What to give a child to keep in his pockets around the campsite?

[Garnett]

Short version: What inexpensive penknife, headtorch, and other pocketable bushcraft kit for a young camper?

Long version: Our 3 boys have been begging for their first penknife for a couple of years now, and last summer I said they could have one the next camping season - ie in 5 months' time - June 2023. We go car-camping a lot - only ever on family campsites. Very tame stuff. The boys are 9, 8 and 6 years old - I'm going to be supervising them very closely, and they will not be able to take the knives away from our tent.

I was wondering if people had any recommendations, either for the knife itself, or anything else to go with it. I'm thinking a standard-size Victorinox with wood saw and scissors.

They have bulky, relatively dim handheld torches - because I noticed it's hard for them not to shine torches (especially head torches) into the eyes of anyone close by. I think it might be time to get them headtorches. I'm well out of date on torches. I have a Fenix that I love that runs on a 18650. Ideally, theirs would run on AA or AAA.

I used to love my little survival tin - with a compass, a whistle, flint and steel, and a few other bits and pieces, and I thought that'd be good to get them. I'm not giving them the flint and steel though - no fire-starting kit. The adults are in charge of that.

It all needs to be relatively cheap, because they'll lose it.

 

[gra_farmer]

SAK fold on fingers, you must have a locking or fixed blade.

Opinel no7 childrens knife is a good choice (locks and can use a fire steel in a locked position), I have been down this road with my two little girls. they had their first knife 3 and 4 years old, but started the oldest at 3 years doing feather sticks and fire lighting.

Head torch wise, we did go low power, and got a unicorn head torches from bright minds website.

At now 4 and 5 years, they have their own bushcraft backpacks, with head torch, knife, fire steel, paracord, art pads and paints, compass, binoculars, whistle (with brake away cord for the neck), Id field guides for bugs, flowers and spiders.

The small backpacks came from mountain warehouse at £8 each, every thing goes in there, one item out at a time, and whistle always around the neck when wearing the backpack.

I will add a saw and fishing kit next year.

Everything is supervised, even the head torches.

Will post a picture of bags and contents tomorrow.

 

[Jared]

Victorinox Junior 04 (round tipped blade), or one of the Victorinox Evolution S17/S18 ?

All are 85mm in size, have saw, scissors and have a locking main blade. Not that inexpensive though compared to non locking variants.

 

[Broch]

OK, I rarely disagree with Graham, but I have had no problem with a SAK. On top of that, if the kid forgets to take it out of his pocket when you leave camp they'll not be breaking the law.

My Grandchildren got their first knives last year, both Huntsman (I believe this is the cheapest SAK with saw and scissors - both indispensable IMO).

Don't get a 'child's' version with the rounded blade; it's more likely to slip or close on their fingers if they push it. I have never understood those knives; it's the blade that causes wounds not the point in most situations. The first thing I did was teach them what happens when a folding knife is not used properly and you stab with it; it scared them enough that they have never tried stabbing with them.

OK, they only have them to hand when I'm around and I'm always doing stuff with them - they don't walk off into the wood with a knife in their hand.

 

[Jared]

Yeah, Huntsman or Fieldmaster (identical but with philips instead of corkscrew) usually cheapest on Amazon.

 

[Garnett]

SAK fold on fingers, you must have a locking or fixed blade.

Opinel no7 childrens knife is a good choice (locks and can use a fire steel in a locked position), I have been down this road with my two little girls. they had their first knife 3 and 4 years old, but started the oldest at 3 years doing feather sticks and fire lighting.

Head torch wise, we did go low power, and got a unicorn head torches from bright minds website.

At now 4 and 5 years, they have their own bushcraft backpacks, with head torch, knife, fire steel, paracord, art pads and paints, compass, binoculars, whistle (with brake away cord for the neck), Id field guides for bugs, flowers and spiders.

The small backpacks came from mountain warehouse at £8 each, every thing goes in there, one item out at a time, and whistle always around the neck when wearing the backpack.

I will add a saw and fishing kit next year.

Everything is supervised, even the head torches.

Will post a picture of bags and contents tomorrow.

Thanks - that's a great reply. That all makes a lot of sense.

Victorinox Junior 04 (round tipped blade), or one of the Victorinox Evolution S17/S18 ?

All are 85mm in size, have saw, scissors and have a locking main blade. Not that inexpensive though compared to non locking variants.

OK, I rarely disagree with Graham, but I have had no problem with a SAK. On top of that, if the kid forgets to take it out of his pocket when you leave camp they'll not be breaking the law.

My Grandchildren got their first knives last year, both Huntsman (I believe this is the cheapest SAK with saw and scissors - both indispensable IMO).

Don't get a 'child's' version with the rounded blade; it's more likely to slip or close on their fingers if they push it. I have never understood those knives; it's the bade that causes wounds not the point in most situations. The first thing I did was teach them what happens when a folding knife is not used properly and you stab with it; it scared them enough that they have never tried stabbing with them.

OK, they only have them to hand when I'm around and I'm always doing stuff with them - they don't walk off into the wood with a knife in their hand.

Thanks both.

