Son's first real knife.

Bigfattyt

Bigfattyt

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So, a while ago, I bought my 6 year old his first "real" knife.

I got him a GEC made Schrade trapper for Christmas. (I have one, and bought a matching one for my 6 year old and my 2 year old for when he is older).

Well, my son could not come close to opening mine, so I held off on giving it to him.

I have been thinking about getting him something like a small Sodbuster (he can open my large AG Russel).


Today, at the sporting goods store, they had some small Opinel #7's hanging up.

Perfect!

I bought one for me to play with and one for him. Perfect knife for a little guy. He has been practicing opening and closing it. Nice. No snap closed to worry about pinching and cutting his tiny fingers, and no half stop jump.

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The best part, is that the carbon steel blade is ground nice and thin. A real slicer.
(and letting him be responsible with a $12 knife is better than handing him the $60 Schrade trapper to loose).

He chose the red bone (but I will just keep it safe till he can open it).
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Sounds like it could not have worked out better. Thanks for sharing that with us Big T.
 
We were playing in a waterfall, and he took the initiative to take it out of his pocket, and hand it to his aunt, who was watching (in case he fell in the water.......which of course, he did!).

I will post some pics of that later, when I upload them from my phone.
 
First folding knives for all my kids have been opinels. I recommend them to my cub scout parents as well. They're easy to open, lock, cheap, and you can engrave a name into the handle. They sharpen up easily and cut well. And when they rust, it teaches the child not to let it stay wet.

Though it's not as socially accepted, the first knives I got my children were Mora #440 sports knives. They're smallish fixed blades, come if four colors, and have a guard. It's been my experience that fixed blades are significantly safer than even locking folders.
 
That is so very neat to see, a young traditionalist beginning his journey!
Great shots of a great kid there :thumbup:
 
well done!

My dad gifted me my first knife at about that age. He took me out to Batangas to get me a brass and jade balisong. You never forget that first knife.

I can't wait til my kids are at knife-toting age.
 
Congrats to your son,:thumbup: that takes me back as I'm currently cleaning up my first knife, an Imperial Barlow.

I didn't know about Opinels when I gave my sons their first knives, so they received BSA logo'ed SAK's after receiving their Totin' Chip in Cub Scouts. Of course my older son lost his, but by then he had other knives ;)

I've been thinking of a #7 or #8 for everyone in the family. I'd like to give them to all my Boy Scouts too but have to see if the committee will spring for the cost, I can't afford to do it myself right now (24 Scouts).
 
He looks to be about the age I got started around 7. To me Opinel is a good choice for a yonker in a single bladed knife and the #7 and 8 are my personal favorites; looks like you did good:thumbup:!
 
IMO the carbon Opinel is the perfect first knife, inexpensive, locking, no snap, carbon (to teach kids to take care of their stuff), useful, lightweight, and one important but often overlooked feature- they lock closed. I remember one time I had a knife with very little detent (not a traditional) open up in my cargo pocket and stab me in the leg while going over a log on a hike with the scout troop. Vowed then and there that if I hever have kids their first knife will be one that locks closed.
Good choice, nice kid, and may many happy memories be made together with that knife!
 
Great write-up and pictures, and excellent knife choices.

I love the expression on your son's face throughout. I'm guessing Dad is looking pretty happy right now, too. :-)

~ P.
 
He really looks happy with the knife in his hands. A knife always belonged to our standart-setup for the day, when we were in his age. In germany it´s called "To a young lad belongs a pocketknife" (Zu einem Knaben gehört ein Taschenmesser) ;)

I also think, an Opinel is a very good knife for the first one. No snaps, carbon steel blade, natural handle material, easy locking and unlocking and so on... I´m sure, it will serve him very well.

Thank you posting this here on BF :)

Kind regards
Andi
 
Great pictures. My son is now 15, and I still remember his first knife. It was an older Camillus Scout knife. IIRC, he was about 9 when I gave it to him.
That was the start of his love of knives
 
That's awesome! You're son will forever remember his first knife.
 
Bigfattyt said:
So, a while ago, I bought my 6 year old his first "real" knife.

... Today, at the sporting goods store, they had some small Opinel #7's hanging up.

Perfect!

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That's super cool, Bigfattyt! :thumbup:

Not to get all philosophical, but I think this type of "rite of passage into manhood" is a great thing. Society has too many boys walking around in men's clothing. The beginning of a boy's transition into manhood is something worth commemorating and acknowledging. When my lad is old enough and it's time to give him his first knife, I intend to have a conversation with him, and talk about what it signifies, that it's more than simply a toy -- certainly -- but also more than just a tool.

-- Mark
 
mnblade said:
That's super cool, Bigfattyt! :thumbup:

Not to get all philosophical, but I think this type of "rite of passage into manhood" is a great thing. Society has too many boys walking around in men's clothing. The beginning of a boy's transition into manhood is something worth commemorating and acknowledging. When my lad is old enough and it's time to give him his first knife, I intend to have a conversation with him, and talk about what it signifies, that it's more than simply a toy -- certainly -- but also more than just a tool.

-- Mark
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Yes, being a man is having the ability to cause harm around us if we want or need to but using or harnessing that energy to do good and be productive. In war that ability is necessary but even there needs to be properly directed and controlled to do anything useful. You see grown men acting like children doing harmful things to themselves and others and being big babies when they are held accountable. There are also boy aged men who see the right thing to do and act accordingly. Raise your boys and girls well if you have kids and if not do what you can to encourage the kids of family and friends to learn their limits and be helpers.
 
You might want to show him the Opi table tap. Sometimes they close up so tight it's difficult to access the nail groove or they just get a little stuck, particularly if they've been in a pocket for a while or the wood has swlelled slightly. Trying to open it using force alone can be a little dangerous. A judicious rap on the table with the "Fish tail" exposes enough of the blade to open it safely 2 handed.
 
parbajtor said:
You might want to show him the Opi table tap. Sometimes they close up so tight it's difficult to access the nail groove or they just get a little stuck, particularly if they've been in a pocket for a while or the wood has swlelled slightly. Trying to open it using force alone can be a little dangerous. A judicious rap on the table with the "Fish tail" exposes enough of the blade to open it safely 2 handed.
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I will have to show him that.
 
I started my son with an Opinel for exactly the same reason!

Perfect knife for that.
 
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