I got my first Cub Scout knife when I was seven, I think. It was similar to the one Norad described. I could've been 8 or 9 so, but I seem to remember playing with it in the iceplant, which has California (Fort Ord) written all over it, so I bet I was seven. My Dad was big on responsibility, I was only allowed to carry it here or there, and do this or that with it during those early years.
He got me my first shotgun when I was 12 (Savage bolt-action, 3-round magazine, adjustable choke 12 guage). I couldn;t even take it out to clean it or look at it unless he was present and he'd take me to the Rod &Gun club to shoot skeet and trap. I don;t have either or them any more, and I've often regretted letting them go. I don;t know what happened to my knife, but I sold my shotgun to a friend when I was 22..... I regretted it almost immediately.. and more so as the years went by.
ON EDIT: Almost forgot... my little girl is eight and turns 9 in September. This past Christmas, I bought her a Victorinox SAK. She carries it in her day pack and we find some instructional reason to use it each time we go out practicing survival skills. She can, all by herself since last fall,
prepare and start a fire with nothing more than a Doan's magnesium/flint. The SAK doesn;t spark well (and doesn't lock) but I've let her use almost every single knife I have and no cuts or "almosts" yet!!! This Easter, I will giver her a Bark River Mini-Canadian (slightly used) that I have on order from a member of another forum. That one will be
VERY sharp, so we'll break her in slow.