Sheath Knife Tolerance

[dan]

Last weekend the neighbor came over, we where talking, we started talking about knives and he said the Illinois law is that you can carry any knife as long as the blade was not longer than the palm of your hand, this seemed like a strange law to me, while reading this thread, I thought lets see if I can find out what the laws are in different states. I found this website. This is not a official site, so take it with a grain of seasoning.

 

http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/sta-law.htm

 

I read a few of the different states laws regarding knifes, and now I have a headache!

What I got out of the Illinois law is that if you have a knife over 3 inches and commit a crime with it, it is considered a felony, if you do not commit a felony with any size knife, you can carry it?!?!?

[ScoutingEMT]

I'm right with anarchist on this one... I'm trained in basic water rescue... my personal PFD has a strobe and a knife on it...

 

I don't think my troop allows sheath knives, BUT a locking knife is recommended/required.

 

 

I'm thinking about getting a small sheath knife at some point...

 

Until then, I'll stick with the El Cheapo lockback knives I've found at a local hardware store for 5-10 bucks a piece. I tend to lose them easily.

 

Jon

[seabear]

If I remember correctly, there was a law past in London; that an Irishman could not carry a stick nor stone within the City limits of London.

Why?

It is time that we get back to Traditional Scouting, of Outdoor Lore and Woodcraft, back to the basics, there are times when a folding knife is all that is needed then there are times when a sheath knife is called for, these are tools.

[Fuzzy Bear]

My answer to the Irish law was that carrying a rock or a stick generally meant that they were to be used regarding English policies not easily forgotten nor forgiven.

 

As far a sheath knives go, I have a 6 inch Scout sheath knife that I carry in my pack for preparation of a few meals. I carry a Swiss Army knife on my belt. I suppose that if I fall there is a danger of the toothpick falling out and me not finding it again.

FB

[packsaddle]

In case no one else said it, welcome to the forums Polarbear.

I carried a sheath knife for years, an official BSA abomination that couldn't hold an edge for anything. It eventually splashed in a deep lake in 1973 and I have never missed it. I have done everything I needed to do since with my Kabar stockman. And it holds an edge better than anything else I have ever owned.

Yes, we have knives in the cook kits. Yes, fillet knives in tackle boxes. Both are used for those specific purposes...and not carried otherwise.

[TAHAWK]

So we have a policy on "large sheath knives." They are discouraged as unnessary. Safety is not mentioned. (It should be as, being edged, they present safety issues.)

 

The most frequent injury with a woods tool is being cut with a slipjoint knife.

 

The hand axe is probably the most dangerous woods tool considering the geometry of use and the severity of injury. It shears. It's use is allowed in every council known to me to ban fixed-blade knives.

 

Boys will encounter fixed-blade knives in their lives.

 

A large fixed-blade knife is sold by the BSA as a Chef's Kit component.

 

Many folding knives sold today (see "Ninja, Mall Variety") are larger than many fixed-blade knives and clearly designed as weapons.

 

Scouting is an educational organization.

 

Draw a line under this and add it up. For me, it means that we should be training Scouts to safely and responsibly carry and use fixed-blade knives. In that context, we can deal with knives sold with unsafe sheaths.

[kenk]

You said it well. I couldn't agree more.