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Thread: Gifting a pocket knife

  1. #1
    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    Default Gifting a pocket knife

    So, I have two nephews that I have decided to get a pocket knife for their birthdays. One is 12 and the other 8. Here is a link to the pocket knife I bought.

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o00_s00

    You might say... but it isn't a Victorinox, or a Case... However, I have actually bought 3 of these for my kids. I have been impressed with them. No, they aren't Victorinox...and the quality isn't the same. But, they are still pretty good. They are definitely not cheap pieces of junk. I call them learner knives. The idea is that they use and abuse them... and learn how to use and care for a knife. And then they save up their own money and buy a Victorinox. When you have to buy the knife yourself, you appreciate it more. Anyways, I will also put a 3 ft lanyard on it, and a carabiner. That way they can attach it to their belt or pants or pack and not lose it. I have done this with all my kids pocket knives. I also want to put a note in with it that talks about knife safety and such. I would like some feedback as to what I might want to add to the note. I don't want it to be too long. Here is where I am at so far:

    One of the first tools a man gets is a knife. In your journey to becoming a man, you need to master using and maintaining a knife. This knife is for you to practice with. It is not meant to be the last knife you own. One thing a man does is to buy the best quality tool for the job. Use this opportunity to practice how to use and maintain a knife, and then save up your money and buy a higher quality one. One that you will be proud of.

    A man takes care of his tools. Learn how to sharpen the blade. Keep it sharp. Keep it oiled and free from rust. Keep it in a safe place. Do not lose or misplace it.

    Rules for not losing the knife:
    1. Keep it tied to a lanyard that is attached to your pack, or yourself.
    2. Never put it down on something…it is either in your pocket or in your hand
    3. Never lend it to someone. They will either lose it, or return it broken.

    A man is safe with his tools. He knows the proper way to use each tool so that he is safe, as well as those around him, and the tool is safe from damage. Learn knife safety. Learn how to properly use the knife and its many functions.

    Rules for knife safety:
    1. Never carry a knife with the blade open…only open the blade when you are sitting.
    2. Cut away from yourself. Keep body parts away from a cutting stroke.
    3. Maintain a safe cutting distance from other people.
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  2. #2
    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
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    Hey those are good little knives! I have one of them in my day pack EDC and it has always did its job! It is a great buy for the money!

  3. #3

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    It looks like a halfway decent knife and the price is good. However, I think a person can look around and find real Victorinox for about the same price. For this past Christmas, I gave two teenage boys (13 and 15) in the family their own Victorinox Tinkers. I chose the Tinker instead of the Spartan that I carry because some may not approve of the corkscrew that I find handy on the Spartan (it holds a small screwdriver for my eyeglass frame screws). The two knives are identical, but I wanted to avoid possible arguments - so I put a differently colored lanyard on each one. Engraving each boy's name on his own knife is possible but expensive if done commercially. Each knife cost well under $20 and gives each boy a quality knife that can last forever.

    I am sure this is not a new idea to many people, but the lanyards are brightly colored cords about 36 inches long and shortened with a chain knot - the length of the lanyard can then be adjusted to loop the knife around the neck, attach it to a belt, or carry it in a pocket.

    Nice set of introductory rules, by the way.
    Last edited by Faiaoga; 07-27-2015 at 02:45 PM. Reason: add information

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    finallyME...That's a great note to include....well thought out.

    I do have to agree that a Victorinox would be a life time gift.....I carry and use mine daily.
    Looked up the knife you posted and looks pretty good as well....and I'm sure the gift will be accepted and appreciated.

    I have done the same with a couple of nephews, several years ago.....but I have to say, that when a need arose for my hunting partner nephew needed a knife....he didn't have one.

    Some good natured kidding about the need for always carrying a knife... I like to reference "Leroy Jethro Gibs, rule number 9, Never go anywhere without a knife". \....did make me realize that many people do not put the same importance in carrying a knife as I do.

    My point is simply...They may say "Thanks"....then put it in the drawer and kinda forget about it.

    Just be prepared for that.
    Last edited by hunter63; 07-27-2015 at 10:16 PM.
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    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hunter63 View Post
    My point is simply...They may say "Thanks"....then put it in the drawer and kinda forget about it.

