100 Knives in 100 Days Giveaway: What is the best first knife for kids?
Today we will be switching things up a bit in our 100 Knives in 100 Days Giveaway. Instead of just a random drawing on the official entry post, we will be selecting one answer at random from comments on this post.
The question is simple:
What is the best first knife for kids?
The only right answer is the Mora Eldris, which we will be giving away today.
Just kidding of course, I am looking forward to a lively discussion in the comments. It does happen to be the knife that I have bought for each of my children as their first knife, which they brought along on our camping trip this weekend in fact. I even own two myself. One I bought, and another Tormek branded one which was given to me by my friend Stig at the BLADE Show.
I honestly have more experience with the Eldris than any other knife in the 100 Days Giveaway. Personally, I chose the Eldris for my kids for two primary reasons. First, and most important to me, is that it is a fixed blade. My fingers, and I am sure many of yours, bear witness to the inadvisability of handing a slipjoint to a young child.
The Art of Manliness agrees:
“Most people think of a pocketknife as the best knife for a kid, but truth is, the safest, most useful knife is one with a fixed blade in a belt sheath. Thanks to its lack of moving parts, a fixed-blade knife does not fold or slide and is typically stronger due to the tang, which is the extension of the blade into the handle. With a fixed-blade knife, there is no chance of it folding on your fingers when you least expect it. As a bonus, these knives are usually more comfortable to hold and work with.”
The other feature I love about the Eldris is the chunky, rubberized handle. The oblong shape indexes perfectly, and small hands can hammer-grip it easily.
Of course the steel and construction quality are what one expects from a Mora – the “knife which makes all others look like a rip off”. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but Moras consistently get a high billing on most people’s “Best Buy” list.
You don’t have to take my word alone for it:
I am certainly open to other points of view. There is a whole school of thought that argues slipjoints are the best choice precisely because they force proper technique. Where do you fall?
Tell us your choice for “Best First Kid’s Knife” in the comments. You could win a Mora Eldris, courtesy of Industrial Revolution (North American Mora importer).
You must be a registered KnifeMagazine.com user to win. It is free to register, and you can enter our primary drawing pool in our 100 Knives in 100 Days giveaway as well while you are at it.
Ben Parry
First real user I was ever given was the good old Swiss Army knife. Can’t remember which model it was but I thought I had the world by the tail!
Babou42
Buck 110 so they can keep it forever.
Spencer785
Best knife for a kid is a Swiss Army knife it was the first night if I ever had when I was a Boy Scout and I used it probably up until I was 17 years old!
barrettcosgrove
My dad gave my brother and I an Opinel No. 7 Scout folding knife when we were about 6 years old to initially help prepare family meals. He liked the fact that it folds and locks in both open and closed positions and if I lost it (which I never did), the investment wasn’t significant. They now come in a multitude of colors and in stainless steel but the blade profile is the same rounded tip that we’ve all come to recognize. My vote is for the Opinel No. 7 Scout.
Richard Pow
Big on point with the Eldris. Gave my boy one when he turned five.
Bill Janke
The Mora Woodcarving Junior will be my choice once the kids show that they are ready for a knife of their own. I will opt for the carbon steel model to help teach them about caring for the knife as well as using it. These knives have a finger guard too for a little extra protection while they learn proper grips.
Spencer785
The best knife for a kid is a Swiss Army knife I got my first one when I was in Boy Scouts and I used it up until I was 17 has every versatile tool a kid needs to learn how to use!
Jayson Sterling
I gave my son a 5.11 tactical wharn. He loves it.
James Tillman
There is a part of me that wants to say it should be something with a lock, for safety reasons, but my first knife was a scout/utility style and I was just amazed at all the different blades and uses it had. My son will be 3 in August and already has pretty nice collection going, but obviously isn’t old enough to “have” one yet. I believe his first “carry” knife will be a scout though.
H. Clay Aalders
Congrats, you are the winner.
Jody lyddane
A Buck pocket knife.
Bruce Hennessy
Best knife to give a kid is any decent quality blade given by a loving adult figure in there life who will teach them to respect the knife and how to use is safely. Take them fishing hunting camping and teach them to use the blade.
cmeat
some great suggestions above. the eldris handle is great. a bit less blade belly would work well; the mention of a whittler sounds really good. an opinel is a bet, as are the saks, especially one that locks.
my boy got my old buck 102, the girl a crkt spew- not the best firsts that’s what we did.
EWillMoore
I would recommend the Victorinox Swiss Army Tinker
EWilliamMoore
Victorinox Swiss Army Tinker Knife is what I’d recommend.
John Homa
Victorinox Swiss Army Multi-Tool, EvoGrip Pocket Knife.
The kids today are into high tech and this knife tends to lend itself to that way of thinking.
Casey Campbell
My first was a Camillus Barlow. I gave both my boys SAKs when they were big enough.
ReinholdMessner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU-paVv6zTk
Josh Navarrete
I would give my kid two, one a swiss army knife for chores around the house and the second a Mora for outdoor stuff.