Correct pocket knife for Bears?

[NutyArty]

Be sure to check with the pack what type of a knife they want your Scout to have. My pack had a hard rule that knives had to be a non-locking pocket knife. I suggest the blade be no longer than the width of your Scouts palm.

[Basementdweller]

I got Opinels for myself and the boys. I have the carbon steel #7 and I love it. Easy to lock, easy to fold, and carbon steel keeps its edge. But Any Opinel will do as they come in a variety of sizes. Just wish we could get the WOSM ones here.

here ya go order them on line..... I am sure they will ship it to ya

 

http://www.worldscoutshops.com/PBSCCatalog.asp?CatID=1730042

[Basementdweller]

Be sure to check with the pack what type of a knife they want your Scout to have. My pack had a hard rule that knives had to be a non-locking pocket knife. I suggest the blade be no longer than the width of your Scouts palm.

Well that is some pretty bad advice. I have not been to a scout camp that will allow a fixed blade knife and our council policy is no fixed blade knives.

 

So check your local rules.

[Basementdweller]

A pocket knife is far to small to effectively dispatch a bear. You need long blade to get enough penetration, needs to be robust as the bear will not hold still while you try to skewer vital organs. I also like one with a stout lanyard so I don't lose it as easily while fighting the brute.

 

Here are a couple of knives I might consider.

 

http://www.sogknives.com/catalog/pro...uaXZlcy5odG1s/

 

 

Oh you meant buying one for your bear to use, NOT bear defense.

 

how about this one

 

http://www.scoutstuff.org/bsar-offic...ket-knife.html

 

 

I have mine from cub scouting, my son has his and said he will keep it to show his son.

Nothing?????

 

awe come on it was funny

[NutyArty]

Be sure to check with the pack what type of a knife they want your Scout to have. My pack had a hard rule that knives had to be a non-locking pocket knife. I suggest the blade be no longer than the width of your Scouts palm.

I'm sorry, where did I say fixed blade? I didn't. There are two types of folding knives. Locking and non-locking. Our scout camps only sale locking blades which goes against our Pack's knife policy.

[King Ding Dong]

Be sure to check with the pack what type of a knife they want your Scout to have. My pack had a hard rule that knives had to be a non-locking pocket knife. I suggest the blade be no longer than the width of your Scouts palm.

Nutty, why the non-locking blade rule ? I get it if the scout cannot unlock it, but a locking blade is much safer to actually use.

[Tampa Turtle]

Stupid policy. On a related issue I found a lot of Bears found the big swiss army knives too hard for them to whittle with. And the knives to be sharp not dull. And lefties have a harder time because the blade position hits the thumb better for righties especially in a thicker knife.

[King Ding Dong]

A pocket knife is far to small to effectively dispatch a bear. You need long blade to get enough penetration, needs to be robust as the bear will not hold still while you try to skewer vital organs. I also like one with a stout lanyard so I don't lose it as easily while fighting the brute.

 

Here are a couple of knives I might consider.

 

http://www.sogknives.com/catalog/pro...uaXZlcy5odG1s/

 

 

Oh you meant buying one for your bear to use, NOT bear defense.

 

how about this one

 

http://www.scoutstuff.org/bsar-offic...ket-knife.html

 

 

I have mine from cub scouting, my son has his and said he will keep it to show his son.

It's just that a sense of humor is so out of character for you. But growth should be encouraged so:

 

Lol. Very good.

[Austinole]

A cheep one with a locking blade. He will lose it. When my son got his whittling chip I got him a metal knife with the date he earned in on it. I think it cost $20.

[SSScout]

Whittlin Chip is definitely a local thing . Note that there is no "requirements", as in "do this, then this and make this", one is expected to teach the safe techniques and skills like an Uncle might to his nephew. There are lots of good curriculum on line, some more "academic" some more "hands on". PM me and I can send you our W/C Curriculum.

It is important that boys learn how to use tools safely, not only sharp edges. The confidence one gains in using tools to DO and MAKE spills over into other activities. If I can do THAT, then no reason I can't do THIS. Helping around the yard, helping in the kitchen (RAW ingredients), even holding and handing him the wrench while dad tightens something, all these add up over the boys lifetime.

 

I am always amazed at the lack of dexterity today's young boys exhibit in CSDC. It's as if they never have a chance to pile blocks up and knock them down. And the parents are often so eager to NOT have their boy take ANY risk . We had a Webelos Cub at one of our Camporees (visiting Webelos) want to do the W/C, but was scared to TOUCH a knife. One of our Scouts found a knife shaped stick in the woods and worked with this Cub using this substitute until he was ready to borrow the Scouts pocket knife. Eventually carved a credible auto out of the soap bar we gave him. I kept that knife-stick and point it out when I teach IOLS to nascent SMs. What a good recruiting tool! Big brother teaches young Cub about carving!

