What age?

[LuckyC]

I gave my kids (2 boys and 1 girl) SAKs (some have locking blades); KA-BAR Dozier Folding Hunters; and Mora knives. I chose useful inexpensive stainless knives for them. Have the safety talk with them. Give them tasks to perform with their tools under supervision when you are cooking or building a campfire so they learn to use them responsibly. Well done, it sounds like you are doing it right.

 

[pholder]

ANY quality lock....just avoid non-locking slipjoints and SAKs.

I wouldn't worry about steel for a first knife. Chances are the knife will end up being used to try to cut all kinds of things that knives are not made to cut. Don't buy junk, but avoid expensive supersteels for now.....

I am in the other camp, no lock, not even a quality one . Teach them how to use a non locking knife properly. Teaching them how to use locking knives first is not teaching them anything

 

[VorpelSword]

Ultimatly it is your call as the parent.

My opinion (and you have asked for input):

Eight years old is pretty young, but a kid can have a knife given with the understanding that he may only use it (or even hold it) with your supervision. A child that young may think its OK to bring it to school or just explore what it will cut around the house. . . .so he needs guidance from you as his father.

Same for the older boys, but with recognition that knife ownership and use are opportunities to demonstrate their maturing judgement and sense of responsibility. . . .with the sure knowledge that knife privileges may be revoked for a demonstrated lack of same.

 

[Crag the Brewer]

I gave my daughter a Becker BK62 when they first came out. I think she was 10?
It's a great first knife.


If money is more of a concern, I saw someone earlier mention Victorinox knives. Some of their paring knives are pretty awesome, and CHEAP.
I've thought about pressing some kydex for a few as gifts.

 

[jbmonkey]

sak. every child should learn safe cutting practices without knife locks.

gave my boy a sak for first knife as a young boy. he has a kabar short and a Buck 110 now. prefers his sak for the tools and he can use it safely cause I taught him.

your call, but every child should learn how to cut safely with a slip joint and non locking folder....

 

[ginshun]

For what it's worth, generations of kids have grown up and learned to use knives with scout knives and SAK's, so I wouldn't be too focused on making sure that you get something with a lock. More whittling is probably done with a slipjoint vs any other knife. A SAK will hold up just fine to whittling sharp sticks. It will need to be sharpened at one point, but knowing how to sharpen a knife is part of owning a knife. Teaching the child the rules and how to safely use a knife is way more important than getting them any specific knife or making sure the knife has a good lock. There is also the logic that getting them a locking blade will allow them to learn to use a knife in ways that they shouldn't, i.e. abad habits and doing things and using the knife in ways that cause them to rely on the lock to hold the knife open, rather than focusing at using it correctly. There is really nothing that an 8 year old should be doing with a knife, that they can't safely do with a slipjoint. Just my opinion, take if for what it's worth.

And honestly all the suggestions that I have seen on here are good ones for a first knife, so I am not poopoo'ing anyone else's suggestions.

For a good set of rules, ones that have been thoroughly field tested, I would look to the Boy Scouts. Couple of my kids were scouts and I have watched a lot of inexperienced kids using knives. These rules work.

See this link: http://usscouts.org/advance/cubscout/whittlingchip.asp

Once a Cub Scout (so starting at 5 or 6 years old) knows these rules and completes these requirements, they are allowed to carry a knife during campouts and use a knife as they please, as long as they are following the rules and being safe. They are guidelines that are just as valid outside of scouting as in.

Regardless of what kind of knife a kid uses, if they use it a lot, they are bound to cut themselves. It's unlikely to be anything that is life threatening or causes permanent damage. When it happens, show them how to correctly bandage it and talk about what they did wrong. Natural consequences are a powerful learning tool, so try not to be too worried about them or make too big of a deal.

Good luck!

 

[Knives&Lint]

I see the argument both ways. I started with SAK's, was just given them and left to roam free with them, and learned how to safely use (and how to not use them more importantly) by definitely having them snap shut on me when I was using them improperly a few times (small bites, nothing major). Not a method I would suggest, but that's just how it went.

Hell, just within the past year or so my wife cut herself with a classic while trying to free her debit card from the slot in a parking garage when it got stuck . I asked her why she didn't just use the file with no sharp edge she said she didn't realize it was there.

I will say that when it was time for my eldest to graduate to a locking knife, we tried a few and found the AXIS to be the best choice. It's intuitive, fairly easy to operate which helps prevent surprise snapping shut during the learning process (she also suffered from juvenile arthritis btw), and it's a design that keeps fingers out of the way while closing. Ambidextrous as well, and she just happens to be a southpaw. I also had my son (2 years younger) try the same when the time came, and he too gravitated towards the AXIS.

To answer the OP, however, I'd say it's more dependent on the individual child than a particular age.

 

[Steely_Gunz]

My daughter's first knife was a SAK at about 10 as a Christmas gift. The following autumn we stopped off at Smokey Mounty Knife Works while traveling through TN, and I let her pick out whatever she wanted (within reason). She looked at a lot of "pretty" but mostly crappy cheap slip joints. After some questions being answered and a walk around the building, she landed on a Leatherman Free T2. Had some tools and a nice size blade that locks. I still buy her SAKs and she still carries them from time to time, but she's 12 now. She's more into makeup than bushcraft. I knew the day was coming. However, she knows how to use a knife and appreciates the small clutch of tools that can help augment her imagination to solve problems.

 

[Wild Willie]

Started working with my boy at 5 with slip joints. He's 9 now, still have to set him straight on occasion, but he's done alright for the most part. We did have one minor emergency room visit, but it was a lesson learned.

