Just bought my daughter her first knife

Good for you, You're a great dad! My dad exposed my brother and I to knives, guns, traps and fishing poles at very young ages. Both of us grew up having a great respect for weapons, nature, wildlife and mankind. There needs to be more dads like you and him out there!
 
Yeah, my sister won't allow me to ever buy my nephews knives. It's sad because they are still married, have a great relationship, and they are very well behaved. I think once they get old enough, they will definitely receive some gifts that their mother frowns on.

My favorite gifts as a kid were the BB guns and every year since age 6 I got a knife for Christmas. By 12 I had a Ka-Bar (Vietnam era). I'm trying to get my giflfriend to buy her first fixed blade, and she is surprisingly on board with the whole idea. Gives me hope for my kids with guns, knives, and engines.
 
My Dad gave my son a 1.5 " folder that he had when he was a kid...back when those type of things came as prizes in grocery store boxes. Then, his mom and I got him a "My First SWAK" when he turned 9...except that we got him the one with the saw on it. I put a convex razor edge on it (hee hee), and he loves it. My son is not very responsible, but he is with that knife. Why? Well, when he as 2 he tripped with a votive candle holder in his hand...Got 2 stitches and there is scar tissue to this day. He knows what sharp things can do, and he respects them. (Now, if he'd just clean his room.)
 
The Wenger Handyman is a great knife, and your right, the other features will be just as fun and handy for her to use as the actual knife!
 
First, how is your Wife handling the giving of the knife.:eek::D

Second, Good Job in being a Dad.:thumbup:
My kids got there Knives at 9 and 10 (at the same time).:)

This is a Gift of trust that your chilren will remember all their Lives.
 
Just as I will Not forget, after you Hand over that Becker Necker to Me, For my Vote for Hillary in 2008.LOL:D:D:D
 
bulgron said:
Yes, I've spent some time showing my kids firearms just to demystify them, but I haven't taken them to a range yet. This is largely because where I live a range is hard to come by (I certainly can't shoot in my backyard). Plus, both my girls seem a little apprehensive at the idea of shooting.

It is my intention to buy a .22 revolver sometime next year (2008) and find a way to introduce my kids to using it. But that's another conversation for another day (with my wife....)
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Just take it nice and slow with the firearms. My recommendation, when they're ready for it, is to get a .22 youth model, bolt action. Make sure it fits them right. Make sure the gun doesn't scare them in any way. I rushed my daughter into using a 20 gauge single shot, and the thing pinched her in some way, giving her a "boo-boo". Still, to this day, I just don't know how she got pinched by it, considering she never opened the action on it to reload. But anyway, just make sure the gun doesn't give them any "boo-boos". My daughter is now gun shy of that 20 gauge, and has never fired it since. I'll probably just sell that thing.
 
I Gave My Girl A Vic Classic W/ Purple Handles At 4. She's 6 Now And Has 3 Fixed Blades, 2 Sak's A Mouse Hawk, And A Third Scale Basket Hilt.all Only To Be Used When Supervised Only. Only One Small Cut So Far.;-)
 
bulgron said:
My wife thinks I'm nuts, is of the opinion that a 9-year-old is too young for a knife, and that only chaos and pain can ensue from giving a kid that age a knife. I pointed out that I got my first knife when I was 9, and though I cut myself a time or two, I certainly didn't end up maiming myself or anyone else with it.
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My kids got their knives when they were 8, they were only allowed to use them under supervision but absolutely no problem. I started with SAK's but since then both have graduated to fixed blades. Actually their taste in knives is expensive, one is getting a Ratmandu in green this Xmas and the other one is expecting his first custom. He ordered it 6 months ago and expects to have next year for his birthday but the truth is that it is already finished and he will receive it for Xmas as a surprise.

I also took both kids to the range and let them shot, and I also take them paintballing so maybe my opinion is not the most neutral one. :D
 
I still own the original folder my father gave me when I was a kid, can't remember how old I was then
 
Good for you teaching the kids how to use basic human tools. I suspect firelighting skills are not far behind.;)

Skam
 
Good job as dad, teaching them to be responsible at this age!
My little one (just 2 years old) knowes about knives.......they are only handled with daddy or mommy. (plastic play knives work very well!)