 

I hope you have the pleasure of watching and hearing your Scout hand his mother a knife in the kitchen and insist she say "thank you" before relinguishing his hold on it.

[NutyArty]

Be sure to check with the pack what type of a knife they want your Scout to have. My pack had a hard rule that knives had to be a non-locking pocket knife. I suggest the blade be no longer than the width of your Scouts palm.

I have no idea, KDD. Every time I challenge the policy. It's the same thing from the commitee, "That's the way we do it in this Pack." I am writing a new camping and outdoor SOP, which will correct that mistake.

[Stosh]

Be sure to check with the pack what type of a knife they want your Scout to have. My pack had a hard rule that knives had to be a non-locking pocket knife. I suggest the blade be no longer than the width of your Scouts palm.

Brief comments on locking knives.

 

One side will say the locking knives are safer. I have physical scars on one of my fingers that says the locking mechanism can fail and the damage is not pretty. When unlocking a knife, it requires a secondary step to close, release mechanism while applying pressure to close.

 

On the other side, while using a non-locking knife, you know it can close on your fingers at any time you apply it improperly. Use extra precaution and do not rely on it not closing with lock. Also when closing the knife, it is one process, pressure to close.

 

I have handled knives since I was 8 years old, I'm now 63. Sure I have a number of knife nicks over the years. The vast majority of them have been done by fixed blade knives in the kitchen. Second comes in with non-locking blades, I love to whittle. Only once was I injured by a lock blade knife, and it was the worst, the only time it needed stitches. I was using it while field dressing a deer. Now it's 100% fixed blade, I know it won't close on me no matter what. I have also see boys slip the lock mechanism (and not get hurt, but surprised) when they realized that by pushing down on something while holding the handle also pushes down on the mechanism. Blade gets stuck they pull back, continue the pressure grip on the handle and the blade unlocks.

 

If you simply go by the statistics above, go with the lock blade knife. But today I do not own, nor will I ever buy a lock blade knife again. Just personal experience.

 

Stosh

[Stosh]

Stupid policy. On a related issue I found a lot of Bears found the big swiss army knives too hard for them to whittle with. And the knives to be sharp not dull. And lefties have a harder time because the blade position hits the thumb better for righties especially in a thicker knife.

This is why one wants a 2 blade knife. Very narrow handle and makes it easy to use by either hand.

 

Stosh

[King Ding Dong]

Whittlin Chip is definitely a local thing . Note that there is no "requirements", as in "do this, then this and make this", one is expected to teach the safe techniques and skills like an Uncle might to his nephew. There are lots of good curriculum on line, some more "academic" some more "hands on". PM me and I can send you our W/C Curriculum.

It is important that boys learn how to use tools safely, not only sharp edges. The confidence one gains in using tools to DO and MAKE spills over into other activities. If I can do THAT, then no reason I can't do THIS. Helping around the yard, helping in the kitchen (RAW ingredients), even holding and handing him the wrench while dad tightens something, all these add up over the boys lifetime.

 

I am always amazed at the lack of dexterity today's young boys exhibit in CSDC. It's as if they never have a chance to pile blocks up and knock them down. And the parents are often so eager to NOT have their boy take ANY risk . We had a Webelos Cub at one of our Camporees (visiting Webelos) want to do the W/C, but was scared to TOUCH a knife. One of our Scouts found a knife shaped stick in the woods and worked with this Cub using this substitute until he was ready to borrow the Scouts pocket knife. Eventually carved a credible auto out of the soap bar we gave him. I kept that knife-stick and point it out when I teach IOLS to nascent SMs. What a good recruiting tool! Big brother teaches young Cub about carving!

 

I hope you have the pleasure of watching and hearing your Scout hand his mother a knife in the kitchen and insist she say "thank you" before relinguishing his hold on it.

PM does not work on this board. Do you have a Dropbox or other cloud service you can post it on ?

[King Ding Dong]

Any suggestions on how to work with the real knives at school ? Just thinking of the logistics. Our den meetings at right after school and I suspect the district would not look kindly on the boys even transporting them on the bus even if they turned them into the office in the morning. Might have to collect them from the parents the meeting prior when they pick the boys up. I am also a little uneasy using the knives without the parent present.