Need advice: A boy's first knife?

F

farmboy

Joined
Aug 31, 1999
Messages
731
You guys have been great about advice so far. Following somone else's lead, I purchase a CRKT m16-03 that has more than exceeded expectations. I have an 11 year old son that wants to buy a 1st time hunting/camping knife. He has been saving his allowance and bottle money, and wants to spend between $25.00 and $30.00. Before I found this place, my suggestions would have been Ka-Bar, Buck or Schrade, but now I believe that there may be better options. Any ideas?
 
My first knife was a small folding shrade.Of course i was about 7,and i guess your son is a little more mature than i was.For a camp knife you cant go wrong with a smaller fixed blade.IMHO a ka-bar is a little big for an 11 year old.On top of that i wouldnt trust myself with a razor blade that big.Maybe thats just me....
And if you do get a fixd blade PLEASE make sure that the sheath is high grade leather or even kydex.Ive had some expeiences with cheap leather.

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cuz everybody should have a blade
 
Thanks, Maurice, it sounds like you have a great start! Just to clarify things, the Ka-Bar I was referring to is the stacked leather handled hunter that they have available. I believe it is the model #1232, but I may have it wrong. A good folder is not out of the question, so any thoughts in that arena would be welcomed as well.
All the best,
farmboy
 
There are all kinds of things he should look into.
One thing that comes to mind is a gerber gator in ATS34. Its a pretty big lockback with a drop point blade that has a good amount of belly(curve) to it. It should be pretty good for skinning small to meduium game and doing general utility. It has a big grippy kraton handle that would give you a sure grip wet or dry, and ATS34 is good stuff when heat treated properly.
Pretty much any lock back made by buck would be good. They have some that are a little smaller which may be easier for your son to use depending on how big he is.
Schrade has a good reputation but I didn't really like either of the two schrade knives that my dad and brother had. One was carbon steel and wouldn't take an edge, the other was stainless and took an edge but was extremely thin and flimsy.
For fixed blades you can get scandinavean knives for very good prices. Most of them have carbon steel blades, I think there are some available in stainless also. The carbon steel knives I have are unbeleivably good for the price (about $10 each). They sharpen up easily to a good edge and hold it for quite awhile. You can look at them at www.chaicutlery.com .

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It'll feel better when it stops hurting.

[This message has been edited by Matt Shade (edited 08-20-2000).]
 
I agree with Matt on the Scandinavian knives. Many of them are just over the line on price, but a great bargain, anyway. However, some of them are well within your price range:
http://www.chaicutlery.com/moraknives.html

Frosts of Sweden and KJ Eriksson, both located in the town of Mora, Sweden, sell some very inexpensive knives.
http://www.chaicutlery.com/norwayknives.html

All the way down toward the bottom of the page, check out the Balder and the Trollungen.
 
I'd recommend a Buck 110 or 112. Even if it's a little bit over his price range, it will be a knife that will take all the abuse he can give it and still be around when he has an 11 year old son.

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Jason aka medusaoblongata
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"I have often laughed at the weaklings who call themselves kind because they have no claws"

- Zarathustra
 
Since you're already impressed by CRKT products, you might consider their BIG SKY HUNTER fixed blades.

They are inexpensive and come in various fishing/hunting guises.

I don't think there is anything wrong with an 11 year old having either a folder or fixed blade as long as he is responsible.

When I got a my first knife at about 9 or 10, I made sure I kept it in the tackle box and never took it school. Nobody had to tell me this. I just took it upon myself to be responsible at that age.

It's later in life that I became irresponsible; and I've never looked back!
wink.gif
 
Hello All,

Farmboy - A boys first knife takes a heck of a lot of abuse as he learns how to use and sharpen it.

For a fixed blade I would suggest looking at a CRKT MDP Stiff Kiss for general camping and utility use.
The Mora knives are also excellent for this purpose.
I would not worry too much about stainless steel for a first knife - ordinary carbon steel is good, sharpens easily, and will teach your son how to care for a knife.

For a folder I would suggest looking at one of the Swiss Army Knives - They are also good for camping use.

My first knife ( at about 8 or 9 years old), was a cheap unlockable folder with a blade a bit longer than 2 inches, - I used to cut myself regularly with it, come to think of it I still cut myself regularly
biggrin.gif
biggrin.gif
.

Hope this helps you to decide.

Regards.
 
Try a SAK Adventurer (24.99) or a Rucksack (29.99) both have locking blades and nifty tools. My first knife like most other peoples was a SAK and it took a beating until I lost it in the woods. ( No fancy locking swiss army knives when I was younger)

p.s

If you/he does chose a SAK make sure it's not an imitation because they fall apart.


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Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn my god do you learn.
C.S. Lewis

[This message has been edited by King Tut (edited 08-23-2000).]
 
I'd go with a Schrade 3-blade stockman model. They come in various sizes and are moderately priced $10-20.

Also, I'd recommend an Old Timer. OTs are carbon steel. If he doesn't care for it properly, it'll rust. That's a great model object lesson for a youngster, IMHO.

Also, buy him a sharpening stone/kit and teach him how to use it properly.

Good luck!

Mike
 
I think that the SAK Tinker is the ideal "first knife" for a youngster.

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The thorn stands to defend the Rose, yet it is peaceful and does not seek conflict
 
There's nothing wrong with any of the suggestions here, including your son's chioces, and it is his money. Let him buy what he likes, it's his first knife and we all know it won't be his last.

If it was me doing the buying for my son, it would be a slip-joint SAk. The reason, I'd want him to learn to use a folder properly and not depend on a lock, to keep the blade from closing on his fingers. I also agree with Mike, about getting him a stone at the same time, it's never too early to learn care and maintenance of his knife. For his first fixed blade, I'd wait for his birthday and get him a handmade. I just saw a small hunter with stag handle at Bladeart.com, by David Manley, for $80, now that would be a keeper.

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"Will work 4 Knives!"
My PhotoPoint Site
 
The Buck Barlow really strikes my fancy as a first knife. Down here in the South, a barlow is a pretty traditional first knife, but many are poor quality. Not the Buck! Your lad is fortunate to have someone like you to introduce him to the world of sharp things, as my Dad did for me.

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AKTI Member #A000934
"Always just one knife short of perfection!"
 
I gave my two older kids some of the smaller Old Timers as they sharpen up nicely and the rust potential is a good teacher about tool care. I've also since given them some Swiss army knives, and my son received an older Gerber multi-tool for Christmas. The kids have fun making chips with the Old Timers and I enjoyed helping my daughter to use hers more effectively when making a project out of a cardboard box. My wife gave our youngest a 'safe knife' for kids, which has a blunt tip and a saw like serrated edge. They ask about fixed blades once in awhile, and I'll give them some Mora knives sometime.
 
How about one of the KaBar fixed blades with the 5" blade? Not sure what price it is, though. Or go with an Old Timer Stockman. 1095 is a great steel! Does the little guy want a folding knife or fixed blade??? SMKW has a bunch of knives in his price range. Some are good, others are POS.
 
For a first knife I would actually recommend a multitool. A Gerber gator is also a good first choice and is in the price range. My first was a German Kat knife and I beat it up pretty good.

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SSgt Christopher Wardlow
USAF Security Forces
425th ABS Izmir Turkey
 
email me please...you son will get a new knife from Camillus soon! Sierra, medium in his choice of plain or serrated! I just need your snail mail addy!
 
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