Children and knifes

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leon-b

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
May 31, 2006
3,390
22
Who knows
yes my mum will cook and use knives then but when i wanted a knife my mum wasnt to set on the idea
leon
 

xylaria

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
My six year old has a small muti-tool. The blade on it is 4cm and though sharper than a dinner knife it is not a razor. He has had it since christmas and appears perfectly responsible with it, in the main he uses the screwdrivers and torch. He knows that any job that needs a tool requires an adult; 1) to get tool off the shelf and 2) to give advice.

He also lives in house where power tools are used very frequently. I have let him do sanding with a mouse for a while now but he will alot older(voting age :) ) when he is let use the dremmel. When I was ten my dad showed me how to use a power drill, then gave me the tool so I could drill a hole. It was into a concrete floor with a very heavy drill. I damaged the drill bit and cut my foot which was bare!.

The whole thing is about differant ways children and parents act towards danger, and it is just a negligent to fail to educate, as to over expose. The ideal is always aim to supervise exposure to danger so education can be provided.

But never underestimate the stupidity of others. I have seen a parent (scrote dad of 9) give his kids fireworks to play with in the street. His 14 year was in secure for stabbing someone
 

WhichDoctor

Nomad
Aug 12, 2006
384
1
Shropshire
bent-stick said:
Over Chrismas I pruned an apple tree in my mum's garden and it was good to sit on the step with my nephew (13) and peel some branches with our knives and do some tent pegs. Made me think there was some hope that the cycle was turning back to some kind of appreciation of working with your hands. Then he went back to Halo II, or whatever and I despaired again...

Hay don't despair, I've made a couple of spoons, half way through a kuksa and always out in the garden or the local woods, when im not doing that I'm playing on the computer (as well as lurking on this forum :cool: ). after spending all afternoon in the garden I'm back indoors no and just feel like a game of halo, so don't give up on your nephew, he's probably just like me :D .

P.S. I remember I was also allowed to get a little knife on a key-ring (the blade was about 3cm long) when I was about 7 or 8 so I was let into the hole thing slowly.
 
Mar 22, 2006
291
0
38
North Wales
would we really all get knives if our mums let us?? its always a grandad or an uncle and definatly behind ur mums back im 21 n my mum thinks its awful how i can get them threw the post ha ha ha
 

Eric_Methven

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 20, 2005
3,600
42
73
Durham City, County Durham
Good thread this! I've been to the woods with Cameron and we cut some long straights for walking sticks and some bendy bits for spoons. When we got back I discovered the Frost Mora is way too big for his little hands so he's been using my frost carving knife and spoon knife and I'll get him his SAK soon instead of waiting for his birthday. He acted very responsibly with the knife and handled his new folding pruning saw properly as well.

Eric
 

WhichDoctor

Nomad
Aug 12, 2006
384
1
Shropshire
Backyard Bushcraft said:
would we really all get knives if our mums let us?? its always a grandad or an uncle and definatly behind ur mums back im 21 n my mum thinks its awful how i can get them threw the post ha ha ha

Hay it was my mum who bought me my swiss army knife and tolled me how to use it, it was my dad and granddad who were a bit wary about it. Maybe we're just weird :lmao: .

Mind you my granddad is missing the end off one of his fingers from a knife accident, so you cant blame him.
 

demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,691
710
-------------
My mother bought me a swiss army knife when I learned to read :) then when I was about seven one of my older brothers found one of these when he was in Norway and gave it to me.

Although it perhaps should be mentioned that I lived on a farm so there was more call to carry one about then.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
Eric, speak to me about a knife for Cameron ? I've got little hands too and I can't use the Frost's one with any comfort either.

I bought both my sons their first knives (latest ones too, now I come to think of it :cool: ) so it's not a Mum thing, I suspect it's an environment thing. Suburbanites don't really see the knife as a *tool* tool, but as a *weapon* tool :rolleyes:

I do think every child is different and differently ready to be responsible. It is also very much the responsibility of the adult who supplies the child with a knife to ensure that they are safe for themselves and others when using it.
That said, how many of us can truthfully say they've never cut themselves with one? I know I have scars from not paying proper attention to what I was doing :eek:
Not horrendous things, but little white reminders ;)

Cheers,
Toddy
 

Bushcraft4life

Settler
Dec 31, 2006
859
3
34
London
Great thread this. My Mum has never really had a problem with me having a knife. I got my first one years ago. And i live in south east london :eek: . How i ended up living here when my mum is a bushcraft nut i don't know :yikes: .
I understand where you coming from leon-b. I only just turned 17 :D . But i am allowed any kit i want. I currently have a frosts mora knife but i am going a bit more upmarket soon. And i just ordered my SFA from gransfors :p .

Toddy is right in some respects but my mum understands clearly that a knife is a tool. She has a clipper herself :D
 

Bushcraft4life

Settler
Dec 31, 2006
859
3
34
London
Toddy said:
I think I like your Mum :D

Cheers,
Toddy

:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

She is on the edge of her seat waiting for Ray Mears wild food on thursday. Plus she is going to get an SFA for herself too. Can't wait for mine to arrive :D .
 

hawsome34

Tenderfoot
Sep 3, 2004
83
0
48
Merseyside
I've been to a few developing countries in my few short years. And when there it is commonplace to see kids as young as 3/4 handling machetes, very rarely do they have small knives as the machete is good for most jobs.

