Pocket knife for kids?

In reply to Toyman! :

This reminds me of the hose knife we all buy.  Your kids can get into the world of making hoses someday.  Whoo Hoo!

I typically carry a pocket knife (anything from a $50 spyderco to a $250 benchmade), and my kids (6 and 8) get handed it for any task that they need a knife for.

When it comes time to get them a whittling knife for camping, I'm going to get them each a fixed blade mora. Mora knives are sharp, cheap, small, light, and have great handles that prevent your hand from slipping forward onto the blade. If you're out camping, or in the back yard, or fishing, a fixed blade is the right tool for the job.

Once they show that they can safely and responsibly use a fixed blade, and they want to have a pocket knife to carry to stores, out for a bike ride, etc, then I really like the suggestion of the RAT 2 by Ontario above, it's a great workhorse. The Gerber LST was also a great suggestion, and personally I really like the Byrd knives for a good budget option as well.

I've carried a knife since middle school. I was fortunate to go to school in the pre-metal detector era and nobody batted an eye when I pulled out my Swiss army knife when some cutting tool was needed.  I have lost a few and bought new ones.  My current favorite is the discontinued Craftsman model, so I buy spares when I can find them for a good price ($50 or so). 

Most annoying is remembering to take it out of my pocket when entering buildings when no knives are allowed.  

I carry an Opinel, I give them as gifts too.

If your kid is prone to losing things, they sell the No. 4 Opinel in boxes of ten for really cheap.

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

Most annoying is remembering to take it out of my pocket when entering buildings when no knives are allowed.  

One of the stories my dad loves to tell is the time that we took my 2 sons to Martinsville for the truck series race.  We both got up to the gate and saw the signs about no knives...never even crossed our minds.  So I put my knife in my younger son's jacket in his small backpack.  Unbeknownst to me, my dad just put his knife in my older son's pocket.  When the security guards checked the bags, all clear.  When they went to wand the kids, they had stranger danger and got right on through.  

Now these kids were 5 and 4, so I can only imagine the questions if they had found a knife on them.  

Victorinox Tinker or Super Tinker (scissors come in handy). Lifetime warranty to boot and easy to find online or in person if you lose it. I bought both for $20 with free shipping each all day long.