Broch, the Huntsman is the one I'm looking at. Mainly because I'm a tightarse and it seems like the one that you can pick up for under £25 quite often.

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[Garnett]

Yeah, Huntsman or Fieldmaster (identical but with philips instead of corkscrew) usually cheapest on Amazon.

Thanks - yes, I saw the Fieldmaster. Personally, while I rarely open a bottle of wine with a cork, I *do* use the corkscrew for undoing knots quite often, so, for camping, I think the corkscrew's more useful than the Phillips, but I'll probably let price decide for me.

 

[gra_farmer]

OK, I rarely disagree with Graham, but I have had no problem with a SAK. On top of that, if the kid forgets to take it out of his pocket when you leave camp they'll not be breaking the law.

I am honoured that you mostly agree with me , agreed the SAK is UK legal non locking, but personal experience is that they do fold (I have seen very bad deep cuts), although rarely.

I was brought up on a family farm, and was trained by a old school shepherd (from 7 years of age), the scars he showed me when using a non locking knife were numerous, and learnt the hard way myself. My main knife to do all the farm jobs and vet level work (c sections, skinning lambs when encouraging adoptions, cutting bales, etc) was a opinel no7 and 8. For me SAK was a play knife.

I made the choice that although the opinel no7 childrens Knife is not UK legal, the times that they will have them, will be supervised and in a suitable location.

As I said, everything stays in the backpack, one item or items for the intended task out at a time, and gets placed back straight away after. Nothing carried in the pockets, in the bag or round the neck (whistle, compass or binoculars).

@Garnett if it is more of a walk around and let's see what we can do sort of thing, go with the SAK as a one stop tool. SAK are brilliant and I carry either a SAK or leatherman every day.

 

[Broch]

Oh, and the whistles they have in the wood are the Fox 40 models, they come in bright colours, break-away cord, and they are the loudest things I've found (I use them canoeing).

2023 Palm Fox 40 Whistle 10546 - Canoe & Kayak - Accessories

Palm Canoe & Kayak: The Fox 40 whistle's three-chamber design with no moving parts can produce up to 110 decib...

www.wetsuitoutlet.co.uk

 

[Tengu]

Do you think you can supervise THREE boys?

 

[Jared]

Just remembered the brand of an inexpensive single AA angle/head torch.

Trend

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trend-TCH-HA-H10-Angled/dp/B07DKHXN5T?th=1

No idea on quality.

 

[walker]

Mora and opinal do children safe knifes.
My grandson just uses a small puukko

 

[MikeLA]

I would recommend the SAK Huntsman. Always good to have scissors, woodsaw on. The can lock on fingers like every knife but it teaches you to be careful and the times they closed on me, they made no harm or cut but got to be careful.

The only negative if they bite their nails is opening them. Opinel I have sadly never got on with, unlike most on here, very hard to open if not used regularly or looked after, can stick in the handle. I used to like the No 9 size.

Any alpkit head torch. Cheaper than most.

A small LifeSystems whistle and a small silva ranger SL compass.

 

[Broch]

Opinel I have sadly never got on with, unlike most on here, very hard to open if not used regularly or looked after, can stick in the handle.

Nope, I'm with you on that. They're made of a steel that holds a nice edge but that's all that I find good about them. They're clunky to open and lock and the handle is far from comfortable. I had one years ago and got rid of it. But, as you say, a lot of people on here seem to like them - each to their own

 

[gra_farmer]

My 5 year old loves the true poplite torch / lantern, she is recommending it now.
They cost about £5 each

 

[C_Claycomb]

I got my SAK Camper at age eight to take away with me to PGL camp. I like the size, but often missed having scissors, so agree the Huntsman is a good model. I don think I ever closed it on myself. Might as well start teaching care and tool respect early. I am not a fan of child safety blades, unless the child is under six.

The only problem with the SAK is the blade is soft and dulls fast. The Boker Plus Techtools have better blades but less good tools. I always carried at least two knifes after a few months with that Camper. My SAK and something else to cut with. I didn’t have a sheath knife till I started shooting at 16.

cork screw is great for helping untie knots, and carrying an eyeglass screw driver. Never missed not having a short Philips driver.

 

[demographic]

I got my granddaughter this Swiss Army Explorer a few years ago.
She's 11 now and I can't remember exactly how old she was then, mebbe about 8.
She loves it.

 

[MikeLA]

Do like my huntsman even though the blade isn’t great. It’s just so light to carry and always in my pocket unlike a multi tool. I use the scissors just as much as the knife.

Most knives are a compromise and a personal choice but a SAK is a good a start as any for a child until they make their own mind up.

 

[Tengu]

Yes. I still have mine.

The one with both scissors and a saw.

But. I cannot remember where I put it, I have several of them now, and I dont know which is the original.

 

[Broch]

Do like my huntsman even though the blade isn’t great. It’s just so light to carry and always in my pocket unlike a multi tool. I use the scissors just as much as the knife.

Most knives are a compromise and a personal choice but a SAK is a good a start as any for a child until they make their own mind up.

Yep, I always have my SAK on my belt - working in the wood the most used tools are the scissors and the tweezers. Usually for cutting broken nails, pulling out thorns and splinters - the rest comes in handy occasionally