Son's 12th B-Day which Spyderco?

Z

zippin44

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Aug 13, 2007
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My son has a Camper Swiss Army knife, but I know he'd really like a Spyderco for his 12th birthday next week. I was thinking Delica - good full grip, usable blade but not too big. Don't want to spend a lot of money since there's always the chance he'll lose it. Delica is kind of plain tho. Anything else come to mind?
 
When I was 12 I was a terror on anything that could be disassembled (still am sort of) and looking at the stainless Delica it would have been ideal (for me anyway) seeing as it's riveted.
That and I know KnifeWorks can put an engraving of your choice on the handle of this one would make a pretty cool personalized gift for his first.
 
I would be thrilled if someone gave me a Delica...at any age! You could always get it in his favorite color to liven it up.

I like the Dragonfly a lot. It's a little big knife. The manbug is cool and very capable too.
 
No doubt, Spydies are expensive. That's why I figured I'd ask around for alternatives. Honestly, I don't even want to look because I haven't bought a knife for well over a year, and just looking for 10 minutes I see stuff I want already. OY!
 
A couple of other options you might consider:

Spyderco UKPK: Slipjoint that is US made. Not a hard use knife but a little cheaper than a Delica. I had one and I liked it.

Spyderco Tenacious: A lot of bang for the buck. A guy at a pawnshop I went to recently carried one and I decided to pick one up for myself. Chinese but it offers a lot of bang for the buck.
 
Delica all day. Great first knife.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
My 11yr old son has a Delica. It wasn't his first knife, but it was his first Spyderco! :)

I have a purple Dragonfly 2, NIB, waiting for my daughter to turn 8..
It's when I got my first knife, it's when my kids started/getting started...

My son's been handling my knifes, from a young age.
I got my daughter a wood DF2, so she's use to it, when she gets her real one.

Can't go wrong with either!
 
Nothing wrong with the Delica and Dragonfly suggestions!

My daughter keeps telling me she wants a Spyderco when she's older :)
 
Yeah, I agree on the Delica. One other option would be a Salt 1. Almost the same handle as the Delica but with a tougher easier to sharpen steel. Blade shape also has a fatter tip. Between all that and the linerless fully corrosion proof build, the knife is nearly indestructible. I also think a "Salt" knife might seem a bit more adventurous to a 12 year old boy. :D PE H1 doesn't have the best edge retention out there but your son has to learn to sharpen too. H1 is a pretty easy place to start.
 
Surfingringo said:
Yeah, I agree on the Delica. One other option would be a Salt 1. Almost the same handle as the Delica but with a tougher easier to sharpen steel. Blade shape also has a fatter tip. Between all that and the linerless fully corrosion proof build, the knife is nearly indestructible. I also think a "Salt" knife might seem a bit more adventurous to a 12 year old boy. :D PE H1 doesn't have the best edge retention out there but your son has to learn to sharpen too. H1 is a pretty easy place to start.
Click to expand...

This. Nice and worry free.
 
A Delica or a Salt 1 would be perfect. The Delica can be had in his favorite color, more than likely.
 
I've had a Spyderco for some time waiting to be given to my daughter once she's old enough. She's 8 now, and ever since she squeee'd at the pink Native, I've had it sitting in a box until she's... level-headed enough.
 
+1 to the Salt 1 - it's a great place to start. For a couple value alternatives, since you are worried it might get misplaced, have a look at the byrd meadowlark, or the recently discontinued spy-dk, a decent slip joint which is just discontinued and can be had for a good price...
Good luck!
 
My son always had access to my cheaper knives, but when we joined a hunting club (he was 12), I bought him a Delica to carry. He, as most boys tend to be, was terrible about losing or destroying most everything if I did not keep watch, but he absolutely loved his Delica and kept it 'til he flew the nest. For holidays I would often buy him other knives to broaden his horizon, but he kept carrying the Delica.
 
I really like the UK Pen knife for kids. I am a member of 120 or so local families who chose to homeschool their kids. I started giving knives to kids in the group about 10 years ago. I give to every kid in the group at some point between the ages of 10 and 14. I used to give a Case Sodbuster to them. At some point I switched to Spyderco's UK Pen knife. I think it is an excellent knife to learn and grow with. Out of dozens of kids that I gave knives to only 2 came back and asked how to sharpen.
 
I like the Native or Aqua Salt if you're open to fixed blades, one of my first knives was fixed, little harder to lose too
 
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