What knife for an 8 year old?!

[malley]

My daughter is coming to the Bushmoot. So, in order to stop myself from buying loads of kit for ME, I'd like to get her a good starter knife to hopefully learn some skills with at the moot. Suggestions? Bad idea for an 8 year old? I think she has the skill and she'll be supervised at all times - be good to entrust her with her own knife?


Cheers.

 

[Stew]

It's a classic answer - a Mora.

 

[Goatboy]

Good thread idea,

Yup a mora type would be good, recently found the first sheath knife I ever bought, a mora type called "falcon", was looking the worse for wear, needs resharpened and cleaned. Brought back a load of memories of the fishing trip I bought it for, graloching rabbits at a young age and generally just feeling trusted to buy a knife that was "fixed" over the folders I'd had before. I've never fallen out of love with fixed blades since, was taught to respect a blade and what it meant to carry / own one. Good idea to get her one, though I "outgrew" that blade in time, I've come back to it's simplicity (VIA some exotic stuff on the way) and once I've finnished the refurb will start to give it the outings it desearves.

Goatboy.

 

[Draven]

I think opinel make a youngster knife with a rounded point, if that's the sort of thing you're looking for, but failing that I'd go for a mora - you can get ones with a metal guard, IIRC it used to be (if it still isn't) a 'coming of age' thing, getting a knife without a guard. I'e been using knives unsupervised since I was about six and I still have all fingers and toes, so I'm sure that neither will be a problem at the Bushmoot!

If you can find one, E. Jonsson made a knife with a 3.5" blade that may be well suited - plain barrel handle, though it wouldn't be too hard to knock up a smaller one if you felt so inclined!

Pete

 

[scrogger]

I agree with Draven opinel do a good rounded end knife but this still has a good working blade, good for whittling etc. but the other opinels are also pretty good my 9 yr old lad uses one very well. The opinels seem to have well sized handles that fit a childs hand well.

I use a mora as recommended on here for everyday stuff and to be honest it looks a bit clumsy in my lads hands just my opinion thats all. Moras are bomb proof though and the carbons are easy to get an edge back on even for ill experienced peeps like myself.

I would say the opinel might fit your daughters hand better in terms of comfort but it depends what you intend her to do with it.

hope this helps

Andy

 

[forestwalker]

I agree with Draven opinel do a good rounded end knife but this still has a good working blade, good for whittling etc. but the other opinels are also pretty good my 9 yr old lad uses one very well. The opinels seem to have well sized handles that fit a childs hand well.

I rounded the points of two moras for my kids (when they were about 3-4). There is also a Mora made "scout" knife, but I don't like it for some reason (probably the cross guard):

 

[tobes01]

The Opinel beginner has a round tip but a very sharp edge, and is a great size for my 8-year old son. It means if he slips, there's no sharp point for accidental stab wounds...

 

[FGYT]

depends what your 8yr old is like only you will be able to decide this
i wouldnt give some 12yr olds a wooden spoon

then you need to decide pointy or round tip . I lean towardes the pointy from the start with more as i feel its best to learn theres a point not try to relearn its not a rounded in the future when you think they are oks with less supervision etc but thats all personnel opinion and down to you and your kid

I would prefer a fixed blade as its not going to fold opinels are good little knives but you have to remember to engage the saftey catch

mine where going to get a 3/4scale woodlore clone might be a little closer to my Pointy bushy now as i like the shape better but they are a few years of that yet

if you can get a small Mora maybe a carver blade and mod the handle to fit that sould give a resonable priced small knife

ATB

Duncan

 

[malley]

This is all great stuff. I plan to get Moras for my partner and myself to learn with. As mentioned above, I imagined these would be too large for her hands? Great to hear all your thoughts - I thought that mora scout knife looked great? Bad idea? Is anyone doing a scaled down woodlore type? I know some aren't the biggest fans of these designs but would be a fantastic starting knife that would last her as she develops. God, what did I used to think about before knives, boots, canoes, stoves . . . . . . . . . !?!!!?!

 

[silvergirl]

My son got one like the scout knife in Forestwalkers post when he was 8.

He bought it in Norway with his holiday money (whereas my daugther squandered hers on sweets)

I like it. His doesn't have the cross gaurd, but does have a short finger gaurd which I like.
I decided against the opinel as the lock mechinisim can slip and if they aren't paying attention the can get a nasty cut acroos the back of the fingers.

So I'd go for a small fixed blade sheath knife if you can.

 

[malley]

Silvergirl - any pics of that one? Any idea of brand/ manufacturer?

 

[robin wood]

I think the mora is a big handle for an 8 year old. Mora do that scout type with just a bottom guard which looks nicer or there are other similar without gueard eg the mora 120.

My personal fave for kids is the brusletto balder, looks like a proper knife, wood handle leather sheath, small handle, stailess blade so won't rust. Just rounding the very tip with a bit of coarse emery paper will save some nicks and can easily be sharpened back when she gets confidence.