I think if you grow up in an environment where a knife is seen first as a tool, and viewed from an early age in use it is naturally used correctly with minimal instruction.

The difference here, is many knives are illegal and therefor seen as weapons, so many people (idiots) and media create the wrong impression of what and how they should be used.

Maybe we're advanced too far for our own safety, and need to take a step back and learn from those who are not westernised yet.

Thats my 2p worth, and I think its worth much more.
 

AndyW

Nomad
Nov 12, 2006
400
0
50
Essex
Although I wouldn't say I was ever encouraged by my mum/dad to use a knife as they don't have the need, I've never been kept away from them. My mum as a kid was a guide etc (60 years back now!) and as a kid I used to find an old folder she had. It bit me a few times when I used to play and I've still got a small scar from when I was about 7. Got a big Rambo type when I was about 12 :rolleyes: and used to play around with that.

Now doing it all properly and safely and going to introduce my soon to be 6 yr old how to use knives safely. His mum says "as long as she doesn't know..." ;)

She's just found a long forgotten fixed blade. I'll post pics in another thread soon as it's amazing!
 

hanzo

Nomad
Feb 12, 2006
452
25
60
Hawaii
hanzosoutdoors.blogspot.com
Both of my girls have started helping out in the kitchen doing knife related chores at about age. They started with other stuff like washing and mixing earlier. But before they get to touch a knife, we talk about safety and how to hold and use the knife. They also see me using a knife in the kitchen and outside. Amazing what kids can learn from watching. My daughter was watching me practice martial arts once, then a few days later said, watch me daddy. I was pretty impressed!

Anyway, they only get a butter knife and help to cut stuff that a butter knife can cut, like vegetables. As we see how they handle, we progress from there. They are pretty cautious with knives and handle them with respect and care. But at 2 and 5, they are still not going to get to handle something sharp yet. I already purchased my five year olds first "real" knife, but she won't get it quite yet.



She hasn't handled or learn about a folding knife yet. And I want her to keep her pretty little fingers. I think I will introduce it to her when I think the time is right with a covering of masking tape over the edge. Vitorinox makes their knives shaving sharp. And if they aren't, they are easy to get that way.
 

swagman

Nomad
Aug 14, 2006
262
1
56
Tasmania
I totaly agree with all that has been said here i think the boy i saw probably has had no instruction with his knife.
Its good to know that a lot of children are showing intrest in the use of knifes
and having proper instruction from you guys.
 

silvergirl

Nomad
Jan 25, 2006
379
0
Angus,Scotland
I was given my first knife when I was eight. I don't remember beibg told how to use it and Ended up with a few small scars but nothing serious.

I had thought about getting my son, whose just tirned eight a knife for Christmas, but we decided he is not quite ready for it. He may get one in the summer (one like Hanzo has got for his daughter I think).

People use knifes as tools and children need to be taught how to use them too, or how will they ever learnt to sliced bread, vegtables etc. never mind any thing else. But they need to be responible enough to understand what to do and what not to do with the tools they are given.
 

Wayland

Hárbarðr
Toddy said:
That said, how many of us can truthfully say they've never cut themselves with one? I know I have scars from not paying proper attention to what I was doing :eek:
Not horrendous things, but little white reminders ;)

Oddly enough I have cut myself far more regularly with kitchen knives than with my outdoor knives (once) or pocket knife (never).

I think it has a lot to do with attitude. I tend to use kitchen knives casually but I treat the others with the respect they deserve.

I was given my first knife at about 5 or 6 years of age. It was a barrel knife and very sharp.

I got into a few scraps when I was a kid and always had the knife on me but it never came into my head to use it as a weapon. It was a tool and nothing else.
 

Goose

Need to contact Admin...
Aug 5, 2004
1,797
21
56
Widnes
www.mpowerservices.co.uk
Due to being taught about knife safety, my kids can tell you where major arteries run and the type of injury you would get if you leak in different places, including estimated time of unconciousness and death!
They know a cut to the fingers or hand is sort of expected, and will be taken as a lesson in itself, but their record is quite good up to now. However if they manage to cut themselves anywhere else it is a whole different story due to the possible severity of the injury.
The only time I have any worries about their knife use and attitude toward knives is when they have friends round, but they are aware themselves of the possible dangers and they get stashed away before visitors, so there has never been a problem.
They only "problem" we have ever had is trying to get through airport security with a carry on daysack, when the staff reacted I automatically thought I had left something in my bag, even though I had thouroughly checked it before I left! Turned out to be my 12 year old daughter had left a multi tool in the bottom of her bag :eek: , we had been out a few weeks earlier and it had been tucked away and forgotten about :eek: , till we went through the x ray machine! She got a little bit of stick about arms smuggling for the rest of the holiday but airport staff were very good about the whole thing, it was dealt with really well and after double checking it was legal to own we offered a stamped jiffy bag, for a £3 charge, to send it home in.
 
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willowherb

Member
Nov 12, 2006
25
0
52
peebles
i remember my first knife which i got when i was about ten.it was a fixed blade and when ever i was on the farm id carry it with me. i knew not to take it off the farm and once when i lost it while gathering hay i was made to look for it all day until i found it incase it went in the baler.
the one thing i was not shown back then was how to sharpen it and ive only recently found out the correct way.as a boy i would sit on the back doorstep sharpening(blunting) my knife.
the only time i cut myself as a boy was when i thought id try throwing it because id seen it done on tv.how many here tried that as a kid?
 

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