Wood Tools

[Stosh]

It might do well to discuss the whole issue of wood tools as well as the pocket knife.

 

Our local camp has done away with the axe and has restricted wood cutting to just buck saws. Full handled shovels are also included.

 

What other tools would be useful?

 

We have found that a small miltary trenching tool works well for moving coals around when Dutch oven cooking.

 

A very sharp and axe (hatchet) can make kindling a lot faster, easier and safer than a pocket knife.

 

I find that a sheath knife fits the bill far better than a pocket knife when it comes to safe-food handling. One cannot prepare food with a pocket knife and expect it not to contaminate when not properly cleaned. A sheath knife is no bigger/smaller than most food prep knives in the average chuck box.

 

Of course all these tools can be used incorrectly and for that reason they tend to be banned from scout activities. However, when properly trained, the banned equipment is often times far safer than the allowed equipment.

 

Stosh

[evmori]

Let's ban tents, too! Someone could put an eye out with a tent stake!

 

If properly trained, an axe is a very useful tool. Banning them is nothing more than the willingness to teach their proper use.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[Eagledad]

>>Our local camp has done away with the axe and has restricted wood cutting to just buck saws. Full handled shovels are also included.

[dScouter15]

My troop only uses the hatchet, camp saw and pocket knives. For cooking, we just use regular kitchen knives stored in a cardboard sheath. For injuries, if we exclude pocket-knife related mishaps, the only wood tool related injuries I've seen involved the hatchet becoming embedded in their lower leg muscles - happened three times that I've seen (fortunately, never in my troop.) If we include pocket-knife injuries, a scout in my troop once amputated the tip of his forefinger (don't worry, it fully healed), but he, considering himself a "knife enthusiast," knowingly was using an unsafe knife in an unsafe manner.

[Stosh]

After reading how dumb my logic was, I'll clarify.

 

Full handled shovel is included in the wood tools at camp, NOT included in the tools that are banned.

 

Saw and shovel comprise the Fire Guard.

 

I need a proof reader.

 

I would also agree that saws are far worse than axes. I've never been hurt with axe or hatchet, but been nicked numerous times with a saw.

 

And how does one embed a hatchet in the leg? Axe maybe, but a hatchet?

 

Stosh

[anarchist]

 

 

It is easy to understand how Hand axes or hatchets cause more injuries than regular and 3/4 axes...folks tend to use them as axes rather than use them as wedges with a handle...from what I have seen over the last twelve years, most troops rarely teach bladed tool use well...they gloss over most of the instruction to "get the boy his knife carrying privilege"...most troop never even routinely set-up ax yards so the boy can practice the skills...thus they lose the skills.

 

Almost all knife injuries (having staffed first aid tents, a bit) seem to occur while "just whittling or cutting branches" (playing), not while prepareing food...in fact I can not recall a single chuck box/cooking knife injury in twelve years...burns yes cuts no.

 

and trenching tools are great for coal handling, as can be small flat bladed landscaping tools, or you can make a coal tool out of sheet metal and duct tape (cheap and a good "boys project" for the chuck box).

 

Folding pruning saws are great for cutting downed branches and the tops out of "dead falls". Easier for smaller scouts to use than big buck saws (and the blades do not twist and bind when the hands holding them are not as adept as those of bigger scouts).

Anarchist

[SR540Beaver]

Other than being used to teach the Totin' Chit, I've never actually seen an axe used in the three troops I've been associated with. We have one in the trailer, but it never comes out. It just isn't needed.

 

We arrive at camp on Friday night, set up camp, have a quick PLC and go to bed. Saturday is filled with program activities, cooking, eating and KP. We have a campfire program that evening with downed wood found on the ground. Sunday we eat breakfast, break camp, have a Scouts Own and head home.

 

I've never really came across a need for chopping or sawing wood on an outing. But then we don't build fires with logs as thick as our thighs either.