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What’s a good beginner pocketknife for an 8-year-old?

Q. I want to buy a pocketknife for my 8-year-old nephew. He has just started a pocketknife collection and has about 8 knives. Can you recommend a good knife for a boy that age?
— Aunt Debra, Houston, Texas

A. You must be a cool aunt to be buying your nephew a knife! Will you be my auntie too? OK, seriously, good knives for an 8-year-old? Here are two that I think he’d be sure to dig:

BSA Official Cub Scouts Pocket Knife ($19.99; www.scoutstuff.org) You just can’t go wrong with the official Cub Scouts pocketknife! It’s got a stainless steel 2¼”-long blade with a flat head screwdriver, cap lifter and punch blade folded inside.

Gerber Mini Paraframe ($16.26; www.gerbergear.com) This folding knife has an open stainless steel handle, which makes it both lightweight (just 1.4 ounces) and cool-looking! The 2.22”-long locking blade is high carbon stainless steel with a fine edge and it comes with a handy pocket clip too.


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12 Comments on What’s a good beginner pocketknife for an 8-year-old?

  1. I think 8 is a perfect age for a kid to own a knife. Maybe not a Bowie knife or a Hunting knife but a little Swiss Army knife with all the accessories would be just fine under adult supervision of course. It also depends on the kid

  2. Too bad dad won’t let me have one.

  3. camping rules // May 2, 2011 at 5:57 pm // Reply

    1 really good knife is the gerber paraframe 2 partially serrated.it has a strong lock and a thick sturd blade

  4. camping rules // May 2, 2011 at 5:56 pm // Reply

    Get the Gerber Paraframe 2 with partially serrated.It is a sturdy knife with a strong lock. althought it is hard 2 find try to get it in non reflectant black/grey

  5. The S.S. SCOUT! // February 26, 2011 at 11:25 am // Reply

    I’m not 8 but i cant find a good one (I do have a swiss army knife but cant find it) and the one i have it multi-tool so its realy bulky please let me know were to get a non-expencive but good knife. (I have my widdlers chip lol)

    • Chicagobull23 // May 1, 2011 at 12:49 pm // Reply

      Just go to a sports authority or dicks sporting goods and go to the shotgun and knife section and there is a great buck knife multitool and switch for an inexpensive

  6. Old Boyscout // January 23, 2011 at 8:55 pm // Reply

    I recommend anything with a small blade (easier to carry), easy to open (softer spring, if you’re getting a folding knife), and a high carbon blade (easier to sharpen). I grew up with an old Ka-bar sheath knife with a four inch blade. I did everything with this knife, including skinning game and working leather. I carried it on my saddle, used it in the Boy Scouts, and carried it with me many times in the military. I still have it and it’s still as sharp as a razor.

  7. coolscout307 // January 11, 2011 at 6:56 am // Reply

    i have a whitetail cutlery hand made knife its pretty nice but not like the mini paraframe

  8. I recommend getting both a multi-tool(Swiss Army) and a one-handed lock-blade. I usually carry both of mine to campouts.

  9. what about an aegis?

  10. good ones at R.E.I.

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