 

[BlindMouse2of3]

I gave my daughter a Becker BK62 when they first came out. I think she was 10?
It's a great first knife.


If money is more of a concern, I saw someone earlier mention Victorinox knives. Some of their paring knives are pretty awesome, and CHEAP.
I've thought about pressing some kydex for a few as gifts.

I did kydex for a couple of the victorinox paring knives. Love those things

 

[NG VI]

Thought about that, he's already got a multi-tool in his tackle box. I'm just not sure a SAK will stand up to making hot dog sticks / pointy sticks for everybody we meet. And they don't lock open which is a concern.

Mora makes a few different knives aimed at novice users, children, those in extremely risk-averse settings who still need an edge. Victorinox also makes a blunt-tipped starter SAK, but being a slipjoint I have a hard time suggesting that for a child that young. Their polished finish is great and their backsprings are pretty ok, which can allow a person with lower fine grip strength to make a painful mistake a lot easier than a knife that doesn't try to close itself the rest of the way every time it folds.

 

[The Grendels]

There have been several threads about this already, and I have said this in every one of them....

Kids will do stupid things and no amount of supervision is quicker than a blade snapping back on a kid's fingers. Get a LOCKING folder, or a fixed blade.

As for age, that is up to you. I know some 8 year olds that act and have maturity much greater than their age. I also know some 8 year olds that I wouldn't want to be around if they had anything sharp or pointy in their hands.

Pretty much this. Maturity to handle sharp and pointy things is a results may vary situation, and some only learn by screwing up. There are adults who I'd concerned about the idea of them handling sharpened crayons let alone a knife.

 

[ElementalBreakdown]

Is it something that you are going to hold on to except during family outings? If so, I would just let him pick and go for something in a steel like Nitro V.
It's not my 8 year old I worry about, it's their friend that decides to ask to see it or use it and hurt themselves because not every family has guys like us who teach responsibility and respect for tools. It's not like when we were growing up, there's a lot of people out there who are not only slow to take the time to teach their kids respect and thoughtfulness, but also quick to make a federal case and blame you or your kids if their kid does something stupid.

Even within the family there's some extended family that I don't want mine playing with certain things I. E. bb guns, blow guns, paint ball, etc unless I am supervising

 

[JBoone]

Am I the only one who feels SAKs are riskier to operate than most modern locking folders (except locks like tri ad)? I am specifically talking about closing the blade: the strong spring, the short blade, and the lack of movement control seem to make it less easier for small kids to close the blade comfortably and safely.

My brother who is a year older was cutting strings off of hay bails with his non locking boy scouts knife unsupervised around age 10( maybe younger?) and used the spine accicenlty on one cut. Blade closed on finger and cut him pretty good. Wrapped his hand in an old rag and went home.

Should have seen the look on my moms face. Late 70s was a fun time to be a kid but not necessarily a safe time! I remember when my mom would stop the car real quick she would hold out her arm to (at least try) to stop the foward momentum of whichever one of us was in front seat as there were lap seat belts only Bike helmets for kids were not a thing back then either.

 

[Lyndino]

Ultimatly it is your call as the parent.

My opinion (and you have asked for input):

Eight years old is pretty young, but a kid can have a knife given with the understanding that he may only use it (or even hold it) with your supervision. A child that young may think its OK to bring it to school or just explore what it will cut around the house. . . .so he needs guidance from you as his father.

Same for the older boys, but with recognition that knife ownership and use are opportunities to demonstrate their growing sense of judgement and responsibility. . . .withe the possibility that knife privileges may be revoked for a lack of same.

Yeah, he knows it's only for working around the yard or when we go hiking / camping. All 3 are pretty good with that.

 

[Lyndino]

Is it something that you are going to hold on to except during family outings? If so, I would just let him pick and go for something in a steel like Nitro V.
It's not my 8 year old I worry about, it's their friend that decides to ask to see it or use it and hurt themselves because not every family has guys like us who teach responsibility and respect for tools. It's not like when we were growing up, there's a lot of people out there who are not only slow to take the time to teach their kids respect and thoughtfulness, but also quick to make a federal case and blame you or your kids if their kid does something stupid.

Even within the family there's some extended family that I don't want mine playing with certain things I. E. bb guns, blow guns, paint ball, etc unless I am supervising

Yeah, he'd only get to use it with my wife, father in law or myself around.

 

[tony281sc2]

They do make some SAKs with locking blades. I had a nice one I gave away as a gift, it was called the “evo grip” something or other. Locking blade, scissors, saw and a few other basic tools (screwdriver, tweezers, etc.)

 

[DangerZone98]

If you’re gonna get ‘em a locking blade, show the kid first how the lock works and not to play around with it. He or she must always respect the blade especially when it’s closing or opening. The edge only needs to touch you to hurt you. A Spyderco Delica would be a wonderful starter knife.

A fixed blade would also be great in my opinion. Just about any Morakniv will do.

 

[VorpelSword]

At some point in his early development, our grandson got hold of an SAK, unauthorized and unobserved for an hour or so . . . and started disassembling things . . .just because he could. Had to train that out of him.

Responsible possession sand use of a knife is one measure of maturity, bu there are others.

Our grandson is 13 now and I gave him a pocket watch for his birthday. Nothing expensive. Not a family heirloom either. If he can keep it running and intact for a few years, I'll upgrade that to something worth keeping for life.

 

[EngrSorenson]

You’ll know when your child is ready. They’ll take very clear instructions and follow through on them. They will be interested in learning instead of doing what they want to do with it. It’s not to squash creativity, but ensure they learn a specific way to do everything safely. I think I was about 8 when I was given my first small knife. Don’t forget that you can hold on to their knife when they are not using it.