Young boy's first pocket knife: What would you give, and why?

[k0ua]

My grandfather was well known to be very good at sharpening knives with a 'whet rock'. In his later years if he wasn't home he was usually at the courthouse with his buddies whittling, spittin', carving, talking knives and stuff. He usually carried in his pocket a bone handled knife with Queen steel blades and a small whet rock encased in a leather cover. I looked forward going to the courthouse square with him when I was allowed. I still have that bone handled knife because my grandmother gave it to me after he died. She also gave me a larger, well worn whet rock that he sharpened knives on at home. Still have it too but I don't use it.

Kids develop attitudes about everything from the adults they are around when they are young. I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to observe my grandfather with knives, guns, tools, and people.

Max, I am sure your son will feel lucky to have your training also!

I still have 3 of Dads Whet rocks.. 2 are actual Arkansas stones.. actual natural rocks.

 

[two_bit_score]

I still have 3 of Dads Whet rocks.. 2 are actual Arkansas stones.. actual natural rocks.

Those are probably cherished possessions of yours now. Hope you can pass them on to your grandchildren.

 

[dragoneggs]

I still have 3 of Dads Whet rocks.. 2 are actual Arkansas stones.. actual natural rocks.

Cool I have my dad's old stone as well. It is quite worn and cherished. It went missing last year and I accused my wife of tossing it. It resurfaced in a little used kitchen cupboard after months of me anguishing. Funny how certain things can get me worked up!

 

[forgeblast]

Found a great set of books for kids woodcarving related.
Children

 

[madmax12]

Thank you guys for all your tips and history.

I'm enjoying this thread more than I anticipated.

My son is thrilled. We did some simple whittling, making thin wood knives. They aren't pretty, but my son is beside himself with pride. Using his first pocket knife to make more knives, yeah, he's happy! :thumbsup:

I explained our current creations are for artistic purposes, display only.

Thanks guys. I'll be pursuing your many suggestions.

 

[Redneck in training]

When I was young every kid had a knife from about 6 and up. We called it "rybicka" (little fish) because it looked like little sunfish. It was the cheapest knife money could buy. It was small just perfect size for small kid's hand.
https://www.google.com/search?q=ryb...HFIblyQGo84DgCw&ved=0CDcQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=784 Wow they still make them! And some are luxury items.
It was the standard knife for young kids I suppose. We learned how to use it from older kids and how not to use by ourselves. Another standard issue "weapon" was a slingshot. But that is a topic for another thread.

 

[joshuabardwell]

you could use the noises they made to call up the chickens.

Round here, you want a chicken, you just holler, "CHICKENS!" We toss food scraps out the side window for them to eat, so the minute they hear the window open, they come running. Guess chickens are different all over.

 

[Redneck in training]

I'll admit something here:

I drove a 45hp tractor with a 10 ton trailer on crowded tourists roads to the fields at age 9. However when i first fired a gun, in Canada at my 15 years older Canadian cousin, a Remington hunting rifle, i felt uncomfortable and was scared about what i could do with that gun, and quickly handed it over back to him after firing two or three shots... You could say i felt unfit for the responsibility if it could do this much damage. However the 4.5mm pellet gun my father owns, (legally in Holland) i feel indifferent about it even when shooting at sticks in my friends hands, when aimed far enough off their hands... A 4.5mm pellet at close range, in worst case, can do just as many damage to someones hand than a solid bullet of a Remington, but its all about what you are brought up with.

While every idiot in the US can buy a gun, i am a bit astonished about your cautiousness about a pocket knife... Whenever visiting the US, being a European, it wouldnt be YOUR son, having a pocket knife, i would be worried about
And when your worry is about your son harming himself: I remember what a friend of mine admitted about when he was 10 years old and his older brother was bullying him to the end: He got so enraged that he went sharpening a knife on the grinding stone. When his grandpa asked what he was doing and he answered that his brother should die, grandpa said: Before you take the knife to your brother, make sure it is REALLY sharp: just feel with your finger, make no mistakes ! Then granda left him alone, sharpening the knife. When he tried the sharpness of the knife he instantly cut himself in the finger, and the pain made him forget his anger and kicked him right back into reality... Just as grandpa knew would happen

