How young is too young?

[Bob6794]

Your too young when your not responsible enough.

The age varies as you can imagine. There were definitely people I knew in college who I wouldn't trust with a knife, yet on the other side of the spectrum I wouldn't hesitate to teach some 6yr old's how to use a knife properly. It all depends on the person.

 

[trigga_buddy]

Mine is 3 I told him 7 and he can't tell his mom till 10 lol he has no understanding of time I just can't wait. I got mine about that time I took it out of a storage bin in our basment so dull I couldn't have cut myself if I tried.

 

[BellaBlades]

My parents let me cut up food in the kitchen with real, sharp, knives when I was 2.

That is scary. My daughter just learned how to not poop in her pants at this age. Never thought about giving her a santoku at the table to rock and chop some carrots. Ahhh! She does help me with hand tools and such as any child would with my hands to guide hers. It is amazing how the little ones repeat everything you do. I make sure to keep that in mind all the time. Girls are smart little things.

 

[Jens Schuetz]

My daughter is 4 and owns a baby Kukri. Am I letting it at her disposal 24/7? Nope. She can only take it out when I am around and you can bet I am watching her with eagle eyes when she does.
Its just a tool. She likes it but doesn't make a big deal out of it. When she was 3 we were using an electrical screw driver and other tools together. She likes making things for her mommy and baby brother.
She's pretty responsible and almost beat me at chess today. Gotta take her more serious so that it doesn't happen again for a while.
Would I have given myself a knife at that age? NO. I think I was ready with 7. My son (he is 2) probably also not much earlier. To me it seems girls are just faster learners when so young. At least in our little family. But we will see.

 

[Ztmma]

I grew up with power tools/knives/guns from a very young age and I am very thankful for that. I think teaching a kid how to properly handle tools is a part of growing up, and it teaches them responsibility.

 

[Freman Bloodglaive]

I misunderstood the title of this thread, I was going to say that if you have to ask she's too young.

On what age is too young to own a pocket knife, that's really up to the maturity of the child. There are adults I wouldn't trust with a knife. Provided there is adequate maturity and supervision, I'd say at the point there's enough physical strength to open a slipjoint.

 

[k1ssthecook]

I got a swiss army knife from my dad at 10, however I was only allowed to carry it at family farms and fishing/camping. I read that forum and the young gentleman specifically wanted a spyderco for edc. He already had a crkt and was allowed to keep it at his dads.

I think it depends on the kid, but there should be stipulations to a) protect the kid from themself and b) allow them to earn trust.

 

[The Mastiff]

Every child is different. My son had his own knife collection and used to go with me to, then sometimes work a knife table at gunshows when he was 12-13. He kept the knives in a box up and hidden away for when he had friends over and this was starting at about 8 or 9. I recall him trying hard to talk me out of a Spyderco Ladybug back then. I saw recently he still had it and he's 26 now.

Speaking of being old does anybody else recall them having mini bowie s and jack knife style knives in bubble gum machines for 25 cents? I recall how cheap the knife was. A miniature bowie with sheath and whatever else. I actually sharpened it though it was only "Japanese made junk". Times certainly have changed though kids are capable of being responsible or irresponsible depending on them just like going back to the dawn of time and families.

 

[Windwhistler]

Hey Mastiff,

I remember the 25 cent mini bowies in a little leather sheath. Junk but I remember trading something at Sunday school to my buddy Harold for one once and it took a pretty good edge. Most of mine, and I destroyed one about every two years were from the $1.49 case at the local hardware store. Poor steel and plastic handle but I used it for everything from working on the farm attaching new bailer twine to digging holes out in the yard to bury treasures. Thank heaven I didn't know back then how to throw one successfully or some door in the hay bark would have been a target I'm sure. Never went anywhere in the woods without one and I was in the woods all the time we were not at school!

 

[neeman]

I carried a pen knife to school in my pencil case to sharpen pencils
A one inch blade?
8 years old
The same age I started Cub Scouts?

My girls were allowed to use my knives at about 8 years old

 

[sideways]

Depends on the kid. Some are ready at 5, others aren't ready at 15. It's up to the parents to make that call and follow up that the kids are not doing stupid stuff. I will say that kid have to learn responsibility for their actions somehow. Getting your fingers burned is a good teacher. I'd rather a kid cuts himself with a knife than a chainsaw.

I had access to dangerous things at a young age, probably sooner than I should have. Had a knife at 5, shot a gun (supervised) at 8, used a chainsaw at 10. Drove a car (supervised) at 8. Thinking back I proved many times I was not responsible enough to have them, but luckily no lasting damage was done. I have some ugly scars to serve as reminders though.

 

[mmarkh]

I think it depends on the kid also. Another thing is where they live. If you live on a farm it's a little different than the kid who lives in a city especially as to the types of knives they can carry around with them. There isn't quite as much cutting going on in a townhouse compared to a ranch.

 

[spydercobenchmadekai]

I had access to dangerous things at a young age, probably sooner than I should have.

Me too!

Aside from knives, I used a drill press (alone) at 8, a Dremel at 10, and (of course) I now use all sorts of power tools (bench grinder, jig saw, metal band saw, belt sander, angle grinder, etc.) alone.
I assembled a re-loadable rocket engine at 10, and launched a rocket 4,500 feet at 11. I was building fires in our backyard since around 9, too. As far as camping, I have been going car camping since I was a toddler, and my first backpacking trip was at 5. We're going to Gannet Peak this summer--two 12 mile days in, a few nights there, and two 12 mile days out.

 

[RRaconteur]

Been thinking a lot about this myself of late. Got a daughter turning 7 soon, who is super into doing outdoors stuff with me. I can't even remember my first knife, but I think it was in the 6-8 year old range. She's pretty mature for 6, so I suspect there may be a knife lined up for her birthday (which she'll only have access to when were together and about, for now).