    Just be prepared for that.
    Absolutely.... that goes without saying for anything you give to family. And, since they are kids....losing it isn't out of the question. Another reason why I don't want to go get a Victorinox. Plus, it lets me gauge how the gift is received. If I find it well cared for several years from now, and that he uses it etc, I might be tempted to give him something better (a nice sheath knife for example). With gifts and other people's kids, you never know.
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    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    The Victorinox Tinker is hard to find under $20. It also doesn't have a saw and scissors. I use my saw A LOT.

    Sometimes it is hard to get past the "if you spent just a few for dollars you can get...." trap. There are a lot of Victorinox models that are the same price or a little more, all with less features. However, I really try and emphasize the "save up and buy your own". This is a teaser. I still have my first Victorinox that I bought when I was 12. I mowed a lot of grass for that sucker. Since I bought it, I held it in deeper regard.

    As an aside...I think the Voctorinox Huntsman or Fieldmaster are the two best models. I think anything bigger has too much, and anything smaller is too little. The Victorinox Swisstool, which is also excellent, is in another category. I am talking pocket knives here, not multitools.
    Last edited by finallyME; 07-27-2015 at 03:19 PM.
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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Nice knife.....great note and lesson. Well done Pops.
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    Senior Member Wise Old Owl's Avatar
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    Not a fan of the knife but I get it. I like the letter to the boys better. Well Done.
    “There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag … We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language … and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”

    Theodore Roosevelt 1907

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    The boys are lucky to have a family member who starts them so well when they are still young.

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    Senior Member MrFixIt's Avatar
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    Some possible additions to your letter:
    Never throw your knife, unless it is designed specifically for throwing.
    Never use your knife as a screwdriver, prybar or hammer.
    When all else fails, read the directions, and beware the Chihuahuacabra!

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    And the oft sited, "Never try to catch a knife being thrown at you." Always sound advice. Finally, Never bring a knife to a gun fight.

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    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    I like MrFixIt's ideas, I will add them......sorry Rick.
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    My youngest GS started collecting knifes at a very early age. I remember an old custom of when gifting a knife, the person receiving the knife was suppose to give the giver a coin I think. I can not remember the actual deal. Can anyone help?


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    Quote Originally Posted by Williepete View Post
    My youngest GS started collecting knifes at a very early age. I remember an old custom of when gifting a knife, the person receiving the knife was suppose to give the giver a coin I think. I can not remember the actual deal. Can anyone help?


    Bill
    As superstitions go - there are more than one version of this one out there - by giving a coin you will keep from "cutting" the relationship between giver and receiver.
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    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    An update...
    I think I have done this about 4 more times.
    Last month, we had a party for my niece. I think she turned 10. My kids picked up a present for her. Then later I was talking with her dad and I said I thought about giving her a knife, but didn't remember in time. He said that she was expecting me to get her one. Her younger brother was one of the kids that I gave one when I first wrote this post. Apparently all my nieces and nephews think that when they get to be a certain age, old Uncle FM will hook them up with a knife. So, I went out the next day and looked around at the stores for something similar in quality and price to the Ruko. The closest I could get was a Gerber single blade folder for $10. She liked it, but I was disappointed. I couldn't tie a lanyard to it, and it only had one blade and nothing else.
    Today there is another party for a nephew. My SIL came out for my BIL's wedding. She lives in Oregon, so we don't see them that much. Her son, who is turning 9, decided to have a party with all his cousins. It was a little of a surprise for me, and didn't afford any time for me to order on Amazon (I am not paying overnight shipping, already have free 2 day, but not enough time). So, today I hunted around for something. Either I found swiss type knives that were junk, or single blade folders, which are high quality, but not the style I am looking for, or I found expensive buck or old timer folders. I like the Bucks and Old Timer ones, but not only are they more than I want to spend, the also don't have a lanyard. Eventually, I got tired of looking and just picked up a Victorinox Recruit, $15. It doesn't have everything I think it should to help a boy practice (like a saw), it does have the other "essentials" in a knife (two blades, can opener, small screw driver/bottle opener). Maybe I should just find the knife I want to continue to get for the "rest" of my nieces and nephews, and then buy a whole lot of them.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by finallyME View Post
    An update...
    ................ Maybe I should just find the knife I want to continue to get for the "rest" of my nieces and nephews, and then buy a whole lot of them.
    If that what you would like to do...that is a wise course of action.....
    That is a wonderful gesture no matter what it is.
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    It is amazing what kids look forward to and what they remember. They will always remember you if for nothing else than a simple knife. Pretty cool all around. I would go with the "order in bulk" idea. That way they all have the same kind of knife and there won't be any, "mine is better than yours".

