Younger brother is turning 13 and wondering what knife I should get him

Chris said:
Sorry haven't checked back in this thread in awhile and after thinking about it I don't think he would be very much into a slip joint. He's a up to date kid and would probably prefer something more modern. After thinking about it awhile I think a dragon fly would be perfect for him. I happen to have a g10 one that hasn't seen much use, but I don't think I can part with it haha.
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it's hard to beat something simple, yet fully capable, like a Benchmade Mini Grip. You can get it engraved too.
 
Ask him, or better yet, take him shopping where there's a big selection.

My boys will be 16 and 13 shortly. They've always been into knives, probably because their father, uncles, and grandfathers are into them... and because we use them as avid outdoor enthusiasts are wont to do.

Once I took the boys to Cabelas. They got to pick out a knife. Oldest picked a Kershaw Brawler, youngest picked a Kershaw Scallion.

Once we were on vacation in Oregon, and went to a sporting goods store. They sold Balisongs in Oregon, which intrigued the youngest. He got one. Oldest wanted a Gerber thing that looks like a money clip.

Christmas, youngest wanted a Ka-Bar mini Marine Combat knife. Probably saw one in a video war game he plays. Whatever, OneStopKnifeShop filled the bill. Oldest wanted a Leatherman Wave.

My point is, I could have come on here and asked the same question, and got a hundred GREAT recommendations. But in the end, my teenagers knew what they wanted, or spotted it pretty quick and decided that it was what they wanted... and it was NOWHERE NEAR what I would have guessed, or had recommended by you fine folk.

If he chooses some sort of Chi-Com Mall Ninja crap-tana, then be a guiding light of reason and wisdom in assisting with his choice. But let it be his choice.
 
Velitrius said:
Ask him, or better yet, take him shopping where there's a big selection.

My boys will be 16 and 13 shortly. They've always been into knives, probably because their father, uncles, and grandfathers are into them... and because we use them as avid outdoor enthusiasts are wont to do.

Once I took the boys to Cabelas. They got to pick out a knife. Oldest picked a Kershaw Brawler, youngest picked a Kershaw Scallion.

Once we were on vacation in Oregon, and went to a sporting goods store. They sold Balisongs in Oregon, which intrigued the youngest. He got one. Oldest wanted a Gerber thing that looks like a money clip.

Christmas, youngest wanted a Ka-Bar mini Marine Combat knife. Probably saw one in a video war game he plays. Whatever, OneStopKnifeShop filled the bill. Oldest wanted a Leatherman Wave.

My point is, I could have come on here and asked the same question, and got a hundred GREAT recommendations. But in the end, my teenagers knew what they wanted, or spotted it pretty quick and decided that it was what they wanted... and it was NOWHERE NEAR what I would have guessed, or had recommended by you fine folk.

If he chooses some sort of Chi-Com Mall Ninja crap-tana, then be a guiding light of reason and wisdom in assisting with his choice. But let it be his choice.
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This is great advice. Instead of buying him the knife you want him to have, help him to choose one if you don't know what he would want. That can be part of the learning process, too.

That being said, I have given my teenage son several knives over the last few years without involving him in the process, but I'm pretty good at already knowing what he would like (I would never feel the need to ask for any advice from someone else). But of course, one of them was a Kabar Kharon Folding Knife in zombie green and another a Blackjack Tac Ops 4" in toxic green (he's a Walking Dead fan). Dad got major points for each of those :)
 
Totally would go traditional slip joint or Swiss Army knife, he has years to go to get into more weaponized knives and truth of matter, in today's world, he leaves it in book bag or car in school parking lot, who knows what these socialists will label or charge him with
 
texasshipagent said:
Totally would go traditional slip joint or Swiss Army knife, he has years to go to get into more weaponized knives and truth of matter, in today's world, he leaves it in book bag or car in school parking lot, who knows what these socialists will label or charge him with
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If he takes the knife to school, won't matter what it is. Public schools have a zero tolerance policy on it.

I told my son that he had better never put one of his knives in his back pack, even on the weekend. That he'd easily forget and leave it in there and go to school with it. Now normally, such warnings can tend to be forgotten (typical teenage arrogance of "it'll never happen to me"). Except he had just had TSA security take a knife from his backpack at the airport a few minutes before, despite the fact that I asked him about his backpack the day before. That had an impact. Lesson learned :)
 
Raist you are spot on, but I still feel there is a time and a place for tactical and teens ain't it, but you are right schools gone nuts these days a keychain Swiss Army knife and they would treat him as if he was a violent offender in some places, but would figure a proper age appropriate boys knife would be a little easier to mitigate the issue then an evil "black" scary knife :) or maybe not, but plausible deniability exists with a victornox and not with a SOG etc. :)
 
Off topic: my school's handbooks says knives are allowed if cutting edge is <2".

On topic: I'd say Böker Kalashnikov. Hear me out. It is a cool looking knife (IMHO), it has decent steel, it is fairly cheap, it's an auto which is fun, if the spring breaks, it's just a manual button lock, still 100% fictional. It comes in many blade types/finished, and handle colors. It has a mini version if a 3.5" is too big... I think it's great.
 
texasshipagent said:
. . . but plausible deniability exists with a victornox and not with a SOG etc. :)
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I just can't imagine a principal or a school board saying, "Yes. We could understand how you might think something called a Swiss Army Knife is not in violation of a no knife policy." So if you are looking for any kind of "plausible deniability, better recommend a Leatherman ;)
 
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