FAQ: Which is better for kids—a fixed blade or a folder?

Truth? A fixed blade. I tell that to countless parents every month, and every month those same parents pick up a folding knife for their kids instead.

Fixed blades don’t ever fold on your fingers. Fixed blades never cut you when you're closing them.

Almost everyone chooses a folding knife anyway, and that's ok. Just be careful, and choose a good one. I put together this video on how to choose a folding knife for a kid.

Here's what you should look for:

• Quality. Don’t you dare get your kid hooked on junk knives! (I know, I know, I didn’t even need to tell you that, but it had to be said.)
• Middle-sized knife. Kids need a knife they can control. Big knives and very small knives are very difficult to handle for children with small hands and limited dexterity.
• Locking blade. A reliable locking blade will help limit some of the inevitable mishaps kids have with knives.
• Inexpensive. Get something that won't make you cry too much if (or when) it gets lost.

For more information, visit our Knives for Kids page.