The lad is coming up to his 9th birthday and is asking for (amongst other things) a Swiss Army knife. When I was his age the local newsagents sold us penknives regularly and my mates and I would spend hours down the woods building camps etc and not stabbing each other. Have times changed so much that I would be deemed irresponsible for getting him one and letting him loose down the woods?
Thought I’d gauge opinion from the good parenting guide that is stw?

They probably make a H&S acceptable version without a blade or pointy bi these days.

Give him the big talk.. show him how to use it.
Have plasters / superglue / car ready for trip to A&E.

Obviously will cut himself at some point but hey ho.. he’ll heal and hopefully not do it again.

I got one when I was 8, soon made a spear and stabbed my mate in the leg. If your kid’s sensible then maybe ok?!

It would depend on your son really wouldn’t it?

I had pen knives and moved on to a sheath knife when I was about 8 or 9. But I did stab my cousin in the leg, although that was with a dart so it proves that knives aren’t dangerous. I think.

My uncle gave me one (first of many) for my 9th . My mother then managed to slice her thumb to the bone demonstrating how to close it “safely”… 😆

Had a pocket knife for use on the farm at about that age I reckon but it was a tool to do a job, that is the place for knives.

I would spend hours down the woods building camps etc and not stabbing each other. Have times changed so much that I would be deemed irresponsible for getting him one and letting him loose down the woods?

Does he roam the woods, do his mates? do you have woods?

^ +1 cloudnine

My daughter had one at 10 – she’s now 13 and no major injuries.

I still have mine that my dad bought for me when I joined the cubs, cut my thumb open that afternoon, ironically while my dad was inside be berated by my mum for doing something so irresponsible!

Only time I’ve ever cut myself with it though, so obviously learnt my lesson (cut away from yourself when trying out whittling!)

I’m trying to convince MrsMomo that children should be allowed an element of self responsibility as she is paranoid about anything being left out when her niece and nephew visit us. I am planning to teach my 11 year old nephew to shoot with an air rifle this summer.

Nope, bought my stepson one about that age. He was delighted. Obviously teach them where not to touch (and the snapping shut of the blades and where his fingers should be) or what he can and cant do with it. But other than that left him to it.

He does go down the woods with his mates, albeit with me or another kids parent, funnily enough, when I was his age I sliced my hand open quite nastily making a turnip lantern for halloween (pumpkins weren’t invented at this point) but that was with a big kitchen knife!
I think I’ll get him one, if we end up in court on an attempted murder charge I’ll blame you lot!!! 🙂

youngest antigee spotted one in the mont ventoux tourist shop age 9 – euro’s exchanged stuffed in her pocket and blasted down for lunch – hadn’t ridden up we’d breakfasted at leisure whilst mum worked the head wind and we drove to congratulate and but tat

no harm done yet but we did cut up an old water bottle this week and insert a strainer for a school project*

*that’s not gang slang

Give a 9 year old a knife – stupid.

Give a 9 year old a knife and good, practical advice about it’s safe and correct use, as long as they’re mature enough – not stupid.

I don’t suppose I have to tell another parent that parenting is far more than just relying on age to tell you what you can and can’t do. I know 30 year olds I wouldn’t trust with a plastic spork.

My Son (also 9) isn’t ready for a pen knife, he’s too impulsive and easily lead away from home – he’d tell me he’d not go out playing with it, but he simply couldn’t help himself showing it off to his friends in the street, I’d say no, he’d lie and sneak it out and someone would be banging on the door asking me why their kid is bleeding, he’s not a bad kid at all, he’s brilliant – but he just can’t help himself sometimes.

Might be interesting to repost question on mumsnet to compare responses! 🙂

rocket jr had a thing about knives at that age. He was in the scouts and they were always whittling so we used to frequent the nearest army surplus and come out with a bigger and more ludicrous knife every time. Culminated in this insane Sauron/LoTR thing with spikes on it. No harm done

I got one when I was 8, soon made a spear and stabbed my mate in the leg

<spitting coffee over the keyboard and work drawings>

I bet he cuts himself on the saw more often than the blade!

My son has one. Bought when he was 9.

Has ‘Mind your fingers!’ engraved on it.

Victorinox do a knife with a rounded blade for kids, its a rite of passage to have one imo as long as he knows how and when to use it…
edit: as above

It depends. Is he the “stabby” type?