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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    The SAK Recruit is a good starter knife and even though it does not have "everything" on it perhaps that is one of the teaching tools of experience at overcoming slight difficulties.

    After all, that was the first style officially approved by the BSA around 1910 and it is the standard style utility knife issued by the Army and Marines since WW2.

    It is also one of the two knives issued to trainees at the AF survival school, the other being a JPSK.

    And it has a lanyard!

    It appears that $16 is the going price at Wallyworld and elsewhere, and that might become pretty stiff if you are ordering a dozen at a time.

    There is an alternative. Smokey Mountain Knife Works offers the GI pattern 4 blade utility knife at $7. You could afford 10-12 of those and not break the bank, and it is a standard item. It or one like it will be available probably through eternity. Order three now and order three more as your stock dwindles.

    Yes it is made in China, but the steel is good as well as the construction. I have one and it is very close to the quality of my Cullmins GI knife but not as good as my old Imperial BSK. It does hold a better edge than my SAKs.
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    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    KYRS, that is the perfect suggestion! I will get one and see if it has the minimum quality I am looking for. The other day I looked up Old Timer, Schrade etc, plus Case. I was looking for that exact style. But, their prices were too much for my purposes. Ruko used to make one as well, which I bought my daughter a long time ago...twice (she learned why I tied a dummy cord to it). They all are patterned after the old Scout knife that BSA made (or contracted for). I am sure that the BSA one was patterned after the US knife. My dad actually has his old BSA knife from when he was a scout, and someone gifted him an original US knife as well. I kind of wish that Victorinox would put a big metal loop on their knives.

    Anyways, kinnda wish you would have told me about this option a while ago. Would have saved me the looking.
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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Truth is the BSA knife was approved as "scout knife" in around 1910, before the government discovered them (probably clued in by a former scout) so it has a long history and was made by almost all the companies, cheap or expensive, we all remember, Culmins, and Imperial doing much of them.

    As time went by almost everyone copied the style and still do. Case still makes one at very high cost, but I believe that SAK model is now the most popular among folks hunting a known brand due to both reputation and price. Many people buy SAK because they heard they were good and not through knife using experience.

    I am pretty sure that if the Ruko brand passed your quality standards the Marbles knives will be OK for you.

    I grew up as a knife carrying kid and it was one of the 4 blade camp knives that was in my pocket all the time that still sells me on the model for a kid. After 60 years of using them the only change I would make, or the next blade I would want added, is a small pen knife blade. In the ones I carry now I grind and sharpen an edge on the awl to replace the pen knife blade.

    Sometime around age 12 I traded the 4 blade scout knife for a Barlow pattern made by Sabre, which was a cheap knife with good steel back in the day. The Barlow is still in my jewelry box, worn out to any that might see it but a reminder of many days in the woods as a kid.

    I started carrying "gentlemen's knives" after leaving the Army. Small pen knives with good brand names.

    My next big change in knife patterns occurred after 911 when it became impossible to go aywhere without being put through a metal detector. I went to the SAK at that point so that if I forgot to empty my pockets before leaving the car my knife would be yuppie innocent when the security people found it.

    I have two of the Marbles 4 blade models knocking about as well as the military issue and a BSA model. I find them a bit bulky for around the house carry but as soon as I step outside the door to work some utility knife of their nature will be in my pcket. And when camping, where bulk and a few ounces of weight are expected, I carry one of the SAK models with a couple more blades.
    Last edited by kyratshooter; 04-03-2017 at 02:59 PM.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

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