what is a good knife to give a 12 year old boy?

cards94 said:
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The kid ain't 4 years old. He's 12.

Serious question --- Were you not trusted with a knife at 12?
 
I bought my little guy a blue Mini Griptilian. He loves that knife at surely it will last him for many many years.

Being a knife nut myself, I already had an idea of what his tastes were and pretty much let him decide for me.

Is he into traditional vs. tactical styles? Is he mechanically inclined? He would get much more enjoyment out of a gift based on his interests.
Other than that, I would suggest keeping the blade length at 3 or less inches.
 
Young boys and girls have been getting Buck knives for over 50 years and IMO a 110 or 112 would be a great knife for a 12yo. Simple, rugged and sheath carry makes it less likely to be lost or perhaps left in the pocket where carry would be unlawful such as school. If the original is a bit heavy there is also the Bucklite series.
 
Anything but a SAK. The kid wants a real knife, not a kiddie knife or slipjoint. Teach him to be responsible now, and we won't have so many unresponsible adults with weapons.

Get a Mora and a Spyderco Persistence. You will not regret these knives, and they should cost about $45 total. Also you might want to throw in a pocket sharpener.
 
Esee Izula or Izula 2. Why you ask? It is a fixed blade and will stand up to any task. I'm sure he is responsible, but if he does break it, there is a no questions asked warranty. Send it in, you get a new, free knife, no matter what. It also comes in cool colors like desert tan and od green and even a pretty sweet pink. Also it is discreet enough to be carried without attention being drawn. Of course you better check your state knife laws before any purchase.
 
NickTheKnife24 said:
Esee Izula or Izula 2. Why you ask? It is a fixed blade and will stand up to any task. I'm sure he is responsible, but if he does break it, there is a no questions asked warranty. Send it in, you get a new, free knife, no matter what. It also comes in cool colors like desert tan and od green and even a pretty sweet pink. Also it is discreet enough to be carried without attention being drawn. Of course you better check your state knife laws before any purchase.
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+1. Or the BK14 for a little cheaper.
 
NickTheKnife24 said:
Esee Izula or Izula 2. Why you ask? It is a fixed blade and will stand up to any task. I'm sure he is responsible, but if he does break it, there is a no questions asked warranty. Send it in, you get a new, free knife, no matter what. It also comes in cool colors like desert tan and od green and even a pretty sweet pink. Also it is discreet enough to be carried without attention being drawn. Of course you better check your state knife laws before any purchase.
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+1 on the Izula. Ontario Rat-II if you want a folding knife, the Rat-I might be a little large for hands.
Or the new Zancudo, same size as the Rat-II, but framelock.

And, come one dudes, he is 12, not 5. No reason for kiddie knives with rounded tips or ish like that. I had my first SAK when I was like seven. At 12 I was helping out in my uncle's butcher shop, and there were lots of large, very sharp knives.
 
spydercobenchmadekai said:
Anything but a SAK. The kid wants a real knife, not a kiddie knife or slipjoint.
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SAKs are real knives, young 'un. So are other slip joints. I've carried a SAK throughout Indo-China, the South Pacific, and Iraq and Afghanistan. It served me quite well too. You've still got some learnin' to do.

And just so you can see it for yourself, here's something one of my "not a real knife" slip joints produced.
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leghog said:
A knife bit me yesterday, and I'm in my 50s. A little direct pressure, and all was well. Handle knives often enough, and you will cut yourself eventually. The reason for bandaids.

Only once have I ever cut myself badly enough while handling a knife that I needed stitches, and by then I was in my mid-30s. Whittling at my quarters on a USAF base in Alabama and sliced my palm. A few stitches. There isn't even a scar. The young airman ensured I left with the hemostats to be put in my tackle box. Still have them in my tackle box. I'd rather have bought 'stats, but, hey, there was some good from the slice.
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oh yeah, I agree. I wasn't saying you won't cut yourself. I'm sure he will. I was just saying that if he is taught well (isn't spinning the knife in the air and catching it, stabbing it in trees excessively, etc) Hess probably not gonna do any serious harm. I also didn't ever seriously cut myself until I was around 18.

I think we agree. as long as you are taught some good rules on how to handle a knife, being 13 does not inherently mean you will hurt yourself or someone else any much more than if you were 30.
 
spydercobenchmadekai said:
I earn money petsiting. I earn about $15/hour. I visit some dogs 3x/day, so I can usually make $25 to $30 a day off of one job. This holiday season I will make $550+ dollars. Time to fund that Big Chris custom fixed blade in M4!
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Man, that is a SWEET deal for a 13 year old. You must live in a pretty well to do area, cause if I offered to watch people's dogs where I live they would probably pay like 5 an hour. maybe 10 where I go to school. I'm not criticizing you though, that's an awesome time to be making money. With no car, serious girlfriend, or unprovided needs you could just pour 100% of your cash into whatever you want. (save 10% of each paycheck, it will be a good rainy day fund.)
 
skyhorse said:
Hell I often carried a pistola at that age,my how times have changed.
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Naw, not everyone everywhere. I can't remember exactly, but I was no older than 16 when I "owned" (aka could use whenever I wanted unsupervisaed and was promised it when I turn 21) my first pistol. It has certainly never caused anyone any harm.
 
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leghog said:
SAKs are real knives, young 'un. So are other slip joints. I've carried a SAK throughout Indo-China, the South Pacific, and Iraq and Afghanistan. It served me quite well too. You've still got some learnin' to do.

And just so you can see it for yourself, here's something one of my "not a real knife" slip joints produced.
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That is awesome carving work!

There is certainly nothing wrong with a Victorinox or Case knife. I think a case American Workman Sodbusster is a knife would have liked at that age. I do think people want the "coolness" of moderns often when they are young though.
 
A couple folders that I like. Spyderco Delica, Kabar Dozier folding hunter (inexpensive), Victorinox swiss army knife Soldier or Tinker (medium sized one), any traditional knife that catches your eye.... Case Trapper's are very good and flexible knives.

Don't buy a Frost Cutlery knife. He'll look it up and discover that people don't consider them to be well made knives.

The Kabar Becker BK-14 was mentioned above. Good little fixed blade and one to be proud of.
 
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ALLHSS said:
That is awesome carving work!

There is certainly nothing wrong with a Victorinox or Case knife. I think a case American Workman Sodbusster is a knife would have liked at that age. I do think people want the "coolness" of moderns often when they are young though.
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Young ones should not get everything they want. Sometimes you have to show them there are other ways and other options.

Not dissimilar to picky eaters. A picky eater is that way because he was taught to be or was allowed to be. Nothing a family of eight won't prevent/cure though --- you'll eat what's in front of you or someone else will, and you just won't eat at that meal.:)
 
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