Pseudo Knife

S

Seminarian

Joined
Aug 12, 2006
Messages
11
My son wants to give his own son a knife -SAK type with lots of cool gadgets on it- but doesn't really like the idea of his son hurting himself with the actual sharp blade on the knife. He came up with the idea of actually removing the blade leaving the seven-year-old with a lot of implements that are less likely to accidentally or otherwise cause injury.

Does anybody know if this is done, or if SAKs can be modified without ruining the knife?
 
I received MY first knife at 7 (or 8). There IS such a thing as My First SAK, and I believe that the blades ARE dull.
 
Seminarian said:
My son wants to give his own son a knife -SAK type with lots of cool gadgets on it- but doesn't really like the idea of his son hurting himself with the actual sharp blade on the knife. He came up with the idea of actually removing the blade leaving the seven-year-old with a lot of implements that are less likely to accidentally or otherwise cause injury.

Does anybody know if this is done, or if SAKs can be modified without ruining the knife?
Click to expand...

Removing/adding blades takes some skill. You can wait & see if anyone here posts with some ideas on it, or someone out there may know who can do it for you. Also, depending on the other implements on the SAK, there may still be tools the boy can hurt himself with (scissors, awl, etc.) Cost may be a factor as well. It might be worth it to just buy a cheaper model, and grind the edges off the sharp implements, and save the good knife for when your grandson is older.

A friend of mine ground the edge off of an Opinel knife for his son; It's a good throw away knife, and his son gets to 'work with daddy' with his own knife. I did the same for my son too. :o

thx - cpr

ps - I almost forgot - another option might be the plastic replica SAK knife from Smoky Mountain Knife Works. Apparently they're pretty well made, enough to survive being a kid's toy/tool.
 
when I got my first knife my dad carried it for me, taught me how to sharpen, safety, and all that until I was about 9, and even then I was only allowed to take the knife out of the box when he was around. give the kid a sharp knife, keep it out of reach, and teach, that way someone will be with him he does get hurt, not finding out later that he did something he shouldn't have and got hurt, or worse having the kid hide the injury cuz he thinks he'll get in trouble. then the outcome can be very bad. Let him be responsible while protecting him. but dull blades are no substitute for a teacher. sorry if that sounded rant-ish, I just work with too many kids who's parents won't let them do anything and then wonder why the kids can't think for themselves.
 
I used to play with knives before I was eight but the first knife that was really mine was my Cub Scout folder when I was eight.

I'm a little concerned about someone using a play knife and handling it in a way that would get them cut if it was a real knife.
I was given one of my grandfather's old .22s when I was pretty young, but I wasn't allowed to have a BB gun bacause my folks
thought I would learn unsafe gun handling. I had fun playing with my friend's BB gun. :D But, my folks had a good point.
 
you could always just blunt and dull the blade to the point of being a butter knife. removing the blade would probably leave you with parts, just parts.
 
orca8589 said:
another option might be the plastic replica SAK knife from Smoky Mountain Knife Works. Apparently they're pretty well made, enough to survive being a kid's toy/tool.
Click to expand...

Got a link?

gadgetgeek said:
when I got my first knife my dad carried it for me, taught me how to sharpen, safety, and all that until I was about 9, and even then I was only allowed to take the knife out of the box when he was around. give the kid a sharp knife, keep it out of reach, and teach, that way someone will be with him he does get hurt, not finding out later that he did something he shouldn't have and got hurt, or worse having the kid hide the injury cuz he thinks he'll get in trouble. then the outcome can be very bad. Let him be responsible while protecting him. but dull blades are no substitute for a teacher. sorry if that sounded rant-ish, I just work with too many kids who's parents won't let them do anything and then wonder why the kids can't think for themselves.
Click to expand...

I approve. I had a made in China SAK knockoff when I was that age. I got it taken away from me because I proved I was irresponsible (I threatened a bully with it), but my parents let me PROVE I wasn't responsible. I was still allowed to have it on camping trips.

I sliced my thumb open pretty good with it, too. Guess what? I lived. I also have a scar on my right index finger from when I was a kid that I got camping. I was hammering bottlecaps into the chopping block with the back of a hatchet. I ripped my finger open when I slipped prying them back out with the flathead blade of my SAK (as ordered!) The hatchet (a Cambodian Tire special) was given to me to carry while camping. I never did hurt myself with it in any way.

Man did that cut ever bleed. Didn't hurt until I saw it though.

Parents today need to be reminded that a couple cuts and scrapes, even if they require stitches (mine didn't), won't kill you. I am NOT directing this at you, Seminarian; you seem like you have your head on straight.
 
He's your kid so it's your decision but a dull blade is more dangerous than a sharp one IMO. If the blade won't cut then how can he learn not to do stupid things like grab it, there have been about 1000 threads of the "my friend/neighbor/coworker did this unbelievably stupid thing with my knife" variety. Not to mention a dull knife you must struggle to make a cut.

