Appropriate Gift for child: Spyderco?

[xceptnl]

I have to agree with all those above, parental consent is crutial, but once you are over that hurdle I think a knife is a great gift for a child of age 8-12.

I gave my son one of my favorite Delica models after laying out an array of knives and letting him open, handle and close them to make sure he found something that fit his hands best. As others said, a small slipjoint may be a better first option for a new knife user to learn respect for the tool. Perhaps a Roadie or even a UKPK.

[ThePeacent]

I give another vote for those who said...

- Byrd (budget, good quality, dependable, many sizes and shapes at low prices)
- Backlock (most will put fingers away from the blade's path to unlock, easy and simple)
- Choil (to protect the finger in case of lock failure, disengagement or blade closing on you)

if anybody had given me a Byrd or DF2 at age 8, 12 or 14... :eek:

[embry386]

Knives: enjoyable presents for children, whether the children in question are boys or girls! Am a girl and got a knife at ~10, along with my brother, we had so much fun with those things. I did a bunch of inadvisable things with mine, like chewing on the handle and stabbing it into the lawn, and my brother used to use his knives so hard he broke most of them within a few years, so maybe get a cheaper Byrd knife for the kid rather than a fancy expensive one? They'll love it just as much.

Also check with the parents first of course, some people can be weird about knives. A couple friends me and my brother had as a kid got really jealous when we showed them our knives, and they asked their parents if they could have knives too, and the parents were all shocked and asked my dad, "You let your children have knives?!?!? What if they cut themselves by accident?!?" Story ends happily though, dad just said "...then, they learn better for next time." And the other parents thought about that for a bit, and next time we saw our friends they had knives too and were happily showing them off. :)

[cELLiBAIt]

Also, check with the kids that knife etc is something they'd actually want?

[atv223]

I have 8 and 12 year old girls. Honestly, you can't talk about that as a consistent age range. There is a chasm between those 2 ages. My 12 year old is plenty responsible, 8 year olds, not so much.

If it's a first knife, I'd start with a smaller blade.

[gaj999]

Many of us learned safe blade-handling skills by starting out with a slipjoint pocket knife. Having a locking folder as one’s first folding knife could lead to over reliance on the lock, with potentially injurious results. Another plus of slipjoints is that they come across less like a weapon and more like the tool they are.

Bill nailed it. Slipjoints promote safe usage and punish dangerous usage. Pretty much the first thing I did with my first knife was to cut myself. What a great lesson. I'll add that I think giving a child a folder that can be flipped is just effing stupid. Asking for trouble in many different ways.

[Mad Mac]

Saturday, my two grandsons, 10 and 14, sat outside on the back porch
and whittled with their new Spydercos, a Tenacious and Native 5, and talked.

[murphjd25]

I think I’m gonna get my 2 month old son the wooden dragonfly kit :p :D age is just a number hehe

[Bloke]

I wouldn’t give a young child a folding knife of any description.

I can’t understand the mentality behind someone thinking it’s OK for a child to close a folder on their little fingers. It’s absurd! Akin to the fool who would through a child into the deep end of a pool in an attempt to teach them to swim … mucho BS!

Beloved wife and I raised two children to adulthood (Boy 34yrs and Girl 31yrs) and we’re enjoying three little grandchildren with one on the way. Neither of our kids showed any interest whatsoever in knives and I certainly didn’t push the issue.

If any of our little ones do show an interest in knives I’ll buy them little fixed blades with finger guards like the Mora Scout or similar and teach them the basics and the importance of safe handling of knives both for themselves and other people and I’ll bet shillings to pence there’ll be enough cuts to teach them all they need to know without having little fingers trapped in a closing folder.

If indeed they do take a shine to knives and do prove to be responsible they’ll be welcome to any knife I own or any knife within reason that I can afford. :)

[Mad Mac]

Here are the Cub Scout guidelines for pocket knife privileges and the Whittling Chip.
https://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Whittling_Chip

[Brendanenon]

Haha, had my whittleing chip card as a scout. It's the lessons and guidance that are useful
The "blood circle" rule is a biggie

I recently got my 10 year old nephew his first knife (after checking with his parents) I went with a blunt tipped knife. Cuts can happen but it really reduces the risk for serious injury. I got him the gerber greenhorn but there are definitely some nicer options, maybe some of the sheeps foot blades. Good luck!