CHILD'S FIRST KNIFE

[Rambo Rees]

Hi All, my son is 6 soon and my wife has agreed he's ready for his first knife, a joyous rite of passage .
Any advice on which would be best?
I have decided that the rounded tip blades would be best
So - do I go for
....a traditional slip joint penknife
or a locking penknife?
(victorinox have versions of both, with s small saw which is appealing) ......or do I go fixed blade? The rounded tip version from Hultafors seem ideal as the handles are a little slimmer than mora's.
Any advice greatly appreciated.
diolch.

 

[punkrockcaveman]

Good question. I personally feel a fixed blade is safer. Longer the handle the better. As you say though a slimmer handle would be beneficial, shorter blade is probably safer too.

 

[Broch]

I know I am virtually alone in my opinion on this (there's been discussions in the past) but I don't like rounded tip blades at all for a number of reasons. In my experience kids don't tend to cut themselves on the point but in carrying out slicing actions or using too much force and going beyond where they intended (I still have a scar on my leg from when I was ten ). They very quickly will step beyond what can be achieved with a blunt ended knife and want to do work that requires a finer tip and trying to do it with a rounded end is dangerous as slips occur frequently.

If you do get a rounded point knife make sure it is locking or fixed blade; the round point makes it all the more likely to close on the kid's fingers if he presses down on it.

As you will have guessed, I prefer a small fixed blade knife, good instruction, and discrete but constant monitoring until I am confident the child has grasped the process.

 

[punkrockcaveman]

https://benandloisorford.com/store/#!/Childrens-Woodcraft-Knife/p/91680589/category=8705023

 

[Kepis]

My two both had Mora Clippers (now the Companion) when they were old enough to start using a knife (and still have the Clippers even though they are now in their 20's) , always used under strict supervision until Unc (me) was happy they could be used unsupervised, sure we have a few cuts over the years, but haven't we all, they added the Hultafors HVK (pointy tip) and a few others over the years, im with Broch the rounded tips are a waste of time, teach them to use and respect a pointy tip from the outset.

 

[demographic]

Got my granddaughter a Swiss Army Explorer with butterfly designs on the scales a few years ago. Enough blades and gadgets to keep a seven year old interested and pretty enough for a young girl like her to treasure.
She's still got it and hasn't shivved anyone yet, nor has she accidentally severed her own heed.
So thats a plus.

I'm another who's not blown away by the erm...pointless knives.
People cut themselves, they learn then with luck they don't do it so much.

 

[Toddy]

I posted this on another thread just yesterday.
The little Balder knife from Brusletto is sold as a hunting knife, it's really just a tiddler of a bushcrafting knife and it's an excellent knife for a child too.
The handle is very comfortable and safe to use, even for a much larger adult who just wants a small butchery knife or one for whittling.

 

[Toddy]

Having said that I went looking and Greenmanbushcraft have a very similar knife, a Tusk......

Greenman Bushcraft

The new range of Tusk knives are much like the very popular, but now long-discontinued Brusletto Balder Knives. These small multipurpose bushcraft knives are the perfect choice as a first carving knife for small hands or as an all-round whittling knife. Each Tusk Knife offers a small 5cm blade...

www.greenmanbushcraft.co.uk

 

[oldtimer]

Opinel do a special children's knife. It is traditional for French grandfathers to give grand children their first knife. I found my grandchildren very quickly grew out of them. Other grandfather and I didn't confer so eldest grandson ended up with a Mora Companion from me and a multibladed Victorinox from the other one.

 

[gra_farmer]

Childrens Opinel 7, the knife spine in the closed position can be used to strike a fire steel.

I have been doing bushcraft with my three year old this morning

I did a whole thread on bushcraft with children https://bushcraftuk.com/community/threads/carving-with-children-guidance-and-tips.155693/

 

[Broch]

Ah, I don't feel so lonely now

 

[Rambo Rees]

Great advice all, really appreciated. Lots to ponder, the Opinels are lovely and those little Tusk's look perfect.

Think I'm gravitating toward fixed...and to steal a pun I take your collective points about the tip.
......I have a new unused Hultafors fixed stainless......Thinking I may file the blade shorter (6cm ish? and in so doing make a more pronounced drop point - woodlore shaped blade in the process)....add a firesteel loop and he will have a setup similar to his dad's knife?

 

[gra_farmer]

Started my oldest girl at 1 year, with a knife, search childrens kitchen dog knife on amazon.

She is so handy with a knife, that she helps with food prep and can do feather sticks, that match most adults, build fire lays and light them. She is 3 years....

 

[gra_farmer]

Great advice all, really appreciated. Lots to ponder, the Opinels are lovely and those little Tusk's look perfect.

Think I'm gravitating toward fixed...and to steal a pun I take your collective points about the tip.
......I have a new unused Hultafors fixed stainless......Thinking I may file the blade shorter (6cm ish? and in so doing make a more pronounced drop point - woodlore shaped blade in the process)....add a firesteel loop and he will have a setup similar to his dad's knife?

The Opinels lock in the closed position as well as the open position, that is what makes them so good

 

[TLM]

The point is not the problem, in all my years as scout I have never seen any one cut himself with the point (that one dropped puukko does not really count). My recommendation would be a fixed blade or solid lock blade with shortish blade, that Brusletto in Toddy's post would be a good candidate. The handle should be of proper diameter for the hand intended.