If you are concerned he's not able to handle a knife responsibly I would say rather than get him some sort of kife-like substitute get him something else and wait until he is more responsible. A knife doesn't come with training wheels and remain a knife. How about a magnifying glass, or inexpensive binoculars, there are any number of cool but safe things.

Again not my kid, not my decision, just my 2 cents.
 
These are Made in a Chinese toy factory, but they are officially licensed from Victorinox, Just the thing for a kid to carry without needing supervision. I bought one for my boy before he turned one. He really liked it, and could even take it to babysitting to show the other kids.

http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/e...nox&list=50&range=1&order=PriceAsc&SKU=V54000

If your kid is seven already, he may be ready for a real knife to be used, or at least handled, with supervision. Here's the "My First Victorinox":
http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/e...rinox&Mode=Text&Brand=&PriceStart=&SKU=V53565

Good Luck!
-Bob
 
For whatever it's worth, I believe that Victorinox's version of "My First Swiss Army Knife" has a blunt point but a sharp edge on the main blade. If somebody is super-worried about a kid cutting himself maybe they could run a file across the cutting edge to thoroughly dull it before issuing it to the youngster. Then later on it could be resharpened when he's been trained in how to use it properly. Just a thought. Victorinox also makes an all plastic toy knife, too. Don't confuse the two.
 
T.K.C. said:
There IS such a thing as My First SAK, and I believe that the blades ARE dull.
Click to expand...
I bought one to mod. There is no point on the blade, its blunt and kinda shaped like a butter knife. However the blade does have an cutting edge, hair shaving sharp actually.
If you don't want a functional knife Victorinox does actually make a Toy plastic SAK. You can get them on ebay.
 
Actually, I believe that 7 is too young for a first knife. Yeah, I know some of
you got a knife that young, but it doesn't mean it was a good idea. I think a
dull blade might convey a sense of false security. If it's too dull to do anything
with, it's essentially a toy and it may as well be plastic. And as MassMatt said,
your son's not likely to learn the proper respect for a knife if he develops
sloppy habits this young.

I can appreciate your being anxious for him to grow up, but he's got time. I
hope you also introduce him to firearms, but I wouldn't want to see you start
him out by buying him a .25 ACP Beretta when he's 15. I personally think the
optimum age for a first knife is 14-15, and then I'd get him a nice knife and
one he can use for whittlin' and Scout use.

Hope you don't mind the opinions.

GSRS4233.jpg


This is what a lot of us remember.

giantknife_ss_3.jpg

And there's always this one.... This is my EDC now.
 
I would go ahead and get him a Swiss Army Knife, one of the simpler models. Not My First SAK -- that won't teach him what a knife is for and what's hazardous about it. Seven is old enough to learn these things under close supervision. As soon as he developes the dexterity to use it safely, and shows a responsible attitude, then you can let him carry it during play hours.
 
Khalnath said:
Got a link?
Click to expand...

Seminarian - see Bob W's post previously for the link; let us know what is decided, I'd like to do something similar to move my son up to another knife. (I'm leaning toward the 'first SAK', linked previously as well.)

Khalnath - thanks for linking that; I haven't done that yet here on the forums. And, I had no idea of the 'first SAK' - that's good info to have . . .

thx - cpr
 
my son is 7 - he'll get his first knife at 8 minimum. depends on the kid. this one I've got is quite responsible...even so, I'd like him to wait a little longer.

the First SAK is quite enticing...nothing wrong with a rounded blade. They wouldn't make it that way if it didn't have its value/purpose. SAK is very user-oriented...even if a bit gaudi sometimes...yes I EDC a SwissChamp XLT. :D
 
Actually, I believe that 7 is too young for a first knife.
Click to expand...
I don't think any age is too young to ~own~ a knife. But ~using~ is a completely seperate question and every kid developes, mentally and physically, at a different rate.

My boy is 18mo old, certainly too young for using a knife. But he has his own collection started and he loves to look at pocketknives - his, mine, or catalog pictures. :thumbup:
 
It all depends on the kid.

I got my first knife when I was in Kindergarten or 1st grade (around 6 years old.) It was a Victorinox Tinker SAK, that I still have to this day.

As long as the child is responsible and taught proper use and respect of a knife I don't think its a great gift he will love and cherish. But if you or your son have doubts in him/his respnsibility level then you should not get it.

My $.02
 
I think the My First SAK is a good option. It has a sharp edge that can bite him if he's not careful (as it should), but the blunted tip should keep him from doing any SERIOUS damage.

7 is probably too young to let him use it unsupervised, but not too young if someone watches him when he uses it. Teach him to make fuzz sticks and the proper way to cut rope/cord. Those are pretty safe activities as far as knives go.

Also, speaking from personal experience, if the pivot gets loose enough that he can roll the blade out with his thumb (probably not a concern on a real victorinox), take it away from him and get him a new knife.

Ow.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top