How do i explain to my dad why i need a knife for bushcraft?

Edgarthewanabebushcrafter said:
Any advice on how to convince or explain to my dad why I need one for bushcraft?
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Can you manage to convince me or anyone else first? That should be really helpful. I'm not convinced at all. Bushcrafting is a hobby for most, not a necessity. If I was your dad then I would make sure that you were way more focused on learning things like how to balance a checkbook, how to make a resumé, how to handle a job interview, whether you should be planning for college or trade school, how to find the right woman, how to judge someone's character, how to avoid unhealthy relationships with men and women, how to fix something and when you should buy the tools to do it yourself or pay someone else to do it for you, how to be confident in your own abilities and how to be comfortable with yourself without relying on others for approval, how to avoid being taken advantage of, how and when to keep your mouth shut and why, and when to speak up... These are the things that you need to know.

Convince me that you need a knife for bushcrafting. Convince me that you're not going to get suckered in to paying for expensive overpriced knives again and again the way so many people do. Convince me that you understand the value and the utility of a knife in the first place, that you actually care about it, and that you aren't just going through a phase.
 
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barleywino said:
You sure are getting an awful lot of info; from just a few sentences...

i would be inclined to give the boy the benefit of the doubt. There are a lot worse things for a 15 year old to be doing than bushcraft. And most kids (of all ages) would think it cool to have a nice knife of their own and to be outside doing camping stuff. I would like to hear more from him whether there are scouting groups in his area, why his dad objects etc.
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I also think in is about cost because my dad doesn't want me spending too much money.
 
Edgarthewanabebushcrafter said:
I also think in is about cost because my dad doesn't want me spending too much money.
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When I was very young (Kindergarten), i carried a pocket knife daily and my father and brothers taught me how to make shelters, fires, and snares and such. We didn’t call it bushcrafting, but rather using knifes in the woods. Knives were always part of my growing up.

For some people, the idea of bushcrafting or woodsmanship is not something they are familiar or comfortable with. If so, they might be hesitant to have you interested in it. Seeing some nutty youtube videos might make him leery as well.

Maybe you could ask him to help you learn how to efficiently and safely form a simple task such as feathersticking. So he can see your skill. Making trekking poles or cooking tripod or something not too involved. Maybe ask to go camping and show your skills and see how it goes. Many bushcraft skills can be done with an Opinel, a SAK, a multitool, or an inexpensive fixed blade like a Mora. I like efficient saw blades for many tasks.

Try to involve him in your interest, and try asking him in a respectful tone why he is against it. He may reasons we have not imagined.

Good luck and don’t get discouraged- the knifebug lasts many years.

Stay safe and always show you have the maturity to be trusted.
 
Guy McVer said:
Can you manage to convince me or anyone else first? That should be really helpful. I'm not convinced at all. Bushcrafting is a hobby for most, not a necessity. If I was your dad then I would make sure that you were way more focused on learning things like how to balance a checkbook, how to make a resumé, how to handle a job interview, whether you should be planning for college or trade school, how to find the right woman, how to judge someone's character, how to avoid unhealthy relationships with men and women, how to fix something and when you should buy the tools to do it yourself or pay someone else to do it for you, how to be confident in your own abilities and how to be comfortable with yourself without relying on others for approval, how to avoid being taken advantage of, how and when to keep your mouth shut and why, and when to speak up... These are the things that you need to know.

