Weapons in Martial Arts

I've decided to post a response to a question i've had posed to me several times in the past week.
"When can students start working with weapons in the Martial Arts?"

The answer is rather simple, but I will try to expand on my thinking as much as possible.

As a rule of thumb, I refrain from teaching weapons to students until I am completely sure of their skill with hands and feet. My thinking behind this is that if a student cannot keep track of their hands and feet at all times during motion through forms and sparring, there is no possible way they can keep track of a weapon. A weapon is an extension of your body and must be treated as such.
It is only when the hands and feet are proficient by themselves that you may even think about moving on to experimentation with weapons. Once you have achieved satisfactory results with your body movement and striking, choosing a weapon to train with is a different matter completely. One to be discussed in depth at a later time.
For now, I leave you with this.

I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.
~ Bruce Lee