Whittling Chip

[BluejacketScouter]

I was asked by a Webelos Leader to help her den earn their Whittling Chip. These boys did not complete this as Bears last year (and the current Bears, either). I'm sitting here looking at the requirements in the Bear handbook but...does anyone have any instructor references for this?

 

Thanks

[SSScout]

Yep. Only Bears and Webelos earn Whittlin' Chip. And with good reason. Hand eye coordination, ability to deal maturely with sharp tools, etc.

Note that there are no "official" requirements, only the stuff on the back of the card. It is up to the Cub Leaders (Akelas) to teach "good tool useage". Google "Whittlin Chip, Cub Scouts" and you will find many good curriculums (curriculae?). Also, much discussion on this site , many times. Use the search function.

It is almost entirely up to the skilled, knowledgeable whitttler to be the instructor and "do it himself".

Another option is to check with your local Scout Troop and Commissioner to see if they would know of a knowledgeable instructor for you. My Scout Troop did a W/C station for a Webelos Weekend, to good effect. Lots of soap chips left over!

 

PM me and I will email back my own favorite curriclum, which, unfortuunately, is not online.

 

 

[shortridge]

If your experience is anything like mine, the vast majority of the kids will never have picked up a pocketknife before. You'll need to start from point zero.

 

- Emphasize safety - demonstrate over and over again the basics. Picking up a closed knife, pulling open one blade, how to hold it ... the stuff we adults don't think twice about. Practice handing a knife to someone else - and the "thank you" rule - multiple times.

 

- Get plenty of adults on hand to watch closely (make sure they know the best practices, too!), and have PLENTY of room for safety circles (I hate the term "blood circle"). Don't try to cram the group around a single picnic table.

 

- The whittling should come later, only after they've got the safety stuff down. Soap carving works great, but have some sticks on hand, too.

[Basementdweller]

SSCOUTER please check your facts before posting. Wolfs are also permitted to earn the Whittle chip.

 

Typically it is done as a bear because it can be part of their rank advancement.

 

Now ask me if I would ever do it or trust a wolf scout with a knife.....

[SSScout]

Weeellll, there's where we get in the gray area again... Everything is ultimately up to the local Akela, after all.

 

To the best of my knowledge, the W/C is not mentioned in the Wolf book. It is mentioned in the Bear book requirement #19 Shavings and Chips. It is mentioned in the Webelos Book. I know of no reference, "official' or "psuedo official" that allows Wolfs to earn W/C. As always, it is next to impossible to bring something up on the National site, but our good ol' non-official sites :

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/webelos/webelos-scouts.asp

and http://usscouts.org/advance/cubscout/bear.asp#SHAVINGS

 

and pretty good references make the same notation.

I would not do a Cub Scout Tiger or Wolf W/C instruction or award, but that's just me. If the parents want to let Johnny use a knife at home, fine by me, but not with official Cub Scout sanction at a C/S event. Not til Bear or Web. That's how I read'em.

[Basementdweller]

I take those unofficial sites with a grain of salt

 

Here is the reference from nationals site

 

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/ageguides.pdf

 

Pocket knives are under tools

 

Yes wolves may earn the whittle chip

 

 

 

[JoeBob]

I liked using sandpaper to sharpen popsicle sticks/tongue depressors and carving on Ivory soap.

 

http://www.cubpack178.com/documents/whittling_chip_prog.pdf

[shortridge]

Ah, gotta love consistency ...

 

There's also this Whittling Chip Certification form - http://www.scouting.org/filestore/cubscouts/pdf/512-028_WB.pdf - which states that only a Bear or Webelos may earn the Whittling Chip.

[Eagle92]

Yep a little consistancy would be nice form national. Also some type of notice when something new comes out. I still have folks who have not heard about the no homemade stoves, etc that came out in Nov 09. Heck I even had one leader tell me I'd have to show him a copy of it until he believed me, cause we are suppose to be teaching them to be thrifty,

[Basementdweller]

Nice.......

 

So the truth is who knows. I would not teach any wolves I know to use a knife.

[SSScout]

I even tried to get the G2SS up, but it wouldn't come for me. Aha.

So the G2SS would seem to allow pocket knife use by Wolf Cubs, implying W/C earning, but , again, no mention anywhere else. Akelas end up deciding for themselves, again.

Thank you, Basement for the lookup.

*ahem* and would you ...?

[BluejacketScouter]

Thanks for all the comments. Soap carving with shaved-down popsicle sticks is planned. I'm reverse-engineering the session from the requirements in the Bear handbook, the credo stated on the card, and life experiences. No plans for Tigers and Wolves!!

[AnnLaurelB]

(*does a little happy dance at JoeBob's link*)

 

I had NO idea how I was going to teach the WC to muh Bears next year! Thanks!!

[Tampa Turtle]

I would watch the lefties a little more closely. It seems most knives place the cutting blade near the top if placed in the right hand. In the left hand it is lower and apparently harder to control. Also a two blade knife is easier than a thick Swiss army knife. At least that was my Bear experience twice -- the lefties were disproportionately struggling.

 

Also I had them practice holding Popsicle sticks first.