Giving your kid a knife

My step-son got his first knife from his grandfather when he was 10. It was the legendary Buck 110. The first knife I gave him was this last Christmas, and it was a BSA SAK.

 

My son's first knife was a vintage Robeson Barlow I gave him when he was 6 years old. He's 11 now, and still has the Barlow along with an Izula he takes with him when we backpack. Even still, I knocked the edge down a little when I first gave it to him. That thing is wicked sharp and it wouldn't take much for our backpacking trip to turn bad 12 miles in.

 

I have no kids, but I got my first knife when I was 5. My brother got one to the same day, he was 4.

They were fixed blades that came from Sears & Roebuck.

We were with my Mom while she was shopping and she bought me & my brother one to "share". That lasted about 5 minutes after we got home.... She loaded us back up in the car and it was back to Sears to get another one.

Those knives were strapped to our sides almost constantly during our daylight hours of adventure in the woods around here we lived. [Despite the strenuous objection & criticism of the much older lady who was our neighbor the first time she saw us with those knives. My Dad finally had to "kindly" tell her it was none of her business.... .]

Despite our young age, we never once cut ourselves or each other with those knives..... and we used them a lot.

The main instruction we were given that first day was my Mom took the knife and a grocery bag [they were brown paper back then], she told us to pay attention. She said as she cut the bag... "if you are not careful with these knives.... this is what they will do to you. So.. be careful... and NEVER run with the knife in your hand! Do you understand???"

Yes mama we said.... and we were off for adventure.

Now that was back in the mid 1950's... a different world in many ways. No video games, computers, or cell phones. Kids played outside all day and invented things to do. We didn't have to be constantly entertained and didn't get bored easily.

We carried our "pocket knives" to school each day and used them during recess.... most of the boys had one.

I guess in todays world... one just has to use their best judgment. I gave my nephew one when he was 5.. and I already have one to give his son when he gets that age..... IF, when the time comes it is evident he is "ready".

Nice trip down memory lane for me... I hope some of these recollections of mine may help you in some way in your decision.

 

My 6 year old daughter has a junglas

But she only uses it to cut up Play-doh so know worries.....

 

My 3 year old daughter keeps telling me "when I get bigger I want a pink knife!", not sure when i'll get her one. Maybe her next bday.

 

Like some have said, it really depends on the kid, but also on you. Kids will naturally learn from your example, so be there to teach, and they'll learn well. Not that they wont still cut themselves, but we all do that, it's part of the territory.

For me, I've decided to go small fixed blades (Izulas' in fact) for starters with my kids. Over the course of several months last year, I bought 6 Izulas and dished them out for Christmas. The first two kids to use them, were the first two to get bit. Nothing major, just enough to bleed a little. I may sound crazy, but I was a proud Poppa.

Also, the reason I decided on the smallish fixed blades is that I figured no moving parts and overall sturdiness. And by going with the Izula, they'll have them for the rest of forever. Good times!

SJ

 

When my son was born my dad bought a little brown paper bag in the hospital room. Inside the bag was a pack of Hubba-Bubba bubble gum and a Case peanut. He held my son the first time and said "Boy you cant use either of these right now but some day you will need both of them. I still have the bubble gum (we keep it with his baby book) and he has been carrying the peanut since he was about 6. We never dulled it down it had the factory edge on it. He cut himself a few times with it nothing very serious. Two years ago after Christmas he was helping me break down boxes and he cut himself pretty good, his first reaction was to wiped the blood off the blade and put the knife back in his pocket. One of my proudest moments as a parent.

 

I don't have any children but my neice who is 3 1/2 keeps bugging me for a knife. I don't think she is any where near responsible enough for one yet, but when she is, this will be one proud Uncle because I have several picked out that I am saving for when she is older.

 

When I got my first knife, my dad was a collector, so I got a 5" Case fixed blade with a leather washer handle. I was six, and that knife was sharp as Satan. I was taught - like guns - to treat knives with respect and that they were tools, not toys. My mom still wasn't happy. Never cut myself with a knife until I was 30. No stitches, but a British RA nurse closed it up with spray-on super glue.

I just got my oldest son his first knife before Christmas, a CS Pendleton Lite. He's seven, and, like Mom, my wife isn't happy. The boy's knife, too, is sharp as Satan, so his having and using it will be well-supervised. It's been fun so far.

The bad thing is that he now wants a folder since I carry one every day. I have one of the first Buck Crosslocks that is need of some stone time, so he might be getting it soon. He just needs to learn a little respect for the first.

 

Just bought my 10 yr old daughter this Opinel. Seemed like a really good place to start.

My son got a SAK at about the same age. He got a Gerber knife and multi-tool for Christmas this year at 14. He might be getting an Izula for his birthday if he behaves.

 

I'm gonna be the odd guy out, here. I bought my son a SAK when he was 10 months old. He's 6 now and has probably 10 knives: Several SAK's, couple Izula's, one of those Gerber Bear Grylls toys, I have an RTAK I let him chop with when we go camping.

I've always taken the mysteriousness out of stuff like this. So, he's got absolutely no desire to do anything foolish with it, he's always had a knife and knows how to use it. It's no more taboo to him than a screwdriver, a hammer or any other tool.

This was how I grew up and it worked for me. Everyone is different.

I see more kids getting into trouble because they aren't allowed to handle a knife so when no one's around, they get one out with their buddies and something bad happens. My boy is no more interested in showing his friend a knife as he is showing him a spoon or anything else he's got access to.

 

My son is 8, he got his Izula about a year and a half ago(?). I didn't want to give him a slip joint, it was the cause of most of my opps's as a child. The only blade that ever got him was a kitchen knife that took his fingertip off while he was slicing an apple. He is much more careful now.

I let him store the knife in his room, and he has to ask permission to use it.

 

Get the My First Victorinox.

 

I got my first knife at 10 years old, an old Camp King. My son when he turns 10 years old will get his first knife, most likely I'll hand down one of my Izula's. Already got him a Red Ryder bb gun, and my wife's due date is not till March

 

My brother and I were 5 when we got our first knives. Dad got us each a SAK Classic for Christmas. I can't tell you how many sticks we sharpened with those, and it was a good size for our small hands at the time. Since then there have been many other knives, but I think Dad got it right with the first one.

-Connor

 

I don't believe you to be the odd one at all, I see things this just as you do.
I think that taking the mysteriousness out and teaching them to use tools for what they are is the key.
My two year old daughter has her Izula ready to go, she knows it is hers, but she is still to small to actually use it. Some may see it as irresponsible to give such a small child a knife, but I see it as my responsibility to teach them how to use them properly.
While they are still young, they have to ask to use them, and are always supervised. This is part of our way of life, and is something they will have as part of who they are.

SJ

 

I was 7 when I got my first pocket knife, a vintage Boy Scout slip joint with large blade, can opener, bottle opener, leather punch, and metal loop with the Boy Scout insignia. Had to hide it though; didn't want the school authorities catch me with knives. Being caught with knives was a big deal back then. Nowadays, it's guns

 

My oldest is 10 now, but he got his first SAK around 8. In third grade, the boys in our Cub Scout den earned their "Whittin' Chips", and everyone of them now carries a small folder (where legal of course). The 10yo probably has about 7-8 knives now - small multi-tools, small folders, 1 BM griptillian, and 1 small SOG fixed. This year he gets an ESEE 4 I think. So far, he's safer with them than I was.

 

^^^^ why not a izula