With all the craziness in schools these days - and that can have several equally valid meanings. I have son who's 13th birthday is early next year and normally - and at his level of maturity - I'd have no problem getting him a small knife. He's had a leatherman he's kept in his room for a couple of years now. However, I'm worried that he'd forget it in a jeans pocket and get expelled or something.
Safe to buy a kid a pocket knife anymore?
- Thread starter Texchappy
- Start date
That's a tough call, and really only you can make it. We live in a world of uncertainty and we shouldn't give into the fear of the unknown and what ifs. If you believe your son is mature enough to own a pocket knife, then you should have the belief and trust that he's responsible enough to remember to leave it home. Whatever your choice, I wish you and yours the best.
I got given my first knife at the age of eight. It was a requirement for the cub scouts that I carried it all the time. That was a different time though.
Opinel make a nice little folding knife intended for kids. It has a rounded tip, but otherwise it is a regular Opinel, so it will take and hold a very good edge.
http://www.opinel.com/en/pocket-knives-and-tools/kids-my-first-opinel
If you want to get him something more adult I would suggest the least "weapon" like knife you can find. Victorinox or WR Case would be good options.
I remember when I was 13, my dad had a big Swiss army knife with all the options and doodads. I used to want one of those really badly. I figure if a kid got caught with one of those in his bag, "The Man" should go pretty lightly on him. Don't buy him anything "tactical".
Opinel make a nice little folding knife intended for kids. It has a rounded tip, but otherwise it is a regular Opinel, so it will take and hold a very good edge.
http://www.opinel.com/en/pocket-knives-and-tools/kids-my-first-opinel
If you want to get him something more adult I would suggest the least "weapon" like knife you can find. Victorinox or WR Case would be good options.
I remember when I was 13, my dad had a big Swiss army knife with all the options and doodads. I used to want one of those really badly. I figure if a kid got caught with one of those in his bag, "The Man" should go pretty lightly on him. Don't buy him anything "tactical".
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I daresay that half the professors and instructors probably carry a Barlow or a Leatherman, or a Victorinox Army, and I imagine the same of the students. Fighting knife, on the other hand, no matter how small, will get you removed from campus, forever and always.
Here anything other than a butter knife would get you in deep if you brought it to school. Of course that didn't mean at least every other guy I knew didn't have some sort of pocket knife on them, myself included. You just don't whip it out on school grounds if you have a speck of grey matter. Point being, even if it did end up forgotten in clothing, there should be the sense not to be seen with it someplace you shouldn't.
Heck yeah. Every boy needs a pocketknife. It's a part of growing up. Teach him how to use it and have him keep it on the top of his dresser. That way, you can have a visual check each day that you can make sure that he does not take it to school by mistake.
Also, if you can find a nearby troop or ask his friends, get him enrolled in Boy Scouts. Far and away the best training/teaching organization in the USA for values, leadership, fitness, self-confidence, self-reliance, teamwork, and outdoor skills that will serve him for a lifetime. Plus - a ton of fun along the way!
Also, if you can find a nearby troop or ask his friends, get him enrolled in Boy Scouts. Far and away the best training/teaching organization in the USA for values, leadership, fitness, self-confidence, self-reliance, teamwork, and outdoor skills that will serve him for a lifetime. Plus - a ton of fun along the way!
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Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
These days, its safer to buy your kid a gun. Thats what all the other kids bring to school.
Lol seriously yeah I vote for a swiss army knife or a small leatherman. Maybe a classic hollowground wood scaled Buck folder of appropriate size. And unless there is some compelling need, it should not be brought to school. I had a physics teacher in HS who was a real pro at spotting pocketknives from the way they print in the pocket. He never sent us to the office but he had quite a collection. When he pointed, you handed it over without any lip, and you didn't get it back. Didn't get many false positives, either. Uncanny. He could tell a roll of life savers from a buck knife at 20 feet, given time. Anyway I lost a good Puma and a family heirloom Case in that class. I hated Physics. Part of the reason I dropped out of HS. I couldnt afford to lose any more knives. Good thing we didn't carry guns to school back then except in the rifle rack. That would have been expensive.
Lol seriously yeah I vote for a swiss army knife or a small leatherman. Maybe a classic hollowground wood scaled Buck folder of appropriate size. And unless there is some compelling need, it should not be brought to school. I had a physics teacher in HS who was a real pro at spotting pocketknives from the way they print in the pocket. He never sent us to the office but he had quite a collection. When he pointed, you handed it over without any lip, and you didn't get it back. Didn't get many false positives, either. Uncanny. He could tell a roll of life savers from a buck knife at 20 feet, given time. Anyway I lost a good Puma and a family heirloom Case in that class. I hated Physics. Part of the reason I dropped out of HS. I couldnt afford to lose any more knives. Good thing we didn't carry guns to school back then except in the rifle rack. That would have been expensive.
- Thread starter
- #9
I'm beginning to think a bigger folder - buck, case, etc - might be better so there's no doubt it's in his pocket.
Make sure it's safe, locking blade etc, teach the kid how to use it.
And make sure you and the kid understand knife laws anywhere the kid might be carrying it.
I grew up in south Texas and had knives and guns at an early age but was taught respect for them.
And make sure you and the kid understand knife laws anywhere the kid might be carrying it.
I grew up in south Texas and had knives and guns at an early age but was taught respect for them.
In other words, your teacher was a two-bit thief.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
I think that pretty much sums it up.
The idea is to get them away from those devices.
Honestly, that is a thing to be concerned about, even if he is trustworthy and level headed. I started carrying one when I was 7 years old and am 70 now, and the only time I was not allowed one when I was in basic training. One time while I was in high school I got a very large two bladed clip type, blades almost 4", really too large to be practical for a pocket knife, but everyone carried them to school in those days, with no problems, they were simply handy tools and no one thought of them as weapons.
My 8 and 5 year old girls both have very small lockblade buck knives that they keep in their "adventure" backpacks. They know they are not allowed to take them to school. Same as the 8year olds .410. Course I live in a town of 6,000 in the middle of the rockies. Bit different than some place with gangs and stuff I guess. The sad thing is that this is a legitimate concern. Kinda reflect poorly on society I think.
We gave our 8 & 10y old boys these for Christmas last year. They use them when we go camping, carve spears and hot dog sticks, cut their apples etc. They are only allowed to use them with my supervision and obviously don't carry them to school. At home, they are kept in their little cash boxes, locked and out of site from other kids that come over.
http://www.opinel-usa.com/products/no7-opinel-junior-my-first-opinel
This year....Trumark Sling Shots (seriously)
. Boys will be boys, I had all these things growing up and I turned out OK (maybe that depends on who you ask). I'm not going to deprive my kids of fun things, because of the actions of a few kids who are irresponsible. I'd rather they learn how to use a knife from me, teach them the responsibility, before they get one on their own.
Someone has to teach them and I say....Teach them young.
http://www.opinel-usa.com/products/no7-opinel-junior-my-first-opinel
This year....Trumark Sling Shots (seriously)
. Boys will be boys, I had all these things growing up and I turned out OK (maybe that depends on who you ask). I'm not going to deprive my kids of fun things, because of the actions of a few kids who are irresponsible. I'd rather they learn how to use a knife from me, teach them the responsibility, before they get one on their own. Someone has to teach them and I say....Teach them young.
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Both my boys have pocket knives. They learned how to use them properly and to respect them as the tools they are. Of course, they cannot bring them to school, but they're not always in school.
- Thread starter
- #20
I like the idea of keeping in a bag like the mentioned adventure backpack. The opinel looks like a nice knife for my seven year old.
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