Nephew's First Folder

GhostDog · Post by **GhostDog** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 2:38 am

My eldest brother's lad turns eight this autumn and I've been thinking: shure and that's about two years the little shaver's been going about without a proper folder weighing down the bottom of his right front pocket.

Now, I've no intention of giving him anything wicked or valuable, mind, just a simple two- or three-blade pocket knife from a reputable manufacturer--something to carry and whittle sticks (O.K., shave them a bit), trim fishing line, unknot the occasional bootlace.

Long story short: the Missus thinks he's too young in this day and age. I'd not dream of passing any edge tool to the kid w/o his Da's consent (I assume no responsibility if the big lug doesn't consult with is own dear wife on the matter), but I was wondering if I might trouble some fellow enthusiast for your take re: the appropriate age at which to give a youngster his (or her, for that matter) first pocket knife.

Any input at all graciously welcome. Thanx.[/quote]

SFC ADP · Post by **SFC ADP** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 2:44 am

I think I got mine somewhere between the ages of 5 or 6, and I am now in my mid 30's to give you an idea of what generation I came from. My 1st was an Imperial Boy Scout Knife. Leather Punch, Can Opener, Spear Blade, etc. I think if the boy is raised right, he can handle the responsibilty of owning a pocket knife.

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 2:46 am

hey ghostdog, welcome to the party. that's a good question. so many factors. parental(both) approval, rules about when he can carry appropriatley, the childs maturety and demeanor. oh yeah, you'll take the heat if he cuts himself or something he should'nt. i don't think eight is too young to use a knife with adult supervision but i think in most cases it's too young to give knife. just my opinion

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 2:53 am

Well, I was about 5 when I got my first knife...........but that was over 50 years ago.

It just sounds bad to see in in writing.

My boys got them at about 6, because we had moved into town from the farm. Other wise they would have gotten them sooner in the country.

One of my grandsons got his first one from me at about 7, however I think he already had one his dad had given him.

Dale

Matt Hammon · Post by **Matt Hammon** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 10:13 am

My nephew is in the third grade and has a swiss army knife among others. My brother has shown him some on its proper use. He's got to figutre just a little out on his own though. (They do live in the country, so hunting, fishing etc is part of there usage.) He's maybe got 4-6 knives in his collection already.

wildcat · Post by **wildcat** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 1:43 pm

I was about that age when i got mine.

Cuts are gonna happen. no big deal. teach him properly handling, etc. Shoot, my kids get cuts and scrapes when they fall off their bikes. that's part of life.

Victorinox and Opinel both make "kids first knife" knives. Maybe you could try that, see how he does with that.

redferd · Post by **redferd** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 2:08 pm

I'd say he's 3 years overdue for a pocketknife. I've never been without one and cut myself plenty of times misusing one. That's life. He should be coached on how to handle one for sure and for sure he should have one of his own. Welcome to the forum for knifenuts.

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 2:25 pm

I pretty much agree with the group on this subject. Much depends on the 'kid' and his surroundings. If he lives in town and whips it out at a neighbor/friends home, he may get shown the door by neighbor parents who fail to understand the importance of a boy and his knife. In the country, it is an absolute right of passage. Same goes for in town but much more judgement is needed.
I do not remember ever going to school a day without my knife. Clearly that can't happen today. I'll be 67 before too long so that explains that.
Also, much will depend on the interests of the youngster. If he is really interested in knives, you just can hardly get started too early. Ease him into it and stand by with the band-aids.

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 2:29 pm

If I under stand this right. You are asking my option about YOU giving a FIRST KNIVE to your nephew of YOUR eldest brother...

First I look at this with a question. "Why YOU give him his FIRST knife ?
This might be something mom & dad or just dad should do. As a collector I do understand the love you have for steel and scales, and want to share this so bad, OR is it you just want to be the FIRST ONE to do this ?????

I also understand your in-laws (noting blood member) feelings that she does not want HER son to have one just yet.
Perhaps you do not agree with her and want to show her old family blood is stronger than marriage blood. I am sure if the boy cuts him self (which you and I know he will). You will have Hell to pay or laugh at depending on your feeling.

