Kids' creativity, as measured by the most recent Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking scores, has been sliding since 1990, most noticeably among our younger students. Reduced music and arts education is cited as a key factor.
I like to use the 'demolition grade' blades. They ll cut wood, metal, plaster, wire, or pretty much anything you d care to throw at them. They're made from decent carbon steel that will take and hold an edge rather well. When bought in packs of a dozen, they can be had for about a buck each.
This type of knife blade should not be confused with a hollow ground blade. A hollow ground blade is ground, or prepared for finishing, in a very distinct way. A hollow edge blade may be ground in several different ways, but in all cases indentations are ground out along the length of the knife. These indentations are typically polished so that they are smooth, ensuring that food particles do not stick to rough spots.