Children and knifes

[swagman]

At what age should a child have a knife?

At the weekend my girlfriend and myself did a short walk to a waterfall.
While we were there I noticed a couple with a son about 9 or 10 years old.
The boy was playing with a lock knife about three inches long (cutting off small branches and throwing them down). They then set off back towards the car park. We followed about 20 minutes later. Half way back I noticed a small puddle of blood and a blood trail. I maybe adding 2 and 2 and geting 5 but I can only assume that the boy had been again playing with the knife and had an accident.

So at what age should a child have and use a knife?.

 

[Goose]

I don't think there is or should be any age limits on the age a child gets there first knife. I have three kids and the eldest two were 9 and 11,I think, when they got their first knife. They were both instructed on the safe use of the knives by myself and others from this forum, and the time seemed right, for them. My youngest, he is six, I am not sure when he will get his first knife he is a lot different to the other two!

 

[janiepopps]

My best mates boy was given his first knife for his 9th birthday, he sat whittling wood and ended up taking the top of his finger off and misssing his party by being sat in Casualty. Sadly he wasnt given any instruction on the safe use of it so it was bound to happen, but he has learnt his lesson the hard way and has an automatic respect for all things shiny now.

Growing up on a farm you do use knives as kids but we always used dads so he knew where it was and when it was being used

j

 

[pothunter]

I think it depends upom the individual, however we must remember that kids are just that and they get exited and do daft things so they need a bit of instruction and supervision.

Its also important that parents know where the knife is the last thing any of us need is plod at the door because Tommy/Jenny took his/her new knife to school to show his/her mates.

The type of knife is also important, no nasty point, a positive lock or fixed blade and a good edge.

I had my first knife when I was 7 yrs old and it hangs over my desk now.

 

[dommyracer]

7 years, 7 months and 7 days is the scientically accepted perfect age for a human to use a knife.






Seriously though, there's no set age - a parent should teach his / her child safe knife use, and when they are confident they will use it in the most safe manner possible, then get them their own.

In some cases I have seen, this could be mid 40s.

 

[BorderReiver]

I'm with the rest here.No set minimum age.

Education,supervision and hope the first cut is a small one.

Nothing teaches respect for your first knife like the first bite.

 

[Simon E]

I got my first real knife at 5. My dad took me to a hardware shop and got me a rather large, single blade slip joint.

I got instructions like this is how you open it, close it and dont do anything bloody stupid with it.

I dont remember ever cutting myself with it either. I have been a knife nut since and have a knife shop at the moment (although not for much longer )

My son (3.5) regularly uses knives with me (watching) to open things like boxes and whatnot. He know what knives are and what they can do if you are not careful

"Daddy (points to serrated bread knife) be careful, super Oww!" he helpfully informs me

Anyway, he has a wood handled Victorinox Swiss Champ waiting for his 5th birthday.

Another thing is that some people are just spaks when it comes to using sharp implements, there are always going to be those that cut themselves. I have whitnessed my wife using a SAK the wrong way (trying to cut with the spine) and it unsurprisingly folded on her and bit her a little.

 

[Celberon]

It depends on a few things I guess: age, sensibility, parenting style, parental experience with knives, personality, knife type.

As a Canadian farm boy I grew up surrounded with so many dangers that the use of a knife was relatively minor. I also saw working knives being used and carried on a daily basis and learned naturally by observation how to handle, respect, and care for a knife as well as the people around me while I was carrying or using a knife. My first fixed blade was given to me at 4 or 5. Lovely scandinavian blade in antler handle and leather sheath.

 

[WhichDoctor]

I got my first knife (a Swiss Army knife) at 9 or 10 I cant really remember. What I can remember is shortly after getting it going down the garden with a friend and the knife, then coming back up the garden shortly after with a finger dripping blood. As said I treated it with a lot more respect after that. It still bites me from time to time, for some reason just after I sharpen it normally, but that first experience did teach me a very important lesson.

 

[leon-b]

i have only just recently got my first knife, im 14 btw
leon

 

[MikeS]

I can't remember when I got my first knife but my son was about 11. To be honest I agree with everything people have been saying. The real danger IMHO is that children don't get to use knives (with the correct supervision) and therefore don't learn to use them properly, so if and when they get a knife they are a danger to themselves and anyone else. I am concerned also that with generations not learning to use them properly who will teach the next generation ? Its getting a bit deep now.

Mike

 

[Eric_Methven]

Well, I've just presented Cameron (my grandson) with his first knife (Frost Mora) about a half hour ago. He's over the moon but he wanted a SAK. I'll get him one of those for his birthday. Cameron is 9, and I feel he's ready. So in about an hour I'll be taking him off to the woods to cut some small stuff and then introduce him to safe knife handling. His first project will be a spoon. He'll be using the Mora and a spoon knife.

