Little Kids and Razors?

I was reading some of the replies Slartibartfast's thread on his near-death experience, and am just wondering, for the folks with little kids running around the house - do you lock up your straights?

My guns have trigger locks, and my kids (9 and 11) know not to touch my straights and knives, but I still keep them in the top drawer of my dresser or somewhere beyond their reach. However, I still have my 7-day case with the week's rotation on my bathroom countertop.

If they have friends coming over, I store those away, too.

I am wondering if there's something more I need to consider. What do you guys do?

Remove the curiousity factor. Curiousity is why guns kill children all the time. My kids have shot since they were toddlers they know that when the gun goes off bad things happen. I have never had to lock up my guns. of course they are grown now and they never ever tuch the guns unless we were shooting.

Razors should be the same next time you get a nice nick on your face invite the children in to see the results. They won't go touching your razors.

My kids are older now 12 and 16.

Here is a story of curiosity.

Three years ago when it came time to teach the older one to shave off his 13 year old peach fuzz I gave him a couple of disposable razors to keep in the bathroom. The next day we were sitting at the dinner table and I was looking at the younger boy who was ten at the time. There was something odd about his appearance. My wife was looking at him too. It finally dawned on us as we looked at each other at the same time and started laughing. :roflmao :roflmao He had shaved off the naturally tapered ends of his eyebrows. He had blocky looking eyebrows. Luckily eyebrows grow back.

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Originally Posted by Oso

My kids are older now 12 and 16.

Here is a story of curiosity.

Three years ago when it came time to teach the older one to shave off his 13 year old peach fuzz I gave him a couple of disposable razors to keep in the bathroom. The next day we were sitting at the dinner table and I was looking at the younger one who was ten at the time. There was something odd about his appearance. My wife was looking at him too. It finally dawned on us as we looked at each other at the same time and started laughing. :roflmao :roflmao He had shaved off the naturally tapered ends of his eyebrows. He had blocky looking eyebrows. Luckily eyebrows grow back.

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That one really cracked me up!

When I am working on straights, my oldest often comes to look. And I explain everything to her.
I've taught her how to safely hold a razor, and I have taught her how to hold a knife.
I am now teaching her to cut vegetables with a (sharp) paring knife. She is 3 years old.
Imo, removing the curiosity and teaching respect is the safest thing in the long run.

I always store my razors on the top shelf so that only my wife and I can reach them. And my wife never touches them. And if I have worked with straights in the living room / kitchen, I always double check that I put them all back in safe locations.

The only place where I have blades lying around is in the basement on my workbench. But my kids are never there if I am not there also.

I have 3 kids (1, 3, and 6) I also have many guns. They know not to touch any guns or a broken hand will result! My 6yo has her own gun (.22) and got it when she was 4. She shoots with me, but her gun along with the rest of mine are locked up. My straights are out of reach on my reloading bench on a shelf. The kids also have been schooled that the razors are not something to touch. AT ALL!!!!

I've had a knife in my pocket since I was 4. I teach my oldest that these things are sharp and for dads only.

I keep them up. My pocket knives I keep in my pocket away from grabby baby hands.

My oldest has watched my cut myself with razors and knives. He knows what happens.

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Originally Posted by singlewedge

I've had a knife in my pocket since I was 4. I teach my oldest that these things are sharp and for dads only.

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If you acknowledge that you were old enough to own a pocket knife by age 4, then you can't say that it's for dads only. :)

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Originally Posted by Bruno

If you acknowledge that you were old enough to own a pocket knife by age 4, then you can't say that it's for dads only. :)

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I read that too and wonder if he had a negative experience as a youngin!

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Originally Posted by hoglahoo

I read that too and wonder if he had a negative experience as a youngin!

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Or he became a dad at a very young age!

:rofl2:

I've got a boy of three years old...He's not really interested in shaving, razors or whatsoever but he likes to know what I'm doing.. and I tried to put some lather on his face but he didnt like that..

SWMOB knocks on the door when she knows I'm shaving or she gives me a yel when my little boy enters the bathroom..The razors are kept well out of reach and I do check if I've put them away after honing..

Maybe when he's a bit older I'll explain him what sharp is..