Convince me that you need a knife for bushcrafting. Convince me that you're not going to get suckered in to paying for expensive overpriced knives again and again the way so many people do. Convince me that you understand the value and the utility of a knife in the first place, that you actually care about it, and that you aren't just going through a phase.
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I would say "I need a knife because there is this hobby that is called bushcraft and it involves learning the skills needed to live in the outdoors, this Also involves carving, fire making, and building shelters to live in nature and I know it would help me go outside more and play less video games, learn to survive in the wild if a natural disaster were to happen. I have done some bushcraft but a knife would really help in learning more about this hobby and since you guys like it when I turn on the fireplace and the fire pit a knife would help me learn new and more efficient ways to start it. Also I can carve many useful tools and utensils like bowls, spoons, cups, and many other kitchen utensils for mom to use. If you worry about price I could get a inexpensive bushcraft like ____________. If you worry about me injuring myself and others I promise I will carry a first aid kit and take all the necessary precautions to keep others and me safe like the following: cutting away from myself and others, keeping a safe distance from other people, and always putting away the knife when I am not using it. Lastly if you think I am not ready to own my own knife how about I buy it but you keep it in your room or something and I can only use it if you say I can until you think I am ready to own it. I also know that a knife can be dangerous if used the wrong way so i respect your decision. So I if you talk with mom about this that would be great, thanks." That is what I would say( and no this is not a phase I have been asking for over 5 years. Also my dad has been teaching me the things you have listed I am still learning.
 
Your dad knows you better than we do. I’m sure he has his reasons for concern. Something seems off.
 
If I may…you seem 15 going on 40. So..what’s your Dad’s concern?
It‘s almost like you’re a father posing as a kid, to figure out if you should give your kid a Bowie.
Take that bit of figuring as a compliment.
Go forward with post #64, and well said, no matter how old you are.
 
GmpaJim said:
If I may…you seem 15 going on 40. So..what’s your Dad’s concern?
It‘s almost like you’re a father posing as a kid, to figure out if you should give your kid a Bowie.
Take that bit of figuring as a compliment.
Go forward with post #64, and well said, no matter how old you are.
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Yes my dad is forty it think it also depends the situation when I ask because most of the time he says no, but sometimes when we are at store in the knife section he does think about letting me get one and once I almost got a mora companion but for some reason he almost said yes but then backed down on it. I think his concern might also be because of knife violence and he doesn't what me to do any harm to anyone(of course I am not going to do that).
 
Do the research on young adults health care plans.
With facts and references, Layout how it would be advantages to you; To learn about sharp pointed object use, while on his healthcare plans.
 
Anyway, he says he already had a knife and he broke it. For some parents when that happens it's too bad so sad.
 
Edgarthewanabebushcrafter said:
once I almost got a mora companion but for some reason he almost said yes but then backed down on it. I think his concern might also be because of knife violence and he doesn't what me to do any harm to anyone(of course I am not going to do that).
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That's a great knife to start with and it's also cheap. You could easily save up enough money to pay for it yourself. Why don't you do that? Save up the money, take it to your dad and ask if you can pay for the knife and let him hold it for you until you want to use it.

Now the question is whether you want the stainless or the carbon steel version. If you're going to be experimenting then go with carbon steel so you can try starting a fire with flint or quartz. If you are worried about corrosion then go with the stainless steel and get yourself a steel flint striker. You don't need to go buy a striker specifically. Just use whatever. A piece of an old file or the spine of a folding saw will often work. I have a couple of Corona saws that can spark flint pretty well.

The spine of the Companion is rounded, so you'll have to flaten a section of it if you want to use it to strike a ferro rod.
 
Guy McVer said:
That's a great knife to start with and it's also cheap. You could easily save up enough money to pay for it yourself. Why don't you do that? Save up the money, take it to your dad and ask if you can pay for the knife and let him hold it for you until you want to use it.

Now the question is whether you want the stainless or the carbon steel version. If you're going to be experimenting then go with carbon steel so you can try starting a fire with flint or quartz. If you are worried about corrosion then go with the stainless steel and get yourself a steel flint striker. You don't need to go buy a striker specifically. Just use whatever. A piece of an old file or the spine of a folding saw will often work. I have a couple of Corona saws that can spark flint pretty well.

The spine of the Companion is rounded, so you'll have to flaten a section of it if you want to use it to strike a ferro rod.
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I did tell my dad that I would pay for it, I also have pretty much all I need for bushcraft except a knife.
 
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