There is a lot of good advice here. I believe that it really depends on the child and parental guidance - guidance being the main factor!
My son got his first knife - an easy-opening lockback - when he joined the Cub Scouts. My daughter got hers when she joined the Brownies. I spent a LOT of time teaching them safety and supervising them when they had their knives. They loved carrying and using them when we went on camping and fishing vacations, and always behaved responsibly. They are now 36 and 35 years old, but they still fondly remember their first knife I got them. They also understood why I was so excited when I got word that I won the DogFather! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Tom <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />