Can you recommend a EDC for my little un

[CBJ]

Hi folks,

My eldest is turning 7 soon and SWMBO and I have decided its time she had her own knife. I have already taught her how to light fires with the steel and she can get it going first time.

As a present I will be making her a little possables pouch to keep her own firesteel and char etc in but she needs her own knife.

My question is can anybody recommend a suitable small pocket knife .

many thanks

Craig

[tobes01]

Opinel children's knife (mon premier Opinel) - sharp as hell but with a nice rounded tip to minimise risk of injury. Still locks so you might in theory fall foul on EDC, but there is no possible way to use it as a stabbing point. My lad had one at 7 and still uses it for whittling.

[Trev]

Hi ,
What do you EDC ?

Trev .

[Toddy]

If you mean for her to carry and use it when she is out and about with you, then the Brusletto Balder is a nice one
It has a well shaped handle, t's sharp, keeps a good edge and is a useful all round little knife. It's especially suited for carving but I've used it for everything from basketry to food prep.
Won't break the bank either
http://www.greenmanbushcraft.co.uk/c...lder-knife.htm

cheers,
Toddy

[CBJ]

Great stuff folks many thanks:

tobes thanks for that mate .

Trev I have a little wright and sons folder I got fron Dick sports about 8 years ago but they dont sell them anymore which is a shame because it was a good little knife.

Toddy: Yeah It would just be for her to use when out in the fields/woods and at home when we do something together and a general purpose is what I am after. That is a nice little knife and is going on the short list.

Craig

[robin wood]

I did a blog post a while ago comparing the best options for knives for children, might be of interest though I like the Balder too.
http://greenwood-carving.blogspot.co...for-child.html

[Tadpole]

Personally I’ve not give a child that age a folding knife, not for any other reason, than it is a pain for little fingers to open a folder that is has a strong enough spring to keep them safe when open. I’d go for a sheath knife like the Mora Classic Scout Nr 39; it has a safety guard so little fingers cannot slip down the blade, but is as sharp as they come. With a small amount of effort you can round the tip so that is safer from a stabbing point of view, but your kid’s not going to be unsupervised so it’s not likely she’ll stab anyone anyway.
I gave my daughter a SAK, but I’m the one how has to open the blades, so it’s pointless her carrying it.

[CBJ]

robin : thank you that was a very interesting blog and I toatally agree with your opinion on the knife points. My girl has been taught to respect knives and has had it drilled into her how dangerous they can be but also shown that by handling them safely they are a tool that can produce wonderfull results for all sorts of tasks. She is responsable but obviously she wouldnt be left alone doing anything.

Tadpole I must admit that I was leaning towards a sheath over a folder for the reason you stated. Ive come across some folders that adults find hard to open ,also Ive found that after a good few years of use and sharpening the blade gets smaller and as a result wont be covered fully by the casing leaving a nasty little point that can catch on things in your pocket

[Everything Mac]

I did a blog post a while ago comparing the best options for knives for children, might be of interest though I like the Balder too.
http://greenwood-carving.blogspot.co...for-child.html

I bought the book mentioned in your blog Robin for my nephew. - a cracking little book it is too.

I would recommend a small fixed blade like a mora or the brusletto Toddy mentions.

Andy

[Timbo]

I personally think a fixed blade is safer too as kids learning to use knives could close a non-locking folder on their fingers. Although if its for EDC then it has to be a small non-locking knife something like the SAK Soldier is a good choice, also there is a company called Rough Rider that make cheap little folders that are good value and have 440c steel blades at under a tenner check out the Whittler series. Heinnie sells them there is a nice choice of colours too so she could pick her own, mind you they are a little hard to open for kids. (no affiliation by the way)
http://www.heinnie.com/Knives/Rough-...p-92-602-4222/

[Man of Tanith]

Well timed thread this
Shan of tanith is now getting an opinel saftey knife and a balder cheers folks and OP for raising the question in the first place

[Toddy]

The Balder lends itself to being honed often too
Keeps it sharp and it's safe, good practice, for kids to do as well.
I have a wooden backed leather one that's ideal. Warthog 1981 made mine, (should be photos somewhere on the forum, don't know if he has any left for sale ) Just drag the blade away from you for one edge and drag it back towards you to get the other. At no time is the blade pointing towards the the person stropping it.

cheers,
M

[Man of Tanith]

is it just a case of stropping it when it needs a freshen up?
i plan on doing the whole thing with shan- knife safety, maintenance, sharpening and stropping, basic cuts and how to make sometihng simple. (not that i'm experimenting on her to use the lessons with the scouts honest)
Cheers
Sam

[Toddy]

I use stropping compound and I'm inclined to strop whichever knife I've been using before I put it away when I get home.
Tbh I rarely sharpen a knife at all these days, the stropping kind of keeps them in good order
Besides, it encourages me to see that they're really clean and dry too, especially when I've been out and it's been damp or muddy.
Just good practice for a youngster too I reckon.

cheers,
M

[Man of Tanith]

Definately want to get good practice developed now so its not even thought about by teenage years.
I have heard lots about stropping compound but never had a try myself sometihng else to investigate methinks.
Thanks very much Toddy

[tobes01]

Btw, my lad has now moved on to a small whittling knife I picked up on here (don't know the brand) and a Boker that is a great size for him. The point (geddit?) of the Opinel was that he could carry it when out with me and learn when it's NOT appropriate to get it out - learning when not to have a knife in his hand was the most valuable lesson.

[Limaed]

I'rd recommend one of Karl-Erik's knives, he's a member here and produces lovely work. I have two of his knives and both have more slimline handles and blades then your average bushie. The models I have suit my smaller hands. Check out the website: http://knives.dreamlandproject.se/index1.htm

[brancho]

I recomend the Frost Classic Scout 39 outdoor knife as its a good price and size for a child that age and what our scouts love.
Look HERE

[Toddy]

As a blast from the past and because it's a thread full of good advice on smallish handled knives.
Started when I was told that I needed to get another knife because the law had changed and my Opinel was illegal EDC

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/sho...?t=6577&page=1

cheers,
M

p.s. It's addictive this shinies thing
After the thread I acquired a small Mora Classic, a Helle Polar, A Helle Tommeliten (that's another good one for a child), a Troll, and a WM1, and I still use them all

[malente]

SAK! Nuff said.

[CBJ]

Thanks for all the advise folks , it is much appreciated

[jontok]

+1 on the Balder.
You could also get her a mora #511...smallish, has fingerguard and it's red!

Jontok

[iamasmith]

Much as we think of folding knives as dangerous in our community, I can bet that's all that we started with and we didn't have rounded points ones. Let's face it the folding function of a knife makes it more dangerous to the user and a pen or sharp pencil is more dangerous than a SAK if you have something nasty in mind.

I recommend getting her a SAK. I suggest a Spartan simply because it's bloody useful, doesn't have the nasty saw etc. and likely to stay in shape if she loses interest in it. Then years later she will remember that knife that was well made and basic that her parents got her and treasure it because she had it that long... ok, maybe I'm getting carried away but you get the gist. Oh and a Spartan WILL survive that long.

I feel SO 'gipped' that the first knife I got at that age was a knife with a fork and spoon that folded out from it with a bone handle and not a real Swiss Army Knife. I also remember that I wanted the one with the MOST possible blades of course.. I think there's something to be said about having one that you WILL use because it fits in your pocket though.

[demographic]

When I learned to read (about five or so then) my mother bought me a Swiss army Knife and when I was seven one of my brothers rode his Triumph to Nordcap and on his way found a Marttiini Lapp Knife.
I'm now 38 years old and still have that Lapp Knife upstairs, its got a handle that's a bit small for my fully grown hands and I could possibly find better steel for the blade but I'm still keeping it.
Its made dens, skinned rabbits whittled spears out of mountain ash when I was a kid and its slightly beat up but there's no way I would give it up.

[robin wood]

I recommend getting her a SAK.

I happily recommend SAKs too folk talk about them closing on fingers but it is quite simple to teach a young child to open and close a pen knife safely and to use it in such a way as it won't close. To me then this sort of initiation is all part of ownership. I personally do like the saws and kids love them too though again they need showing how to use them safely and maybe a SAK without a saw is best for a very young child.