His cousin shaved some patches from his head with a Gilette ladyshave my sister left lying around in the shower... that was pretty funny

Maarten

I do not lock up my razor but do keep it out of reach of my daughter she is only 2 1/2 so only about 3 feet tall, she does ask about when I have nicked my self and does know not to touch my razor. I have not moved on to teaching her about guns yet but that is locked up in a gun safe that she can not access.

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Originally Posted by mlangstr

SWMOB knocks on the door when she

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hahaha.... SWMOB.. She who must obeyed be.... Talk like Yoda you do. Funny to me that was!

:jedi:

I keep my blades in one of those TI wall boxes out of reach, and I did think of putting a small padlock on it, but after consideration I went for an approach similar to Bruno's. If you forbid/hide/exclude, the way a child's mind works you're instantly introducing something mysterious and attractive to them. Their curiosity will drive them to access them when you're not looking.

I reckon there's a lot to be said for introducing them to razors in a controlled fashion. Explain what they're for. Let them see how you respect the blade. Show them when you nick yourself to demonstrate how easy it is to hurt yourself by accident, even if you're paying attention.

Then establish the boundaries. E.g. no touching when Dad's not here. Kids are pretty quick on the uptake with cause and effect!

Both my children (6 and 3) have seen me shave. Both have seen me hone. Both have seen the 'special' razor that Mummy bought Daddy for their 10th anniversary :D There's no curiosity, it's pretty boring to them now. And they now understand to stand just outside the bathroom to talk to me during a shave, even when the door is wide open.

The last time I cut myself a few months ago (on the finger), I deliberately showed them and explained what happened and why. My wife then got her doctor bag out and patched me up. We made more of it than if it had just been my wife and I (in fact, she would have told me to deal with it myself unsympatheically ;)), but the result was the important thing -- my kids see a potentially dangerous objectt which holds no mystery to them, they understand it needs respect, and they're really not that interested in it now the mystery has gone.

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Originally Posted by Bruno

Imo, removing the curiosity and teaching respect is the safest thing in the long run.

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I agree. When I was about 11, my stepdad (a police officer) pulled me, my 10 year old brother, and our 7 year old sister out of school to go to the range at the station. We fired every single gun he owned multiple times so we wouldn't try and pull it out sometime and fire it "just to see."

I currently am 24, own one of his old guns (his service gun!), and respect them VERY much. When I have kids, I'll be sure to show them the straight razor and show them how sharp it is by shaving my hand (might nick my hand on purpose to get a little of the red stuff coming out).

I'll probably keep it stowed away somewhere, regardless. My gun is ALWAYS locked, and only I know where the key is.

I think if you show your kids the inherent dangers of razors (without getting all excited that you press it to your face and THROAT every morning!), they'll respect them; but it's still a good idea to keep it hidden away.

That goes DOUBLE if their friends are over. I ensure my razor is nowhere in sight if any kids are at my place.

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Originally Posted by Whatsthe2ndDfor

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I currently am 24, own one of his old guns (his service gun!),

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Not to Hijack the thread, but I think that's an outstanding legacy. I look forward to giving my sons razors and guns in good time.

I have two girls (no boys except the dog and she had him fixed :cry:) they have seen me shave and know how sharp they are. They have also been told not to touch the razors. BUT they are children and are curious. I keep my razors in a box in a cabinet in my bedroom. Out of sight out of mind. I trust my children but as there dad I take that little extra step to be sure they are safe.

Have you ever thought about getting a junk razor and grinding it down to a completely dull, safe, rounded edge to give them 'their own razor like daddy's'?

I remember as a kid my dad taking out the blade from his DE razor, giving it to me with a can of shaving cream and letting me go to town.

They still have the pictures somewhere.

I like this idea of the kid's own junk razor, but it does cause problems with him thinking that he can handle Daddy's, because they're just the same.

I'm a big fan of satisfying curiosity under supervision, but I don't think I'd let a kid handle a razor until he/she was comfortable and confident with other sharp edges, such as a kitchen knife and pocket knife. I wouldn't give my kid a .45 as her first pistol, or a .30-06 as his first rifle. I wouldn't teach blade safety with the sharpest kind of blade out there.
J.