Recommend a first knife for my son

J

Jaundice

Joined
Jun 4, 2006
Messages
51
Last night my son expressed interest in a knife I just received in the mail. He's never done that before. I picked up a very small Sears Craftsman muskrat that I've had for a few years, and showed him how to safely open and close it. It reminded me of when my Dad gave me the same lessons on a similar Sears Craftsman knife. I gave him a little lesson on the value of tools, and that we treat all tools with respect.

My son just started kindergarten, and I'm thinking he's just about old enough for a knife of his own. He's not quite old enough to carry it around unsupervised. I figure I'll keep it, and when he wants it to cut something, I'll give it to him to use. After a while, as he shows more responsibility, I'll let him have more free reign with it.

So, what knife to get him? Although my first knife was a non-locking folder with three blades, I think I would prefer a knife with a single, locking blade. I would like one VERY small, since my son's hands are small. I would also like a blade with a fingernail groove. I would prefer stainless, but carbon steel is okay. I would prefer a US made knife, but it's not a deal killer. Also, I'd like a knife that's inexpensive. My guess is that he'll lose this knife, and I don't want to spend more than $30-35.

So far, I've looked at the Buck Gent, but I would prefer a slightly longer blade, maybe 2.5 inches. I like the metal handle.

Is there anything else out there that I should consider?

Thanks,

-John
 
Maybe a stockman like you had for your first? My son just started kindergarten, too, and loves my knives. I have a few stockmans I inheirited from my father in law, who I never met, unfortunately, and I plan on one of them being his first.
 
i would suggest a swiss army knife as well. that was my first knife when i was 5 also. quickly got bumped up to a buck 110 :) but it was still a great little knife for me at the time. idk what exact model it was but i dont think you can really go wrong with any of them. just search through whats available and pick one you think would fit the criteria you listed
 
or as i got when i was little,

My first knife, a vic pocket pal. little knife that is excellent for teaching the responsibility of carrying a knife, though be sure to teach him how to close a slipjoint with two hands. great penknife that will last a good long time.
 
Start him on a slipjoint. My vote goes to SAK as well.

If you really want a one hand opener with a lock, check out Spyderco Dragonfly.
 
Bimmer1 said:
I always thought the Spyderco Ladybug was a good starter knife.
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Me too but I'm afraid it maybe a bit too tactical. The agressively sharp thumb ramp is great in the sabre grip for SD but not so for a Kindergardener.
 
I think a Victorninox Spartan is the way to go. It is the one on the right:

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Another vote for the SAK Spartan. The tinkerer model is also a good choice I think. It has scissors (so that he does not have to use the main blade all the time) and a magnifying glass (so that your son can burn some ants). :D
 
My first knife was an older model victorinox minichamp my grandfather bought me in a military surplus store. My vote would be for a buck 55 or 112, i love my buck 110. Or get him a small fixed blade.
 
a 14" custom tactical bowie....I kid I kid...I think any small vic'nox would be appropriate here and get him sufficiently fired up without you having to worry about whether or not he can manipulate the locking mechanisms, etc.
 
Strider...and a Sebenza. That way he can learn early which knife to use for answering forum questions ;)

I got a trainer for my boys. Once they demonstrate respect for that, I will take them shopping for a live blade. (seriously)

There is a whole different set of lessons these days vs when I was getting my first blade.
 
Thanks, everyone, for the great suggestions! The list is comprehensive, and I'll have to give it some thought. At this point, I'm leaning towards a Buck 55, although you guys have got me leaning toward a slipjoint or a Victorinox. The issue is that I had a small slipjoint, but I remember having the blade close on me a couple of times (no cuts). Maybe that's an important lesson to learn early on?

Ronindan said:
Another vote for the SAK Spartan. The tinkerer model is also a good choice I think. It has scissors (so that he does not have to use the main blade all the time) and a magnifying glass (so that your son can burn some ants). :D
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No, seriously, those are important considerations! My second and third knives, which I still have today, are various Victorinox knives with both a magnifying glass and scissors. Those were great, although from personal experience, water skeeters are more satisfying. They give more of a burnt steak smell than ants!

I think that I want to keep it simple at first, and get a dedicated knife, to focus on safe knife-handling skills. We'll be in Cub Scouts in a year, and then we get into the fun Victorinox tools! Man, I loved those when I was a kid!

Also, thanks for the clarification. I definitely want a two-hand opening knife to show two-hand opening and two-hand closing.

-John
 
unit said:
I got a trainer for my boys. Once they demonstrate respect for that, I will take them shopping for a live blade. (seriously)

There is a whole different set of lessons these days vs when I was getting my first blade.
Click to expand...

I thought about getting a trainer, like you did, but my concern is that a knife will become a toy, rather than a serious tool demanding respect. I go back and forth on that, since maybe it's good that a kid gets all the "playing" done before he gets a real knife.

As for your second point, too true! I'm not that old, but when I was a small kid back in the '80s, it was just before today's PC hysteria really set in. I'm lucky to have lived in those days, even if just for a little while.

-John
 
I was born in 88, and when my dad worked at a manufacturing plant he needed tools on the job for fixing powder paint machines and such. My mom bought him a leatherman supertool and he had that thing on him everyday, always used it. Camping, fishing. I remember one time walking down a path at the end of our road and a tree had fallen across it, i believe it was the first day he had it, we cut the top of the tree off so people could get by. Someone stole it while he was on the job in hartford for drug money he was later told from someone who heard word. I gave him mine and it stays in his truck now. I want to get him a the new 300 but i don't have that money right now. He broke the saw and i chipped the end off the knife, but made it into a chisel/fine screw driver.
 
why don't you give him one of your old lock backs??


I gave my son an old sharp I had since I was 12, I gave it to him a year ago and he'll be 7 Oct..

Supervision is a must as he's taken the knife which stays on his dresser into the bathroom to cut something unsupervised and cut his finger.. My wife has never been found of the whole idea..

good luck.....
 
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