Ok now for my HELP. How about you giving a knife that YOU picked out for the boy to his mom to give to him when she feels it right. This will work on her mind more and more in the way you should want it to be for the boy YES. Perhaps he will find it and even ask about it (you know boys like to snoop around). Even add his name and your name to it. (For my nephew from uncle)
When she gives it to her son then you will have to remember that a gift has no strings to it, and its out of LOVE to him you gave the knife to her.
I am sure this does not go with the way you are thinking now but later on down the road it might be. Make love not war. Do I sound like an old hippy ?

Justold52's IMO and I hope this helps you some. He will probably loose the knife any way so pick out his next knife...

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 3:48 pm

I got my first knife at 5 years old and lived on a ranch at that time, and we had orchards and vineyards as well. I was fairly proficient with it a year later, whittling, and used on fishing excursions. Also was shooting a .22 under supervision. By 10 I was dressing small and large game and firing a .25-35 Winchester model 94 rifle (found out later that the serial number dates it made in 1895 with full rifle barrel, not carbine). At the age of 12 I was bucking hay and driving as well as disking orchards, vineyards, but started with disking the fields for oat hay.
Born in 56, so it was out of necessity that I started everything at a young age. Pretty much, it was don't work -- don't eat.

BTW, sure wish I had that rifle, my brother has it and I was told the value was over $2,000.00 but have not verified this. It is still in good enough condition to shoot.
Wish I had those knives also, but as a young lad I kept that knife razor sharp, therefore, not much blade was left.

tank · Post by **tank** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 5:24 pm

I gave my nephew a Camillus official cub scout knife at age 7, he's 8 now, he loves it and i like the locking feature on the main blade.

GhostDog · Post by **GhostDog** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 6:59 am

Folks,

Thanks for the input. That's quite a variety of takes on the topic of the timing of a boy's being presented his first knife.

I appreciate all of you taking the time to throw down some toughts on the matter. You folks have offered up some great stuff. Much of what you've shared dovetails with a lot of my own thinking re: town vs. country, maturity, responsibility, etc.

Yeah, definitely, any concerns on the part of either my brother or his wife are the ultimate decider as to whether the lad gets a knife from me or anyone. To be honest, for all I know, his Da may have already given the lad his first blade, but I kind of doubt it. Richmond, VA is a long way from the hills and valleys, factories and farms of Pennsylvania's small town/rural Laurel Highlands. With the way things are for young folks these days (as opposed to when my brother and I came up in the 70's), well, I'd just be surprised if my newphew's got a knife of his own.

My father's long gone on, but, were he still alive, he'd've probably already taken the lad to the neighborhood hardware store on some random visit with Mamma and Pap, and let him pick out something that caught his eye. That's how I came to own my first folder.

My Da's younger brother was picking up lumber at that same old corner hardware store one autumn Saturday when school had been in for a spell but the leaves hadn't yet begun to turn, and he took me along with him in a borrowed truck, and while one of his buddy's at the store, helped him load the truck, mu uncle let me at the counter to look at two cases of what seemed like dozens of knives. Before we headed home, he let me pick out a small, two-bladed pen knife of no particular make that I recall. I no longer have that knife, naturally enough, but I have that great and fond memory of something being passed, in a sort of sidelong fashion, from one generation to another, and I suppose, in my own way, I wanted to give that to my nephew as much as the knife--a kind of continuity of steel and blood.

Anyway, thanx again for all the insight and perspective. Much obliged. Truly.

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 7:06 am

very nice of you to share your first knife memories with us. i'm sure the knife deal will handle itself and it would be special if you had the privilage.

brasskeeper · Post by **brasskeeper** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 4:47 pm

I think a swiss army or boy scout knife would be good. I bought both my nephews swiss army knives.

useem · Post by **useem** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 4:55 pm

i think a single blade would be good, to avoid temptation of opening more than one blade at a time and cutting himself.

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 5:21 pm

My first knife was a stockman. Whether there be 1 blade or 3 at the age I was (5), cutting myself was not a matter of if but when since manual dexterity is not something that is developed yet. I was allowed to carry it from the beginning, but use it (open the blades) only in the presence of adults.

My parents have told me that if I was told NOT to do something, I would do it as soon as they were out of sight. Course I did get a deep cut when I took it out to admire it and the knife was taken away from me for a while. From then on I did pretty much as I was told as I can remember, at least with knives.

