I got my first pocketknife in 1962, when I was 7. Still have a clearly visible scar on my left forefinger from when I learned not to cut toward myself, the first week I had it. I’ve carried one or more knives every day since then, in school and elsewhere (except for places like airplanes and courthouses).
Good for your grandson not to believe all of the bad-knives propaganda. Too bad schools have become so wussified about ordinary tools.
When I was in Middle School, one of the shop projects we could build was a hunting knife. Not a single person got stabbing. The only bloody incident I ever recall in shop was when a kid cut off his index finger on a table saw.