In Scouting, knives are a double-edged sword.
Used safely, they’re part of a rite of passage for boys and a chance for leaders to impart important lessons to help Scouts become “Prepared. For Life.”
But inevitably, some Scout will do his best Crocodile Dundee impression and show up at summer camp with the 10-inch sheath knife his uncle bought him.
The BSA keeps its knife policy intentionally vague (see below), offering suggestions but leaving specific policies up to individual units.
Does your pack, troop, team, or crew have a policy?
Units with knife policies often set a specific maximum blade length and other restrictions. Others leave it up to their Scouts’ common sense and only intervene if the need arises — such as confiscating a Scout’s big sheath knife or butterfly-style knife and returning it to his parents after the trip.
Whether you have a policy or are considering creating one, first read what the Guide to Safe Scouting says:
Knives
A sharp pocketknife with a can opener on it is an invaluable backcountry tool. Keep it clean, sharp, and handy. Avoid large sheath knives. They are heavy and awkward to carry, and unnecessary for most camp chores except for cleaning fish. Since its inception, Boy Scouting has relied heavily on an outdoor program to achieve its objectives.
This program meets more of the purposes of Scouting than any other single feature. We believe we have a duty to instill in our members, youth and adult, the knowledge of how to use, handle, and store legally owned knives with the highest concern for safety and responsibility.
Remember—knives are not allowed on school premises, nor can they be taken aboard commercial aircraft.
The Guide to Safe Scouting doesn’t get more specific than that, but most states do. Some states restrict knife length — in Texas, for example, a knife with a blade longer than 5.5 inches is deemed “illegal.” Others forbid certain kinds of knives, such as throwing knives.
This site aggregates state knife laws, so check your state’s laws today and be in the know.
How to create a policy
In keeping with the youth-led spirit of Boy Scout troops, Venturing crews, and Varsity teams, you’re better off letting the Scouts set their own policy.
Involving them in the process ensures that they’ll take ownership in the policy and will more effectively follow and enforce it.
Suggest they address knife length, kinds of knives allowed, how many knives each Scout can bring, proper storage, Totin’ Chip requirements, and anything else that addresses specific needs in your unit. And don’t forget to print out your state’s knife laws and give that to your youth leaders to consult.
Pretty soon, you’ll have a policy that allows — encourages, even — the safe use of knives in Scouting.
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What do you think?
I’d love to know whether packs, troops, teams, and crews have specific knife policies. If so, what do they include? Do you specify a maximum blade length? What about quantity — can Scouts carry multiple knives? Leave your thoughts below.
Photo by Flickr user herzogbr.
A sheath knife is a wonderful tool to have. You can use it in so many different ways. It is an almost essential survival tool. You don\’t need a hand axe, or a saw if you have a good sheath knife. You don\’t need a Crocodile Dundee style or any over the top wacko survivalist type of knife. All you need is a 5-6in blade, full tang, with a proper sheath and you are set.
I would challenge any of your scouts to a fire building contest with our troop. Our scouts would only use their sheath knives, yours can use, knife, hand axe and saw.
Our troop would win hands down. Only because the scouts know how to use them and they use them properly.
I don’t really understand the problem with policies here sure everyone has their own right to an opinion but really who should say what to limit a knife to it all depends on the given situation and the skill in which the tool is used and yes all knives are tools when used properly they are great when not used properly they can be very dangerous no matter what size or configuration personally I think that sheath knives are invaluable as a survival tool especially when backing where you don’t want to carry an ax,saw,utility knife, and multi tool ounces turn into pounds very quickly so I’ll carry a 10″ blade length sheath knife and a multi tool so honesty I think it’s all about training not size though I would recommend sheath knives with full tangs
B.S.A Boy’s Life July 2008;
“The best type of knife for camping trips — and most any other outdoor activity, for that matter — is a short, fixed-blade knife with a beefy handle.
Folding pocketknives can fold up on your hand while cutting. Not fixed blades. And remember: When it comes to blades, bigger isn’t always better. Avoid blades longer than four inches. A small, sharp blade can cut just as well as a long one, but it’s safer to handle and easier to maneuver in tight spots. With a good fixed blade you’ll be set for most anything the outdoors can throw at you — whittling, cutting, notching, butchering, filleting, even spreading peanut butter.”