In the meantime, I decided to put this together for him to keep in his tackle box. I made it from an old Imperial shell handle that had smashed scales. I figure it'll help him learn how to open and close one safely and come in pretty handy for those pesky panfish that swallow the hook. (he's a Bluegill'n rascal, he is)
The handles are Bocote. I went ahead and made up another set of matching sides and will add the blade to them to make a matched set. He'll eventually get the bladed one, but not quite yet.
I havn't had the chance to give it to him yet, but i'm pretty sure i'll achieve hero status for a spell anyway.
I even got the chance to show him how to use it later that evening. 
He already out fishes me 5 to 1 regularly. 