My little bro and knives

silenthunterstudios

silenthunterstudios

Slipjoint Addict
Platinum Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2005
Messages
20,020
I gave my 12 year old little brother a Buck Cadet with wood scales/420HC blades, a Vic SAK, I think it was a Super Tinker. I've given him some other ones, including a Bali. I got him a United Cutlery Harley folder, he loves it. Now he wants all kinds of tactical looking folders (gave him my vendor catalogs). I'm trying to steer him towards traditionals, and try to get him to take his SAK or Buck with him when he goes somewhere with me, instead of his Harley folder (sharpened it on a rock, better than his older brother :foot: ). He has a couple Schrades and Ireland folders, from my father, but I have decided to only get him traditionals. Can anyone recommend any patterns and companies that a 12 year old kid would get excited about? He tells all his friends what the spey blade on his stockmans were used for, they laugh like hyenas about that, I guess they'll cringe in a couple years. My favorite traditional pattern is the stockman/cattleman, trying to get him interested in those.

Might get him a less expensive Bark River fixed blade too, but thats another story.
 
Every kid should have a decent scout knife. AG Russell has a nice one, Queen/Schatt & Morgan too.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
I gave my 12 year old little brother a Buck Cadet with wood scales/420HC blades, a Vic SAK, I think it was a Super Tinker. I've given him some other ones, including a Bali. I got him a United Cutlery Harley folder, he loves it. Now he wants all kinds of tactical looking folders (gave him my vendor catalogs). I'm trying to steer him towards traditionals, and try to get him to take his SAK or Buck with him when he goes somewhere with me, instead of his Harley folder (sharpened it on a rock, better than his older brother :foot: ). He has a couple Schrades and Ireland folders, from my father, but I have decided to only get him traditionals. Can anyone recommend any patterns and companies that a 12 year old kid would get excited about? He tells all his friends what the spey blade on his stockmans were used for, they laugh like hyenas about that, I guess they'll cringe in a couple years. My favorite traditional pattern is the stockman/cattleman, trying to get him interested in those.

Might get him a less expensive Bark River fixed blade too, but thats another story.
Click to expand...

Good for you. Don't have anything specific to offer, but Buck has a great selection to choose from & you'll never go wrong with this great American company.
 
It's cool that you're helping your brother along in his interest of knives,but I noticed something. I may be way off base here, but I'm going to say it anyway.

Listen to what your brother's interests are instead of forcing your own interests upon him. Let your brother decide what he really likes.

It may be kind of heartbreaking to you that your brother is leaning more towards the tactical styles, (nothing at all wrong with that) but also.... just think how he feels that his older brother is discouraging him from his own interests.

You may love certain patterns, but he may loathe them, and vice versa. Theres nothing wrong with that.
 
He might like the single blade Copperhead,by Queen.I think it's the 41 pattern.
Or,Bulldog has some real cool colorful celluloid Barlow's.
Vince
 
hey mayor of nubbinsville...
remember how old your brother is and remember the sorts of thoughts that go through the heads of twelve year olds. nothing against them, but they are often more impressed with flashing lights and fast motion.

he will most likely in a few years start leaning more towards the classic styles as he realizes how much more practical they are.

just keep supporting his love of knives (showing him how easy it is to cut thing with your knife while he struggles with his...) and he will eventually (probably) lean over to the traditional side.

good job with your little brother by the way...
 
How about the Case russlocks?

they always seem to get a few "wows!" out of people when I show them how they open...

Might appeal to the younger set...
 
Kids that age, and some older ones, have a sort of "I know better" feeling, I know I did. I remember my father sticking to his Böker slipjoints and SAKs while I explored all sorts of new stuff, he did what I think is the right thing: he just made sure that I got quality gear.

If he wants to try tactical knives for a while, don't fight it, just make sure that he gets good ones and teach them as much as you can about maintainance and safety. He might get curious about traditional patterns later on in his life. That's what happened to me, I'm 24 and I went from assisted openers and super stainless steels back to a carbon steel slipjoint and fixed blade. I remember a time in my teens when I thought that the SAKs that had served me so well weren't real knives, no I'm never without a SAK.

He might just stick to tacticals for the rest of his life, the important thing is for him to know that there are other options and to learn to value quality in whatever sort of knife he chooses to use.
 
Hey there Silenthunterstudios,

Great feedback thus far, especially the last three or four posts had some stellar ideas and advice!. The only two things I would add is that:

(1) A 12 year old kid is going to want something more like a tacticool to show off to his other 12 year old friends, at least subconsciously. Go with it for now. Sooner or later he will come around when he figures out it does not have to be cool as much as it has to cut well. Like Franciscomv said, make sure he gets solid gear. And I would add to show him the proper methods of sharpening a safety and the like.

(2) Another idea I would suggest is easing him in to traditionals by way of fixed blades. I never met a kid who did not love to hold, wear and use a fine fixed blade with a good sheath.. Perhaps something like a medium size Bowie or decent drop point hunter with a bone, pretty grainy wood or stag handle. Once he gets to appreciate the beauty of Gods own earthly natural material, it will be an easy transition from there to traditional slippy's.

Just my .02 cents worth and great job caring for your younger brother this way!:thumbup: :cool:

Blessings,
Anthony
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top