Kids & Knives = Fun & Imagination

Here are a few things the kids have been working on the past couple of days while camping.

A zombie killer spike, dagger, dip pen, beetle masher and a couple of slingshots that fire sunflower seeds and pine cones into my wife's Beach towel on the clothes line. Needless to say, my wife isn't the biggest fan of our slingshot backdrop.



Working on something:


A knife fight:


Banded up a frame:

Zombies beware!

Ready for the Zombie Apocalypse, I like it! Raising them right, Bruce!

I really like those Opinel knives at the far right ... I've always wanted to get a few as EDCs and to keep in my lunch bag at work.

Raising them right indeed! If you lived down here in California and gave those kids tools (knives) you'd be arrested for child endangerment. They're learning good skills though, and looks like they're having a blast doing it.

dpm802 said:

I really like those Opinel knives at the far right ... I've always wanted to get a few as EDCs and to keep in my lunch bag at work.

Click to expand...

They are dirt cheap and high quality, you can't go wrong with them. You won't be heartbroken if you loose it or someone walks away with it either.

All my whittling and slingshot making is done with an Opinel No. 8 Caebone that cost me all of $15

Seems like you're teaching them well Bruce...they ain't whittling TOWARD themselves.

Looks like a fun trip; how they doin' with the slingshots?

simon1 said:

Seems like you're teaching them well Bruce...they ain't whittling TOWARD themselves.

Looks like a fun trip; how they doin' with the slingshots?

Click to expand...

We've had one minor cut, nothing serious. They got the Opinel knives a few years ago for Christmas and love using them around the campsite.

The slingshot he made is holding up well. He was quite proud of himself after the first shot went blasting into the towel.

dpm802 said:

I really like those Opinel knives at the far right ... I've always wanted to get a few as EDCs and to keep in my lunch bag at work.

Click to expand...

Yeah, well, you know, that's just like, your Opinel, man.

Classic. Boys will be boys. Too much feminization these days.

brucered said:

We've had one minor cut, nothing serious. They got the Opinel knives a few years ago for Christmas and love using them around the campsite.

The slingshot he made is holding up well. He was quite proud of himself after the first shot went blasting into the towel.

Click to expand...

Great on the slingshot...pride of workmanship. He'll remember that forever.

Hey, minor cuts happen...even when you aren't handling a sharp object. Dad, and Granddad, made me cut away from myself when I was a kid until I got to know how the knife would cut the wood better. Then I went to the thumb on the wood and drawing it toward your thumb. Dad also showed me how to hold the angle and sharpen a knife on a brick.

I was just poking around and found this little thing...kinda nice.

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/12/12/a-beginners-guide-to-whittling/

I'll have to look into picking up one of the Opinel ones; I've heard nothing but good things about them. This little thing has been my EDC for years...a Case mini stockman. It opens boxes, letters, cuts string or rope, acts as a screw driver, staple remover, pry bar, etc. I used to carry a regular sized stockman but the mini sure carries well.

I had pocketknives as a boy, and made slingshots and bows & arrows. Good to see kids haven't changed.

Did you teach them how to play mumbly-peg?

[MENTION=36370]brucered[/MENTION]....

That's a great idea for learning for the kids and you...

And thanks in advance to you and the kids for keeping us safe from Zombies....

kelbro said:

Did you teach them how to play mumbly-peg?

Click to expand...

No mumbly-peg, but we often played that as kids...I didn't know that's what it was called, we just called it "chicken".

They did had a couple kendo stick fights though.

Nice. Looks fun.

wxc1006 said:

Raising them right indeed! If you lived down here in California and gave those kids tools (knives) you'd be arrested for child endangerment.

Click to expand...

Nonsense. There's a huge difference between having a knife on a camping trip and a kid carrying one around in an urban or suburban setting.

Go West Young Man said:

Nonsense. There's a huge difference between having a knife on a camping trip and a kid carrying one around in an urban or suburban setting.

Click to expand...

I agree! Although I actually live in a fairly rural area and I still feel that if I were to even allow my kids to do this with my supervision, in our own backyard, that the neighbors would be suspicious at the very least. It seems to be a mindset in this region.

Doc4 said:

Yeah, well, you know, that's just like, your Opinel, man.

Click to expand...

Best reply, ever...!

wxc1006 said:

I agree! Although I actually live in a fairly rural area and I still feel that if I were to even allow my kids to do this with my supervision, in our own backyard, that the neighbors would be suspicious at the very least. It seems to be a mindset in this region.

Click to expand...

Sad, isn't it. I carried a pocket knife, a TOOL when I was 7. My dad showed me how to use that TOOL and held me responsible for it's proper use. I still carry one today, as does my son. Just sad what girls we've allowed our sons to become....