help finding a knife for my younger sister

A

Armenate

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Oct 1, 2014
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My sister, who is turning 9 soon is wanting a couple knives for her birthday. Right now she wants a Vic huntsman and some sort of folding knife. She really likes my Kershaw leek but I'm thinking it's a bit large. One knife I have been considering is an opinel. Whenever I ask her about knives and says she wants a good whittling/carving knife. Any suggestions? I also do not want to get her an expensive knife as she is prone to misplace or lose things
 
If you think that the Leek is too big, have you given any consideration to the Scallion?

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A Vic huntsman is a great knife
If she wants it then get if for her

Attach a lanyard to the o ring so it is easier to find and harder to loose
That is what I do with my daughters
 
mellanman said:
If you think that the Leek is too big, have you given any consideration to the Scallion?

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I have but I think that for her uses (mostly whittling) it will be a little ttoo slick. Something grippier i think would be better
 
My regular carry traditional, (aside from a SAK Huntsman), is a J. Russell Green River Knife Works congress knife. Stamped solingen (getmany), Great for carving with 4 different blades, (green river trademark currently owned by Dexter Russell I believe, who specializes in kitchen Cutlery mostly, someone correct me if I'm wrong).

But anyways, the action on it is tight, in both the half open and open position it is nice and firm for a slip joint. But that said, while it reduces risk of accidental closure while using, since it would without a doubt catch itself in the half open position before closing fully, it also snaps shut when you are actually closing it and it catches. Closed it one handed a couple weeks ago and the very tip caught my finger when it snapped shut, like a deep paper cut.

Either way its s great knife. Carbon blade. With a small pocket Arkansas stone she can also begin to learn the art of sharpening.
Great knife though, cost something like $25-30?

A cheaper route would the china made rough riders in 440a, actually decent knives for the price, and for a 9 year old girl they have s slew of handle options/colors to suit her fancy.
 
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JeremiahWeaver09 said:
9 years old? maybe something like this

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At 9, (4th grade) I had a tree fort my friends and I built, a porn stash we stole from our dad's, a rusty old Rambo knife I found along the railroad tracks, and a pack of cigarettes I stole from the local convenient store (and a chip on my shoulder). Plus a little alox swiss classic my dad gave me.

Albeit I was an extreme, and certainly not the route I would suggest for anyone, but just pointing out, don't underestimate a 9 year old, they are fully capable of handling an appropriate blade under adult supervision...
 
Small, grippy knife. Two that come to mind would be the Kershaw shuffle and the Cold steel mini tuff lite. They both come in different colors and neither will break the bank!
 
I have a nine year old girl who is very much a Tom boy. She kind of likes knives, but I think it mostly just because she knows I do. There are a couple of things to remember:
1. An assisted opening knife is going to be dangerous for someone that age
2. Some slip joint knives are difficult to open for me at 35, much less a nine year old

My daughter has two knives, a fork/ spoon knife and a spyderco lockback that I specifically picked because the spring is on the soft side.
 
My younger sister has a Kershaw Blur. It's pretty grippy and not too big as well. However I have no idea how it handles whittling :/
 
A blur IMO is a bit big/bulky (and assisted) for a 9 year old girl wanting to whittle. It fits my hand just right, but I'm 6'3" with a 4" wide palm...

Didn't even thing of the "hard to open" factor, maybe something like a small Buck vantage, real grippy rubber handle, <3" blade but still a good enough size/shape. Locks up, easy to open, flipper but not assisted.

$20-25 w/ a great warranty she'll have for ever...

And again, something you can give her a nice small soft Arkansas stone with to learn how to maintain her edge.
 
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Maybe something like a CRKT Ripple 2? 2.7 inch blade, nice slim little flipper like the Leek, and the aluminum version will only run you around $30. The Spyderco Cat might be another option, and will run you $40-50.
 
I'd say pink ontario rat model 2.
3 inch blade
2.8 ounces
Full flat grind drop point
Also slim with great ergonomics and detent. All for under 40 dollars shipped or cheaper at most retailers.

 
I just bought my kids all a mora companion..they are 6, 8, 10, & 11...going to match them up with Case Medium Stockmans as money allows..I been having them help in the kitchen cutting veggies and things to get used to using knives in a controlled environment.
 
JeremiahWeaver09 said:
9 years old? maybe something like this

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Just wow. It is thinking like this that results in people being afraid of knives. :barf:

My 8 year old has a SAK and a Native. She is also quite handy in using our kitchen knives to help me prep for dinner. Kids should be taught to use knives responsibly and not like toys.
 
JeremiahWeaver09 said:
9 years old? maybe something like this

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Really? I had my first knife by the time I was 9, and after that first one, I started getting them as gifts from parents and other relatives, as well as buying others of my own.

Anyway, I'd say go for the huntsman since she's said she wants that one. Maybe show her some opinels to see what she thinks. I would recommend either a fixed (moras are perfect) or locking knife for whittling. Until one has been taught proper slipjoint usage, and has experience with using knives in general, I wouldn't really go with a slipjoint for whittling. I'd say whittle with a fixed/locking, use the slip/swiss for everyday stuff to get used to not having a lock. But that's me. I started off whittling with Buck knives, and those aren't the thinnest blades around by any means. In my experience, you can whittle with anything as long as it's sharp. Maybe show her some options in a certain price range, and let her pick something.
 
9 years old?

Whatever you end up getting bear in mind it will probably be ruined, lost or have injured one of her friends trying to use it within a month or two.

Hope her carry/use of it will be restricted to 100% under your visual supervision....

Off the top of my head I'd probably second the aforementioned pink Rat 2, a small SAK or Opinel in that order.
 
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