Hi All,

My daughter completed a 2 week basic summer camp training course and I wanted to give her something to remember the accomplishment.

So I ordered her this Pink SAK Classic from Smokey Mountain Knife Works. It has a small knife blade, scissors, fingernail file/cleaner, key-ring, toothpick and tweezers, just what every teenage girl needs. Her friends thought it was "Soooo Cute"; Dad's gift is a hit (very important or it would not be carried) and I will have her packing a PSK in he purse before you know it.

Her older brother completed an 8 week Adventure Expedition Course and received this Grohman #3 CF "Jump" Knife from me, with his name and the year inscribed on it (he needed a new fixed-blade and is already a outdoor junkie). He keeps this new knife in his "Adventure Drawer" beside his bed along with the rest of his critial outdoor gear. If your present makes "The Drawer" you know your gift quest has been successful.

What is the forums opinion on giving knives to responsible kids (no taking them to school, of course)? I grew up with a knife in my pocket or on my belt from a very early age; EDC'ing a knife was normal then and I still do it now.

Mike

I prefer that kids start with a knife with a blade that positively locks, while being easy to unlock as well. For a first knife, I would prefer just a blade, nothing more. However, the SAK classic is one of my favorites.

For a more experienced youth, I might suggest upgrading to a multi-tool.

I like that Grohman a lot. It'd make a fine skinner.

Doublecheck the carry rules at the kid's schools.

Definitely check the school rules. My son is just out of school so now he can carry the Swiss Champ SAK I gave him. But any knife at all is not allowed at the school he went to.

I agree with Chris. This is definitely not your era of school and zero tolerance policies suspend kids for making pretend guns out of their index finger and thumb.

SAK's are more than common in the real world and a Super Tinker or Adventurer would pass muster with any authority figure or adult that would find it on her.

Smart thinking to give such a great gift to your daughter.

My first knife was a buck, a tiny red one that locked back

I still have it to this day.

-Todd

I carried a sak as a small child. Even at school, but that was before the paranoia started overhere in Europe.

If your kids are responsible, I see not a problem, infact it could make their life a bit easier.

Never have I used my gear that I carry with me to prevent / solve a major incident, but it sure has saved me time and made my (and people around me) easier.

If they're old enough for a fork, they're old enough for a SAK. Unfortunately, I have to second the concern regarding public reaction.

Maybe give them a wire saw? :P

I think it's great that your kids have that much responsibility and you have that much trust....it is a 'milestone'.....for their independence. It 'shows' (to others [especially their friends]) that they are 'trusted' by you....nice work on the parenting (to all involved)

I agree with Rodion, if they are old enough a knife isn't a problem and should be given/carried. Not at school, where even a simple Vic classic could end up in a suspension or expulsion due to "zero tolerance" or as I like to call it "zero common sense". But otherwise, if its legal to carry a knife there then do it. I always have, and I always do.

-Bill Liptak

Hey,

Thanks for the input folks.

We have strictly identified that NO WEAPONS GO TO SCHOOL, not even a 2" Cute Pink SAK Classic and my kids are responsible enough to abide by that rule. Right now my daughter keeps her new SAK in her Youth Program jacket, where useful (small) knives/multi-tools are not a problem (even encouraged on field outings).

Benjammin - Good thought on the need for a locking blade, this small SAK was just a first step to build on, I am thinking of this Multi-tool for her next gift. Still no locking blade but she needs a multitool and would not use a large "Mens" model; it has to be "trendy" or she just will not carry it.

Izzy - You are a funny guy; pink spray paint would be fine with me but would not make the grade with a teenage girl!

Later,

Mike

Looks like a good job all around, Mike.

For your daughter, I think you're nurturing the basic idea that cutting tools are normal and handy to have. Once you get used to having them, and reaching for them, you tend not to leave them home.

As for the multitool: I wonder if you should let her choose between some options? Maybe a SWAK Champ with everything would appeal. Or quite possibly a Squirt S4 with scissors? Scissors appeal to females, apparently. My DW will only carry a Micra in her purse (though her car is suitably loaded down with hardware for all occasions).

Regarding your son, I'm curious: why did you go with the #3 Grohmann instead of the #1 original? I'd appreciate your thoughts.

Cheers,
Doug

I always had some sort of pocket knife on me as well in middle school/high school. Never had a problem, but I was always good with knowing when to use it, and when not to.

In high school one of the teachers started an adventure club/camping club. So we would go to the meetings after class was over for the day, to work on different skills and such. I remember in one of the early meetings someone asked if anyone had a knife or scissors to cut some rope for knot practice. Well, near half the students in the club offered up a knife of some sort, as did the teacher (who, we later learned, always carried a large SAK).

We're not talking about a dangerous school in a bad area either, I went to a private high school in a well-off area. It was kind of funny to see ~15 guys in suit-and-tie offering their pocket knife. It seemed as though many of the guys thought it was very gentleman-like to be able to offer up a knife or lighter to someone in need, so they always kept them in their jacket, just in case.

Hi Doug,

I am a Grohman knife fan and have 2-#1's, a #3 (in poor shape), a #4 and my father's #2.

The Youth Program that my kids and I are involved in is structured after the Canadian Military, therefore I thought the Grohman #3 "Jump" knife issued to the CF would be most appropriate as a reward for completeing his summer training.

Prior to this I had given him a green SAK Signature Lite pocketknife. Last week I had forgotten to leave the outside house lights on when we left for a meeting and was fumbling with my keys in the dark trying to open the door on our return. Suddenly there was light (red) as my son was behind me with his small SAK showing me the way. EDC success!

Mike

I agree with you Izzy,

I EDC'ed a SAK from about age 11 onward, I even got married with it is my pocket; as a gift I gave the men in the wedding party dress knives of their own.

In the current world the days of teenagers EDC'ing a small pocket knife everywhere (like school) are gone.

Mike

Bring knives to school? Heck, we used to bring loaded cartridges to school and make them into cool chess sets. A 22 lr as the pawn, a 44 mag was a rook, a 308 was a bishop etc. Oh the things we nerds got away with in Chess club...

Hi Folks,

Yessir, carried a folder all through high school, handy as it was for the time. Small town Ontario and you were always slicing, cutting, whittling. Plus the screwdriver blade was handy on the motorcycles.
A friends daughter was going to Korea to teach English and I gave her a SAK to keep. That was 10 yrs ago and she recently came home and said she lost the tweezers. Replaced them and she's good to go again.
On a sadder note...apparently Grohman Knives in Pictou, Nova Scotia Canada has lost the contract to supply knives to the Canadian Armed Forces. And their sheaths were made by another Nova Scotia firm. Sadder still is that their member of parliament is the Canadian Defense Minister. Off-Shore quality strikes again.

Luckily I took the Buck Alpha out of my locker the day before they searched it and expelled me.
You'd think they'd take a joke, but they really didn't have a very good sense of humor.