Coming of Age With a Pocket Knife

There are a couple of things that you can give a young boy that will make him feel like a man and a pocket knife is certainly one of those coming of age mementos. Many parents cringe at the thought of giving there young child a pocket knife but I tend to believe that it is for the best. Is it dangerous? kind of, will they hurt themselves? probably so, but it will also teach them some important aspects about life. Aside from doing that it makes a boy feel like a man. And in an age when there is rampant feminization of our young men and boys this is important.

Giving a boy pocket knives tells him some important things. It tells him that you trust him and that you see him as capable and able. It tells him that he is strong enough and smart enough to handle such a dangerous piece of equipment. It also allows him to go have an adventure. I cannot tell you how many boyhood imagination trips I went on with my pocket knife. Sure I got some cuts and I did some silly things but a pocket knife is not a gun and to do serious damage is much more difficult than with many other tools or toys. Take for instance a 4 wheeler that many young men start riding quite young. One flip on a four wheeler helmet or no helmet and it could be lights out. Is this going to stop you, probably not but it will cause you to do some serious coaching of how to safely ride a four wheeler. And a pocket knife should be no different.

I teach mine the basics of safety.  Always cut away from yourself.  Keep the blade clean and inspect it on a regular basis for any damage.  I also teach them etiquette.  You would never point a gun at someone loaded or unloaded because this is etiquette.  Knives should be no different.  I teach them to never use a knife in any type of a threatening manner.  Knives are tools to be used for making life easier, not for defense or weaponry.  This could be taught one day with tactical knives but for now during the developmental phase I leave it out.  I also teach them that knives are not for throwing, though this one is often hard to learn.  I teach them when it is ok to use a knife and when it is inappropriate.  The teaching doesn’t ever really stop.  It is important to find teachable moments and to model proper behavior.

What is the best type of knife to get for a young man?

I tend to think that you should keep it simple in this aspect.  Let them learn how to properly use a knife first then if you want to add to their collection, go for it.  But, in the beginning there is no reason to get them a hunting knife or a multi tool.  Getting them something beyond their ability is asking for trouble.  A single blade knife is perfect.  A folding lock blade is even better.  Kids love to put stuff in their pockets and they also tend to loose things.  A sheath can easily be lost and will probably not be used, leading to a knife that is dangerous to carry.  A singe locking blade keeps it simple and keeps the fingers safe.  Chances are a young man will eventually try to stab something with his knife and if it isn’t a lock blade this can lead to a trip to the emergency room.

Make your boy feel like a man and get him a pocket knife that will make him feel dangerous and respectable.  Anything simple will do and a pocket knife can go a long way towards turning your young boy into a man.