 

[Sieddy]

I got my daughter the pink handled Mora Scout knife when she was 8 which was a great option. But I also think a SAK holds a world of fascination for kids (of all ages!)

 

[mickeyluv]

Got mine one of these, but also a pair of cut proof gloves to wear while using it

 

[Erbswurst]

The Victorinox are a bit dangerous, because they can snap on the finger.

I got my first one in the age of 6 and never did hurt myself with it. But I recommend the Opinel No6 Carbone, because this knife is made for the hand size of children, the blade isn't so long and after it got whet a bit the rust at the blade where it touches the wood of the handle makes a higher friction, so it becomes more secure.

My brother is a vegetable grower and here are flying a lot of No7 stainless around and I really hate them. It's no problem to sharpen them but in my opinion the friction is too low.

The Mora Companion has a far too large handle, even for a ten years old boy.
My nephew tried it out but returned to the Opinel No7 after we spoke about this point. He could take the Mora Companion or the Hultafors OK 4 but he takes the Opinel No7 which is even too large for him, because he lost his No6.

In my opinion the best option is a usual bushcraft knife with usual proportion but in small size.
I had such a knife since I was 5 years old and it was very convincing. I prefered to use it and not the Victorinox Spartan as long as I was a child.

The proportions of the Opinel No 6 are ideal in my opinion for a six years old child but I would prefere to gift such a knife as a fix blade version.

I was many years a boy scout leader too and do not see any reason for a round tip. They really are pointless in my opinion.

They are surely nice as breakfast knifes if the jam glass is nearly empty. But totally nonsense as first all purpose knifes.

Opinel sells the No6 since many decades.
The handle is sized for 5 to 10 years old children.

The relatively new No7 round tip stainless versions are sized for 12 years old people who perhaps better should get a flexible plastic spoon, because it's too late anyway...

An interesting knife for older children which I only know from the internet is the Schnitzel Du.

SCHNITZEL DU - Schnitzel Germany

Das Schnitzel DU und seine Vorteile stellen sich vor Sichere Handlage durch rutschfesten Griff aus G-10 Material G-10 ist ein leichtes und robustes Verbundmaterial. Es besteht aus Glasfasern und Epoxydharz, welches verpresst wird und Wettereinflüssen unerschrocken entgegentritt. Durch die...

www.schnitzel-germany.de

But there are other knifes too which surely would be a good option, for example the LionSteel M1-GOR.

LionSteel M1-GOR Orange G10, feststehendes Messer

Griffmaterial/Klingenstahl: G10/Böhler M390 Klingenlänge: 7,5 cm Gewicht: 95 g

www.knivesandtools.de

 

[Rambo Rees]

The Victorinox are a bit dangerous, because they can snap on the finger.

I got my first one in the age of 6 and never did hurt myself with it. But I recommend the Opinel No6 Carbone, because this knife is made for the hand size of children, the blade isn't so long and after it got whet a bit the rust at the blade where it touches the wood of the handle makes a higher friction, so it becomes more secure.

My brother is a vegetable grower and here are flying a lot of No7 stainless around and I really hate them. It's no problem to sharpen them but in my opinion the friction is too low.

The Mora Companion has a far too large handle, even for a ten years old boy.
My nephew tried it out but returned to the Opinel No7 after we spoke about this point. He could take the Mora Companion or the Hultafors OK 4 but he takes the Opinel No7 which is even too large for him, because he lost his No6.

In my opinion the best option is a usual bushcraft knife with usual proportion but in small size.
I had such a knife since I was 5 years old and it was very convincing. I prefered to use it and not the Victorinox Spartan as long as I was a child.

The proportions of the Opinel No 6 are ideal in my opinion for a six years old child but I would prefere to gift such a knife as a fix blade version.

I was many years a boy scout leader too and do not see any reason for a round tip. They really are pointless in my opinion.

They are surely nice as breakfast knifes if the jam glass is nearly empty. But totally nonsense as first all purpose knifes.

Opinel sells the No6 since many decades.
The handle is sized for 5 to 10 years old children.

The relatively knew No7 round tip stainless versions are sized for 12 years old people who perhaps better should get a flexible plastic spoon, because it's too late anyway...

An interesting knife for older children which I only know from the internet is the Schnitzel Du.

SCHNITZEL DU - Schnitzel Germany

Das Schnitzel DU und seine Vorteile stellen sich vor Sichere Handlage durch rutschfesten Griff aus G-10 Material G-10 ist ein leichtes und robustes Verbundmaterial. Es besteht aus Glasfasern und Epoxydharz, welches verpresst wird und Wettereinflüssen unerschrocken entgegentritt. Durch die...

www.schnitzel-germany.de

But there are other knifes too which surely would be a good option, for example the LionSteel M1-GOR.

LionSteel M1-GOR Orange G10, feststehendes Messer

Griffmaterial/Klingenstahl: G10/Böhler M390 Klingenlänge: 7,5 cm Gewicht: 95 g

www.knivesandtools.de

Love the Scnitzel

 

[Rambo Rees]

Childrens Opinel 7, the knife spine in the closed position can be used to strike a fire steel.

I have been doing bushcraft with my three year old this morning

I did a whole thread on bushcraft with children https://bushcraftuk.com/community/threads/carving-with-children-guidance-and-tips.155693/

Great article my fellow Bushcrafter