I already got a BRKT Huntsman, Victorinox First knfie to get used when the age of 5-6 years has been reached.

CZ
 
I think children are safer with potentially dangerous tools like knives, firearms and such than many adults. As long as they are taught the significance of what they are doing in handling such tools, they tend to be very responsible.

I had a 44 magnum winchester lever-action, .22 semi-auto and a single shot 20 gauge at age 9. I knew a single misstep like a lack of muzzle control or bringing a loaded gun into the house would be the absolute and unconditional end of my privilege of handling and keeping my own firearms at such a young age. The desire for adult privileges can be a real strong motivator for responsible behavior.
 
I think that's awesome. My father started teaching me how to shoot a rifle when I was 4. He would pick me up and sit me on a table and tell me how to get in position. He gave me my first knife when I was 5. It was a little lockback that looked like the oldschool Rizutto switchblade. It was obviously a test run to see how I would act with it and if I could keep up with it. He gave me a decent knife when I was 6 and started teaching me how to shoot a handgun. I still have the handgun he taught me with. I plan on teaching my son how to shoot with it when I have one. I also have the rifle he taught me with. Unfortunately, those first few knives are LONG gone. lol

It has always been very important in my family to start teaching edged tool and shooting skills and all of the responsibility and safety that goes along with it at a VERY young age. I did my first rifle competition when I was 7 or 8. My father says that what he remembers most about it was how pissed off I was that I had to use their stupid BB guns and not my rifle. hahaha
 
I got my daisy at age 5. I got a single blade vic sometime shortly after that. I lost it, then found it several years later under the large live oak tree in the back yard, up in which I spent most of my time. It was rusted shut from the elements and by that time I had another knife so I think that first one found the trash. By age 10 I was wandering our property unsupervised with a ruger 10/22. I still have the bb gun some 25 years later- it still shoots as well as any daisy ever did- and my dad still uses the 10/22 for armadillo ellimination duty. I never noticed you could see the bb in the air until much later in life. Many a grackle and sparrow fell victim to that bb gun. The squirrel population has yet to rebound on our property from my days with that .22. I was 12 or 13 when I started deer hunting with my dad, and I remember my mom saying that she would trust me with a firearm over most of the 18+ year olds that she knew. It is not about the age of the child, but the maturity.

My three year old knows that knives are sharp, and that they can cut, and he'll get his first knife when he could have a use for one. He has expressed interest in going deer hunting with me, although I don't know that he really understands what that means. Over the holidays, I hope to teach him about it when we are back at my parents place in Texas. He'll start just like I did, sitting quietly next to dad expectantly waiting the arrival of a deer- but hopefully his dad will be more understanding of the extrememly boring nature of blind hunting, and how a child can get cold sitting still even when it is not terribly cold out.
 
I Think you are right on track. I have 2 daughters (9 & 7). I started both of them off this year with a cheapo chinese SAK ripoff. My youngest lost hers on the first fishing trip with it, good thing it was a cheapie. I then handed down my eldest's to her sister and got my 9 year old a tool logic blade/firesteel/whistle combo because she is more responsible and it still wouldn't hurt if she happens to lose that one. I'm still waiting on my youngest to realize what she has and if she can hold onto her knife for a year then I will get her something with better quality. I have a buck 112 that will probably head her way.
 
I had my first knife at 7. It was a Camillus or Imperial made Boy Scout knife. I used it to whittle a soap bar and then wood when I was a cub scout. I probably carried that knife with me from the time I was 9 or 10 until it was stolen at about 13 and replaced with a SAK Hiker I think. I knew what would happen to me if I misused it, so I never did.
 
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:D
 
I bought my son (10yo) a sak handyman and a fixed blade (srk) and we practice safety and after we do our outdoor chores(camping/fishing/hiking/piddling) clean 'em and we store them into the gun safe , just so he know their is fun to be had but the knife; folder or fixed must be respected as well.
 
Forgot to mention that my son shot my BB gun when he was about 5. I'd load it and pump it. He'd do the aiming (with scope) and shoot it. We'd let him shoot grapes at about 7 yds.
 
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