Sooner or later, every child will come into contact with a sharp knife. Most often, this happens at home, in the kitchen, but it can also happen on an outing in nature or, for example, while visiting friends in their backyard. The best way to prevent a child from seriously injuring themselves with a knife is to teach them respect for the knife and the proper techniques for handling it.
Although Mikov manufactures a wide range of cutlery, we definitely do not recommend starting knife training with military daggers or large kitchen knives. It’s always best to start with smaller knives. From our perspective, the ideal “starter” knife can be none other than the Rybička— a model proven by generations — or possibly the Stovka folding knife or the Zavazák fixed-blade hunting knife .
Until they have mastered the knife, they must always use it under adult supervision. First, we must teach children how to hold a knife properly so that their fingers are always protected and kept a safe distance from the blade. Only then is it time to begin simple exercises to improve motor skills—such as cutting through paper or trimming a twig. And, of course, we teach children the rule that they should always cut away from their body.
Since most knife-related injuries occur in the kitchen, it’s important to gradually introduce children to simple tasks, such as slicing fruit or vegetables on a cutting board. Mikov offers a full range of kitchen knives. You can choose from luxury knives or the Klasik and Ruby lines . Although experienced adults in the kitchen may prefer a Santoku knife , for young beginners it’s much better to learn the craft with something smaller, such as a versatile chef’s knife.
Children also need to be constantly reminded that when handing a knife to someone else, they should do so with the blade facing toward themselves. And if there are other people nearby, we must be careful not to injure them with careless movements. And of course, knives should never be thrown or tossed—unless they are special throwing knives, which Mikov also carries in its product line.
We also gradually teach children how to care for and sharpen knives. With Mikov’s instructions , they can learn to sharpen knives using a whetstone and how to use a sharpening steel. However, patience and kindness are essential. Only then can we instill in children the principles of behavior that will transform the knives in their hands into useful tools.