsman is basically a smaller version of the Buck General. The Buck will probably run $40ish, while the Schrade Old Timer can be had for $20ish. The guthook works great too as I have used it on whitetail deer. Used the knife to gut and skin several whitetails when I was younger. Used it for whittling and such too. The Schrade has a thicker blade I believe. If you go with the Schrade, look for an older USA made version as they make them cheaper in China now and are not the same quality as the vintage USA versions. Both are in the same price range though.
 
like everyone else, i'd recommend a mora. the scandinavian grind is the easiest to sharpen (and also possibly the sharpest, IMO), your son could do it himself with no trouble. you can baton with a mora, although you have to be light with it. if you want something a bit more robust (not that the mora isn't sturdy, i've hammered mine), i'd recommend something like an esee 3, the short kabar usmc w/kraton rubber, the sog seal pup elite (which i have, and have had since i was 15, love that knife), a sog field pup, esee izula, a cold steel pendleton mini hunter, a buck 196 mini alpha hunter, the buck bucklite max large, or the buck pathfinder. all of these blades are in the 3-5 inch range and are less than $100, with a few being less than $50. whatever you get, look at what kind of steel it is. if it says "440 stainless" or "high carbon stainless" or "surgical stainless", avoid it like the plague. look for steels like 1095 (carbon), AUS-8 (stainless), or 5160 (carbon).
good luck, and have fun looking. being only 17, i remember what it was like when i got my first real fixed blade when i was 10 or 11. once you start getting good knives, you eventually become a knife nut. or a knifemaker, like me :)
 
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