Knife for a 12-Year-Old's Whittling Projects

raindog308

raindog308

Joined
May 20, 2022
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My daughter has been interested in getting a knife. She's a Girl Scout and has been through two separate knife classes as part of scouting and is very responsible for her age.

We're going camping this summer and she's expressed an interest in trying whittling. She has a Swiss Army Knife Classic SD (pink, with her name engraved, etc.) but that is not appropriate for whittling.

I'm thinking that one of those My First Opinel" knives would be good. They're the No. 7 with a rounded end. I have a zillion knives I could let her use, but I'd like to minimize risk and of course, she wants her own knife :)

Anything else I should look at?
 
It's a damned shame that Ontario quit making the "Journeyman". 😢
 
If she’s 12 and has had a couple of classes already, I think she’s probably ready for something more advanced than My First Opinel. If it were my kid, I might look at something like an Opinel #8 for starters. People keep those things for forever.
 
raindog308 said:
My daughter has been interested in getting a knife. She's a Girl Scout and has been through two separate knife classes as part of scouting and is very responsible for her age.

We're going camping this summer and she's expressed an interest in trying whittling. She has a Swiss Army Knife Classic SD (pink, with her name engraved, etc.) but that is not appropriate for whittling.

I'm thinking that one of those My First Opinel" knives would be good. They're the No. 7 with a rounded end. I have a zillion knives I could let her use, but I'd like to minimize risk and of course, she wants her own knife :)

Anything else I should look at?
Click to expand...

A larger SAK is. I used one for my entire child hood. Nice to have two blades, and maybe even a saw. That's what I recommend.
 
raindog308 said:
My daughter has been interested in getting a knife. She's a Girl Scout and has been through two separate knife classes as part of scouting and is very responsible for her age.

We're going camping this summer and she's expressed an interest in trying whittling. She has a Swiss Army Knife Classic SD (pink, with her name engraved, etc.) but that is not appropriate for whittling.

I'm thinking that one of those My First Opinel" knives would be good. They're the No. 7 with a rounded end. I have a zillion knives I could let her use, but I'd like to minimize risk and of course, she wants her own knife :)

Anything else I should look at?
Click to expand...

First of all, way to go! Major dad points to you!
raindog308 said:
but I'd like to minimize risk and of course, she wants her own knife :)
Click to expand...
If you want to minimize risk, I really like the idea of a small fixed blade for kids. A folder always gives the chance of the accidental finger guillotine. I definitely accidentally closed a knife on my fingers as a kid...

ESEE Izula is a great choice for kids, as is the Tops MSK and Scandi Trekker.

The other thing is that there may be a custom option... bikerector bikerector from Good Knife Company has a batch of "BushBuddy" (formerly pocket woodcrafter) knives about to be made. I don't know for sure, but if you contact him, he's usually very responsive to requests for specific handle materials. Having your daughter pick out exactly which colors/patterns of micarta, or G10 or wood or a really fun Kirinite color pattern or whatever may get her really excited since she's part of the process of not only picking a knife, but getting it made FOR HER! I mean, if she wants her own knife, I can't imagine a cooler experience for a kid than to cruise through the Jantz catalogue and pick out exactly which colors and materials she'd want, rather than be limited to picking a production knife.

My 5 year old has a BushBuddy, and he absolutely loves it. It fits smaller hands really perfectly. Makes a great kid's knife, and is also a great whittler.
 
Schrade Old Timer 10T is ideal (try to find one with carbon steel, not the made-in-China crappy one with stainless steel currently available), or if budget allows, a Boker stockman.
 
raindog308 said:
They're the No. 7 with a rounded end. I have a zillion knives I could let her use, but I'd like to minimize risk
Click to expand...
Rounded end in a whittling knife is a classic mistake, if you really want to teach how to whittle something useful - objects - instead of just making piles of shavings. Puukkos with rounded ends used to be offered here in Finland but they seem have disappeared. And yes, most likely she will cut herself with a sharp tip, hopefully not severely, but in any case that´s the start of a very steep learning curve.
 
I've said it a hundred times, so this will be one hundred and one.... :)

I do NOT recommend getting any kid a non-locking folder. Kids will do stupid things with a knife (usually accidently), and no amount of supervision is quicker than a blade snapping back on your child's fingers.

I would suggest a fixed blade, or a locking folder.
 
shane45-1911 said:
I would suggest a fixed blade, or a locking folder.
Click to expand...
Agreed.

I also tend to shy away from slip joints with kids (especially if they're just starting out. That moment the spring pulls the blade back into the handle can catch them by surprise. I do like the Opinel, and each of my kids has one. Not having a back spring, so that they can easily control the close all the way from start to finish is a big help.
 
Thanks for the Plug 19-3ben 19-3ben

raindog308 raindog308 I did a give away for Memorial Day, a few options might not be a bad choice (mora companion or basic). Not new, but free. I'll clean any one of them up with scotch brite belts so they're presentable since they would be gifts. If interested, just email me at goodknifego@gmail.com or contact me on the forum. No strings attached, no fine print, no purchase necessary. Just free knives because I'm not using them anymore and someone else might have a use.

Memorial Day Give Away 2022

In honor of those who have helped make this country great, I'm doing another give away this year. This time, I want it to be for the next generation of young men and women. Instead of one or two knives, I have a bunch of test pieces and R&D pieces, or just things I picked up at a bargain and...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com
 
I would normally rec a Mora 120 or 122 but they have no hilt in the smooth, round wooden handle.
I also use a Mora Precision. That is a grippy, small, fixed blade knife that is great at cutting wood. Did all my first whittling with that.
 
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