Sooner or later, every kid is going to get cut. But if a single blade were the choice, I would go with a small lockback, it won't collapse on him if he is digging at something with the tip. Course I did that too.

Gee, I was a rotten kid and I had 2 brothers just like me.

My poor mom.

Gunsmoke47 · Post by **Gunsmoke47** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:20 pm

I was a late bloomer for pocket knives. My first one came to me when I was 9. I truely believe it doesn't matter if you are 5 or 15, you will get cut just a matter of when. Mine came about 2 or 3 days after I received the knife. I was cutting open a box a ping pong table came in. (wasn't even my ping pong table

) My mother fainted, my dad said I told you so, I cried a lot, and the doctor said tetnus shot and 5 stitches!

I'm 49 and I still have a very faint scar where that happened!

Kelley

marcinek · Post by **marcinek** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:46 pm

This is kind of a tangent, but for those of you with nephews or nieces who like to tinker or maybe even just take stuff apart or camp or fish etc...Leatherman makes a bladeless Fuse...gave one to my 13-year-old nephew who pokes around with computer stuff and goes to things like computer camps and he loved it...though he was disappointed that it had no blade.

One nice thing about it is that it is (or may be) zero tolerance school OK...you can actually carry it on a plane.

Because you couldn't hurt somebody on a plane with a pair of needle-nose pliers...

But thats a whole other thing entirely.

sunburst · Post by **sunburst** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:50 pm

Gunsmoke47 wrote:I was a late bloomer for pocket knives. My first one came to me when I was 9. I truely believe it doesn't matter if you are 5 or 15, you will get cut just a matter of when. Mine came about 2 or 3 days after I received the knife. I was cutting open a box a ping pong table came in. (wasn't even my ping pong table ) My mother fainted, my dad said I told you so, I cried a lot, and the doctor said tetnus shot and 5 stitches! I'm 49 and I still have a very faint scar where that happened! Kelley

Hey Kelley,

I'm wondering when you were allowed to use that knife again. I can imagine my wife's "motherly" attitude toward our son if or when that happens..Great story, thanks for sharing..

Sunburst

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:35 pm

brasskeeper wrote:I think a swiss army or boy scout knife would be good. I bought both my nephews swiss army knives.

KOOL idea I can not imagine a kid trying to throw a swiss army in a tree or board...

Gunsmoke47 · Post by **Gunsmoke47** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 10:04 pm

Hey Ralph, as memory serves, it wasn't all that long. A couple of months maybe. I was scared of the knife. My dad convinced my mom that it was a valuable lesson learned and he was right. I probably carried it in my pocket for a year before I ever opened it again!

I remember after the stitches came out, I had a whole new respect for a sharp knife and my fathers wisdom! Wish that respect had lasted from 9 to 19! (Fathers wisdom, not a sharp knife)

Kelley

MITCH RAPP · Post by **MITCH RAPP** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 10:46 pm

I have to agree with the Swiss Army Knife for a first Knife. I think for

the money they have great quality. Also when he does get his first cut it

won't be that bad because the Blades are not that big. I'am talking about

the "RAMBLER" model.

Gunsmoke47 · Post by **Gunsmoke47** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 10:55 pm

All this is good to hear because I have a 9 year old grandson that I would love to introduce to the fine world of quality cutlery. Of coarse, I have a 28 year old daughter I have to get around, and then there is my experiance at 9 that looms largely in my head

I was thinking of a Boy Scout, or a Swiss Army.

Kelley

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 11:01 pm

i got my first knife at 9. a boy scout knife. did'nt take long to cut myself. needed stitches but i hid it with bandaids. carried to school, without getting in trouble, afterall, i was a boy scout. that was 1957. more to consider today with zero tolerence and all.

Gunsmoke47 · Post by **Gunsmoke47** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 11:12 pm

Very valid point Johnnie. Zero tolerance. A 9 year old boy could get in serious trouble today if he carried it to school....... and you can bet your ass he will carry it to school, no matter how strict mom and dad are!

Never even thought about that because when I was 9 or 10, a pocket knife was just that..... A pocket knife, not a weapon!