Projects for a kid

Varga Knives

Varga Knives

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Aug 12, 2006
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I have two daughters and no son. While I love them dearly they are girly girls and really never showed an interest in what many consider "manly" exercises like hunting, fishing, camping, etc. This always saddened me a bit as I think on the times I spent fishing with my dad. Yesterday I was finishing up a sheath and my youngest, who's nearly six, comes to the shop and wants to help! She picked up a wood mock up folder I had made which was apart and put it together using tape and bits of this and that. Completely unfuntional the way she did it but that was fine by me. She was having fun with it and I want to keep encouraging her so do you guys have any ideas on knife projects for a five year old?

Stacy, please move this to Shop Talk if appropriate.

Thanks,
Mark
 
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This is a knife shaped piece of leather with a quick cord wrap for my 3yo.
Does it have to be a knife ? Just making something together is good father-daughter time.

If she has a play kitchen, make a play knife for and with her. Maybe an aluminum of micarta blade with a nice handle.
Just ask her if she can think of something she's like to make with you.

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I like the ideas. I think I'm going to get the Spyderco because my wood knives don't lock!

We do plenty of father / daughter stuff together but it rarely involves my interests. Don't get me wrong, I actually like doing the girly stuff with her because it makes her happy but if I can nurture in her something that I like as well then it's a win win. :)
 
Of course you have to pattern your efforts to the child .They are all different and develop quickly. I was wood carving at 7 ! Guide them don't force them.
 
I have had kids over for BBQs and when they see the forge and ask questions about what it is for, I turn things on and grab a 36" piece of 1/8" round stock. With a little bit of help from me ( wink, wink) we quickly pound both ends into a point, bend the whole thing in a "U", then heat it up and twist it into a spiral handle. Once cooled off, we shape it into a "fork" with pliers and head to the BBQ with a bag of marshmallows and their new "double marshmallow roaster".

Another fun girl's project is making a ring from a coin. Take a coin about the size of a nickel or quarter ( silver is best if you have an old quarter or shilling around, but regular solid coins will work), anneal it, and drill a 1/4" hole in the center *. ( It is a good idea to do a few for practice to get the hang of this project and keep several coins already annealed and drilled out in an old match box or antique tin...ready for young shop guests) Slip a 4" long bolt, through the coin and put on a nut to hold it. Put a wooden "handle" on the bolt ( broomstick or dowel) so the youth, and/or you, can hold things. Place on the anvil and using a light ball peen hammer, start hammering on the edge as you rotate it. It will mushroom out into a wide band with the writing on the inside. Measure her finger with calipers, and stop reducing the coin when the inside of the "lip" is getting close to the size of her finger. Remove the coin from the handle, drill out the center, and file the inside smooth with a round file. Avoid marring the wording on the inside. File until it fits. Sand the outside smooth and buff. Put it on her finger and let her go show all her friends and family...you will be her hero!

Surprisingly, this is also a very popular and good project for teen age boys/girls and Scouts. They are able to hold the coin in their fingers as below, and can do most of the work themselves. I usually do the drilling out of the coin for them once they have hammered it out enough, and let them take it from there with he rat-tail file and sandpaper.

* You normally do the hammering while just holding the undrilled coin between your fingertips and hammering around the edge. The wooden handle works great for younger kids and avoids banged fingertips...especially when you are holding the coin and they are holding the hammer :)
 
That sounds like a great coin/ring project Stacy and I never would have thought of it and I cant wait to give it a try.
 
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