Eric

 

[bent-stick]

I seem to remember I got my first knife at about 5. It was a huge clunky lambsfoot with a marlin spike. It was givien to me by my grandad. We went through all the don't close it with your fingers in the way, cut away from you, make stop cuts wherever sensible, use your left thumb for pushing to get a controlled cut (makes pretty sure your hands are behind the knife).

Our first project was a propeller for my trike cut out of a bit of floorboard that we picked up somewhere. Then we got on to clothes pegs, washing line props and just plain making shavings.

I was only allowed to use my knife supervised. I can't remember when I was allowed to do stuff on my own but it was probably when I started secondary school.

I sold the knife to a school mate for the price of an ice cream when I was about 12

Idiot.

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...

I'm wondering when to start with my grandson. He's only 20 months so it's much to early yet . He is exposed to me doing stuff all the time but his main contriboution is to spread the wood shavings I am carefully trying to keep in one place all over the house. It depends on two things, self awareness and dexterity. A soon as those are in place he will have a go with one of my Frost's carvers I expect.

 

[Deleted member 4605]

We teach basic knife usage (safety, whittling with soap) to our Wolf Cubs so that's from age 8 (7 1/2 in my daughters case) and upwards. We always do a theory session before letting them loose, and there are certain rules they have to follow at all times and if they consistently break any of them they lose all knife privileges for three months. Works very well and we've had no problems (although a few parents weren't overjoyed at little Timmy playing with matches and knives, but then why do they send him to Cubs/Scouts?)

Both my daughter (7) and son (5) will have their own new knives for their birthdays this year - most likely an Opinel No. 7 with a rounded tip each (we use these at Cubs).

My son was given a tiny lock knife the other day by a friend. It's hardly got enough metal for a blade after years of sharpening, but my son is thrilled and he'll only be allowed to use it under supervision but having his own knife makes him feel much more involved in his dad's obsessions, er, hobbies.

 

[Dave Budd]

I don't think the above comments can be argued against, though I've come across parents who bubble-wrap their kids and would believe that knives should be banned altogether!

I got my first sak when i was 4 years old, aparently I tried to take it with me on my first day at school! I got my first fixed blade at 9 (i think), I still have them both I don't remember any horrifc cuts or other incidents, though I'm sure I did cut myself it couldn't have been too serious or I would have more scars

When I was at the Wilderness gathering last year I was pleasantly suprised by the kids there. Literally dozens of kids ranging from toddlers up came to my table and asked before they touched any of my knives. None touched the edges (rarely the blade at all) and they all handed me the knives back correctly with no messing about at all. Shame I can't say the same for most adults who are drawn to sharp or shiny things

I reckon if a child wants a knife they should be allowed to if they can prove to their parents (or other adults as appropriate, such as scout leaders) that they are resposible enough to use a sharp tool. Irrespective of age.

 

[leon-b]

dave my mum is like that she doesnt like knives or guns and she doesnt see a point in them
leon

 

[John Fenna]

Think of it as evolution in action - the dumb ones, taught by dumb ones cut themselves and die, thus removing the dumb gene from the gene pool. If this happens enuf, no dumb knife users and safe fun all around!
Well taught kids will be safe enuf to be given blades soon after they are toilet trained - if they can learn that then they can learn to respect a blade!
Or am I being too simplistic?
John

 

[Tengu]

Leon, how does your mother manage in the kitchen? (or is it all instant food?)

I had my first knife when I was eight. my uncle gave it to me (behind my mothers back) my grandfather taught me knife saftey.

He was a carpenter so I used to play with all sorts of things.

 

[leon-b]

no my dad cooks, she is getting used to the fact that bushcraft requires axes, knives ets and she is getting used to me going on a shoot
this is strange as she likes camping
leon

 

[Dave Budd]

My mum has never really understood my fascination with knives, she alwys though that I would grow out of it! how wrong she was

She also loathed guns of any sort, so when i was Leon's age and I wanted an airgun... My dad got me one and I had to keep it a secret from mum and my sisters. She wouldn't evenlet me join an airgun club. so I took up archery! sod this silly 12foot pound little bits of lead capable of hurting a bit, I had two foot of arrow going at over 300 feet per second! nice try mum

seriously though, some people don't seem to connect domestic cutlery with knives. An axe is a rusty thing in the shed that dad uses to split logs and a slasher type tool is something that rips the stinging nettles out of the way. Knives are normally pretty blunt shiny things with plastic handles that rattle around in the kitchen drawer. I get the same sort of responce to knives from professional knife users (well, chefs) sometimes too.