How old were your kids when you started letting them use knives?

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Dec 10, 2014
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I know a lot of this depends on the readiness of the child. I am not talking about having unfettered access to a fixed blade camp knife, more like allowing them to use the knife with supervision. I am wondering as I am taking my 11 year old son and my 7 year old nephew on some camping trips this spring. I am thinking about buying each a condor mini bushlore to start learning camp skills. Thoughts?
 
My girls were 6 or7 when they started using knives camping, pretty dull ones. By the time they were 11 and 12 they had their own pocket knives and small fixed blades. Now the oldest has her own collection of pretty nice folders and fixed blades, the younger just has a couple she's not as interested in camping.
 
I let my girls get comfortable with folders at about 7-8 and they both had their own sak and folders at about 10.
 
I was maybe 4 or 5 back in the 1950s, always recall having a pocket knife that went every where with me, even Elementry Shool in Miami Florida. Never killed any classmates, teachers, or anyone else, as I was a normal kids of the 50's.
 
At age 0 he had a couple of knives, and Santa seems to bring one more each year.
At age 3 the boy started learning about pocketknives - names of the parts, etc.
At age 5 he was using his own knife, with supervision, for simple cutting tasks. Cutting string, opening boxes, slicing packing tape...
At age 8 he pretty much has use of his knife whenever he needs it, with me still looking over his shoulder.

If the kids don't have blade experience, keep that in mind when selecting them a knife, as well as their hand size and strength. Personally, I'd prefer for a young person's first knife to have a guard. Can the kids' hands fit around a Mini-Bushlore handle well enough for them to have full control of the knife? It's not too heavy? It's not too thick of a blade for simple cutting tasks? I don't know the answer to those questions, but those are the things I'd be thinking about.

Maybe they'd be better suited with a thinner blade and smaller handle, like a youth Mora, other Scandinavian brand, or a bird-and-trout or "Finn" style knife?
 
Depending on the maturity of your children, supervised usage can start any time. I started working with my son when he was 4. I outlined a specific set of rules he needed to follow (only cut away from you, keep your fingers away from the blade, ect). Then we moved to his hands under my hands with a BK13 / BK11 and we would practice taking the bark off sticks. We stuck with that until I was comfortable enough to let him do it on his own.

WP_001845_zps43abec28.jpg


He is still never more then an arms reach away, and is getting really good at slow and controlled removal of bark from sticks ;) In another year we may start trying other skills.
 
I was 5 when I got a pocket/scout knife for my birthday in 1952. Only cut myself once, a part of growing up. My son and daughter started using knives under supervision at about the same age. They received their first personal knives, a Gerber LST and a pink SAK, respectively, at 6 or 7. No problems since except for my son being suspended for 3 days in middle school when he dropped a small Spyderco on the floor during class. Another life lesson.
 
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My child is not old enough to use a knife (she is only 5) But I know I was in 2nd grade when I was given my first pocket knife. Funny thing was my parents dulled it thinking it would make it safer. Conveniently the only thing it was sharp enough to cut was me. At least their hearts were in the right place.
 
With my girls one was 11 the other 7. They did all kinds of stuff with their knife and to my knowledge didn't cut themselves. DM
 
My 10 year old daughter got a victorinox for Christmas.She helps cut kindling for the firepit also.
 
I think it's a great idea. Mini bushlore would be a great starter. Kids seem to enjoy batoning as well, at least my daughters. :)
 
Buddy got twin 12yr old boys blade for gift, you guessed it...six stitches xmas morning :distracted:
 
I honestly do not understand today why kids are coddled, sadly today most parent do not let their kids have the life experence that I had between ages 6-11.

I rode a bus to downtown many times, visiting Navy Ships docked in our port, I visited museums, went to the zoo, asnd many other place on my own.

I had a BB Gun, and never killed, mamed, or destroyed property with it.

I had sling shot, bows, & arrows. Again never getting into troble with them.

Today kids for the most pert like I said are coddled, heck they don't even walk to school, everone ride the bus, or parent are the buss.

BTW I played outside, and was not over weight. HINT.
 
Depending on the maturity of your children, supervised usage can start any time. I started working with my son when he was 4. I outlined a specific set of rules he needed to follow (only cut away from you, keep your fingers away from the blade, ect). Then we moved to his hands under my hands with a BK13 / BK11 and we would practice taking the bark off sticks. We stuck with that until I was comfortable enough to let him do it on his own.

WP_001845_zps43abec28.jpg


He is still never more then an arms reach away, and is getting really good at slow and controlled removal of bark from sticks ;) In another year we may start trying other skills.



Love the above photo.
 
12 and she is getting better in the Kitchen. Do to silly public school nanny rules I not got her a Knife of her own yet.
 
Depends. How old do you think they need to be to not pick at or play with the stitches in their finger? Lol. Each kid's different. I received my first knife when I was 4. My first shotgun when I was 7. My 5 year old on the other hand just isn't there yet. I let him shoot the pellet gun with me and he's a hell of a shot, but if I walk away for a bit he's playing superhero with it and pointing it at his sister. When we go camping he has access to a small Opinel or SAK, but only when in that setting and only when supervised.
 
I'm 14. IIRC dad gave me a broken tipped Buck Mini when I was about 5 or 6. Year or so later I got a small Schrade pocket knife for Christmas.
 
I let the kids use knives under supervision at about 10.

We got my 13 year old a knife that he can carry for Christmas. That's the age they can carry and use without supervision though there are rules about where he stores it. We don't want any of the little ones to find a knife lying around.
 
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