What knife would you or did you send your kid (boy or girl) to college with?

[gotboostvr]

I carried a Gerber Para frame at all times when I was in school. It went in my bag when I had baseball practice or games.
I kept it "sharp enough" with one of those pull through sharpeners while away, and would put a good edge on it whenever I came home for a holiday.

 

[Smith357]

I sent my daughter off with a a SAK and a Kershaw Link for cutting stuff, and a Bolo Machete and Tomahawk as she is not allowed to have a gun in the dorm for defense.

 

[Jimfern]

My high school age son gets a great deal of use from a Leatherman Sidekick he got in his Xmas stocking a few years ago. He uses it when he's tinkering with the 3D printer he built as a kit and with his drone projects. He's also got a very nice finger grooved Buck 110, Swiss army knife and a couple of butterfly knives he likes to play with, but the Leatherman is what he gets the most practical use from.

My daughter has a Swiss army knife which she uses occasionally.

 

[Litlman]

Well after a semester at school the kid tells me that he lost his Dragonfly and that it feels weird not to have a pocket knife, so I let him pick one from my stock and he chooses a very small assisted Kershaw Ember. Nice little knife, good action heavier than the Spyderco so maybe he won't loose it. He is still feeling the loss of his first blade. I told him that it is never fun loosing something that is part of your EDC. We will see how this works out for him for now. I think that he may decide on something larger. I may pick up a Delica or a Kershaw Cryo for him to check out.

 

[25-5]

Now, that's what a good dad does for a good son.

 

[gopguy]

He took a SAK with a saw blade on it and a Spyderco Endura. My daughter the same.

 

[Dog Soldier]

My Grandson in Dallas, Txs. likes to fish and explore in this Urban jungle. Dallas has New York style weapons laws. No switch blades and all manner of blade rules as well. I sent him a "Duck" spring assist. I will feel better when he can get a handgun CCW.

 

[JeffG]

Any of the Kershaw Ken Onion spring assist folders. 3inch blade.

 

[bassjam]

Your son will get far more use out of medium size Swiss Army knife than anything else. And it doesn't seem to "freak" people out as much as "tactical" blades do. The Victorinox Tinker is a great pocketknife and will open damn near anything. Cut string or packing tape, open a can of coffee, tighten a screw - you're covered. Get a splinter? No problem. Need a toothpick? You have one. But a nice locking folder would be nice to have in your pocket as well. I would avoid any "clip on" knife only because they are cop magnets. Life is too short to have to stand around and talk to some cop because he saw your knife and now considers you a threat. Out of sight, out of mind.

Heck, after years of carrying single blade lockbacks with pocket clips I switched to a Swiss Army knife last year. I work in an office and got tired of the raised eyebrows and staring when I'd pull out one of my "black knives" to open a box. My Trekker is roughly the same size as my other knives, but it doesn't get a second look when I use it. And I use the screwdrivers, saw, and tweezers more than I'd anticipated. The only thing I don't like it is doesn't have a pocket clip so I had to glue one on, and it doesn't work as good as a factory clip would.

 

[Lone Star]

Pocket clips often lead to lost knives. And I don't like how they feel in the hand.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

Sounds like he doesn't really care about knives, but I'd recommend a Leatherman multitool or a midsize Swiss Army Knife. The SAK will be easier to carry, the Leatherman's tools will be more functional. The Leatherman will probably be more expensive.

If looking for a single-bladed locking folder, I would also recommend a full-flat grind Spyderco Delica, which has already been recommended here, in a non-black color.

I got into knives as a freshman in college. My alma mater had a rule in tiny print in the student handbook that said non-kitchen knives bigger than three inches in blade length were forbidden on campus. I asked the security director if that meant we could carry a 12" chef's utility knife. He didn't answer.

 

[Drail]

I lost one expensive Benchmade because I had it "clipped on". Never again. My knife is either deep in a pocket or in a sheath strapped to my belt with the flap down. Clips are very "convenient" but there is also a downside - losing your knife or having to talk to some cop who doesn't think you should be allowed to carry any type of "weapon". I have met those kinds of cops and you will not win a debate with him. It completely amazes how things have changed. When I was growing up EVERY guy carried a pocketknife of some sort and no one saw any problem with that - it was considered to be a tool just like a screwdriver. But as others have pointed out today when you flick out a knife to open a package or cut tape people all around you just freak and will probably never look at you the same again. My last boss did this and jumped back 3 feet when I opened a Swiss army knife when I saw him trying to open a box with scissors and said "knives scare me". What has happened to us?

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I sent my daughter off with a SOG Twitch II, and a Hiker SAK, I added a pepper spray, a strong flashlight with strobe setting finally a all steel Zebra ink pen.

 

[bassjam]

The comments about clips amuse me. I actually started carrying knives with pocket clips after I lost a couple non-clip knives when they fell out of my pockets. I even recall a time class when someone sitting behind me asked if the knife on the floor belonged to me!

The only knife with a pocket clip that's ever fallen out is my current Swiss Army Knife, and to be fair it's an "aftermarket" Nite Ize metal stick-on clip.

 

[22-rimfire]

I wouldn't send a kid to college with any knife. I expect they know what they like and have already obtained it. But if I actually purchased a knife for a non-knife new college kid, it would be a SAK.

I gave a SOG Twitch II to a grand daughter for college. Carry was her choice.

 

[hso]

If your kid doest already have a knife and is not already familiar with its use, it is best that they stick with a lock blade folder so they don't fold the blade up on their finger(s).

A locking Leatherman is an invaluable tool.

 

[Litlman]

Just an update to original post and comments. My kid still loves the Kershaw Ember that I gave him post loosing the Spyderco. He did say that he does get more use out of the Leatherman in his Dorm. To those that are concerned, I did not give a knife to a unexperienced kid. He always had access to pocket knifes growing up, as I am an avid knife guy. He just chose not to carry. Now he carries a small knife daily and is happy with it. He is not happy that he lost the Spyderco and he was not using the clip when he lost it. I have never lost a knife related to using the clip. My daughter will go to college in 2 years and I will ask her what she wants to bring with her.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

My daughter used knives since she was 12 but with public school system being as they are It was a full time job to ensure she didn't accidentally carry it to school.

 

[shafter]

25-5, I agree that training is a must. Fortunately he has had some. And I have always taught "awareness and avoidance". The knife would be for any daily task and primarily a "get off" knife if needed.

A "get off" knife must be accompanied by proper training. Otherwise the knife can be taken away and the situation goes from taking a simple beating to being killed. Or, without proper legal knowledge, it can turn it's owner into a murderer.

 

[Litlman]

Shafter. 100% agree with training aspect associated with carrying a knife, post # 6 states so. My son has had a good formal martial arts background along with my teaching. We also did review many times the video by JShirley r/t his ARK knife and its intended use (its on you tube, great realistic video for intended use). My son did not want to carry a fixed blade so I get to keep the ARK. As far as murderer goes, we all need to assess any situation that we are put into at that time. The escalation of responded force to that situation will be determined by the individual under attack. My biggest teaching to my son/family is situational awareness and avoidance.