How sharp should a childs first knife be?

As sharp as you can get it.....they need to realize that a sharp knife is better and safer than one that's dull...it whould also come with sharpening lessons
 
if they get cut, they get cut. it not as if a cut from a hair popping blade make a message any better than a cut from a cuts paper blade. blood is blood, especially to a 11-12 year old
 
BryFry said:
How SHARP do you think the childs first knife should be?

-Do you start them off with a freekishly sharp razor?

-A moderately "functionally" sharp blade?

-Or do you start them off with a somewhat dull'ish blade and let them work their way up to, or "earn" the right to use a sharper blade?
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What use is a dull blade really? And what bad habits might a child learn with a dull blade which would lead them to cut themselves badly with a sharp knife?

I don't know if a freakishly sharp knife would be a good idea, but any knife should be sharp enough to do the job (the job of a knife is to cut stuff).

Creepo said:
Exactly, nothing freakish a good usable edge.
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Yeah, this is what I am saying!

I don't like dull blades and I wouldn't expect a child to use one - IF they are to have their own knife & use it they will need to learn to handle a sharp blade. If they are going to use a knife it needs to be a knife, otherwise just buy them a spoon!
 
My vote is for functionally sharp. You certainly don't want them to have a dull knife that requires cnosiderable effort to cut with. This will cause mistakes. Because children don't have the same control over their bodies as adults do, it is not unreasonable to assume there will be a slip or two, in which case you don't want it so sharp that they will be losing any limbs :-)
 
I have been mulling this over for some time. I have 2 young sons. I now let my oldest use mine in my presence with constant supervision for simple tasks. All the while going over safety points etc. He is only 5 and it will be a while till he gets his own.
 
Sheepsfoot with a steep edge (they're gonna ding it up anyway).

Sounds like a Busse would be ideal.
 
I feel if I was teaching my kids about knives It'd be a horrible disservice to teach them anything but proper use and sharpening. I learned to use a knife from my father and yes I mad mistakes on my own with it.


all kids cut themselves and do stupid things from time to time that's how they learn. All you can do is instill a little know how and respect of the tools and they learn the rest on their own.


I wouldn't be half the man I am if my father hadn't let me use knives and I hadn't grown up and been in the scouts. I cut myself plenty as a young kid but I remember being so proud of myself when I was ready for my first buck knife.




worth noting I am not saying race out and let 5 year olds use knives without supervision and I feel pretty strongly on silpjoints, simple swiss army knives and other non locking folders as being good tools to teach handling with. I learned with a little slip joint as my first knife experience and I learned a lot about knives that way.
important life lessons like safe gun use, proper knife handling dealing with fire and how to do important things like rope use and knots are things that need to be drilled in from an early age. I wouldn't be surprised if the next generation is unable to tie a square knot or a couple half hitches let alone a bowline. even lighting a fire capably is something most people cant do.
 
rwasham said:
As sharp as you can get it.....they need to realize that a sharp knife is better and safer than one that's dull...it whould also come with sharpening lessons
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I agree. Dull knife serves no purpose. You better teach them right off the bad right way using knife, sharpening and such. Also sheeps hoove is pretty safe knife design but regular ones work too. It all comes down responsible behaviour and teaching safety.
 
Well my logic on this sort of thing is that a child should be able to effectivley maintain any tool they own themselves. If they can put a hair splitting edge on it, then thats how sharp their knife can be. Of course they wont be able to but my point is if they are old enough to learn to sharpen a knife properly, then they are old enough to have a sharp knife.
 
Whatever the factory edge is (unless it's as dull as a butterknife) and then when it dulls they should learn/be taught how to sharpen it.
 
my 8 yo son went into my knife drawer & took the one hes getting for his 10th birthday(a used vic german army knife ) unbeknownst to me. it is sharp but not freakishly so.what would be the point when it will be used to cut rocks & stuff?. Problem was he took it to school to show his mates. Not good. smart enough to sneak it out but not sneaky enough to keep it hidden. Then I'm the one getting a lecture off the principal with words like "expulsion" & "police". Thankfully it didn't go that far.
 
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