August Handcraft: Nathan's Knife
We started our school year with a simple handcraft this month.
Handcrafts have a rich history in the Charlotte Mason School philosophy and are generally described as opportunities for “productive creativity”. I love the idea of exposing children to a plethora of material, builds, and skills and have really attached myself to this idea of being purposeful in introducing new handcrafts to my own children this school year.
It occurred to me, with the great shift of 2020, that many children (and even adults) will be spending increased time in front of screens and might benefit from keeping their hands busy during screen time or afterwards to relax and wind down.
I’m not an expert in what Ms. Mason would indeed deem handcraft (or handicraft as sometimes referred to). But in general, I will be highlighting a handcraft each month that is meant to spur interest, creativity, and activity in small and big hands. Check back monthly to see what we have been up to.
Nathan’s Knife
My kids all received a wooden knife kit called Nathan’s Knife Kit, with the intention of learning knife safety and and the caring and keeping of wood.
Before we put our knives together the kids stained the handle pieces with simple wood finish and used beeswax on the blade portion. All of my kids were really amazed at the immediate satisfaction of wood stain and the total transformation that the knife took on. The staining and beeswax is not required by any means, you could very well just put the set together (and as far as I know, most people skip this step). However, all of my kids learned how to set up their work spaces for a messy project, use a paint key, follow the grain of the wood, and how to use a soft cloth to buff the excess off. It was a calming activity that lasted about 30 minutes.
We let our pieces dry for 24 hours before putting our knives together.
The knives are a bit like a puzzle and our kit did not come with super clear directions, however it was not hard to figure it out. The illustrations below demonstrate how we found success in placing the pieces together.
My boys have been carrying these around everywhere they go. They have really taken pride in them and are quick to show them off. They are especially psyched that the blade clicks in and out when you hold down the button, which is very cool.
Our family has decided that if you keep your knife neat, clean, and in good working order - and follow knife safety guidelines, then kids will receive a steel knife at the holidays. I’m excited to start some carving projects around that time. Till then, these are kept tucked in pockets, and have led to a lot of imaginative play.
You can find Nathan’s Knife Kit on Amazon or at most outdoor stores if you’re interested in putting your own together. I can’t find the beautiful brand of beeswax polish that I used, however here is another popular brand if you’re in the market for it.