Last thing I always reckon on starting kids with knives in the kitchen first, get her cutting up fruit for a fruit salad or veggies when cooking, teach proper technique, if you are not sure analise what you do yourself and how you manage each cut so that your fingers and body parts are out of the way.

http://www.greenmanbushcraft.co.uk/cutting-tools/brusletto-balder-knife.htm

 

[malley]

Robin - that looks fantastic. I take it from your site that it's a good one for carving? Really cheap, too.

 

[Urban_Dreamer]

The advantage of Opinel's are that they do a range of sizes, which means that you can get one with a small handle if you wish.

I think is that only sizes above 8 lock. Still it's a great knife for your money.

It depends upon your 8 year old and what you expect them to be doing with the knife. I gave my (then) 7 year old a CHEAP SA copy. My reasoning was that she was going to loose it, which she did. It's replacement is still knocking about and I'm starting to consider that perhaps it should be replaced.

On the subject of locking folders, it depends upon the knife, its intended use and its user.
Given the use I expected I chose a fairly blunt non-locking so that she could learn the dangers of knives relatively unsupervised.

Given that in this country all EDC's carry the same risks it's worth learning how to use a knife in such a way that there is never pressure on the blade that causes it to snap closed. That's also the reason why I would recommend a folding knife for a first knife, even though we all know that a fixed blade is better in almost every way.

 

[thatch]

http://helle.dnn2.gasta.no/Default.aspx?tabid=4947&language=en-US

I would reccomend this. "Helle Speiderkniven" it's a great starterknife for any child.
This was my very first knife, I got it when I was about 7-8. With this knife i developed some skills without having any accidents. The fingerguard is big, but when i was a kid I didn't mind. I didn't even notice, I was just extremely proud that I had my own knife.
It might look sort of weak, but when I was a kid mine took a hell of a beating. Using it on trees, rocks, metal. leaving it out in the rain/snow. It endured everything. To this day I miss that knife, it's probably still on the ground i the woods somewhere, or up in a tree.

I think giving an 8 year old a knife is no problem at all. They will quicly learn to respect it. Aspecially if they cut themselves a few times. I think it's important for kids to get little nicks and cuts from time to time. It teaches them to handle their knife properly. That's my own experience and opinion anyway.

 

[Asa Samuel]

First knife I ever had was an opinel No.6 I'd recommend one of them just with the right size for her hand.

They do rounded end versions but if you think she's safe enough with a blade then I doubt it would make much difference.

 

[robin wood]

Robin - that looks fantastic. I take it from your site that it's a good one for carving? Really cheap, too.

It is not perfect for serious controlled woodcarving but it is perfect for the sort of whittling that 8 year olds like to do, pointing sticks, peeling bark and making magic staffs etc.

Our kids started with similar and they also have Swiss army knives, one with a saw is nice.

This book is a great idea

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Book-Whittling-Passing-Trail/dp/1565232747

 

[Wayland]

I was going to recommend the Balder as well.

It's scaled down just about right and is very popular in Norway as a first knife from what I've seen.

 

[Iona]

I think the mora is a big handle for an 8 year old. Mora do that scout type with just a bottom guard which looks nicer or there are other similar without gueard eg the mora 120.

My personal fave for kids is the brusletto balder, looks like a proper knife, wood handle leather sheath, small handle, stailess blade so won't rust. Just rounding the very tip with a bit of coarse emery paper will save some nicks and can easily be sharpened back when she gets confidence.

Last thing I always reckon on starting kids with knives in the kitchen first, get her cutting up fruit for a fruit salad or veggies when cooking, teach proper technique, if you are not sure analise what you do yourself and how you manage each cut so that your fingers and body parts are out of the way.

http://www.greenmanbushcraft.co.uk/cutting-tools/brusletto-balder-knife.htm

I'm getting my Son his first knife for his birthday, which, as it happens is 3 days before the Moot (plenty of practice opportunities I reckon ).

This looks perfect. It's got a good look about it and is a fixed blade with a leather sheath, which is super grown up when you're 8, and best of all, it won't break the bank!

Thanks for that! :You_Rock_

 

[helixpteron]

I asked my friends if I may buy their girls (then aged 10 and 12) a Victorinox SAK.

Having known the girls all their lives and child minded them for two full (12 hour+) days a week, for two years (when they were two and four years old) I believed that I was a good judge of their character.

So did their parents, whom readily agreed........ I gave them both a Vic' SAK catalogue and let them decide. We then discussed their choice, and they reconsidered and both chose the Mini Champs.

Closely followed by two Leatherman Supertool sized multi-tools, not from the Vic' catalogue!

Their little brother (then aged five) also got the same type multi-tool.

The kids had been familiar with the SAK Swiss Champs and Leatherman Supertools which their father and I wore on a daily basis, and the small SAK which I'd given their mother, and had always treated them with respect when they asked to handle them (which was frequent!).

Having grown up seeing adults with personal knives, and being trusted to handle, examine and use them, the children have a responsible attitude to knife usage and care.

The youngest girl has my Gerber E-Z Out River Rescue knife on her PFD for Packrafting, and is also an enthusiastic whittler (with a knife bought for that purpose).

Perhaps ask your child which type of knife they may prefer and discuss the practical options, it worked very well for us.