My kid needs his first pocket knife

I was 7, and my first was a Wenger Nomad SAK. I say an sak is a good beginner choice. Maybe a super tinker.
 
I'd go with something you can afford to lose... I lost my first SAK the day I got it. (Dang... still miss that😥) My 10-year-old grandson is getting my Camillus US Military Issue Pocket Knife next month.
 
I got my first knife at 8...
I guess I'm weird; but I've never been a fan of SAKs (until I discovered the Alox Solo a couple years ago - that one is okay). It's easy to recommend a Buck 503; but, if you don't carry anything like that, he might not be thrilled with it.
I'm inclined to agree with the idea of giving him one of yours, if you have something suitable. It will mean a lot to him; and, if he takes good care of it, letting him pick his next one is a good reward. *You could always buy a new knife a little in advance, let him see you using it, tell him how much you like it, then give it to him :thumbsup:...just don't make it a birthday present if you go that route.
 
I got my son a Spyderco Delica. Good hand protection, can be opened with one hand or two, very easy to use and safely designed. Good lock system. I haven't given it to him yet, but he knows about it. He has been asking about it, and he asked if it was like the Hinderer Eklipse I have and I was a bit like LOL no, you are not a Jedi yet, young grasshopper.
 
Spyderco, raven2 ( awesome BD1 blade) or a Byrd meadowlark
my buck 726 ( mini spitfire) is a great knife IMO
all come with a pocket clip and are lite weight
 
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I wouldn't give a child a non-locking folder, as they are likely going to do something dangerous with the knife given enough time with it. Back/mid locks are safe, but can require a lot of force to disengage and might snap shut on their fingers. After giving it some thought, I think an axis lock style knife would be what I would give to a child, if they wanted a folder.

Otherwise, a small fixed blade like a Mora isn't a bad recommendation.
 
marrenmiller said:
I wouldn't give a child a non-locking folder, as they are likely going to do something dangerous with the knife given enough time with it. Back/mid locks are safe, but can require a lot of force to disengage and might snap shut on their fingers. After giving it some thought, I think an axis lock style knife would be what I would give to a child.
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Spyderco lockbacks are pretty mild yet strong enough to keep our fingers safe. Tri-Ad locks are a different story, hehehe.
 
DangerZone98 said:
Spyderco lockbacks are pretty mild yet strong enough to keep our fingers safe. Tri-Ad locks are a different story, hehehe.
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A Spyderco lock back would be pretty good. I've had some that were a bit stiff, so I guess it would depend on the specific model.

I like your recommendation of an endura. I think those are pretty good lock backs.
 
I'd just get a simple SAK, Vic Recruit or Cadet, and possibly a Vic pocket knife sharpener ( I assume he has access to bench sharpener or stones at home) so he can learn the proper use and care of a knife and have a couple of handy tools at the same time.
 
With his parent's permission, I gave my then 6 year old nephew an Opinel number 7 with carbone blade as his first knife.
We (his parents and I) also taught him by example that you don't stab things, and don't cut with the spine. Using the knife properly forces the blade open, not closed.

He's 14 now, has used the Opinel with and without the blade lock engaged. He still has all eight fingers and both thumbs, and has yet to leak any red stuff from using a friction folder, or multi-blade slipjoints.
 
afishhunter said:
With his parent's permission, I gave my then 6 year old nephew an Opinel number 7 with carbone blade as his first knife.
We (his parents and I) also taught him by example that you don't stab things, and don't cut with the spine. Using the knife properly forces the blade open, not closed.

He's 14 now, has used the Opinel with and without the blade lock engaged. He still has all eight fingers and both thumbs, and has yet to leak any red stuff from using a friction folder, or multi-blade slipjoints.
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“He still has all eight fingers” startled me a second 😊
 
marrenmiller said:
I wouldn't give a child a non-locking folder, as they are likely going to do something dangerous with the knife given enough time with it. Back/mid locks are safe, but can require a lot of force to disengage and might snap shut on their fingers. After giving it some thought, I think an axis lock style knife would be what I would give to a child, if they wanted a folder.

Otherwise, a small fixed blade like a Mora isn't a bad recommendation.
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Some of it is teaching. I intend to teach my son to open and close it with two hands first.

We all know that there are 'rules' of knife handling that are really more like 'guidelines,' but I think for a first-time knife carrier who is nine or ten and all thumbs, teaching them to close or open the knife with two hands before they learn to do it with one is a good thing for the same reason I intend to teach him to never cut toward himself now, and maybe talk about draw cut techniques later!

Oddly the reason I started him with a Spyderco is because it can be pinched open or opened with one hand so easily. I had a Buck Squire as my first knife, and a lot of traditional slipjoints. But he chews the hell out of his nails and doesn't have enough nail to open a nail nick slipjoint, so that was a consideration going into what knife I got him in addition to the safety of a locking mechanism.
 
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