How young is too young for a pocket knife?

I was born and raised around pocket knives. Had one since I could remember. When my uncle passed on he gave my his Swiss Army Knife. Still have it, it is one of my favorites.

I found this old knife on a horse trail while out hiking, it is stomped shut and cannot be opened. I tried.

So I thought, I'll give it to my 4 year old for the summer and see how he takes care of it.

My wife went ape nuts. "You gave him a knife!!", "Yes and you cannot open it, its a paperweight." "He's 4", and my witty response was "So, I had a real blade at that age."

SWMBO thinks that a knife that cannot be opened is more dangerous than one that can be.

Swiss Army has a kids knife with a blunted point and a carry chain so kids can't lose it as easily. I was going to get him one of these and bread knife the edge. That way he can have his knife like dad and not cut himself. Of course there are going to be rules. You can carry outside the house when you are with dad and not inside. When you are home your knife comes to dad. I figure as he gets older I can relax this a little and he won't even notice.

iwould think at about 6 i had my first knife from dad to do with as I pleased. Not sure though cant remember.

i would like that idea though...you have the knife...when you go outside with your son hand it to him...and when you guys come back in the house ask it for him back...only give it to him when you know he will be with you all the time so you can keep an eye on him and as he learns to respect it and gets a little older you will have nothing to worry about...just wait til he wants to learn to hone the blade...askes for a straight and strop...haha...

I'm sure some bushman would say he was able to carry a knife as soon as he could walk (so his son should too, etc), but does it make it right? Nope. I think it depends largely on the maturity of the individual child. If he can RESPECT the blade then it might be time. However I should also say that I know plenty of adults I wouldn't trust with a knife for a lack of the above criteria, so go figure.

Yeah, I know plenty of people that I would not trust with a knife or a letter opener.

I carry 2 knives everyday. A Swiss Army, and a Ken Onion assisted by Kershaw. When I am out backpacking I add a Multiplier and a Boker Orca to the mix.

The wife thinks I am nuts. I say, we live in and hike in cougar country. Nuff said.

I would either give him a "real" knife or nothing at all. Giving him a breadknifed or un-openable blade won't teach him how to use and respect the tool. I also agree with only giving him a knife while you are with him to supervise (until you are satisfied that he is responsible enough on his own).

Good luck!

I think I was 5 when I got my first knife. it was a typical scout knife, Camillus iirc.

don't give him a dull or useless knife, it'll teach him bad habits. my first knife was quite sharp, and I cut myself with it almost at once. since then, I've been more careful. :hmmm:

Offer your son his first knife blade first. If he grabs the blade you'll know he's not ready to have it. :D

I honestly can't remember when I had my first knife and I'm only 19.

4 is perhaps a little young, I think untill your 8-10 you probably wouldn't have much use for it anyway.

I was deffinately younger than 10, It was a small vitorinox, I still have it some where I imagine. One of my most treasured possestions is a knife, it reminds me of all sorts of choices, good and bad. It was confiscated by my dad when I was 9 or 10 for about a year, just that one none of my others.

you know I must have been somewhere around 5. Christ it's all a blur.

I had my first one when I was five, and I've carried one for most of my life.
My first was a little penkinfe. After that I got a swiss one that served as a keychain.

Personally, I'd let my daughters have one from that age, but my wife'd object. Although a swiss one like you mention might work... :hmmm:
I wouldn't let them carry it to school, for the simple reason that kids with knives make schools very uncomfortable.

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Originally Posted by singlewedge

SWMBO thinks that a knife that cannot be opened is more dangerous than one that can be.

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Yes, and I fully agree with her.

A knife that can be opened is a known quantity, and your kid will learn to handle it properly because you will teach it..
A knife that can not be opened is considered safe. And you can't teach your kid how to use it. so he or she has no clue how what to do with a sharp knife.

And then he opens it accidentally after spilling something greasy over it, or just plain using WD40. And then he has a sharp knife and no education...

Other than that I agree with you. But then again, My daughter has been learning how to use a knife to cut beans since she was 2. And I've taught her how to hold and carry a knife. That way, if she should ever find one -at my place or somewhere else- then she will know what to do and how to hold it safely, and not to play with it.

It depends on the child. I think the time for a child to have a pocket knife is when he/she has a use for one. From memory, I bought my daughter a Spyderco with the Spider pattern cut into the blade for her birthday when she was about thirteen, mostly because she was into drawing spider web designs.
I have an assortment of pocket knives and to be honest, I can't remember the last time I ever needed to use one to cut anything. I think there is a Leatherman in the glovebox of my car.
Swiss Army knives are useful for the scissors and the tweezers.