Wrapped in cotton wool???

[dannyk64]

I was at the mothers down in hereford this weekend with my niece and we spent the day at eastnor castle (great place to visit btw) and she picked up a pretty straight bit of pine so when we got back I got out my pocket knife and carved her a quick wooden knife of her own. I taught her afterwards about what the tool is for and what it isn't seeing as despite being a real city kid she does love to get involved when I'm learning and practising my own bushcraft skills. She's 6 years old and was delighted at her new carving. It's not very sharp at all and yet people who have been told about it have gone crazy. Apparently it's irresponsible? Sorry for trying to teach the kid that a knife isn't a weapon or a toy but a tool that should be treated with respect. Is it just me or has the world gone a bit over protective on the younger kids??!!

 

[vestlenning]

Children should get used to the knife as a versatile tool from early on - keep up the good work!

 

[John Fenna]

The world is mad - we are the only sane ones left!

 

[Orchard]

Our 3year old has a wooden knife she uses for play-dough, pretend cooking prep., etc.. It's how they learn and get taught the fundamental safety aspects, before moving on. She even imagined, of her own volition, a pretend axe yesterday to process her kindling.

I'd be more concerned if our daughter couldn't use such elementary tools safely when she grows up - that is our responsibility

 

[ProjeKtWEREWOLF]

Im with Orchard on this. Mine is nearly six and is already well on her way to her own real knife.....

 

[Swallow]

Wildwolf used the sharpest kitchen knife in the house from at least 2 years old (maybe earlier) to cut up his chocolate biscuits (as you do).

Had his own Enzo aged 7.

By comparison.....age 7..... his uncle could plough a field with a tractor. Wheras he can barely drive.

 

[HillBill]

My boy is 7, i gave him a SAK for his 7th birthday.. he loves it. He doesn't mess about with it, and take great pleasure from opening new toys and things like that with it. I showed him how to use it safely, spent an hour with him making sure he could open and close the blades safely etc.. He's like any other 7 year old, loves to play and be silly etc, but when the knife comes out, he's instantly very grown up and careful about what he's doing. He respects it and what it can do.... but only because he was taught properly. Its nice to see.

Ignore those who say its irresponsible. (especially over a bit of wood). they know nothing. Wonder how many plastic knives kids have from toys etc like play kitchens and things like that... bet none has anything to say about those.

 

[cranmere]

The world has gone mad. Our society now tries to infantilise all of us let alone kids. Ignore the naysayers, as far as I'm concerned you are teaching your neice to be resourceful and responsible, and she'll be all the better for it.

 

[Swallow]

After-thought.

Remember how people who do not used knives outside the kitchen think of them. Anti-knife laws (I'm told) started in the Kray twins era, for good reason.

Those reasons are still around and but also media hyped at this time.

In a hyped envirionment it can be difficult to show a different world.

 

[Crassy84]

My boy is three, he knows the importance and responsibility a knife brings and i will ley him help me do certain things like processing and carving. My grandad did the same for me and even back then (about 25 years ago) people went crazy. It's a sad world. But if we don't keep at it I can see the "man" taking EDC from us sooner than later too!

 

[spandit]

My little girl (5) says that she can have a knife when she's 19.

She has recently started playing at guns but I've told her that she must never point one at someone, even a pretend or toy gun as I'd like her to start shooting for real some time

 

[Disco1]

My son started with a small multi tool, before using my knife under supervision, i've got him his own knife for Easter.

 

[artschool]

my six year old has her own bow and arrow and is getting a mora safety knife tomorrow!

 

[bushwacker bob]

my six year old has her own bow and arrow and is getting a mora safety knife tomorrow!

There is no point. Kids cut themselves but don't stab themselves. I've taught a lot of under 10s to carve, used lots of plasters but never had an injury caused by the pointy end. Get her a proper knife.

 

[HillBill]

Agreed, its hard to respect the knife tip, if one has no tip

There is no point. Kids cut themselves but don't stab themselves. I've taught a lot of under 10s to carve, used lots of plasters but never had an injury caused by the pointy end. Get her a proper knife.

 

[artschool]

There is no point. Kids cut themselves but don't stab themselves. I've taught a lot of under 10s to carve, used lots of plasters but never had an injury caused by the pointy end. Get her a proper knife.

you are correct, there is no point!

i appreciate the sentiment but i will be starting her off with this one.

 

[xylaria]

It is cos you're from Nottingham. At six she should be hanging wiv her crew get wide on energy drinks and food coloring not mucking about wiv all that scanky woodland stuff. ( this statement is very tongue and cheek)

Yeap the world has gone mad.

 

[cbr6fs]

Agreed that it seems like a overreaction, i would have run it by the parents first though just to explain your intentions.

 

[bob_the_baker]

I still have the scar on my knuckle from my first penknife, acquired age 7, so I took some extra time with my son when he had his first knife just before bushmoot 2014 aged 8 and guess what? Cut himself within a day... lesson now learnt and he has not cut himself since and was battoning wood, for the first time ever, with my Fieldcrafter with confidence yesterday. All kids are different, but if they have an interest in a subject how wrong would it be to not to teach what you know and encourage them?

 

[John Fenna]

I was given a SAK style pen knife when I was about 8. No instruction other than "cut away from yourself and be careful!"
I have no noticeable scars from knives except a small one on my left palm from when I was reshaping a blade in my 40s and one from a scalpel when I was in my teens and making wargaming figures (Napoleonic 25mm figures mostly convertions from Airfix...) and sliced all four fingers on my left hand when a dull scalpel slipped...