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

Ka Bar folding hunter. Nice knife, easy to sharpen blade, around $20.

13 is a good age to get your son used to being a responsable individual. Too many parents and teachers are afraid of actually letting children have any responsibility what so ever. This fear has created a generation of Americans who are incapable of doing things for themselves, which then leads to kids doing really stupid things when they finally get some "freedom".

Lastly, if your son can't handle the knife, have the strength to take it away.
 
CluelessMother said:
Ok, I'm going to be short because I'm not in a familiar area of intrest here. I am a 'step"-mom to a 12 year old boy. Who wants a knife for xmas. Both parents agree he is responsible enough, so althought I'm uncomfortable with it I waved the white flag and tried my best to bite my tounge.

Question 1. Is a Crk&t - f.t.w.s Elishewitz an appropriate and safe choice to give a 12 year old boy. (His first knife aside from a swiss pocket knife)

Question 2. What is a good knife to give a 12 year old boy?
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why don't you just ask him some question the post the answers on this board?? son what are you going to use the knife for??
the best knife will depend on his answer because some knifes are very good at one thing but very bad at other things.
 
12 year old is good age to teach how to deal with certain things (in this case the proper use of knife) instead of
telling him to stay away because it’s dangerous.

Spyderco Delica, Benchmade Mini-Griptilian in any one of available color handle will be a good choice
These are excellent knife that should be something of significant to a 12 year old yet will not break OP’s bank account.

Still OP as a parent needs to use a good judgment of her boy and a knife and I have no idea why OP is even
mentioning of CRKT F.T.W.S.?
 
I highly recommend a benchmade mini-grip as a first knife (they can be picked up used all day long for around $60) because of how the lock operates... There is no time you have to put your finger where it can get cut like with a liner/frame/back lock while closing the blade, your finger stays out of the way the whole time.

The mini-grip happens to be my favorite knife and when its time for my kids to get their first knives (currently 9, 6 and 2) they will get mini-grip's because of the safety aspect. Otherwise if your not concerned about that the Rat-2 or ESEE zancudo (all 3" knives) would be my next choice followed by a stainless steel mora companion (4" fixed blade).
 
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.
P1000282.JPG
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I don't mean to dis SAKs, just that I wouldn't recommend one for a boy that age. I would recommend a BK14, Mora, or a Spyderco Persistence.

Based on what you post, it sounds like you really hate anyone under your age. Did people not trust you with knives when you were young?

The SAK you posted earlier looked to be a plastic toy designed for 2 year olds, thus my post.

Any knife could carve, even a kitchen knife or box cutter. So in my mind, SAKs aren't so special. But that is a different thread.
 
spydercobenchmadekai said:
I don't mean to dis SAKs, just that I wouldn't recommend one for a boy that age. I would recommend a BK14, Mora, or a Spyderco Persistence.

Based on what you post, it sounds like you really hate anyone under your age. Did people not trust you with knives when you were young?

The SAK you posted earlier looked to be a plastic toy designed for 2 year olds, thus my post.

Any knife could carve, even a kitchen knife or box cutter. So in my mind, SAKs aren't so special. But that is a different thread.
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Before you go calling people out, you really need to know what you're talking about. Go back and take a look at who first posted that picture. It wasn't leghog. In fact, he replied to that particular picture with this:

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

Serious question --- Were you not trusted with a knife at 12?
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What leghog is trying to do is to explain to you that a SAK or other slipjoint is a very real, very usable type of knife. Just because you have a different opinion doesn't mean that you are right. Nor does it mean that leghog is wrong about SAKs. I know and have met a lot of young people who love SAKs and more traditional knives.

It really depends on the person, their likes, their hobbies and their goals.
 
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I like and use SAKs. However, I suggest something else for a first knife. If this boy wanted a giant tactical knife, he won't be happy with a SAK.

My mistake about who first posted the picture. Sorry.
 
This is what I did. Oldest son got his first SAK at age 8.

fetzer85 said:
Honestly, the knife you choose is not nearly as important as the rules you implement. With my youngsters I have 2 rules:

#1 - Only use the knife when mom or dad is with you.

#2 - Knife does not leave the house unless mom or dad are with you AND you ask.

This cuts a lot of trouble out like taking it to school, etc. but in 2 simple rules.
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A slipjoint would be perfect. Not everyone needs to show off "tough" knives. :cool:

spydercobenchmadekai said:
I don't mean to dis SAKs, just that I wouldn't recommend one for a boy that age. I would recommend a BK14, Mora, or a Spyderco Persistence.

Based on what you post, it sounds like you really hate anyone under your age. Did people not trust you with knives when you were young?

The SAK you posted earlier looked to be a plastic toy designed for 2 year olds, thus my post.

Any knife could carve, even a kitchen knife or box cutter. So in my mind, SAKs aren't so special. But that is a different thread.
Click to expand...
 
spydercobenchmadekai said:
I don't mean to dis SAKs, just that I wouldn't recommend one for a boy that age.]Based on what you post, it sounds like you really hate anyone under your age. Did people not trust you with knives when you were young. The SAK you posted earlier looked to be a plastic toy designed for 2 year olds, thus my post.
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Learn to learn. The knife I posted was a Victorinox Recruit. Certainly not a toy, and only it's scales, toothpick and apex of the tweezer are plastic, as is the case with the vast majority of SAKs. Its tools that are the same in number of other number of Victorinox. The are men who have used Recruits for years.

Any knife could carve, even a kitchen knife or box cutter.So in my mind, SAKs aren't so special. But that is a different thread.
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Not every knife can carve that.
 
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As has been stated many times over; it depends on the boy. Do you see him being ready to own; let alone use a large fixed blade? My father is the one who nurtured my love for blades; as well as taught me to use them responsibly. He was a soldier and one of the wisest men I know. His belief was that this should be approached in stages. First; a multi-tool or swiss army knife. Then when I proved I could use it responsibly, he got me a ka-bar bulldog folder. Though, I would suggest a ka-bar dozier folder. It's a smallish, sturdy and eminately practical folding knife.look into it.
 
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