Good general purpose knife for a 14 year old?

H

Hal

Joined
Feb 26, 1999
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830
Man, it's been like forever since I posted here!!!

I sort of lost track of things in the knife world the past 10/12 years.
My grandson's 14th birthday is coming up soon and I want to get him a decent general purpose EDC type of knife.

He's already got a couple of my old Schrade knives. I have a NIB folding Buck I bought probably 20 years ago and never used.

I'm afraid they might be more "old man type" knives though.
He's more interested in the artsy fantasy type.
 
Hal, I would get him a lock back for safety. Something small enough to fit in his pocket without being to bulky. You ask a hundred people and you will surely get a hundred different answers. I got my son a canal St Cutlery knife. Extremely well made. Also made right here in the US. Good luck.
 
Are you looking for traditional, modern, or a mutli-blade? In no particular order, I recommend a Case Sodbuster, ESEE Zancudo, or a nice SAK Farmer.
 
Cold steel mini recon 1. Cheap, stout, quality, and cool looking. You grandson will LOVE it and it won't break the bank. If he likes fixed blades I'd recommend a Becker bk11.
 
Spyderco persistence, or delica. Maybe a kershaw thermite or cryo it assisted is ok.
 
Fixed Blade - Mora Bushcraft

50c62cc910cd2_mora_bushcraft_survival_knife.jpg


Folder - Spyderco Delica

SC11FPBL.jpg
 
When I was fourteen (a decade ago) I had a bunch of cheap knives. I had lockback folders, sak's, no fixed blades but they had no appeal at that point in time but when I went to TN to visit my great grandpa I convinced my mom to buy my a folder from the gas station. It was silver with a black inlay of a soft-ish material, had a liner lock and a combo edge. I thought that this was the absolute coolest knife EVER! Just a bit of insight from that time for ya. Hope that helps!
 
Hal said:
Man, it's been like forever since I posted here!!!

I sort of lost track of things in the knife world the past 10/12 years.
My grandson's 14th birthday is coming up soon and I want to get him a decent general purpose EDC type of knife.

He's already got a couple of my old Schrade knives. I have a NIB folding Buck I bought probably 20 years ago and never used.

I'm afraid they might be more "old man type" knives though.
He's more interested in the artsy fantasy type.
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The Benchmade Mini Grip is a great option which I also had at that age. This will have more cool points for him due to the Axis lock, although I came to prefer the Delica over mini Grip after a few months.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000NZQH4K/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1397421695&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40


I carried a Delica from age 12-17. I'd get him one of the new Grey FFG models. It's handsome, modern, and will serve him well for years. Fits a teenage hand perfectly as well:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003CH3V5E?vs=1

Resist the urge to get him something you feel is for a "14 year old" like a SAK, buck, opinel, or Mora. Thee are all boring knives for a 14 year old and will not be a cherished companion the way a modern folding knife would. Ultimately you want something that will be carried for years, and that he will think fondly of you every time he uses.
 
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I'd say go with a cheaper assisted ("speedsafe") Kershaws. You can get a lot of them in all black, which combined with the assisted opening should satisfy the 'fantasy' side, but they're also quality knives. A few examples are the Kershaw Brawler, Clash, or Cryo
 
kreole said:
I'd say go with a cheaper assisted ("speedsafe") Kershaws. You can get a lot of them in all black, which combined with the assisted opening should satisfy the 'fantasy' side, but they're also quality knives. A few examples are the Kershaw Brawler, Clash, or Cryo
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+1 to this. I gave my 14 year old nephew a kershaw leek for Christmas and he thought the assisted opening was the coolest thing in the world.

kershaw-1660spckt-leek-spider-overlay-folder-large.jpg


This is the one I got for my nephew. Definitely satisfies the cool factor for a teenager while still being a quality knife.
 
mark greenman said:
Resist the urge to get him something you feel is for a "14 year old" like a SAK, buck, opinel, or Mora. Thee are all boring knives for a 14 year old and will not be a cherished companion the way a modern folding knife would. Ultimately you want something that will be carried for years, and that he will think fondly of you every time he uses.
Click to expand...

I could not disagree more. Personality of the kid is king here - as a teen I much preferred my SAKs and Case sodbuster over my Spyderco and other "modern" folders. And if "something that will be carried for years" is the criteria - something too big, and too trendy, won't be it.
 
Resist the urge to get him something you feel is for a "14 year old" like a SAK, buck, opinel, or Mora. Thee are all boring knives for a 14 year old and will not be a cherished companion the way a modern folding knife would
Click to expand...
That's my thought exactly. I don't want to get him an "old man knife".


Personality of the kid is king here - as a teen I much preferred my SAKs and Case sodbuster over my Spyderco and other "modern" folders
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Liam, He's got a couple of "practical" knives that are real plain and simple he can EDC - well - as much as any 14 year old kid can EDC a knife these days.


I love that Kershaw!
LOL!
I may get us a matching set!
 
liamstrain said:
I could not disagree more. Personality of the kid is king here - as a teen I much preferred my SAKs and Case sodbuster over my Spyderco and other "modern" folders. And if "something that will be carried for years" is the criteria - something too big, and too trendy, won't be it.
Click to expand...

Personality is of course crucial, but I think your tastes would be the exception, and not the rule, among 14 year olds in specific, and knife users in general. When you browse any EDC thread on BF, USN, EDCforums, etc, the proportion of modern, one handed folders over SAK's and Sodbusters is overwhelming. And this is coming from someone with a SAK in his pocket now (along with 2 spyderco's, of course.)

It's a safe assumption that a 14 year old will have similar preferences. At that age you have the tastes of a man (girls, cars, guns, knives, adventure) but lack the means to satisfy them. Likewise, he could probably buy his own SAK at any time, but would have much more difficulty procuring his own BM, Spyderco, or Kershaw.

As for trendy, the Delica and Mini-Grip have been the two most popular EDC folders of the last 20 years, with no sign of receding. Their blades are roughly the size of that found in the Vic Farmer, at less than 3". Not ideal for Chicago, NYC, or England, but ideal for pretty much anywhere else.
 
I'll second both the Kershaw Leek (nod to this one) and the Spyderco Delica. Both very versatile, iconic modern knives.
 
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