Scouts and Knives.

[Aaron Rushton]

hi all,
hopefully on this years summer scout camp i would like to teach the scouts some basic knife safety and how to make simple things like tent pegs and feather sticks. I need to talk to my leader about this, but am a little worried it will be rejected. some of them have swiss army knifes (which i personally think a more dangerous than fixed blades due to closing on fingers and such) and i have a couple of mora's. If the leader lets me go forward with this activity, can anyone recommend a really cheap knife which is upto the job and i can buy 15+ of without breaking the bank?
ATB
Aaron.

[GwersyllaCnau]

I recently bought a Hultafors Heavy Duty Carbon Steel Bushcraft Knife from The Bushcraft Store. I bought it coz it was CHEAP and judging by a review video I watched it can take alot of abuse.
Here are links to the knife and the vid.
http://www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk/hultafors-heavy-duty-carbon-steel-bushcraft-knife-3770-p.asp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m1EjwdKpx8

[RobbC]

What about some of these, there made by Mora so they will probably be of excelent quality.

http://www.greenmanbushcraft.co.uk/forest-schools/mora-511-bushcraft-and-forest-school-knife.htm

Robb

[happybonzo]

This may be of use to you http://paulkirtley.co.uk/2011/bushcraft-knife-safety-for-children/

[comanighttrain]

Yeah that chick would definetely be useful

[GwersyllaCnau]

What about some of these, there made by Mora so they will probably be of excelent quality.

http://www.greenmanbushcraft.co.uk/forest-schools/mora-511-bushcraft-and-forest-school-knife.htm

Robb

Damn wish I had found this when I was looking for my knife!

[paul standley]

What about some of these, there made by Mora so they will probably be of excelent quality.

http://www.greenmanbushcraft.co.uk/forest-schools/mora-511-bushcraft-and-forest-school-knife.htm

Robb

Aaron, I'd be surprised if you'll find better than these mate. - Good find Robb....

... And the link from Happy Bonzo is great, well worth using.

[Aaron Rushton]

cheers for all the info, espeically happy bonzo, that will be really useful! i may try and get some funding from the leaders if i can.

[Mang]

Hi Aaron, here's a current thread on the Scouting forum Escouts http://www.escouts.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=14921 There's an excellent Bushcraft & Nature Social group on there too (but I would say that, I started it!:cool::happy-clapping:).

[jus_young]

This may be of use to you http://paulkirtley.co.uk/2011/bushcraft-knife-safety-for-children/

Great site.

One additional element that you might want to consider is basic knife law. I did this with my scouts when covering knife and axe safety before we started back in the woods this term. I just covered about when to carry, justifying it to the police if you get stopped, legal length and knife types etc. It went down really well and certainly got them thinking about their own knives that they bring to scouts.

[resnikov]

Do you have a Chas Olsen store near you?

http://www.clasohlson.co.uk/product/category.aspx?category=hand+tools:knives%2fsharpen ing+stones&id=88168443&_path=251882;85177593;85216374;88168443&collapse=true

Mora knives very cheap.

[paul standley]

Do you have a Chas Olsen store near you?

http://www.clasohlson.co.uk/product/category.aspx?category=hand+tools:knives%2fsharpen ing+stones&id=88168443&_path=251882;85177593;85216374;88168443&collapse=true

Mora knives very cheap.

Like this site, never heard of them but they've a branch near me so definately going down for a look around.

[Sleepy]

I remember when I was first allowed a knife in scouts in the early '90s, I was never taught anything in particular but it was back in the days of common sense :p just the privilage of being trusted was enough to make you be careful.

Good on yer for making the effort though, hope you manage to get some funding but, to be honest, I wouldn't hold my breath.

A decent first aid kit would obviously be a good idea as "there's always one" who (doesn't) knows better!

You're right about folding knives, i had one close on me once and it was enough to put me off, permanently :ashamed: when you've gone to the effort of getting a razor sharp edge on a knife - seeing the blade snap back on your fingers isn't funny!

[Ramblin Tinker]

You might look into Opinels. They're agood, cheap folder with good carbon blades and a twist-lock mechanism. They're also incredibly customizeable.
Others you might look into are Mercator and Douk Douks.