Would you believe that this is my most popular post? And it was a joke.
Are there that many people googling “pocket knife for kids”? It certainly looks that way.
So here are some real tips.
Is your son ready for a pocket knife?
1. NO, he is not. If you have to ask then, dear lord, please don’t hand that boy a pocket knife.
2. Not too sharp. That’s how other parents will refer to you. And it’s how your kid’s first knife should be. Rub that knife about 30 times on the concrete sidewalk. Dull that baby down so the accidental wound won’t we so deep. (Note: I have changed my mind on this one. See comments and you’ll understand why.)
3. The first cut is the deepest. Most boys only cut themselves with their pocket knife once. That first cut basically teaches everything you need to know about pocket knives.
4. Boys to men. It was a horrible music group, but it is a good description of (part) of our job as parents. Turning boys into men. And coddling and overprotecting will not get you there.
There you go. Some real content on pocket knives. Good luck.
5 responses so far ↓
Barron // April 23, 2008 at 9:18 pm
I think a knife would be fine to give a boy a knife as long as the boy has proved to be a honest reliable and trustworthy boy. A place to get nice knives for not to much is outdoorpros.com. They have a great selection and are from Riverside California. They sell Gerber Smith and wesson, buck, etc etc.. Im big fan.
TulipGirl // April 26, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Our boys get their first pocket knife at 8 y/o.
Pocket Knife for Kids - Part 3 « The John Palm Show // May 5, 2008 at 6:30 pm
[...] Here are some other tips if your crazy enough to follow my example and give your son a pocket knife at an early age. [...]
Trevor Carpenter // May 17, 2008 at 11:48 pm
I’d say that a sharp knife is much safer than a dull knife. Not only is this logical, it’s also what the Boy Scouts of America teach.
The point being that a sharp knife will make a clean, easily healed cut. A dull knife will really just tear skin, and will heal much slower. Oh yeah, it will be more likely to scar too.
Steve // June 9, 2008 at 11:28 am
Cub Scouts get tehir first pocket knife as a Bear cub - 8 years old, or third grade. All of the boys look forward to it, and many of the parents are apprehensive, especially the year prior - the boys just seem too young. These kids must prove that they are ready by learning safety rules and agreeing to them, before being handed a knife.
Sharp and clean is recommended - a dull knife is more likely to cut because as the boys safely use their knives, and yes they will use them parents, the sharp knife will perform better and not be forced against a piece of whittling wood. A dull knife will get stuck, and slip off more easily making it much more dangerous than a sharp knife - assuming both are used safely.
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