Hello bryant R. The Mastiff has a good point. Also don't rush it, you need to be able to show your mom you are mature enough to handle knives as well as money. Explain to her the differences in the knives (and tools they can be used as) whether they are fixed, folding etc, show her catalogs or internet sites, this one is an excellent choice with the amount of information she can receive here. It can be overwhelming especially if she is seeing a lot of different knives not knowing their intentions. She is probably concerned with your safety as well as your bank account. Hope this helps, take care.