I like how the kids knife has a bottle opener. “Jr go get Daddy another beer there’s a good lad”

I begged my father for one when I was about that age. He took me down to the local, gave me a red swiss army knife. Said if I could open it and close it without cutting myself, I could have it.

That’s how I became the proud owner of a blood sodden shirt and a bandaged thumb. Waited another year before I got another chance. 😀

I had one about that aged. Loved it. Still have several kicking about the house, so useful. Never cut myself too badly, nowt beyond a plaster.

Bought my daughter one for her 6th birthday, took all of 5 minutes to cut herself, still thought it was the best pressie ever though, got a turbo lighter for her 8th, no damage caused with that.

Alaric and Marcus, that looks perfect for him!

Bought my daughter one for her 6th birthday, took all of 5 minutes to cut herself, still thought it was the best pressie ever though, got a turbo lighter for her 8th, no damage caused with that.

Got her a chopsaw when she was 10, not so good.

I like how the kids knife has a bottle opener. “Jr go get Daddy another beer there’s a good lad”

When we go round a friends house their 4 yr old is in charge of opening and pouring the beers. I think it’s great!

My niece had an air rifle for her 5th, bloody good shot she is as well.
Why should boys get all the cool stuff.

http://www.victorinox.com/global/en/Products/Swiss-Army-Knives/Small-Pocket-Knives/Classic-SD/p/0.6223
Bought my eldest lad this one last year when he was 9 he’s not managed to cut himself yet.

When I was about that age I was given by my dads cousin a knife, a length of string and 10p. Knife and string should fix most things and 10p to call home if that doesn’t work.

Go for it if in your opinion he is ready for it, probably better for a lads and dads adventure for a few outings first , but beware the lure of the glass knife display cabinet will never leave him if he`s anything like me, they are like a magnet home or abroad!!

I think I had access to all sorts by that point, BUT…dad was involved with cubs and scouts, as were we, and we grew up in an environment that had knives in it. (Fishing, sailing, “the woods”, and so on)

If that’s you and your son, then fine. If it’s not, then I probably wouldn’t.

In Norway it’s normal for kids to have knives well before then – this is an example of one sold specially for the purpose. Both my kids got them at around the age of 8, along with a lengthy discussion of the rules for using them.

Astonishingly there have been no mishaps to date, and my son is now 14!

Lorax, At the risk of hijacking my own thread, i learn from your response, and I find it more interesting, that the Norwegian for child is ‘barn’ here, in the north east and in Scotland, we commonly use the word ‘bairn’, obviously a throwback from when you lot came over here a several hundred years ago to do a spot of pillaging!! 😆

if they actually need it for a hobbie then I’d not see it as bad parenting but just to carry so they could carve on trees would be IMO. I’d not actually buy my kid a knife for hobby use but superviser him using one.

Similarly to NickC, I grew up around dinghies, Cubs, scouts etc.

I got a Swiss Army knife when I was about 10. None of my broken bones, wounds that needed stitches or getting into trouble can be attributed to having knives.

My sailing knife lived in my bouncy vest pocket and my Swiss… was only taken out to go to scouts etc.

They must be 20 years old and bedsides the toothpick, are in good condition and still regularly used.

Similarly to alcohol, introduce it to people at a younger age complete with intelligent instruction* and you’ll produce a much more rounded adult.

Edit: considered a single blade (As Opposed to a Swiss Army knife) like an Opinel and a whetstone too?

* ironically, I’ve had several beers a nd can’t think of a better word.

My 8 year old daughter recently asked for a swiss army knife. She enjoys making things and has handled knifes since the age of 5 (her kindergarten had the kids chopping veg and whittling sticks in the woods). When it gets to the summer holiday she’ll be getting one. So no I don’t think it’s irresponsible at all.

Is it bad parenting to buy my 9yr old a Swiss Army knife?

Yes. I would’ve preferred a butterfly knife at that age.

I got given my first knife aged 8 (small 2 inch leatherman type thing) and used it almost every day until it finally died a few weeks after joining scouts, so then at aged 11, my parents let me buy myself a Victorinox Spirit when on holiday in Switzerland. I have have used this almost every day in the past 9 years (I’m now 21) and it is probably the best purchase I have made.

I wouldn’t call my self a huge fan of penknives, but one will be on me or in my bag almost all the time (other than around town). I have also bought myself Victorinox Hunter and Forester for more outdoorsy kind of stuff (The Forester one hand being my current favourite)

So to conclude, I don’t think 8/9 is too young, as long as the knife is right and you teach them how to use responsibly.