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What age would you buy your son a pocket knife?

Posted: Dec 14, 2009

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We started buying our sons pocket knives - at probably 10-11...sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Our oldest son has a fine collection of small knives he's gotten over the years. Our 10 YOS got his first one this year. He doesn't carry it around with him...they both have wooden boxes that they keep the knives in, mostly for collection purposes...

What for? This is a weapon. When he turns 18, he can buy it with his own money!..nm - huh?

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Mine were in 3rd grade, as cub scouts. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
They had to take several safety lessons first, and then they earned a "Whittlin' Chip" card when they passed. They learned that the knife is not a weapon and that it is a tool. They knew how to open and close it safely,how to sharpen it, how to use it safely, and how to make sure that other people nearby would not be accidentally hurt. The first things my sons carved were whistles from twigs, which they still treasure as adults. Whittling was a nice, creative pastime for them.

Boys - Silly Girl

[ In Reply To ..]
It really depends on the maturity of the child as well as what you are comfortable with. Mine is almost 9 and he's had one since he was 7. The most he uses it for is to carve soap (for cub scouts) and odds and end uses. He doesn't carry it to school or anywhere he's not supposed to. He also has several deer rifles he got when he turned 8 but he hunts and he locks them up (well, he puts in the gun cabinet and we lock it). It doesn't bother me.

re: pocketknife - mommy2

[ In Reply To ..]
I got my son and daughter their first knife when they were 11 and their first BB gun when they were 12. They also got compound bows when they were 12.

I agree with the other poster who says you have to gauge their maturity level and enforce safety and responsibility. They were both in the scouts as well and learned safety and the laws. They did whittling and carving soap and figures back then. It still is a creative outlet for them (they are much older now).

We were/are avid outdoors type and do target shooting and hunting.

Yes, like parents like children. Be careful that they do not...sm - whoever

[ In Reply To ..]
take it to school.

According to police a knife is a weapon.

How mature can a 9-year-old be? Not everything that happens among 'Boy and girl scouts" is correct and makes sense.

re: like parents like children - Mommy2

[ In Reply To ..]
I valid concern indeed. I believe only a parent can gauge the maturity level of the child.

I can only speak for myself and my (now grown and gone) children. They never took their pocketknife to school. The rules in our home are weapons get locked up in the safe. All weapons period.

Boy and girl scouts are simply a single opportunity for learning experiences, not where ALL the rules and laws and all safetly is learned. That's up to the parent that allows their children to have these things, no one else.

That is simply where my son and daughter learned a bit about how to handle them and to carve and whittle, to earn their badge.

Again, your's is a valid and real concern. A knife is indeed a weapon.

On a foot note: being a single woman I put my kids into scouts so they would have the opportunities to camp, fish, hunt, swim... (things I hated doing!) and it was through these experiences that we ALL learned to be marksmen target shooters, knife throwing, and tournament winning archery enthusists.

Like CHILDREN, like parent!

mommy2 - Jon

[ In Reply To ..]
Well said! As a man I just want to say I think it is great that you allowed your children to experience those things. My mother also used to take us camping when we were young. We lost our father when we were pre-teens and he was the avid camper and outdoorsman. I don't think mom liked it at all, but she never let that stop her from allowing us to experience the great outdoors.

We were given pocket knives when we were young and I never took mine to school. Mom would have tanned my hide!

Like mother, like son.

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