I am also originally from Europe so I have similar attitude about weapons thinking people don't need them. But since I live in the States long enough I figured it is not going to change and I stopped worrying about that long time ago.
The American myth is that if the government became too oppressive people will rise and overthrow it. Do you remember what happened after Boston marathon? I was shocked, Boston city has an army. In other words whomever will try to rebel will be outgunned. In addition since the assumption is that everyone has a gun everyone is a target.
Friend of mine was stopped for a traffic violation. When officer asked for his DL he opened the glow compartment and the officer put a gun between his shoulder blades assuming he was looking for a weapon. The rational behind such behavior is that every crazy idiot can have a weapon. One wrong move and you are dead by a hand of police officer.
I am not afraid of weapons as such. I have a shotgun and 22 rifle in the house. Shotgun is great for the redneck autumn pastime like throwing hedge apples in air and annihilate them with a blast of bird pellets. Have not done it for a while. 22 is used to shoot muskrat trying to destroy my already leaky pond.
I think the gun law should be changed. If somebody wants to carry pistol or revolver it should be in a holster on the outside like in the old cowboy movies.

 

[Redneck in training]

I wouldn't worry if he cuts himself. Of course he will cut himself. That is inevitable. Teach him how to make simple stuff. Like bow and arrows (the small holes in the drywall are easy to fix) or willow whistle (They don't last long. About a day).
https://www.google.com/search?q=ryb...ih=784#q=willow+whistles+how+to+make&tbm=isch
That was first thing I learned.
And here is one rule:
Sharp knife is safer.

 

[Renze]

What an interesting insight into European thinking about firearms and other things.. Also I assumed to mean that the first firearm you fired was not AT your older cousin, but you meant at the location where he lived in Canada, correct? Of course you realize that your lack of fear at the damage you could do with the 10 ton trailer and tractor on crowded roads and fear you felt when you safely (I presume) fired an actual firearm in Canada under supervision is irrational?. But obviously your parents felt you were able to safely handle the tractor, yet you yourself did not feel safe firing the rifle in the presence of an older person. There is probably an underlying cause, in that you were told, or somehow were culturally brought up to believe that firearms are just too dangerous for the average person to be able to use in a safe manner.

Yes, i was at my cousins place in Canada when shooting firearms. By the way i think i was 7 when my brother would drive to the field with the mower, and i drove behind him with the tedder. tourists looked funny sometimes. I was 12 when driving the 4712 with an 8m3 manure tank to the fields where my brother was ploughing with the big tractor. Whenever there were little kids walking with their parents, i slowed down to walking pace because i knew i had to take the responsibility where many parents just let their kids run free when heavy traffic is passing because they dont see the dangers... It was about knowing the risks and acting to it.

The same goes for butchering chicken: my sister in law came visiting us yesterday with the kids, age 5 7 and 9. The oldest girl found it scary and kept yelling eel !! and yek !!, untill her mother told her to stop behave like a clown, this is just where your food comes from, and if you dont like it, dont keep watching us work.
At home we used to chop heads to kill the chicken, but my landlord (who keeps getting roosters and old hens handed over from people in town ) allways breaks their necks so the convulsing chicken doesnt spray blood all over. The first two or three times i felt a bit awkward to use my bare hands, but you get used to that pretty soon. The kids laughed about a chicken that was just numbed in a failed attempt, i warned them that its not something to laugh about, if you respect the animal and its Creator you should kill it quick and painless.

....Now what if some city slickers would have seen it ?? they have only seen either pictures of chicken, or chicken nuggets at McDonalds, but i bet city kids (as well as their parents) would have totally freaked out and insisted on instant release of the roosters in the bush, where the night after the roosters would serve as a meal for the badgers, sparrow hawks and foxes instead of ours: we first kill, but wildlife just starts eating...

So yes i think its a cultural thing, what are you accustomed to ? Personally i like shooting the pellet gun at pest birds, even though its about the only thing you can kill in one shot with it... I am actually thinking of buying a crossbow as it doesnt require a gun permit, to get a gun permit i would require a background check and a membership of the shooting range, the first wouldnt be a problem but the 2nd isnt my thing, i dont feel the romance of shooting a gun, i just need a tool every now and a while to shoot feral cats or the rabbits eating my lettuce, and while i dont mind killing them, i hate making them suffer, so you need the right tool.