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Original poster

Knife for 6yo DD

13 replies

MouldyPeach · 06/10/2015 20:48

My 6 year old's hero is Bear Grylls and she wants to be him. She loves making dens in the garden, camping, making fires and lots more out-doorsy stuff that I want to encourage.
She helps with the gardening and I've helped her to use secateurs and a small hacksaw since she was around 4yo. She has been confidently chopping veg etc in the kitchen since she was small too and has never had an accident, is always supervised etc.
She has her own kitchen knife: Kiddi Kutter from Lakeland but has been asking for something more 'Bear Grylls-ish' for use on wood etc outside. She's been asking for about 6 months now and I've been mulling it over. She uses her dad's knives with supervision but wants something that is her own. It would obviously be put away out of sight when she wasn't using it.
DP and I have decided we want to get her a knife for Christmas but there are a few issues. Firstly I'm not sure of what type to get her, a multi-tool pen knife type or a dedicated single blade knife. Secondly, and more seriously, I am worried about peoples reactions. Now we know she is a sensible kid and also that we will never leave her unattended with the knife. We are continuum concept/modern hippy (lol) type parents but our extended family and most of are friends are not. I can't imagine that it will go down well returning to school and announcing to her classmates that she got a knife for Xmas for example. It's not something we would let change our decision but I'm struggling to think how we will deal with it without sounding ridiculous and defensive.
Does anyone else have kids with knives and a bloody Bear Grylls obsession ?

OP posts:
Velocitractor · 06/10/2015 21:05

We do. Our dd was given a carving knife when she was about 7 or so. Mind you, we live in a country where it's normal for kids to do a bit of free style carving (bits of wood, twigs etc) at nursery or school (school starts at 6 here) while supervised obviously. Ds is now 7 and also enjoys carving away on a bit of wood. Again, they only do this when one of us is around to supervise Smile

exexpat · 06/10/2015 21:09

DD started her collection of penknives just before she turned 5 - I bought her a children's one in France (they are more relaxed about these things…) and she now has several, including an earlier version of this Swiss army junior scout one. She has never done herself or anyone else any serious damage, but has had a lot of fun whittling things etc.

IAmAPaleontologist · 06/10/2015 21:11

I used to use my mum's opinel knife as a small child and then got my own. I was also given a Swiss Army knife but much preferred my opinel, the handles are so lovely and rounded. However, a young child would have to remember to lock the blade where a Swiss army one with a lock would automatically lock so safer from that point of view. I'm thing of getting ds1 a knife and a nice book on whittling that I've seen for Christmas.

Velocitractor · 06/10/2015 21:11

Whittling! That's the word I was looking for earlier Grin my beloved children are not artisans - what they do is more whittling and less carving!

IAmAPaleontologist · 06/10/2015 21:12

That's funny ex expat, ,that's the scout one I had. Still probably knocking around with the camping gear actually.

Original poster
MouldyPeach · 06/10/2015 21:22

Thank you for the replies, breathed a sigh of relief tbh as I wasn't sure of the response I'd get!
I've seen a lovely Opinel one (I think on a French site) which they do with fuchsia/lime green/cartoon handles but I much prefer the plain wood. The kids multi-tools I've seen on the same site have a bottle opener (useful Hmm) and a toothpick she'd lose in seconds. The Leatherman Leap looks amazing but is suitable for 9years plus apparently although it does have a removable blade (for parent to remove or add as they see fit).

OP posts:
angelcake20 · 07/10/2015 12:39

I'd be fine with it if my DC was sensible (no way dyspraxic DD would be allowed anything sharp, DS had a penknife from 8 or 9) but tbh any other parent round here would be absolutely horrified so, unless you're somewhere rural and down-to-earth, I'd keep it to yourselves.

Tinfoiled · 07/10/2015 12:50

Marking place. I think 10 yo do would love whittling. Any book recommendations?

BeachysFlipFlops · 07/10/2015 13:01

Ds is a bit older (14) but has had knives, axes etc as presents over the years. We are rural and live a fairly country life. He's just got the Bear Grylls Machete (which I wouldn't recommend for anyone younger as it's quite heavy and very sharp). You can get the Swiss army knives engraved with their name.

We have had various rules surrounding them: supervision, never leaving the property (unless out with us on camping etc), always in at night and not just left lying around etc. We haven't had any accidents so far, but as he is very into bushcraft and not into violence, I think we will be OK.

We don't tend to broadcast it to relatives etc....

LisbethSalandersLaptop · 07/10/2015 13:02

Just as long as she understands the legalities of it all.

Original poster
MouldyPeach · 07/10/2015 16:37

Oh she (and I!) understand the legality & seriousness of owning and using a knife.
We actually live in the middle of a big city so yes angelcake we will be trying hard to keep it quiet and only using it at home and on camping trips. But I do understand she may be a little too excited to not share with her school friends and I know I may need to deal with any issues from concerned parents/teachers in the future.
Beachys can I ask where you keep the knives etc when not being used? Do you lock them away? We have a large lock box but I don't know if this is excessive and gives mixed messages about trust if she sees us locking it away. Although I suppose she doesn't have to know that.

OP posts:
SealSong · 07/10/2015 17:24

I think my DD was nearly 8 when I bought her her own Opinel knife. She had already spent time with me making dolls house furniture out of balsa wood and sharing my knife so I thought why not. She had ground rules for it - I kept the knife and she had to hand it back after use, she knew how to carve and cut things with minimal risk to her (sat down, objects on flat stable surface, fingers behind blade, cut away from her, no walking around holding the knife etc). She really enjoyed it and got into making imaginative models out of balsa and other materials.
I didn't lock it away, but then I didn't have any trust issues with her - she would always ask before using it.
I think it taught her many valuable life lessons, including that she got increased freedom and scope to do things if she stuck to rules and earns trust through her behaviour.

CMOTDibbler · 07/10/2015 17:42

Ds got a BG multitool when he was 7 - strict rules apply to use of it, but he hasn't cut himself with it and respects the rules about when it can be used/carried

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